What is a herring?
First of all, for about 10 years of my life, I thought it was spelled "heren," because that's how we pronounce it in J-ville. A herring is a small, narrow fish that is found all over the Atlantic Ocean. Jamesville, which runs along the Roanoke River, is in love with and rather proud of our herring. In fact, our school yearbook was called "The Herringbone." While people in Scandinavia are known for pickling their herring, all Southerners know the best thing you can do with a fish is deep fry it.
Before frying them, deep slits are cut along the length of the fish to ensure even cooking.
The end product -- cooked until it's crispy. Some people eat the bones and all (just with herring, not all our fried fish), but I just eat the flesh and leave the skeleton behind. I do differ from most of my fellow Jamesvillians in that I do not sprinkle the fish with pepper vinegar (vinegar that has been infused with hot peppers for up to several years) before eating it. Just call me a purist.
What is the Herring Festival?
The Herring Festival started in 1949 to celebrate the spring spawning of the herring. This time of year brought a lot of prosperity to the town as fishermen came to fish the river waters and diners came to eat at our seasonal restaurants, the Cypress Grill and the River's Edge (open only a few months a year while the fish are plentiful). The festival included fireworks on Easter night, a baseball tournament, and the main festivities on Easter Monday (the day after Easter).
What memories do I have of the Herring Festival?
Growing up in Jamesville, it was THE DAY for our town. There would be all kinds of yummy food, fun games to play (and prizes to win), and vendors selling all kinds of crap that appealed to young kids. There was always good music, from blue grass to beach music to gospel, that always gathered a crowd.
When I was 9 or 10, I spent $20 playing this one game over and over, and showed back up at my house with six giant inflatable objects (inflatable bear, guitar, baseball bat, crayon, and two others I can't remember). All through elementary and middle school, the first thing you had to do was arm yourself with silly string and poppers (the kind you throw on the ground to make popping noises), so that you were prepared if you ran into a school classmate.
When I went to college, one of my biggest disappointments was that I had classes on Easter Monday, so I couldn't attend the festival. Well, a few years ago, for the 60th anniversary of the festival, they switched things around. The festival is now on the weekend before Easter, which means I can attend it again (much to Jason's joy, I can assure you *insert sarcasm here*).
What is the Herring Festival like now?
A lot has changed with the festival. Other than the days, the festival is now on Main Street instead of River Road (two whole blocks over, people, drastic difference). There's no baseball tournament anymore, but there is a parade. Oh, the parade. Do you have an old car? You can be in the parade! Do you have a four-wheeler (ATV)? You can be in the parade! Do you have a Mustang or Corvette (not vintage, just any year)? You can be in the parade! Honestly, not my town's finest moments.
Images from previous years:
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| Got motorcycles? You can be in the parade! |
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| Got a weird car? You can be in the parade! |
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| Yep, that's the Easter Bunny riding in an ambulance. |
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| *facepalm* Really, this is how we want to represent our town??? |
The festival also includes an Easter egg hunt at my aunt Tammy's house. It's huge! I didn't even know that many kids were in the town!
Images from previous years:
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| Hiding the eggs |
Stay tuned for descriptions of this year's festivities.
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