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Havelock festival organizers report growth and make donation; city schedules playground ribbon-cutting
Summary
At the April 27 Havelock Board meeting, organizers reported growth of the Havelock Chili Festival and presented a $700 donation to the police department for the Havelock Animal Shelter. City staff announced a ribbon-cutting for the new City Park playground on May 15 and several upcoming community events and open houses.
Organizers and city staff used the April 27 Havelock Board of Commissioners meeting to update the board on community events, report fundraising activity, and announce upcoming public ceremonies.
Sandy Cence, representing the Chili Festival organizers, reported that the Oct. 18, 2025 festival used 141 spaces, hosted 96 vendors and agencies (28 nonprofits), 19 food trucks and 13 chili cooks, and engaged roughly 200–250 volunteers from 19 agencies and organizations. The festival awarded more than $23,000 in community grants (including $2,000 to the Havelock–Craven County Public Library) and eight scholarships for Havelock graduating seniors. Cence presented a $700 check to the Havelock Police Department to benefit the Havelock Animal Shelter and said the festival has donated about $63,000 over the last three festivals and roughly $112,000 over nine festivals. Public Services Director Patrick Lee was assigned to follow up on potential electrical upgrades at Walter B. Jones Park to support continued festival growth.
Tony Ouellette of the Havelock Animals Association described an "Ink for Change" fundraiser scheduled for May 3 at Immortal Tattoo; he noted the event is expected to be about half the size of the Food Truck Festival and confirmed the $1,000 donation from the Havelock Animals Association recorded in the budget amendment adopted earlier.
Interim City Manager Randy Martin updated the Board on Parks & Recreation work: the City Park playground demolition is complete and a new, ADA-accessible playground with a toddler sensory zone and improved drainage is under construction. A ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for May 15, 2026 at 5:30 p.m., preceding the scheduled Concert in the Park. Martin also reported the Recreation Complex trail widening and paving is expected to finish by May 11, 2026 in partnership with Craven County. The meeting packet listed additional events including the STARBASE Open House at MCAS Cherry Point (May 1), the NCLM Annual Conference (May 5–7), and the MCAS Cherry Point Air Show (May 9–10).
The Board thanked organizers and staff for volunteer coordination and community programming. Staff will follow up on infrastructure needs identified for festival growth and will file donation records as part of the adopted budget amendment.
