By CLARA CARTRETTE

The North Carolina Yam Festival gets underway this week with a variety of activities for the entire family.

Festival headquarters opened Friday in the library where souvenirs are available and educational exhibits are located. Storefronts will be judged Tuesday for the best festival display and sweet potato quality contest entries will be accepted at the library on Wednesday from 9 to 5. Art, photography and potato crafts will be accepted in the Tabor City Baptist Church fellowship hall from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday and will go on display Friday.

One of the festival highlights will be The Taste of Tabor, an outdoor dinner that will be held in the Ritz Plaza in downtown Tabor City Thursday from 5 to 8 p.m. The Todd House will cater, Tabor City’s best cooks will provide sweet potato desserts and the award-winning West Columbus High School Jazz Band will perform. Advance tickets are required and may be purchased at the Chamber of Commerce, local banks, library or from festival committee members for $20.

The Rotary Club pancake supper will be held at the elementary school from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday and the $5 tickets may be purchased from Rotary members or at the door. A free street dance will be held from 7 to 10 p.m. Friday in Ritz Plaza.

Saturday is the big day, with the invitation-only sweet potato auction scheduled early and the 100-plus unit parade to follow at 10 a.m. A job fair will be held at the N.C. Visitor Center from 9 to 5 for anyone interested in a job at the new correctional facility. Numerous food, arts and crafts vendors will be located throughout the downtown area and there will be entertainment on two stages throughout the day. Port-o-johns will be located in Ritz Plaza, at the courthouse, near town hall and the library.

There will be Carolina Railroad train rides for $5, historical re-enactments, Mt. Tabor School tours, firemen and EMS competitions, classic car show, the art, photography and sweet potato craft show, sweet potato cook-off, and the Tabor City High School alumni reunion. Out at South Columbus High School, there will be JROTC and Stallion Classic band field competitions. Youth Fest, a free concert featuring New Song, The Cruz-Aiders and more, and sponsored by several county churches, will be held in Ritz Plaza from 5 to 10 p.m.

A gospel sing at Ritz Plaza on Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m. will close the festival.