HILLSBOROUGH- The threat of stormy weather on Saturday couldn’t keep thousands of local residents—and some out of town guests—from heading to the 31st annual Hillsborough Hogg Day at River Park for an afternoon of family-friendly activities.

Nathan Guinn of Chapel Hill, who works with Orange County recycling, has attended Hogg Day for the past three years. He says a few of the festival’s traditions keep bringing him back.

“The music is always a lot of fun as we rove around,” he says. “I also like the variety of types of food that are out here. There’s a lot more diversity in the kinds of food this year than in the last couple of years, even.”

The Hogg Day outdoor event takes place every year to honor James Hogg, who was a prominent member of the UNC and Hillsborough communities.

This year’s edible favors came from a variety of area barbecue vendors and food trucks, such as Bandido’s Cafe of Chapel Hill and Capp’s Apizza of Chatham County.

Several local bands provided musical entertainment, including a few selections from Decatur St. Beat.

The event is also designed for local non-profit representatives to share their services with the community—like Penny Gluck, who was at the grounds representing the Orange County campus of Durham Technical Community College.

“Hogg Day gives us the opportunity to make sure Orange County residents know that Durham Tech has a presence in Orange County,” she says. “It’s just great to see all of the corporate citizens and residents.”

Numerous artists from all over the state were also on hands to share their crafts with the Orange County community.

Rosa Florez operates a jewelry company in Kernersville known as Rusty & Distressed. This is her second year coming to Hogg Day to show off her pieces, which are all made exclusively of copper. She says the Orange County area is an ideal location to promote her items.

“People around here in this area like more hand-crafted things, so that’s why I bring them here,” she says.

And whether they were there for business purposes or just to enjoy a spring day, all of the attendees had different reasons for coming out. Darin Parrish of Hillsborough says the event serves several purposes.

“We’re here for the foods, for our kids, and for the fellowship with our neighbors,” he says.

But Parrish adds that for his family, one aspect of the afternoon was key:

“The fact that I can let my two children go, they’ll play all day, and then I can take them home and they’ll fall asleep at naptime,” he says. “I love it.”

Click here for more on the history of Hogg Day.