**Unprecedented Crowd Gathers on Berry Pearce Road for Large Event in Timberlake, NC**
TIMBERLAKE, N.C. (WTVD) — What is usually a quiet stretch along Berry Pearce Road turned into a bustling scene on Wednesday afternoon as hundreds of cars lined the rural two-lane road. Local residents quickly realized something out of the ordinary was unfolding.
“Timberlake has maybe 4,000 people. There was probably close to that many people here for this event. The town is not set up to handle that amount of traffic or people,” said resident Bill Brown.
The gathering took place at the Field of Dreams, a venue advertised as event-ready for both small and large gatherings. Thousands of North Carolina Central University (NCCU) students attended the event. However, NCCU clarified to ABC11 News that the event was neither sponsored nor sanctioned by the university.
According to the Person County Sheriff’s Office, an initial joint assessment with the event organizers estimated approximately 10,000 attendees. Organizers believed over 5,000 attendees were inside the event area, with thousands more walking along nearby roadways or parked in surrounding locations.
To accommodate parking needs, additional attendees were transported from the Orange County Speedway, which served as a designated remote parking site.
### Cleanup and Property Damage Concerns
Bill Brown spent his morning cleaning up after the event, removing bottles of vodka and tequila left in his front yard. “Clearly, a lot of alcohol was being consumed right on the property,” he noted.
Chopper11 flew over the scene, capturing footage of the massive crowd. “There were literally thousands of cars. I saw one person trying to direct traffic — one of the people at the event. He didn’t seem to be doing a very good job,” Brown said.
Several vehicles were towed at the request of private property owners, as many cars were parked without permission in active farm fields. One farmer’s wheat crop was damaged due to vehicles driving and parking within the planted area. The event organizers have since reached an agreement to compensate the affected farmer for the damages.
Some drivers even attempted to park in Brown’s driveway. “I told them to get out of here. If you leave it here, it’s going to get towed,” he said.
### Event Permitting and Zoning
This event did not require a permit. Before the gathering, the Person County Sheriff’s Office consulted with the Person County Planning and Zoning Department to check for any zoning or permitting restrictions. Planning and Zoning officials advised that the county’s zoning ordinance did not prohibit the event at that location.
Brown mentioned that Duke University students often use the field for parties as well. “The problem is they come down here, and they’re drinking. It’s loud music all day long,” he said.
### Law Enforcement Response and Safety Concerns
Both the event organizers and the Sheriff’s Office were caught off guard by the unexpectedly large turnout. The Sheriff’s Office first learned about the situation through 911 calls from local homeowners reporting blocked roadways and crowds of pedestrians.
Deputies responded promptly and worked to coordinate with event organizers.
Organizers admitted a mistake was made when they posted the event’s physical address on social media. Their original plan was to have all attendees park at the Orange County Speedway and be shuttled to the site. Instead, most attendees drove directly to the Field of Dreams, leading to severe traffic congestion, blocked driveways, and trespassing onto private properties.
The combination of the narrow rural road, a high posted speed limit, and the volume of vehicles created a serious public safety concern that required immediate law enforcement intervention.
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Residents and officials continue to assess the impact of the gathering, emphasizing the need for better planning and communication to avoid similar incidents in the future.
https://abc11.com/post/nc-central-homecoming-off-campus-party-draws-thousands-ends-911-flooded-calls-cars-towed-property-damage-reported/18062902/