LUMBERTON — The annual Lumbee Homecoming will be discussed by members of the Robeson County Board of Commissioners when they meet Monday.
Ben Jacobs, project manager for Lumbee Enterprise Development, is on the meeting agenda to present a brief presentation on the annual festival. According to Jacobs, who is also the Lumbee Homecoming Festival vendor coordinator for the Lumbee Regional Development Association, sponsor of the festival, his presentation will include information pertaining to the economic benefit the festival has on Robeson County.
A memo from Jacobs to James Hardin, executive director of the Lumbee Regional Development Association, states that direct spending by visitors and participants in the festival that is held each year around the July Fourth holiday is in excess of $1.5 million. The festival also is estimated to draw about 40,000 people, and includes more than 12 days of activities, including beauty pageants, arts and crafts, vendors, a parade, foreworks, musical events and more.
“This festival is considered one of the largest festivals in Southeast North Carolina,” according to the memo. “This event helps make Robeson County a better place to live, play and work. This event is considered a major cultural and heritage tourism event and these events are very important to the region.”
In other business at Monday’s meeting, the commissioners will:
— Consider bids for administering county Emergency Medical Services billing and collections.
— Consider two appointments to the Juvenile Crime Prevention Council.
— Consider a resolution adopting a policy for mutual assistance with other law enforcement agencies.
— Consider approval of service agreements between Jail Health Services and medical personnel.
The meeting begins at 6 p.m. in the commissioners’ room of the county administration building on North Elm Street in Lumberton.