The 8th annual Colfax Persimmon Festival will be held Saturday, November 7 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Historic Stafford Farm, located in Colfax.
Since the beginning of the Colfax Persimmon Festival, persimmons have become popular and are making their way around the Triad.
“Earlier this year, my friend Kenny Hamilton entered persimmon wine, made with persimmons from the Historic Stafford Farm, in the Dixie Classic Fair and won a gold medal, first place in the amateur division,” said Gene Stafford, event organizer and owner of the Historic Stafford Farm. “Hoots Roller Bar is planning to brew a beer with persimmons from the Stafford Farm.”
The Persimmon Festival was started as a way to try to save the Historic Stafford Farm.
“The farm is dated back to the 1780s, according to John Larson of Old Salem and someone from the Mendenhall Plantation. Supposedly, General Cornwallis stopped by here on his way to the Guilford Battleground during the Civil War,” said Stafford, who explained that he grew up on the working farm with his mother and grandmother.
Stafford said in 2008, when his mother died, he started doing restoration work to the farm as a way to honor and remember her. Before starting the festival, he had help from various people to restore the house, and at the end of each renovation he would celebrate with a chicken stew. Then he got an idea to have a Persimmon Festival because of the persimmon trees on the property and because it would be something unique.
Stafford said since the Persimmon Festival started, he has made several more renovations to the historic home, including restoring the chicken and hog houses, the tobacco stick shed, the root cellar, and he built a porch with windows where the Persimmon Queen sits each year. Also, for persimmon pulp sales and storage, Stafford rebuilt the garage building after a tree fell last year.
Stafford said the money raised at the Persimmon Festival goes toward the restoration of the farm, as well as promoting the vendors and the community. He feels that the restoration to the farm is a community effort. He looks for volunteers throughout the year for help on the house, as well as at the Persimmon Festival.
At the festival, the persimmons and persimmon items will be available while they last.
The festival will include food such as BBQ, chicken stew, Brunswick stew, hot dogs, funnel cakes, Muscadine juice, fried apple pies, and pork skins.
The Colfax band Cornbread Revival (A.K.A. The Persimmon Pickers), the Daniel Baker Band, and Tyler Millard Band will perform.
There will be various other art and vintage craft vendors; a nature walk to the big poplar tree; atlatl and primitive weapons (Tim Whaley); foot operated lathe; Dennis Maness will have a Revolutionary War camp and will be doing primitive cooking over a campfire; Civil War camp; Colfax and Stafford history; chainsaw artist (Randy Everett); molasses making demonstration; Model A Car Club Show; hit and miss machines from 1920s and 1930s; vintage farm equipment and tractors; and farm history tours.
The event will also feature a children’s area, which will include vintage games, corncob dart game; beekeeper, flintnapper (Mike Hill), persimmon hole (cornhole board using persimmon seeds instead of corn); and an arrowhead collector.
Joe Huygens, member of the Piedmont Region of the Model A Restorers Club, said Mark and Leigh Bodenhamer are hosting the club during the Colfax Persimmon Festival this year, which will feature several Model A cars.
“Randall and Tonda Strickland are bringing their 1922 Model T car, which was built in Kernersville. They are one of only three known owners,” Huygens said.
Stafford is looking forward to another great festival.
“I am looking forward to seeing a big turnout. I hope people enjoy the festival,” he said. “I also hope we raise enough money to continue the restoration of the farm.”
Stafford noted that upon cutting into a persimmon seed this year, he saw a spoon.
“That means we’re going to see snow this year,” he shared.
The Historic Stafford Farm is located at 558 N. Bunker Hill Rd. in Colfax.
The entry fee is $7. Children under the age of 12 get in free.
Parking will be located at Shady Grove Wesleyan Church, located at 119 N. Bunker Hill Rd. with a donation. Oasis Shriners of Greensboro will handle parking. This year, the shuttle services will include modern up-to-date buses for comfort taking visitors from Shady Grove Wesleyan Church to the festival.
If your vehicle has a current handicapped tag, ask about handicapped parking at the site.
Pets, coolers and alcohol are not permitted.
For more information, or if interested in volunteering, visit www.colfaxpersimmonfest.com or call 336-682-5328.
