by Heather Wood

It is that time of year again when a little buzz is in the air.  On Saturday August 23, the Fourth of July Park will be transformed into the largest one day traditional festival that Kernersville has to offer.

The Kernersville Honeybee Festival presented by Cone Health is now in its 40th year and has been a long time family tradition.  On March 5th, 1973, Brady Mullinax, a citizen of Kernersville, began his effort to distinguish the honeybee as our state insect.  After a trip to our state capital, a bill was represented in the Senate by Betty Ann Wilkie and in the House by E. Lawrence Davis.  The honeybee became North Carolina’s official state insect.

In the summer of 1975, Lucy Lewis, Rev. Jim Carriker, and Beverly Everette brought up the idea of a festival celebrating Brady’s accomplishments as a town employee and a citizen.  It was fitting that the festival be called the Kernersville Honeybee Festival.  Brady’s success in making the Honeybee our state insect was commemorated in 1987 by the U.S. Postal Service.  Brady hived his first swarm of bees at age 9 and continued to work with them until his passing.

In 2005, the festival was awarded the Dorothy Mullen Arts and Humanities Award.  This award exemplifies programs that reflect “the most innovative and effective arts and humanities programs across the nation. This national award recognizes the importance of arts and humanities programs and the leisure service agencies that provide them.”

Today, the Kernersville Honeybee Festival consists of over 80+ vendors and attracts well over 10,000 spectators.  There is food, games, crafts, music, live demonstrations, and a kid’s area.  Brady’s apprentice Craig Cagle can be found selling his homemade honey, in Brady’s original booth space in the park.

The Kernersville Honeybee Festival is known for its authentic arts & crafts vendors that come from near and far to be a part of this event.  Follow the pathway through the park to visit vendors selling homemade jewelry, bath products, repurposed items, quilts, wreaths, and much more.  The Honeybee Festival would not be complete without our honey vendors as well.  There will be local honey available, as well as a first hand glance at live bee hives for spectators to view.

Miss Mary’s Family Fun Hive will keep the kids entertained throughout the day with face painting, juggling, games, bounce houses, an obstacle course, pedestal joust and scramble slide.  There is enough fun for the entire family.  Be sure to visit the various kid friendly vendor booths also located in the Miss Mary’s Family Fun Hive and thank the area sponsors Kernersville Magazine and Chick-fil-A for their continued support in our community.

Every year the festival brings up and coming local musical performances to the main stage.  This year we will have a variety of musical performances by Jordan Covington (country), Soul Central (Classic Soul), and The Fairlanes (R&B).  There are also several live demonstrations throughout the park including the Triad Area Blacksmith’s, Chainsaw Carvings by Randy Everett, and a special guest host from 100.3 KISS FM.  The radio station will host a “Singing Bee Contest” beginning at 12:45p.m.  To register, arrive early and visit the 100.3 booth.  While listening to great music in the cul-de-sac of Fourth of July Park, do not forget to munch on the various selections of food vendors on site.

This traditional festival is full of family fun!!  For the first time you can share your honeybee “selfies” by using #honeybee2014.  Want to be famous for the day?  We would love to see photos of you and your family enjoying the festival.

To stay up-to-date on the latest information about the Kernersville Honeybee Festival visit our website at www.kvhoneybee.com.  If you are interested in volunteering for the Honeybee Festival, please contact Kernersville Parks and Recreation Department at 336-996-3062.

Don’t miss out on a great day of fun and history in the making, happening Saturday, August 23 at Fourth of July Park from 10:00a.m. – 5:00p.m.