This year’s theme for the Evening of Encounters is “Strawberry Derby Days” don your best derby attire and join us for an evening of food, fellowship, and fun! The Strawberry Quality Auction will be taking place at the Encounters! From Durham, North Carolina, Party Vibez is a band dedicated to elevating the party atmosphere at special occasions. With a collective experience of over 20 years in the music industry, this energetic band is on hand to entertain your guests from the first dance to the last. They play an eclectic mix of musical genres, from classic rock, blues, and country to funk, hip hop, soul, and disco. North Carolina Strawberry Festival Scholarship Pageant The Chadbourn Merchants Association sponsored the Strawberry Festival for several years. In 1970, the Strawberry Festival Association was formed. It is the oldest continuing agricultural festival in North Carolina. By charter, registered with the North Carolina Secretary of State, the Chadbourn Strawberry Festival officially became the North Carolina Strawberry Festival at Chadbourn, N.C. on January 17, 1985. Also look forward to a vibrant parade, a strawberry spitting contest and much more!