Festival for the Eno celebrates the river's beauty, preservation

"What we're trying to do is get people out into this park and on the banks of the river, so they can understand, so they can build a connection to it," said Greg Bell, festival director. "The music, food, the crafts - the fun. All of it for a purpose.

Joe Benz lives down the road and said the festival is a family tradition.

"It's nice to see the community, hear some nice music, see the vendors," Benz said. "All the interesting stuff they have. "

From clean energy demonstrations to crafting a clay pot, attendees have gathered for decades to take part in a wide array of activities.

"These show a way for all of our people in this community to come together and represent the culture that is important to them in a way that is loving, kind and cooperative," he said.

The festival also honors the community's commitment to preserving the Eno River basin.

"Our goal ultimately is to preserve clean water, so all the people down the Neuse River in Wake County and Johnston County have clean water to drink," Bell said.

"It's important to take care of our environment because this is the only earth we have."

The festival will continue on July 4.