First Annual Celebration of The Beast of Bladenboro

June 25th, 2008 | webmaster | BeastFest 2007

By Hiram Hester (May 2007)

The legend goes back to 1954 when a series of vampire-like killings of pets and livestock set the town on edge. The dead animals were found with their jaws broken, their heads crushed, and their bodies drained of blood.

The mystery threw the town in a panic and drew attention from across the nation. Many theories about what the beast was, (or wasn’t), added to the anxiety of these unexplainable occurrences. And on top of it all, hunters came from near and far in an effort to kill the dreaded beast.

As the days passed many became weary over the growing hysteria and both Mayor and Police Chief sought to squash the madness before someone was shot by an anxious “beast hunter”.

The entire episode lasted about two weeks but before the terror subsided, the story became legend, and the legend continues today. From time to time, a story will appear in a newspaper about the beast, complete with interviews of locals who recalled the dread.

The beast now enjoys global celebrity status thanks to the World Wide Web. That’s right-if you do a web search you’ll find an abundance of information about the Beast of Bladenboro.

They also had a chance to preview a band that may be contracted to provide music during BeastFest 2007. It’s all a part of bring the community together for some good fun and entertainment.
Lisa has been contacted from an increasing number of vendors, even from out of state, in an effort to sign-up for the downtown event.

Arts, crafts, food and fun-all in celebration of our community through BOB.
We have it on good authority that Steve Simmons, owner of Diamond Dave’s Grill, is researching the “beast meat market” to cook up a Beast Burger. It’s all in celebration of BOB.

Other BOB items like t-shirts, caps, dolls, etc will be available from “Official and Authorized” suppliers. All items for the event deemed official will have a BOB-STAMP endorsement on the product. (There will be more information about authorized items in the weeks to come.)

A Road Kill Cookout may be held to help sample those things found on the roadside. (Well, at least one can pretend). A lot of cities add such cook-offs to their festivities where you can sample treats like “Buzzard Breath Maggotini”, “The Buck Stopped Here Pepper Steak”, “Deer Drop Chili”, and “Wild Turkalo on a Log”.

Hiram Hester is writing a book about the Beast of Bladenboro that will be offered at a nominal fee in support of the event. “A lot has been written about the beast and a lot of folks have reminiscences about those days of fear and anxiety. It will be my goal to create a BeastFest 2007 keepsake booklet that celebrates BOB. Sort of a, ‘everything you ever wanted to know about the Beast of Bladenboro but were afraid to ask’.”

Carrie Armstrong Banks wrote a college research paper on the beast and lent her research in support of the project. She conducted interviews with father, Robert Armstrong, Elise Bridger, brother Robert P. Armstrong, and cousin Flora Katherine Singletary.

For decades Bladenboro has hosted a Christmas Parade that is second to none. But it is increasingly more noticeable that following the parade that there is little reason to stay and enjoy the town. There is no where to shop, nothing much to do. This is one of the more visible signs that our town needs help.

It is another reason why BeastFest 2007 will bring in vendors from near and far to sell their wares and make it an event to remember. We hope to draw thousands of visitors to town and they will want to do more than see our empty buildings.

Local vendors are desired! We have a lot of talent in the area, so if you are an artist or craftsperson, let us know so that we can reserve a booth for you. You may have a special treat (cookies, cakes) that you or your group would like to sell. If so, let us know. Or you may have a special fundraiser that needs to promote the cause or raise funds. If so, let us know.

With Thanksgiving and Christmas just around the corner from BeastFest 2007, you may want to have a booth to sell your special holiday items. This is the beginning of our festive season and it is an excellent time to host homecoming events, reunions, community picnics, or even family gatherings.

As you can see, BeastFest 2007 is up and running. Volunteers are still invited to contribute their efforts and expertise. It will take a lot to make the days leading up to the event, and then the event itself, to be a resounding success.

There has been a lot of brainstorming and Action Committee #1 has accomplished a tremendous amount of work.