OXFORD — In the second year of the revival of Masonry’s gathering at the Masonic Home for Children, crowds here were modest but spirited. More than 2,000 people attended Masonic Homecoming October 13 to enjoy the parade and music and great fellowship. The weather was perfect.

Last year, our historic St. John’s Day Masonic gathering was revived by then Grand Master Lewis Ledford and the Masonic Home for Children. We moved the celebration’s weekend to October to combine it with the Home's Alumni Homecoming. While there were numerous attractions during the weekend-long occasion, there are three major events: the Barbecue Cook-Off, the Shrine Parade, and the musical entertainment.

On Friday night, the barbecue teams gathered and began their slow-cook preparations for Saturday’s lunch and judging. While their work proceeded, the Brunswick Stew Crew from Andrew Jackson 576 brought a couple of their monster-pot cookers to feed the barbecue contestants their famous stew. The chefs and their crews were entertained by David Quick of Columbus 102 and his Hot Mess Band.

The contest fed more than 1,500 in the Pit on Saturday. The pit is a large circle of cookers under the oaks of the Home campus. A ten-dollar wrist band got you in the circle to sample all the chicken and pork you could hold. David Sawyer chaired the cook-off.

First and second place overall winners this year were out-of-state teams: First went to Virginia’s Spurmont 98, and Second to Doric 30 from Delaware. Both these teams qualify as honorary Tarheel lodges due to their long-time participation in the NC Masonic Pig Jig held each spring and also cooking at last year’s inaugural Masonic Homecoming.

Other cook-off winners were Chicken: Spurmont 98 (first), Stokesdale 428 (second), Doric 30 (third); Ribs: Spurmont 98 (first), Raleigh 500 (second), Stokesdale 428 (third); and Pork: Nubia Grotto, New Bern (first), Orphans 761 (second), Doric 30 (third).

Saturday was the big visitor day. Various entertainments were on the Home’s campus for everyone’s enjoyment. The first big event of the day was the Shrine parade. Units form all three of North Carolina’s Shrines participated in the lengthy, and efficiently run, parade. A good crowd gathered along the route, most of them on the roads at the Home. Besides the usual miniature vehicles, costumed characters, and other entertainments for which the Shrine is famous, the parade featured officials from the local community as well as a broad range of Masonic organizations.

As the parade ended, the crowd got serious about visiting the Pit to enjoy the pig and chicken. While they were feasting, the music began. The Mark Roberts Band lead things off, with T. Graham Brown joining them after a set. Early in his career, you could hear Brown doing advertising jingles for McDonalds, Disneyland, and Budweiser as well as being the “Run for the Border” voice for Taco Bell. Now, he’s better known for hits “Hell & High Water,” “Don’t Go to Strangers,” and “Darlene.” His broad audience appeal made him a popular act with the crowd.

During the day, both Wilkerson College 760 and Orphans 761 met on campus. Tours of the campus and the  Cobb Center were conducted throughout the day. More than $8,000 was raised with several fundraising efforts over the weekend. Special thanks are due to Johnny Surles for another great job as festival chairman.

Click here to see photos.