MOREHEAD CITY, N.C. (WITN) – As more than 150,000 visitors prepare to pack the Morehead City waterfront this weekend for the 40th annual North Carolina Seafood Festival, local first responders are rolling out safety plans and major parking adjustments.
The North Carolina Seafood Festival kicks off Friday at noon and runs through Sunday evening.
Festivalgoers will face a significant change to their travel routine this year, as free parking is no longer available at the port. Instead, officials have relocated parking to Carteret Community College, where visitors can park for free and take shuttles directly to the waterfront.
With street closures taking effect and heavy foot traffic crowding downtown corridors, police urge drivers in the area to stay vigilant, slow down, and watch for pedestrians darting across streets.
Once on the festival grounds, authorities say child safety remains a top priority, noting that separated children are consistently among their most common calls during the three-day event.
“First of all, keep an eye on your kids, make sure you know where they are at all times. But in the event that it does happen, it’s a good idea to have a picture that day of your kids so you know what they’re wearing, what their hairstyle may be,” said Lt. Zach Leach with the Morehead City Police Department. “So it’s a lot easier for us to find them if we know what exactly we’re looking for.”
Police also recommend teaching children their parents’ phone numbers so officials can contact families immediately when a lost child is brought to their attention.
If an attendee encounters a lost child, emergency personnel advise against letting them walk away.
“Go ahead and try to get with the child, see what kind of information you get from them,” said Johnathan Eubanks, assistant chief and EMS coordinator for Morehead City Fire and EMS. “Go ahead and notify the people around you and notify 911. We’ll have a ton of resources on scene in order to relocate them back with their family.”
First responders also advise visitors to begin hydrating days in advance. Morehead City Fire and EMS will have roving paramedics throughout the crowds and a designated cooling zone on-site equipped to assist anyone experiencing heat-related illness or medical emergencies.
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