Ham & Yam Goes High Tech In Battle Against Rain Legend

Leave it once again to the creative minds at the Ham & Yam Festival to come up with another way to put an end to the perception that it always rains at the Ham & Yam. It has rained on 11 of the past 21 festival weekends. Several years ago, the Ham & Yam Festival constructed a large rain gauge to ward off the dark clouds during the weekend festivities. This year, officials have added an official Ham & Yam Rainmaker. “If you can’t beat mother-nature, you might as well join her,” chuckles Chris Johnson, Executive Director of the nonprofit organization. “I stated that I wasn’t going to get all wrapped up in looking at the extended forecast for the weekend. Well, after completing the Rainmaker, I have been told by everyone in the town that it looks like we are going to have perfect weather. Maybe the sun will shine on this pig’s tail after all!” The Rainmaker is currently positioned on Market Street in front of the DSDC offices at 222 East Market and will be set up in the middle of the festival area during the weekend. Well-wishers are encouraged to stop by, have their photos taken with it and throw as many coins in the pool as they would like. As for keeping his word on jumping into the Neuse , Johnson claims he will hold true to his challenge that he will jump into the river as soon as the festival is over on Sunday, provided that it doesn’t rain during the festival. “As I said before, it just wouldn’t be a Ham & Yam Festival if I wasn’t wet,” claims Johnson. “I have had a ton of people approach me to ask if I was going to jump from the bridge. Listen, I may be crazy but I am not that crazy. With the river being as low as it is, it will be from the banks or from a boat.” The Ham & Yam Festival takes place this Saturday and Sunday.