PITTSBORO — Past PepperFests in Pittsboro have drawn as many as 3,000 visitors.
In the days of COVID-19, though, adjustments were made for the safety of all for the 2020 event, which was held Sunday.
This year, the event was a picnic and farmers’ market-styled event along with the creativity of the Piedmont’s top chefs. Tickets were limited to 100 high-end baskets full of pepper themed dishes.
PepperFest’s 13th annual event was held on a beautiful sunny, fall day. Everyone followed the safety precautions and rules of engagement during the pandemic. There was a refreshing diversity of vendors and delicious food was cooked on-site by Copeland Springs Farm. A variety of beverages were served. Live music was provided by Certain Seas and Sankofa, West African Drumming. The highlight of the day was the crowning of the new PepperFest King and Queen: the official photographer for Abundance NC, Adrian Moreno, was named Pepper King and Tami Schwerin, Abundance’s executive director, was named Pepper Queen.
I must admit: PepperFest marked the first time I’ve been to a large public event since COVID-19 began, and it couldn’t have been a more enjoyable experience. Kudos to the Abundance NC team for all the attention to safe planning and real-time monitoring.