Hiddenite, NC – The Hiddenite Arts & Heritage Center announces two events honoring our veterans during the month of May as Memorial Day commemorations.

A Porta-Pit Chicken Sale will be held on Wednesday, May 5, 2021 from 11am-1pm. Proceeds from this port-a-pit will be donated to VetCom to support Alexander County Veterans. Veterans may pick up their free ticket for one Porta Pit chicken plate at the Hiddenite Center’s Lucas Mansion, 316 Hiddenite Church Road in Hiddenite, before April 27, or by calling the Center to Reserve their plate by April 27th. Veterans must present their veteran’s ID or a DD-214 to receive their free ticket OR show their Veteran’s ID at the Port-A-Pit location when picking up their reserved plate.

Tickets will be available for purchase by the public at the Lucas Mansion at 316 Hiddenite Church Road in Hiddenite Cost for purchase by the public is $10 per ticket. Pre-orders can be made by the public by paying for and picking up tickets at the Lucas Mansion, or calling the Center to purchase by phone. Tickets will be available until April 27. Call 828-632-6966 for additional information.

The location of this drive-through lunch is the former Alexander County Hospital parking lot at 226 NC-16 Hwy South in Taylorsville, North Carolina. Time is 11:00 am until 1:00 pm. The plate will include half a chicken by PORTA PIT, slaw, baked beans, roll, and dessert. Tea or water will be available for pick-up orders only. Delivery will be available for orders of 10 or more within a 10-mile radius.

A Veteran’s Cookout is planned for Saturday, May 15, 2021 by the Hiddenite Arts & Heritage Center to again honor our Veterans with a Veterans’ Cookout. The cookout is FREE for Veterans and their families.

The event will be held from 5pm until 7 pm on The Hiddenite Center’s ballfield (70 Hiddenite Church Road) with live music by C.J. Ballard, hot dogs and hamburgers, activities for both children and adults, and door prizes. This event is ONLY for veterans and their families and is not open to the public. Veterans may pick up ticket(s) at the Lucas Mansion, OR call 828-632-6966 to reserve tickets. Veteran’s ID must be presented when picking up tickets at the Lucas Mansion, or at the door on the evening of the Cookout. Each person in the family will need a ticket. Tickets for this Veterans event will be available through May 14; however, ticket availability is limited due to COVID19 restrictions so early ticket pick up or reservations are encouraged.

These two events honoring our veterans that are living and to honor the memory of those who served our country and are no longer living. For more information, call 828-632-6966, or email [email protected]