BY NICOLE BOWMAN-LAYTON
EDENTON – The fifth annual Albemarle Rock Fish Festival made waves on Saturday, May 3, as music lovers gathered at Colonial Waterfront Park for a day of local bands and community spirit.
Launched in 2021 during the pandemic shutdown, the festival was co-founded by Julien Mordecai and Sherwood Jones, who saw an opportunity to give musicians and residents something to celebrate.
“The first year was just friends and bands playing near (Edenton) marina,” said Mordecai. “But it clicked — people showed up, danced, and felt something we’d all been missing.”
What began as a small, homegrown event has grown into an annual tradition, still true to its original spirit: grassroots music, shared memories, and fun by the water. This year’s artists included Chris O’Neill featuring Paul Kothe, Powderkeg, The Feuston Brothers and Wee Jam Band.
A Solar-Powered Soundtrack
This year’s festival featured two stages powered entirely by solar energy — a technical feat led by O’Neill, a veteran of large-scale festivals like Bonnaroo and Pilgrimage Festival, both large, multi-day music festivals held in Tennessee.
“This show wasn’t even connected to the grid,” said O’Neill said of Saturday’s event. “We’re running on solar from our own portable systems. Clean, efficient, and totally self-sustained.”
O’Neill recently moved to Edenton, but has already made a lasting impact. Not only did he manage festival site operations, but he’s also helping local businesses get music licenses and investing in permanent performance infrastructure.
“I’m offering to cover half the license costs for some local spots — places like 309 Bistro and even the sandwich shop,” he said.
Reviving Historic Spaces
O’Neill is also working with The Taylor Theater — believed to be one of the oldest theaters in America — with its first music concert in decades scheduled for Friday, May 10.
The free, ticketed music showcase will be held from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. and will feature Marye Amanda, O’Neill and Paul Kothe, Ian Henry and Heather Schwartz Helton.
In addition, he is helping transform the Peanut Factory into a live music and event venue, complete with a “hard install” of monitors, stage lighting, and more. The project could allow the nonprofit host weddings, art events, and youth programs.
“I want to help them learn how to host events, run a bar, even support art education,” O’Neill explained. “These are the things that sustain community spaces — and make real change.”
More Than a Festival
The Albemarle Rock Fish Festival also carries emotional weight for its founders. Mordecai points to the memory of his friend Mike Minor, who passed unexpectedly, as part of what inspires him to keep the event going.
“You never know what tomorrow brings,” he said. “Getting people together like this matters.”
Mordecai and O’Neill both agree the festival’s future looks bright — especially if the Main Street Edenton decides to adopt the festival officially. The hope is that the event can grow while staying grounded in local music, environmental awareness, and community action. One future initiative may involve restocking the local waterways with fingerlings —bringing the “rock fish” spirit full circle.
“It’s not about making a profit,” Mordecai said. “It’s about creating something real —something people feel proud of.”
