Story Inspiration

UPTOWN GREENVILLE

Nestled between the Tar River and East Carolina University’s main campus, Greenville’s vibrant center city district is home to an increasing number of local restaurants and businesses. Explore the growing art, music, and food scene through exhibits at the Greenville Museum of Art, Art Avenue, Pitt County Arts Council at Emerge, and with food and live music performances at Winslow’s, Starlight Café, The Scullery, Tipsy Teapot at Limelight, and many more. Exciting community events take place at Five Points Plaza year round including: Uptown Greenville Umbrella Market, Freeboot Fridays, First Friday ArtWalk, PubWalks, BMX-Fest, PirateFest, Greenville’s St. Patrick’s Day Celebration, and Christmas Parade & Holiday Market. The Jolly Trolley provides tours and transportation throughout the Uptown District during most of these celebrations!

GREENVILLE TOWN COMMON & TAR RIVER

Located adjacent to the Uptown Greenville District, this open green space is connected to the South Greenville Greenway by paved walkways, the Town Creek Bridge, and a 1500-foot esplanade along the Tar River. Feeding into the Pamlico Sound, this peaceful river provides opportunities for fishing, boating, and kayaking. The Tar River also serves as a scenic backdrop for the Greenville Toyota Amphitheatre, where the people come together to relax and enjoy live music during the Sunday in the Park Summer Concert Series, Greenville Grooves Music Festival, PirateFest, and many other annual events.

RIVER PARK NORTH

This beautiful natural area encompasses 324 acres of land and 1.2 miles of water along the Tar River for camping, hiking, fishing, water activities, and educational programs. The on-site Walter L. Stasavich Science and Nature Center offers opportunities to learn about science and nature in Eastern NC with a variety of exhibits, including a turtle touch tank, 10,000 gallon freshwater aquarium, live snakes, and more. Listed on the NC Birding Trail, you may see Bald Eagles and Osprey fly overhead, along with Yellowthroat, Indigo Bunting, and Blue Grosbeak throughout the park, as well as wading birds and other wintering waterfowl at the lakes.

PIRATEFEST

Pirate lovers of all ages parlay along the banks of the Tar River every April at Greenville’s signature multi-day live music and cultural festival celebrating traditions of the buccaneers that roamed the Inner Banks waters of Eastern NC during pre-colonial times. Dance the night away at the Buccaneer Bash at Five Points Plaza. Learn about pirate life and watch live powder demonstrations at the Pirate Encampment on the Town Common. Come dressed and ready to swashbuckle for the Pirate Costume Contest and walk in the Parade of Pirates. Enjoy shopping for art, crafts, and jewelry from over 60 NC-based artists and vendors. Befriend the roving pirate actors as they stroll through the streets of Uptown Greenville singing sea chanteys, getting into sword fights, and flirting with the mermaids. The International Ports o’ Call showcases the diversity in our area with food, music, and art from around the world. This festival features lots of grub, grog, and great live music on three stages!

BARBECUE

The North Carolina Barbecue Society’s Historic Barbecue Trail is a finger lickin’ culinary trail that kicks off in right here in Pitt County and stretches across the state! These three restaurants feature pit-cooked pork ‘cue with vinegar/ pepper based sauce and all the fixings that make Eastern NC barbecue world famous. The trail starts at the nationally-acclaimed Skylight Inn in Ayden. Founded by Pete Jones, Skylight Inn has been an Eastern NC staple since the early 1800’s and was proclaimed by “Barbeque Capital of the World” by National Geographic. The top of the building even features a replica of the US Capitol rotunda! Next is B’s Barbecue in Greenville, owned and operated by the McLawhorn family. They close up once they sell out for the day, so it’s best to get in line early because they don’t mess around when it comes to their ‘cue. Just look for an old general store on B’s Barbecue Road with a parking lot full of cars and a line out the door! Finally, the Pitt County portion of the trail ends with Jack Cobb & Son Barbecue in Farmville. They are only open 3 days a week, but food that good deserves to be planned around. These three restaurants feature pork ‘cue with vinegar/ pepper based sauce and all the fixings that make Eastern NC barbecue world famous. Greenville and Pitt County also have many other delicious BBQ restaurants waiting to satisfy all your cue’ cravings!

EASTERN CAROLINA VILLAGE AND FARM MUSEUM

This site preserves and depicts the rural architecture and agricultural life in Pitt County and Eastern NC from 1840 to 1940. A tour of the Log Church, Stables, Blacksmith Shop, Smokehouse, Corn Crib, Milk House, Schoolhouse, Water Tower, General Store, Tobacco Barn and Museum, several simple Greek-Revival style houses, cabins and other out buildings, as well as over a thousand artifacts, will engage and inspire people of all ages to feel a deep and long-lasting connection to another time and the people who worked hard to forge a life in this area. Local experts, including Pitt County historian and published author, Roger Kammerer, enhance the tour experience with stories of the traditions of the families who once occupied these buildings.

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