The Ocracoke Preservation Society is seeking bakers for the Fig Cake Bake-Off at the 6th Annual Ocracoke Fig Festival Friday, Aug. 16, and Saturday, Aug. 17, at the museum grounds and the Berkley Barn across the street.
The Bake-Off is the main event of the festival, produced by the OPS, and cakes can be entered in one or all of three award categories:
- Traditional Ocracoke Recipe (You can find the traditional recipe in local cookbooks, or at www.preserveocracoke.com.) Traditional ingredients are limited to flour, sugar, oil/butter/margarine, eggs, pecans/walnuts, fig preserves, milk/buttermilk, vanilla, and salt/spices. A sugar glaze or sour cream frosting also accepted.
- Innovative (Anything goes, as long as it’s figgy.)
- Fig Kids (Anything goes, as long as it’s figgy – and the cook is age 16 or under.)
Cakes are judged on presentation, traditional/innovative flavors, and figginess.
No need to sign up ahead of time. Deliver your uncut fig cake entry to the Ocracoke Preservation Society Museum between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Saturday.
Fig Festival volunteers will get your information and assign a number to your cake. If you’d like to share your recipe, please bring a copy.
Judging begins at 4 p.m.; winners are announced at 5 p.m. (broadcast live on WOVV 90.1 FM or listen online at wovv.rocks).
The audience is welcome to join in the Fig-For-All—to eat the entries.
The fun begins Friday afternoon at 4 p.m. with a Porch Talk at the Ocracoke Preservation Society Museum.
Chester Lynn, Ocracoke’s fig expert, will give a presentation about the island’s many fig tree varieties, the fruit they bear and how Ocracokers like to eat them.
New this year is “The Savory Side of Figs” from 5 to 7 p.m. in the museum.
This ticketed event ($20 per person) will feature figgy heavy hors d’oeuvres and sample entrees from Ocracoke restaurants accompanied by beer, wine and fig-infused tea. Space is limited; reserve a ticket by calling 252-928-7375.
Across the street at the Berkley Barn, all are welcome to the traditional Ocracoke Square Dance with caller Philip Howard and live music provided by Molasses Creek from 6 to 8 p.m.
The annual Fig Preserve Tasting Contest begins at 5:30 p.m. and offers festival-goers a chance to sample several varieties of fig preserves and vote for their favorites. Tasting tickets are $3 each. There will also be free fig cake samples for all, and beer, wine and soft drinks available for purchase.
Saturday’s events begin at 10 a.m. with vendor booths, live music from local musicians, storytelling, fun for kids, and more on the OPS Museum grounds until 5 p.m.
Saturday evening, the festivities move back to the Berkley Barn with live music from 6 to 11 p.m.
Acoustic sets from Martin Garrish & Friends start off the event, followed by a dance party with the Ocracoke Rockers beginning at 8 p.m. Beer, wine, and soft drinks will be available to purchase; the fig cake is free!
The Ocracoke Preservation Society is a 501c-3 non-profit, community-based organization dedicated to the preservation of Ocracoke Island’s rich historical and cultural heritage.
