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SO FESTIVE A guide to events and festivals in the Lakelands

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SO HELPFUL

Meet Bernie & Frank: Pups with a Purpose

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SO HOT

Red Clay Hot Sauce, made in Ninety Six

BY ST.CLAIRE DONAGHY IMAGES BY LAURA BROWN

SO HISTORIC

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APRIL 2017

SO FESTIVE A guide to events and festivals in the Lakelands

SO HELPFUL: SERVICE DOGS PROVE TO BE GOOD FOR BODY AND SOUL

SO HOT: MADE IN NINETY SIX, RED CLAY HOT SAUCE - AGED TO PERFECTION IN WHISKEY BARRELS

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SO Helpful

Pups with a Purpose

SO Helpful

Bernie, a Cavalier King Charles spaniel, is a pet visitation dog at Self Regional Medical Center.

8

SO Lakelands

April 2017

Meet Bernie and Frank: Pups with a Purpose.

Dogs are proving to be just what the doctor ordered for aiding in detection of certain health conditions, and in healing the spirit.

ARTICLE BY ST. CLAIRE DONAGHY IMAGES BY LAURA BROWN

When Pat Mackin’s husband was disabled by a stroke, she began researching therapy dogs.

Much is demanded of certified therapy dogs, Pat Mackin said.

In addition to providing comfort for her husband and her, the Mackin’s 4-year-old Cavalier King Charles spaniel – Bernie - also works as a pet visitation dog at Self Regional Medical Center. Bernie visits regularly with people in the Cancer Center at Self Regional Medical Center, floors five through eight in the patient tower there and the behavioral health unit at the hospital.

“They not only have to walk by, but walk over, a piece of food, with just a verbal command to ‘leave it,’” Pat Mackin said. “That was very hard for him. He’s very food-motivated.”

Bernie got his name because Pat and her husband, Charlie, previously owned a St. Bernard.

“We always had big dogs, but I got Bernie with doing dog therapy in mind,” Pat Mackin, 58, said.

“I did a lot of breed research, because I wanted something smaller. When Bernie is not right by me, he’s generally on Charlie’s lap. When we have tough days, he’s our therapy.”

Pat Mackin said Bernie’s breed is very peopleoriented and gentle, making him a good fit for canine therapy.

“I’ve always liked volunteer work,” Pat Mackin said.

“I’m a retired banker. Volunteering is a way to fill some of my time and be active in the community.

We were getting a dog anyway and I wanted a way to combine volunteering with the dog.”

Pat Mackin and Bernie have been certified through Therapy Dogs International, a New Jersey-based volunteer organization that regulates, tests and registers therapy dogs and their volunteer handlers.

“I got in touch with an examiner for Therapy Dogs International in Spartanburg,” Pat Mackin said.

“Bernie had to go through obedience training first.

We did it here locally, through PetSmart, and started him as a puppy.”

Bernie’s primary function as a pet visitation dog is to “allow people feel better,” Pat Mackin said. “He loves to be petted on and loved.”

At the hospital, Pat Mackin said Bernie is “an icebreaker.”

“Bernie can make a huge difference if someone is having a stressed day,” Pat Mackin said. “There are several patients who look forward to seeing him.”

Pat Mackin said she had to go through the hospital’s volunteer program and become familiar with hospital policies before she could begin volunteering with Bernie there.

“For therapy dogs, there are grooming requirements,” Pat Mackin said. “He gets bathed, trimmed and has his nails done, regularly.”

“It’s been amazing for me, because of our own personal situation,” Pat Mackin said. “I meet so many wonderful, inspirational people. There are a lot of people with problems. If I can do a little something to brighten their day, that’s good. People return the favor and help you face what you have to face.”

When Pat pulls out Bernie’s bandana, the dog knows it’s time to go visiting.

“I put that bandana on and he’s ready to go see his folks,” Pat Mackin said.

Nursing outcomes quality specialist, Paula A. Smith, with Self Regional nursing administration, said she

began working on establishing a pet visitation dog project about a year before connecting with Mackin and Bernie, through a stroke coordinator with Self Regional.

“I love animals,” Smith, 46, said. “It’s a positive impact on patients’ well-being. Their faces light up when they interact with a dog. We have two pet visitation dogs right now.”

Those with certified dogs, who would like to get involved with the Self Regional pet visitation program, are encouraged to contact the hospital’s director of volunteer services. A first step in the process is becoming an official hospital volunteer.

Linda Putman, 62, of Cross Hill, was diagnosed with breast cancer in June 2016.

“My cancer is completely gone,” Putman said. “But, I am undergoing radiation. The chance of recurrence is reduced greatly with radiation following chemotherapy. I very well remember the day I met Bernie, during chemotherapy in September.”

A nurse asked Putman if she wanted to see the therapy dog.

“I’m a dog lover and I said, ‘Yes, of course I do!’ I was getting very distracted from what was worrying me about potential side effects from treatment.”

Putman said Bernie climbed in her lap.

“I was petting Bernie and talking with Pat,” Putman said. “Before I knew it, 20 minutes had passed and I was nearly finished with my infusion treatment. It was a moment of grace, where God sent me a little something to help me out. Bernie is so pettable.

“It’s good for the patient. It’s good for the dog’s owner and it’s good for the dog.”

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Tools for successful diabetes management Schwartz said coping with diabetes herself influenced her career choice to become a nurse.

In addition to her health care knowledge, Schwartz said advances in the treatment and care of diabetics, such as the use of a wearable insulin pump and continuous glucose monitor, make it a little easier to manage her disease. Another key tool is her specially-trained diabetes service dog, a golden retriever named Frank, who turned 3 March 1.

“Even with the technology, there’s still a lag time, between what your sugar actually is and what the continuous glucose monitor is sensing…” Schwartz said. “Frank can sense it faster. He alerts me to the lows.”

Schwartz said Frank is trained to pick up a certain scent that the body gives off when her sugar is low.

“I’ve had Type 1 diabetes a little more than 30 years,” Schwartz added. “Over time, I’ve lost the ability to feel my low blood sugars…I met a Minnesota woman who had a service dog, through an exercise group for people with diabetes.”

Diabetes alert dogs are expensive, Schwartz said, ranging in price from $15,000 to $30,000 for one that is fully trained.

Schwartz connected with Mary McKnight, a diabetic who is also a dog trainer.

“She started a program – Diabetes Alert Dog University - where you train your own dog with her,” Schwartz said. “There are videos I would watch and I would do Skype appointments with her.”

Schwartz said it was a long process. She got Frank from a breeder when he was a puppy and started training with him right away.

“Not all dogs are going to turn out to be service dogs, even if they are bred for it, but Frank picked things up quickly,” Schwartz said. “Imagine me driving down the road, having a low blood sugar and not feeling it. That is the part that scares me the most.”

Schwartz said she experienced rare episodes of her blood sugar getting dangerously low before she got Frank.

Schwartz said Frank alerts her to her blood sugar lows by bumping her hand with his muzzle or swiping at her with a paw.

She said he is “pretty insistent” upon her checking her sugar levels and doing what is necessary to adjust them as needed.

“If I ignore him, he will jump up and get in my face and start barking,” Schwartz said. “If I am sleeping, he will bump me hard, all along the length of my body…Frank gives me a comfort level.”

Mara Schwartz, diabetes program coordinator for Self Regional Healthcare’s Diabetes Education Center, has Type 1 diabetes and her service dog, Frank, is trained to alert her when her blood sugar levels are low. Before coming to South Carolina, Schwartz helped run a study in Colorado on an artificial pancreas to be released by Medtronic in the United States during this spring. Perhaps one day, diabetics will need to continually monitor their glucose and insulin levels, but in the meantime, service dogs, like Frank, are proving to be incredibly useful for diabetic patients.

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Nobody’s 100 percent all the time Just a week and a half after Schwartz and Frank moved to Greenwood, the dog became very ill.

“He looked as though he had Parkinson’s disease,” Schwartz said. “He was diagnosed with encephalitis…He is treated with high-dose steroids and chemotherapy now, once a month to suppress his immune system.”

Despite his own challenges, Schwartz said Frank is intuitive and picks up on body cues she might miss, signaling that her sugar is low.

“I do have to do reinforcement training with him so that his skills stay sharp,” Schwartz said. “If I haven’t had a lot of lows in the middle of the night, I might stay up late at night and get some scent for him to train with. You have to do training at different times of day, because a low can happen at any time.”

Schwartz said diabetes alert dogs should be a ‘last resort’ for someone trying to successfully manage his or her disease.

“You go through lifestyle modifications and technology first and then, look into it,” Schwartz said. “I’ve had serious hypoglycemic events where I could have died, very easily.

For the most part, Frank is with me all the time. With service dogs, you don’t want people coming up and petting him and talking to him, because they could distract him from his job.”

However, when Frank comes home at the end of the day, Schwartz said his service vest comes off “and he plays” but remains alert to her blood sugar changes.

“He has alerted me with a ball in his mouth,” Schwartz said, laughing.

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Mara Schwartz was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when she was 18 years old and living in Connecticut, just one week before her high school graduation.

Diabetes is a disease that affects how the body uses glucose, the main type of sugar in the blood - the major source of energy for the body’s cells.

“I have Type 1 diabetes on both sides of my family, as well as some Type 2,” Schwartz said. “I had all the classic symptoms – thirsty, peeing a lot, itching, losing weight, vision was blurry and I was having trouble sleeping at night, because I was getting up all the time to go to the bathroom.”

Type 1 diabetes, Schwartz said, is an autoimmune disease that can occur at any age. However, it is more commonly diagnosed between infancy and the late 30s. Type 1 occurs when the body’s own immune system attacks and destroys insulin-producing cells in the pancreas.

Type 2 diabetes is more common. People with type 2 diabetes either don’t make enough insulin or don’t make insulin that the body can use properly. It is most often diagnosed in adults but is becoming more common among children.

Gestational diabetes is a third type, usually only affecting women during pregnancy.

“Diabetes is there 24/7,” Schwartz said. “You don’t get a break. If I plan to go for a drive or go for a run, I have to check my blood sugar. How much active insulin do I have on board? Oh, I’m out to eat and I really want that.

“I can’t figure out the carbs in that, so maybe I’ll get this instead, because it’s easier to figure out,” Schwartz said.

“Even if you do everything you are supposed to do, you can still have numbers that don’t match up. ” Now, Schwartz is a registered nurse and a diabetes education program coordinator with Self Regional Healthcare.

She has been with Self Regional since July 2016, coming to the Greenwood area from Colorado.

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SO Hot

Red Clay Hot Sauce

SO

Hot

Made in Ninety Six, Red Clay Hot Sauce - aged to perfection in whiskey barrels – is developing quite a following among hot sauce connoisseurs ARTICLE BY ST. CLAIRE DONAGHY IMAGES BY LAURA BROWN

14

Chef Geoff S. Rhyne developed an ideal hot sauce to pair with fresh, local seafood when he was working at a high-end oyster and seafood restaurant in Charleston, The Ordinary. Rhyne’s unique concoction is aged in whiskey barrels and sold under the name Red Clay Hot Sauce.

“Customers were literally stealing glass bottles of hot sauce off the table,” Rhyne, 37, said. “We literally had to have servers stop people at the door and say, ‘Can you take that out of your purse?’ because we needed the bottles.”

Rhyne said he thought he might be on to something with the sauce. His hunch turned

SO Lakelands

April 2017

out to be right.

Born in Charleston, the Red Clay hot sauce varieties are now made, bottled and distributed from Ninety Six, by Rhyne, with help from his brother-in-law, Davis McClendon of Greenwood.

Rhyne relocated to the Lakelands in 2015, when he took a position as food and beverage director for Wesley Commons, a continuing care retirement community in Greenwood, where his brother-inlaw also works. Before that, Rhyne got his start in the restaurant business working in a pizza shop and honing skills at prominent S.C. Lowcountry restaurants and beyond.

Rhyne is an alumnus of the Culinary Institute of Charleston at Trident Technical College. He com-

peted in the 22nd season of the Food Network show, “Chopped,” in a bizarre foods episode that aired in January 2015.

At Wesley Commons, Rhyne is in charge of overall food and drink operations for independent living on campus and he is involved with kitchen and café upgrades there now.

“I’m at Wesley Commons five to six days a week,” Rhyne said. “In my spare time, I’m working on the hot sauce. It was getting to the point that traveling down to Charleston was just not an option. I have a 1-year-old and 2-and-a-half-year-old and my wife is a teacher.

“As creator of Red Clay, I’ve had my hands on it every step of the way,” Rhyne said. “We tried

co-packers, but a co-packer doesn’t come from a chef’s world…I was looking for spots up here for the business for a long time.”

Contacts eventually led Rhyne to what’s known as “the old Gantt brothers’ hash house” building in Ninety Six. The building was sold to the Gantts by Larry Craig, a former University of South Carolina standout athlete who went on to play for the Green Bay Packers.

After retiring from the Packers, Craig owned and operated a cattle farm and the Ninety Six Canning Company.

“Jerry Gantt ran the hash house for a while, but then shut it down and it has just been sitting there,” Rhyne

Chef Geoff S. Rhyne, creator of Red Clay Hot Sauce

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said. “All the old canning equipment is still there…

We’ve had to do a good bit of rehabbing, but it’s a more than 7,000-square-foot facility.”

Rhyne said his Red Clay operation is utilizing space at the front of the building.

“We got it up to speed and got the Department of Agriculture to come in and inspect our process and got certified,” Rhyne said. “It’s not a storefront. It’s a manufacturing facility.”

Rhyne does all the fermentation for the peppers, all the blending and bottling in Ninety Six. All three varieties of Rhyne’s craft hot sauce are created with peppers fermented in bourbon barrels.

The charred oak barrels come from High Wire Distilling Co. in Charleston and Nelson’s Green Brier in Nashville, Tennessee.

“When you open up the barrels they smell delicious – like a fine bourbon,” Rhyne said. “Our goal was to make a hot sauce similar to the way that you would make a fine whiskey. Hot sauce can be very abrasive, but if you put it in a barrel and rest it, like you would any spirit, it becomes smooth and you round out the flavor…I taste every single batch we do. It’s very hands-on.”

Flavorful, balanced hot sauce is Rhyne’s number one objective.

Rhyne’s sauce is now sold by the likes of Williams-Sonoma and has been heralded by Garden and Gun magazine for its Southern-grown chilies, smooth, barrel-aged white wine vinegar and kosher salt.

Red Clay Hot Sauce currently produces three varieties: the original Southern version, with Fresno chili peppers; verde (a green sauce with cilantro, fennel, onion and serrano peppers) and Carolina Hot, (bolstered by Carolina Reaper peppers.)

Locally, the sauce is on tables at Sports Break and Montague’s. It is also sold at Corley’s Market and Grill, and The Pantry Shoppe.

From the outset, Rhyne said his goal was to devel-

op a hot sauce with nuanced flavors, not simply lip-searing heat and the acid bite of distilled white vinegar.

Rhyne said the sauces should accentuate foods rather than over-power, with a backbone of heat.

“People are tasting it in restaurants and seeking out stores that carry it, because they want to get their hands on it,” Rhyne said. “Having it in restaurants is creating brand awareness that is helping with store wanting to stock it on their shelves.”

Some 300 gallons of sauce can be fermenting at a time in Ninety Six. “That’s about 7,000 bottles-worth,” Rhyne said.

“We’re going through 250 cases of sauce a month right now, and it’s growing.”

Rhyne said he is looking to develop distributor relationships.

“I have a business partner still in Charleston and we meet up once every other week,” Rhyne said. “He distributes down there and I do the Upstate. My goal is to eventually only focus on the production.

My background as a chef is in creating a product and making it.”

Rhyne has also partnered with other food com-

panies, who use by-products of his sauce-making process.

The sauce is strained during production and Bulls Bay Saltworks of Charleston uses that leftover pepper mash, once it’s dehydrated, for its Red Mash Salt. Additionally, Atlanta-area Banner Butter uses the pepper mash, Bulls Bay Sea Salt and its own butter for a seasonal blend of compound butter.

“I’m also working on a couple of new products with our mash that are pepper-centric,” Rhyne said.

A trifecta of sauces: Rhyne’s original sauce pairs well with eggs, rotisserie chicken sliders and a host of other dishes.

(He describes it as ‘mild and approachable’.) The verde is great with avocados for nearly-instant fresh guacamole. The Carolina Hot adds a bit of heat and assertive flavor to chili and stews.

Rhyne grew up in the Atlanta area, where the red clay found in much of the Southern United States is also prevalent. That inspired the sauce name.

“Spicy food and hot sauce is very much part of the narrative for Southern food, from the influences of barbecue to French, Creole, Geechee and African cuisine,” Rhyne said.

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SO Historic

The Abney House

Claire’s piano from childhood is still played by her children, who’ve all taken lessons.

SO Historic Couple breathes new life into an iconic Greenwood residence while maintaining the home’s splendid craftsmanship

Ken crafted these two shelves out of galvanized pipe to stay within the period look of the house.

BY CELESTE CULBERTSON IMAGES BY LAURA BROWN The Abney House, a local home, is one of three, recently awarded by the Greenwood Historical Society for Architectural Restoration and Preservation. A plaque was presented to the family who currently owns the home on January 29 in the Veteran’s Auditorium at the Greenwood County Library in Uptown Greenwood.

John Pope Abney, founder of Abney Mills, and Susie Matthews Abney, founder of the Abney Foundation, built the house in 1920. It is a four-square craftsman home, which has been lovingly restored and renovated to its earliest splendor.

This six-bedroom house, which sits on three and one-half acres in city limits, is full of personality and craftsmanship unique to the era, with welcoming overtones of farmhouse vintage.

The house is encapsulated in time with various shades of love and makes itself a home for its current owners, a Greenwood family of eight - Mr. Kenneth David McCoy and his lovely wife, Mrs. Claire Wieters-McCoy, and their six children. This blended family consists of five boys, one girl and three family pets. Ken’s children are Branam (17);

18

SO Lakelands

April 2017

The McCoy’s have found a number of time-worn treasures that have remained in the house, including this collection of notes, photos, report cards, and postcards, left behind by the Abney family.

Niess (16); and Matthew (11.) Claire’s children are Charlie (16); Sam (14); and Bess (10.) The children have all been given family names, which is indicative of their parents’ love of preserving heritage.

The three family pets are dogs, one maltese mix name Harvey, a rescue dog named Rosey, and an outside guard dog named Joey - a greyhound mix.

This couple met by chance, while two of their children, Charlie and Niess, were playing soccer at the YMCA soccer field in Greenwood. Claire had lost her keys, and Ken, being the gentleman that he is, helped Claire and her youngest child search for the missing keys. Needless to say, a friendship developed and several years later the couple married. They purchased the Abney house in 2012, but didn’t move in until after they were married in 2013.

The coupled agreed and verbalized that while the historical and architectural restoration and preservation aspects of the home were important to both of them, it wasn’t the primary reason for purchasing the home, at least not in the beginning.

Being a blended family of eight, they needed a

house large enough for all eight family members and one that was affordable. The Abney House met both of those criteria for them.

It has since become an ongoing project for the couple. They have uncovered a few artifacts on the property and have spent time researching the history of the Abney family in an attempt to get to know the original owners. That process has created an inward passion to connect the past and the present.

Ken said, “It is important to us to maintain the history of the house and to maintain the original look. We actually look for ways to repurpose materials.”

Ken and Claire are both Lander University alumni.

Ken majored in music and earned a Master of Science in Computer Information Systems. He is employed by Ascend Performance Materials in the information technology department.

Claire has a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education and is employed by Beyond Abuse, formerly the Rape Crisis Center as prevention

specialist. Claire talks to young adults about abuse and hopes to give them life skills to help them make wise choices and decisions.

Ken is from Cleveland, Tennessee, and Claire a native of the Emerald City. Claire has always admired the charm and history of Greenwood’s older homes.

“I enjoy the charm, character and craftsmanship in older homes,” said Claire.

Before entering the Abney House, the splendor of the front porch, which spans three-quarter of the exterior walls, begs one to sit, share a glass of Southern iced tea, and reminisce the history of a century’s worth of moments created there.

An elegant chandelier graces the foyer, reflecting prisms of light in a flashing parade of colors, highlighting the collection of stamped post cards and letters, including a child’s Valentine from yester-year, each carefully positioned on an oak sideboard table.

Bess, 10, has a conversation on the front porch swing with Harvey, one of the family’s three dogs.

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Use pull quote in the greenery in the background: “Before entering the Abney House, the splendor of the front porch, which spans three-quarter of the exterior walls, begs one to sit, share a glass of Southern iced tea, and reminisce the history of a century’s worth of moments created there.”

Brass-plated pushbutton light switches, original to the home, are intentionally preserved by the new owners, and make their presence noticeable in every room downstairs.

Once inside the home, there is an inviting gallery of wrap around windows that nearly reach the 12-foot ceilings, allowing natural light to wave through the lead glass window panes on the main floor and up the staircase. The walls are topped with the original plaster molding, encased in layers of century-old craftsmanship.

The family living room is embellished with a colorful collection of vintage paint-by-number pictures from thje 40s, 50s, and 60s, which were great flea market finds by Claire. On the walls are also pieces of crewel art from days gone by. An intricately designed fireplace mantle sits across the room from a double set of doors that lead out to a shaded side-section of the front porch extension.

A piano sits cattycornered, in the front of the home, awaiting the tickling fingers of the musically inclined. The piano was Claire’s from childhood.

She can still play a few songs from memory and requires her children to take piano lessons before playing other instruments, in order to give them a good base of understanding music.

A formal dining room table, set for eight, is a reminder of the past (and present) glory of the home. This room portrays a “country-vintage-in-the-city” kind of elegance. The table is set with Gold Castle china, which has a pastel floral pattern. The antique place settings are accompanied by slightly tarnished silverware on either side. Two original, built-in corner hutches house various pieces of china. A buffet table, which Claire and Ken found in the garage, believed to be original to the home, is topped with refurbished wood (one of Ken’s restoration projects), and another third generation buffet table handed down to Claire, make this dining room complete.

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The range hood over the stove is another one of Ken’s handmade contributions to the restoration in the kitchen.

A panoramic tour of the McCoy’s eclectic kitchen.

An interior wall, with a 1970s style peek-through serving window and overhead cabinetry, once separated the newly renovated and now spacious kitchen, which boasts an eat-in dining area.

Nearby is an open cupboard with a rainbow of vintage, pastel-colored bowls, including a green Pyrex and a unique pink Pyrex bowl given to Claire by her mother. There also two mid-century Norwegian Catherineholm enamelware bowls in either green and orange.

Center stage among the array of white kitchen cabinetry, stacked two doors high, with a subway tile backsplash, is an island built from repurposed wood and end-capped with shutters from The Abney House. But, the icing on the cake in this kitchen is the skillfully handcrafted wooden Range Hood built by none other than Ken McCoy. Also, hanging on the wall in a far corner, opposite the kitchen’s entrance, are two custom-made, two-foot long shelves supported by repurposed galvanized plumbing fixtures (90-degree elbows and pipe), which showcase Ken’s woodworking skills and creativity.

Proudly hanging over the kitchen sink is a pair of curtains sewn out of woven ticking denim blue fabric.

“I made those curtains, myself” smiles Claire.

An original finger painting by Earnest Lee, called the Chicken Man, draws your eyes in for further investigation, and definitely makes for table talk.

A vintage kitchen is not complete without at least one piece of Roseville pottery. And, Claire has such a piece, a Freesia Wall Pocket, given to Claire by her “Nana Kelly.”

“Most everything in the house has been handed down to us by various family members, mostly memorable family heirlooms,” Claire reminisces.

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The main floor also has an office, modern game room, a half-bath for guests with the water tank suspended at least six feet high on the wall, and a butler’s pantry with a second stairway providing a convenient thoroughfare for any midnight-snackers who want to tiptoe down to the kitchen unnoticed for an after-hours fridge raid.

Just beyond the kitchen windows in the backyard, passed a 1970s custom gunite pool with a tile border, stands a five-room structure formerly referred to as a help-house. The little house is nestled in time, behind mature evergreen shrubs sprinkled with red berries. The backyard house has a large front porch and a back porch, and it may prove to be a future restoration project for the McCoys.

The grounds are also home to an original carriage house that sports tools from the past, along with new ones for current projects.

Ken pointed out, “There are meat hooks hanging from the ceiling in the carriage house, where meat was most likely cured in times past.”

Mrs. Abney, the original owner of the Abney House, survived her husband by

more than 26 years. During that time, from 1942-1969, the widow grew Abney Mills from an “organization of five textile mills to a large company of 15 plants,” according to The Abney Foundation website.

Mrs. Abney was known to be a very loving and caring person. She had a special interest in the wellbeing of children and served on the board of the Connie Maxwell Home for Children for 45 years. She also had a love for flowers and was a member of the Unit One Garden Club in Greenwood, and she held a lifetime membership in the South Carolina Federation of Garden Clubs.

In teasing the new lady of the home, I asked Claire how she compared herself with the original owner, the late Mrs. Abney. Before she could answer, her husband lovingly came to Claire’s rescue by stating that she is an incredible person, wife, and mother, and that she had been the visionary for many of the restoration projects, while he was the manual labor who turned those visions into reality.

Then, Claire chimed in and declared, “Ken is a visionary, too. We enjoy working on the projects around the house together.” Ken shook his head in total agreement.

After meeting this couple, I would say that The Abney House has been restored to its original glory, mostly because of the love and laughter inside its four walls, but partly due to the creativity the couple generates. In another decade or two, the house will no doubt be referred to as The McCoy Home on Creswell, as this family continues to create memories and write their own history inside the walls of their home.

For more information about The Abney Foundation visit www. abneyfoundation.org. The purpose of The Abney Foundation is to aid organizations that are created exclusively for educational, religious, charitable, scientific, and literary purposes. The highest priority is placed on higher education. To date a total of $58, 517, 823.00 has been awarded to various organizations.

For information on Greenwood County Historical Society, which meets the fifth Sundays of the month in the Veteran’s Auditorium of the Greenwood County Library in Uptown Greenwood, SC. Visit them online at www. greenwoodcountyhistoricalsociety.com

Come explore a place where new adventures feel like a homecoming.

From art exhibits and BBQ cook-offs, to award-winning festivals and theatrical performances, there’s something for everyone right here in the Greenwood area.

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SO Scene

Midwinter Ball Senator Floyd and Mrs. Mamie Nicholson

Mr. Joshua and Dr. Nancy Wicker on the dance floor!

Cirque de Soiree - Self Regional Healthcare Foundation MidWinter Ball

SO Scene February 25, 2017 at the Little River Multicultural Center

Yuna Ho, Karla Coffey, Janice and Ken Coffey

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PHOTOS BY TRINITY PHOTOGRAPHY

April 2017

Kathy Durham “bustin a move on the dance floor!”

Jessica Willard, Jill Hammett, and Beth Justesen

Ball Co-Chair Amanda Breeden and her husband Dwayne Breeden

T

Aerial artist on the silk.

The 29th Annual Self Regional Healthcare Foundation Mid-Winter Ball was held on February 25, 2017. Almost 600 friends of the Foundation gathered at the Little River Multi-Cultural Center for Cirque De Soiree.

It was a “Curiously Unexpected Evening” that included a magical and amazing night with performances by Asheville Aerial Arts.

Attendees enjoyed a Fire Breather, a living

JoBeth Hite, Stephanie Graham, Kimberly Ready, and Mai Garvin

Jesse and Dr. Rich Cosentino

Red Carpet, a living table, stilt walkers, aerial performances, a tarot card reader and Mystic, acrobatic duo performances and a master manipulator magician. The crowd enjoyed a beautifully creative and delicious buffet provided by the Self Regional Healthcare Food and Nutrition team. Music was provided

by Mr. Potato Head, a 5 piece band that kept the crowd on the dance floor all night.

Guests contemplating their Silent Auction bids

Taiese and Allen Kidd

Megha, Supriya, and Dr. Sumeer Lal

April 2017

Martha Dunlap and Emmett Davis are greeted

by Supriya Lal wearing the Living Red Carpet

SO Lakelands

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from left to right: John and Beth Davidson and Regina and Dr. Mike Gentry

Kenneth and Suzette Aiken

Special thanks to Ball Co-chairs Hanna Dover and Amanda Breeden who, along with help from their friends and members of the Self Regional Healthcare Team, created an unforgettable evening while supporting Self Regional Healthcare Foundation’s mission to raise funds that make a difference in the future of healthcare in Greenwood and the Lakelands region. We also thank our lead sponsors: Greenwood Capital Associates and Countybank, Davis & Floyd, Inc.,

Jim Pfeiffer, President and CEO of Self Regional Healthcare and Hannah Gantt

Uldrick Builders, Capsugel, and Rodgers Builders for their most generous support.

The Mid-Winter Ball is one of a variety to ways support the Self Regional Healthcare Foundation. We are grateful to our supporters and we thank them for their gifts and for caring to make a difference in the future of healthcare in our community.

left to right: Ball Co-chair Hanna Dover, Jim Pfeiffer, Pres. & CEO, Ball Co-chair Amanda Breeden, Silent Auction Chair Beth Davidson, and Ken Coffey, Exec. Director, Self Regional Healthcare Foundation.

Jim and Denise Manley

The Living Table greeted guests as they enter Cirque De Soiree.

Stilt Walker and the Master Manipulator Magician

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April 2017

Travis and Ball Co-Chair Hanna Dover

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06/02 Ashby Strokes on Patio 06/03 Time Pirates Beach Dance 06/04 Flotilla at Camp Fellowship 06/09 Trevor Hewitt 06/10 Becky Greene 06/16 Joey Cromer & Ace of Clubs Band 06/17 Ronnie and Stan 06/23 Killer Beez 06/24 Keith Gregory 06/30 J Edwards Band

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SO Scene

Springfest

SO Scene Springfest – Uptown Greenwood March 31, 2017 at the Uptown Market

PHOTOS BY LAURA BROWN

U

Uptown Greenwood hosted its annual Springfest on the evening of Friday, March 31 at the Uptown Market. This free invites residents to come out and enjoy warmer spring weather while listening to local musicians perform and dining on local food.

This year’s line-up included Eloveation, Bad Weather States, Pop & Bert, Keller Ridgeway, and Ashby Stokes & Becky Greene. Mother nature cooperated and provided a nearly perfect night for Springfest 2017.

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April 2017

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Be sure to check out all the topiaries uptown, including our little dog Harley.

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SO engaged Breana Voyles Jacob McClain

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April 2017

WRITTEN BY: JACOB MCCLAIN IMAGES BY: TRINITY PHOTOGRAPHY Wedding:May 27, 2017 Venue & Reception: Green Acres in Honea Path, SC

I

Jacob wrote….

I remember the exact moment when I first saw her. It was in the halls of Dixie High School. She was walking down the hallway. She had on a Dixie Cheerleading t-shirt and her hair pulled up in a ponytail. I remember the image clear in my head today as I did that day back in 2011. I knew there was something special about her and I knew I had to get to know her. On into 2012, at our high school pageant, Miss Emerald, she was a contestant and I was the entertainment for the evening. Our paths finally crossed as she was walking off stage as I was walking on. She had just introduced herself and boy was it an introduction. It sure spiked my attention. As she was walking off stage, she looked at me and said, “How’d ya like that?” That’s when I knew… she was soon going to be mine.

We began talking back and forth after that night and on April 28, 2012 I asked her if she would be my girlfriend. Of course, she accepted and we’ve been inseparable ever since.

Late in 2014, I started planning my proposal to ask her to marry me. I was going to take her back to the Miss Emerald stage and have a slideshow set up with pictures of us over the past few years. I originally planned to propose in August, but she went on vacation in July with her family. This was the first time we had ever been apart. That whole week I kept telling myself, I’ve got to ask her as soon as she gets home. So, I went that Friday to pick up her ring and on that Sunday, July 19, 2015, when I picked her up, I brought her back to where we would start our life together, at my house. I had the slideshow set up on the front porch. We sat down in the swing, watched the slideshow; and once it was over, I stood up, got down on one knee and asked her the most important question I had ever asked anybody. She (very emotionally, I might add) said yes! It was a wave of emotions for us both.

Our wedding is planned for May 27, 2017 at Greene Acres in Honea Path, SC. I don’t think God could have chosen a better human being to place in my life. She is the better part of me.

Jacob McClain

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April 2017

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WRITTEN BY: KATIE HENDERSON IMAGES BY: TRINITY PHOTOGRAPHY Wedding: June 24, 2017 Venue: First Baptist in Greenwood Reception: Inn on the Square

W Katie wrote...

We met while in graduate school at the University of South Carolina.

My graduate assistantship boss was a long-time friend of Bo’s family. We eventually met through our assistantships in the College of Nursing. We dated during their last semester as graduate students in Columbia and continued to date long-distance for the next year. We got engaged in the summer of 2016 at Erskine College, my alma mater. Bo proposed in front of a swing on the “mall,” one of my favorite former napping spots.

Sports-wise, we are quite the confused couple. Bo is a Virginia Tech Hokie (his undergraduate alma mater) and a life-long Gamecock fan and USC graduate. Despite my Masters degree from USC, I grew up “ALL IN” as a Clemson Tiger. We enjoy watching sports together, except when it is a rivalry match-up. We are both are very competitive and quickly realized that we should not compete in Fitbit challenges against each other.

After we get married this summer, we will live in Columbia, SC ,where Bo works at the University of South Carolina Alumni Association, and I work as a speech-language pathologist for a local school district.

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SO FESTIVE! Fun – Music – Crafts – Food – Carnival Rides – Art – Theater – BBQ – Beer – Planes – History – Heritage – Holidays – Wine – Outdoors – Parks – Wildlife. South Carolina has a festival or event celebrating all of these things, and more! Many events can be found right here in the Lakelands year-round.

Browse this month-by-month guide to see what is happening in the Lakelands…. and beyond. Make notes on the events that pique your interest, and hang on to this magazine for reference throughout the year and on into 2017.

Get out and enjoy the communities that work so hard to organize these events. And if you hear anyone say, “there’s nothin’ to do around here,” pull out this guide, and prove them wrong!

April 2017

SO Lakelands

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SO Festive

SC Festival of Flowers

SC Festival of Flowers celebrates 50 years

Ruple Harley Jr., chairman for the 50th anniversary of the Festival of Flowers, stands in front of a banner advertising the event, which includes a special exhibit at The Museum featuring festival memorabilia.

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April 2017

In September, the Greenwood Chamber of Commerce unveiled a special 50th anniversary logo for this year’s Festival of Flowers, which begins June 1.

ARTICLE BY ADAM BENSON

I

In many ways, the golden anniversary of Greenwood’s Festival of Flowers is a return to its roots.

Yes, organizers have introduced a new commemorative logo and will unveil a special 50th anniversary topiary.

But they’re also bringing back beloved events like the Lake Greenwood flotilla and beach party, and have named four-time festival chairman Ruple Harley Jr. to head the event, which hosts its grand opening on June 1.

“The festival is in my heart,” Harley said. “I’m excited about bringing old things back and I think it’s going to be one of the best, and it’s not because of me, it’s because of the volunteers and the excitement.”

With nearly a year of marketing opportunities behind of it, festival organizers have rolled out an aggressive public relations campaign starting next month with a completely redesigned website.

And a new promotional video made its debut earlier this year.

Also new to the 50th will be a special exhibit at the Greenwood Museum showcasing memorabilia from previous events, said Greenwood Area Chamber of Commerce CEO Angelle LaBorde.

The Festival of Flowers generated $3.3 million and drew 85,031 people over its month-long run in 2016.

“We tend to attract different people throughout the month based on the events that we offer,” LaBorde said. The Roswell, Georgia-based Southeast Tourism Society named the Festival of Flowers as one of its Top 20 events of 2016.

“You know what my wife calls me? ‘Mr. Festival,’” Harley said. “I was about 25 years old when it started, and I was active in the community, and I grew up with the festival, and I think that’s one of the reasons I care so much about it.”

In his inaugural year as festival chairman in 1974, Harley helped get author James Dickey, writer of “Deliverance,” to speak at Greenwood High School.

Ellesor Holder, who served as the executive director of the Festival of Flowers for four years, said the homegrown flavor and strong base of volunteers has allowed it evolve into a regional draw over the last half century.

“I’d say its people’s love of it. When you have a town like Greenwood that has history and has families that have been here forever or have come back, it’s what makes us unique,” she said. “I think no matter where you come from or how you look at it, a lot of people just get behind this.”

LaBorde said sponsorships and long-standing partnerships have provided it stability.

“Over the years, we’ve been inspired by businesses that have gotten plugged in or volunteered to help out,” she said. “And as they volunteer, they offer to lead in the future.”

April 2017

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Festival of Flowers 2017 schedule of events:

A butterfly topiary installed in front of the Uptown Greenwood arcades last summer.

MAIN WEEKEND June 1

Grand opening of “50 Blooming Years” commemorative exhibit at The Museum

June 2

Topiaries and Tastings Wine Walk, Uptown Greenwood

June 3

5K & 1-Mile Run/Walk, Lander University’s Jeff May Sports Complex

Kidfest, Uptown Greenwood Juried Art Reception, Arts Center of Greenwood Photography Reception, Greenwood Veterans Center Beach Dance, Piedmont Technical College’s Medford Family Event Center

June 4

Lake Flotilla, Fellowship Camp and Conference Center Cokesbury College Tour and Ice Cream Social, Cokesbury College

June 2-3

Self Regional Healthcare Medical Symposium

Arts & Crafts Show, Uptown Market Music at the Market, Uptown Market Photography exhibit and contest, Greenwood Veterans Center

June 3-4

Jimmy Self Junior golf tournament, Greenwood Country Club Garden tours, Greenwood Country Club

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ALL MONTH LONG Topiary display, Uptown Greenwood “50 Blooming Years” commemorative exhibit Arts Center juried art exhibit, Federal Building Dinosaur exhibit, The Museum & Railroad Center

ADDITIONAL EVENTS THROUGHOUT JUNE June 6

June 15

Greenwood Festival chorale performance, Lander University

Flower Power ladies luncheon, Medford Family Center at Piedmont Tech

June 9-11 Antiques, Vintage and Design Show, Medford Family Center at Piedmont Tech Men’s amateur and senior golf tournament, The Patriot at Grand Harbor

June 10 Bee Buzzin’ bike tour, Greenwood Aviation Expo, Greenwood County Airport

June 16-18 Tennis tournament, Greenwood Country Club

June 29 Belk Ladies Night Out All events are subject to change without notice. For more information about the SC Festival of Flowers and the most upto-date schedule, visit www. scfestivalofflowers.org.

It’s Happening This Summer At The Museum!

Visit the museum for our exhibit:

50 Years of the Festival of Flowers

Book The Railroad Center as a unique venue for

Special Events

Kids love our Summer Camps!

Come See Us!

Find your way through the maze. Dig for fossils.

See the life-sized Triceratops

Tour the Railroad Center each Saturday this summer from 10am to 4pm

THE RAILROAD HISTORICAL CENTER 908 South Main Street, Greenwood, SC 29646

864-229-7093 www.greenwoodmuseum.org

THE MUSEUM 106 Main Street, Greenwood, SC 29646

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Heating and Cooling, Inc. www.scottshc.com l 864-229-2470 In addition to the Festival of Flowers, the Greenwood Chamber of Commerce will host the following upcoming events in conjunction with other area organizations throughout the Lakelands. For a complete list of Greenwood Chamber of Commerce events, visit www.greenwoodscchamber.org.

May 13 Fireworks over Lake Greenwood At Hole #13 at The Links at Stoney Point (Women’s Health Classic Golf Tournament) 8:00 p.m. www.StoneyPointClassic.com

June 4 Lake Greenwood Flotilla 1:30 – 5:00 p.m.

2 p.m. – Little Miss & Wee Little Miss Contest 3:30 p.m. – Boat Parade Camp Fellowship & Conference Center Entertainment by The Bonnie Situation www.scFestivalofFlowers.org

July 1 Lights on the Lake Fireworks over Lake Greenwood 4:00 – 10:30 p.m.

7:00 p.m. – Jake Bartley Bank 9:15 p.m. – Fireworks Camp Fellowship & Conference Center www.ConnectLakeGreenwood.org

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SO Festive

SC Festival of Discovery

SO, Uptown Greenwood and the Festival of Discovery just keep getting better

The City of Greenwood puts on many events throughout the year, the largest of which is easily the Festival of Discovery.

Every July, Uptown Greenwood is transformed into a BBQ-and-Blues-lovers paradise, with the smell of smoked meat and sounds of Blues music wafting through the air. The City of Greenwood works yearround planning this massive event, which brings in millions of dollars of revenue.

In between coordinating logistics for the Festival of Discovery, city staff members also plan a number of other events. Read about what’s new for this year’s Festival of Discovery, and check out dates for Uptown Greenwood’s other popular events.

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People’s Choice voting for 2017 Festival of Discovery to take place via text

The South Carolina Festival of Discovery is partnering with Canadian software developer BamText to transition the Saturday, July 8 People’s Choice voting from a paper ticket ballot to a smartphone-based voting system, utilizing text message voting.

According to BamText, it is used in 25 states and it is becoming a popular way for festivals to engage and involve large crowds. An environmentally-friendly voting method, BamText does not generate paper waste.

But, the greatest benefit is instantaneous tallying, with no hand-counting required.

BamText voting has a live stream of voting results, allowing festival attendees to check in and see if their favorite team is winning.

As soon as you vote, an auto reply text message is sent back to your phone. Additionally, the auto reply can help promote a sponsor by offering a promotional message.

Festival of Discovery’s People’s Choice event allows the public to be the judge of barbecue cook teams participating in that contest.

Uptown Greenwood manager Lara Hudson said the public may purchase tasting tickets to sample barbecue from competition teams participating in People’s Choice.

Tasting tickets will also contain information on how to vote via text.

A BamText telephone number, with a local area code, is provided to the event organizer. Attendees are encouraged to text votes to the number displayed.

BamText automatically tallies the votes and sends a realtime report to the event organizer at an agreed time and winners can be announced at the event.

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Festival of Discovery now part of Palmetto BBQ Series

BY ST. CLAIRE DONAGHY The cash purse for The Palmetto BBQ Series is currently $2,750. The first place winner receives $1,500, second place receives $750 and third place receives $500.

The points chase is a way to support South Carolina competition barbecue, by getting more cook teams to cook at more contests and to help those contests grow. Check out the series Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/PalmettoBBQSeries/ Jason Hardee, 40, with Elite BBQ Smokers of Conway is behind the idea of a South Carolina points chase series.

“I made some conference calls with people from other contests and people got on board,” Hardee said. “I would not let it lay. I kept pushing and reminding people.”

Carolyn Wells

Hardee describes it as “an amazing opportunity to showcase the best barbecue chicken, ribs, pork and brisket in the state of South Carolina.”

“Talk about bragging rights,” Hardee said. “The winner of the Palmetto BBQ Series will be the best barbecue competitor in South Carolina in all four meat categories, not just one.”

Hardee, a contractor by trade, said he has been into competitive barbecue since 2010 and got heavilyinvolved in KCBS-sanctioned events within the past year, competing in nearly 20 KCBS competitions, from Georgia to Pennsylvania and places in between.

“KCBS teams compete at a whole other level,” Hardee said. “By having The Palmetto BBQ Series winner be the best four out of six competitions, it will allow room for competition, and room for you to recover, if you bomb at one contest, but compete in all six.

“If all the organizers of these six work together, the events will become better organized, with more teams and possibly more prize money and sponsors,” Hardee added, noting the series could expand, to include more South Carolina KCBSsanctioned contests.

Hardee said South Carolina is diverse in its barbecue, with four types: heavy tomato-based, mustard-based, vinegar-based and light tomatobased represented in different parts of the state.

“When you consider the economic impact of competition barbecue and related festivals on

Six South Carolina Kansas City Barbeque Society-sanctioned events are joining forces to present a barbecue points chase – The Palmetto BBQ Series – including Uptown Greenwood’s own South Carolina Festival of Discovery, July 6-8.

Also in The Palmetto BBQ Series are KCBS events in: Woodruff (Piggin’ in the Park, June 2 and 3), Summerville (Dorchester Shrine Club Smoke on the Shrine Lake and Bluegrass Festival, July 28-29), Myrtle Beach (Beach Boogie and BBQ Festival, Sept. 1 and 2), Laurens (Squealin’ on the Square, Oct. 6 and 7) and Mt. Pleasant (Smoke on the Harbor BBQ Throwdown, Nov. 10 and 11.)

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Jason Hardee (left)

PHOTO BY LAURA BROWN

these towns, it’s amazing what barbecue can do,” Hardee said. “Destination barbecue is a way to see what downtown USA is. Take a day trip to a restaurant or a competition. Get off the interstate and see the lifeblood of the United States.”

Carolyn Wells, executive director and co-founder of Kansas City Barbeque Society, said the addition of The Palmetto BBQ Series “adds another layer to the competition.”

With an end-of-year presentation ceremony, bragging rights and a monetary award attached, Wells said it encourages teams to enter more SC KCBS-sanctioned contests.

“It also encourages more South Carolinians to compete, as a matter of state pride,” Wells said.

Greenwood city manager Charlie Barrineau said The Palmetto BBQ Series is similar to series in neighboring North Carolina and Georgia.

“Realize that a team outside of South Carolina could win,” Barrineau said.

“It’s simply the team with the highest score registering for four of the six events.

Lara Hudson, South Carolina Festival of Discovery director and Uptown Greenwood manager, said the Greenwood festival has grown tremendously since it began in 2000, making it one of the top KCBSsanctioned events in the Southeast.

“We hope the addition of this championship series will allow other KCBSsanctioned events in our state see the same levels of growth and success we have enjoyed here in Greenwood,” Hudson said.

Jonathan Irick, executive director of Main Street Laurens and Squealin’ on the Square, said that competition began in 2000 also, with just three teams.

“We persevered and made some needed changes, to now being the largest event in Laurens County,” Irick said, noting the event is a fundraiser for Main Street Laurens to continue revitalization of historic downtown Laurens.

“We quickly realized we needed to become sanctioned with KCBS and that helped grow our event into what it is today.”

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Local chefs to feature Carolina Pride products on specialty menu items during Festival of Discovery Once again, Greenwood’s own Carolina Pride is the presenting sponsor for the Festival of Discovery.

Each year during the barbeque competition at the Festival of Discovery, teams can choose to participate in the “Anything Goes” category, for which they must create and cook a dish using one of a handful of Carolina Pride pork products provided. This

David Epps, executive chef at the Inn on the Square.

year, the products teams can choose from are Carolina Pride kielbasa sausage, bacon, or boneless smoked ham.

Festival of Discovery planners decided it would be fun to get local restaurants in on the action, as well, so they’ve invited David Epps, executive chef at the Inn on the Square, and Neil Talbot, executive chef at Montague’s, to create their own dishes with a Carolina Pride pork product. Both restaurants will feature these delicious options during the week of the Festival of Discovery. Below, we show you David Epps’ mouth-watering dish, Carolina Pride Smoked Sausage Mac and Cheese. David has even been so generous as to share his recipe with us. So feel free to take a stab at it yourself, and be sure to stop by the Inn on the Square and Montague’s the week of the festival and treat yourself to a chef-made Carolina Pride creation.

Carolina Pride Smoked Sausage Mac & Cheese, David Epps, executive chef at the Inn on the Square.

Carolina Pride Smoked Sausage

Carolina Price Smoked Sausage Mac & Cheese Ingredients 3 oz. Carolina Pride Smoked Sausage, cut into ½ in. moons 4 oz. Elbow noodles (cooked) ½ oz. Each of red bell pepper and green bell pepper, diced small 1 oz. Red onion, diced small 2 oz. Chicken stock 2 oz. Heavy cream 3 oz. Shredded cheddar cheese Salt and pepper to taste Panko break crumbs (reserve several oz. for topping) Blue cheese crumbles (reserve several oz. for topping) 1 oz. butter

Set oven at 350 degress. In a hot sauté pan, add butter until brown.

Add onion and cook until translucent. Add sausage and sauté until heated through. Next, add peppers and sauté for 30 seconds. Add cooked elbow noodles in sauté pan and season mixture to taste with salt and pepper. Add chicken stock and reduce. Once the stock has reduced, add cream until mixture bubbles, then reduce heat.

Slowly add cheese until creamy, and pour mixture into an oven-safe soufflé dish. Top mixture with a sprinkle of panko and blue cheese. Bake until golden brown.

Let stand 1 minute, then serve and enjoy!

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Blues Cruise artist line-Up

Vanessa Collier

BY CONOR HUGHES For anyone looking for genuine blues music, the 17th annual Blues Cruise is the place to be from July 5-9. The music festival in Uptown Greenwood -- which is the companion piece to the highly anticipated 17th annual Festival of Discovery -- will feature old-school blues pickers and young new acts.

“We’ve got a lot of returning favorites, but a lot of new faces,” said Gary Erwin, the event’s organizer. Erwin has long been a staple of the Blues Cruise, not only as its sole organizer, but also as a regular performer under the name Shrimp City Slim.

•• Luckyman Beall is a one-man, honky-tonk band with original songs from South Carolina who’s returning to the Blues Cruise. Beall will be playing at 8-11 p.m. July 6 at the Inn on the Square.

•• Blues Deluxe is a Columbia-based blues band that plays all across South Carolina. Blues Deluxe will be playing 9 p.m.-noon July 7 and 8 at Polo’s restaurant.

•• A musician from Pennsylvania returning to the Blue Cruise, Skyla Burrell delivers a dynamic and unique stage performance. Burrell will be playing 8:30-10 p.m. July 8 at the CenturyLink Tent Stage and 11 a.m.-3 p.m. July 9 at the Inn on the Square ballroom.

•• Ceasar is a returning musician to the Blues Cruise from Louisiana, who offers a combination of the Creole soul of Louisiana and shag music from South Carolina to deliver a rich blues

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Blues performances making use of instruments such didgeridoos and ouds will also be on tap at the festival, which is sponsored by the Index-Journal. CenturyLink is once again sponsoring the Main Tent Stage.

“One of the thing we do every year with this festival -- and we take great pride in this -- is we really sail into uncharted artists,” Erwin said. “We present a lot of artists who don’t appear on other festivals.

The programming is truly eclectic, we’re all over the map.”

While the times, dates and locations are subject to change this far in advance of the long weekend of barbecue and blues, the lineup consists of the following:

performance. Ceasar will be performing 8-11 p.m. July 6 at the Sundance Gallery.

•• A powerful saxophonist and vocalist who has garnered international attention, Vanessa Collier is a returning act. Collier will be playing 7-8:30 p.m. July 6 at the CenturyLink Tent Stage.

•• John Clam Chop Etheridge, a seasoned blues musician from Alabama who specializes in performing covers of hidden gems, is returning to Blues Cruise. Shrimp often pairs Etheridge with other artists who need a percussionist, and he frequently joins Shrimp on stage.

•• Joey Gilmore is an award-winning blues veteran from Florida who’s performed around the world.

Gilmore is performing 7-8:15 p.m. July 7 at the CenturyLink Tent Stage and 8-11 p.m. July 8 at the Inn on the Square ballroom.

•• A young, energetic blues group from Virginia, Patrick Green and the Blues Buckets provides

an eclectic blues performance. The band will be performing 9 p.m.-midnight. July 7 at Buffalo Grill and 11-11:45 a.m. July 8 on the CenturyLink Tent Stage.

•• Katy Guillen & the Girls hard-hitting rock group heavily rooted in the blues. The group will perform 8-11 p.m. July 6 at Howard’s on Main, 4-5:15 p.m. and 8:45-10 p.m. July 7 at the CenturyLink Tent Stage.

•• A funky blues group hailing from Australia, Harper & Midwest Kind incorporates the didgeridoo into its songs for a distinctive sound.

The band will be performing 9 p.m.-12 a.m. July 7 at T.W. Boons and 7-8:15 p.m. July 8 at the Century Link Tent Stage.

•• At 87 years old, John Dee Holeman -- winner of the National Folk Heritage Award -- delivers a soulful and engaging blues performance.

Holeman will be playing 2:30-4 p.m. July 7 at

the CenturyLink Tent Stage, 6-7 p.m. July 7 at the Arts Center and 3-4 p.m. July 8 at the CenturyLink Tent Stage.

•• Earl Howell is a drummer and singer with deep roots in Chicago blues. Howell will be playing 8-11 p.m. July 6 at Montague’s, 5:306:45 p.m. July 7 at the CenturyLink Tent Stage, 8-11 p.m. July 7 at the Inn on the Square ballroom and 9 p.m.-midnight July 8 at The Mill House.

•• In Layman Terms is a family act from Virginia that delivers a powerful performance. The band is playing 7-8 p.m. July 7 at the Arts Center, 4-5 p.m. July 8 at the CenturyLink Tent Stage and 9 p.m.-midnight at Howard’s on Main.

•• Peter Kfoury is a Lebanese-American artist who plays the blues with an oud, a 10-stringed Middle Eastern instrument. Kfoury will be playing 6:30-7 p.m. July 8 at the CenturyLink Tent Stage and 8-11 p.m. at Montague’s Restaurant.

SHRIMP CITY SLIM PHOTO BY LAURA BROWN

•• The Wesley Pruitt Band is a young group from Texas that plays a diverse and energetic set. The band is performing 8-11 p.m. July 6 at T.W. Boons and 9 p.m.-midnight July 7 at The Mill House.

•• Roots & Dore is a guitar and harmonica duo from North Carolina that provides a riveting acoustic performance with a surprising kick. The band will play 8-11 p.m. July 7 at Montague’s and 11 a.m.-3 p.m July 8 at Buffalo Grill.

•• A honed slide guitarist from Florida, the Sauce Boss prepares gumbo for his audience while performing onstage. The Sauce Boss will be performing 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. July 5 at the Greenwood Soup Kitchen, 6-7 p.m. July 6 at the CenturyLink Stage Tent and 9 p.m.-midnight July 7 at Howard’s on Main. Read more about Sauce Boss in the next article.

CEASAR PHOTO BY LAURA BROWN

•• Shrimp City Slim is a Charleston-based pianist and singer who has performed all over the world and has a background in Chicago blues. He is performing 11-11:45 a.m. July 7 at the CenturyLink Tent Stage, 9 p.m.midnight July 7 and 8 at Polo’s Restaurant. He has been an organizer of the Blues Cruise since its first year.

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•• Sidewalk Zydeco is a fast paced zydeco act from Charleston with high energy accordion playing. The band is playing 1:15-2:45 p.m. July 8 at the CenturyLink Tent Stage and 9 p.m.-midnight July 8.

•• Little Oscar Stricklin is a veteran Chicago blues musician -- who made his first recording in the mid-1960s -- coming to Greenwood for a rare public performance. Stricklin is playing 5:30-6:45 p.m. July 7 at the CenturyLink Tent Stage, 8-11 p.m. July 7 at the Inn on the Square ballroom and 9 p.m.midnight July 8 at The Mill House.

•• Studebaker John is a multi-talented, internationally known blues musician from Chicago. He is performing 8-11 p.m. July 6 at Montague’s, 5:30-6:45 p.m. July 7 at the CenturyLink Tent Stage, 8-11 p.m. July 7 at the Inn on the Square ballroom and 9 p.m.-midnight July 8 at The Mill House.

•• Norman Taylor is a folksy, acoustic blues act based in New Jersey. Taylor is plying 8-10 p.m. July 6 at Flynn’s on Maxwell, 12-1 p.m. July 7 at the CenturyLink Tent Stage and 7-9 p.m. July 7 at the Buenavista Cafe.

•• Wallstreet & the Blues Brokers is a South Carolina band made up of four veteran musicians who specialize in roadhouse blues. The group will perform 8-11 p.m. July 6 at The Mill House.

•• Tad Walter is a multi-instrument musician from Raleigh, North Carolina who’s played with musicians like Bob Margolin and Pinetop Perkins. Tad Walters is performing 2:30-4 p.m. July 7 at the CenturyLink Tent Stage, 6-7 p.m. July 7 at the Arts Center and 3-4 p.m. July 8 at the CenturyLink Tent Stage.

•• A blues musician returning to the Blues Cruise who has been performing since the 1960s, Rev. Marv Ward of Virginia draws his inspiration from blues legends such as Freddie King. Ward is performing 8-11 p.m. July 6 at The Mill House and 12-1:30 p.m. July 7 at McCaslan’s Book Store.

•• Lightnin’ Wells is a returning artist and an eclectic country-blues performer from North Carolina. Wells is performing 8-11 p.m. July 6 at Buffalo Grill, 1-2:15 p.m. July 7 at the CenturyLink Tent Stage, 8-10 p.m. July 7 at Flynn’s on Maxwell and 7-9 p.m. July 8.

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Thursday - Saturday

2017

Entertainment -Thursday6pm Trevor Hewitt Band 8pm Brain Collins Band

-Friday5pm Edgewood Band 8pm Eloveation Band

-Saturday11:45am Clay Page Band 5:00pm Sara Elizabeth Band 6:30pm The Jake Bartley Band 8:30pm The Swingin Medallions The Swingin Medallions Sat., May 6th

Brain Collins Band Thur., May 4th

Eloveation Fri., May 5th

Jake Bartley Band Sat., May 6th

Arts & Craft Show, Amusement Rides, Tours & Attractions, Antique Car Show, and SO MUCH MORE! To view the full event schedule visit our website:

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The Sauce Boss serves up a little slide guitar with a side of gumbo

Bill “Sauce Boss” Wharton

BY VINCENT HARRIS

B

Bill “The Sauce Boss” Wharton is a very busy man onstage. In addition to playing positively lethal slide guitar and occasionally banging out rhythms on a stripped-down drum kit with his feet, the bluesman cooks up a giant pot of red-hot gumbo during the shows, pausing in between blistering roadhouse blues songs to stir the pot and add more ingredients, including his own brand of hot sauce, Liquid Summer.

Dressed in a chef’s hat and smock, cracking jokes and riffing like a wildman, the Sauce Boss plays some vicious blues and serves up some delicious gumbo at the end of the set to every audience member in the house. It’s a killer combo of food and music, and like most of the great things that have kept Wharton going over the last few years, it kind of just happened.

For example, Wharton didn’t even play the blues until he walked out of his Florida home one morning in the early 1970’s and found a vintage 1933 National steel guitar on his lawn.

“Technically, It was on the sidewalk in front of my house, leaning up against my daughter’s bicycle,” Wharton says.

do it right. It’s not as loud, but it’s got that distortion, and it just makes such a beautiful sound that it spoke to me.”

So we’ve got the blues guitar part taken care of, what about the cooking?

Well, that story, too, starts with a friend bringing Wharton a special gift. “A buddy of mine brought some datil pepper seeds over and I started growing them,” he says. “It’s really an amazing pepper and it works so well in a sauce that I decided to make some for myself. And people would come to my house and eat up all my sauce! So I figured I’d start bottling it and carrying it around to the gigs with me to sell it, and first thing you know I’m selling 5-6000 bottles a year!

And what makes the Boss’ sauce so good? “It’s very distinctive,” he says. “It’s got a creeper burn. It takes about fifteen seconds to get there. It gives you all that time to taste the chili or the gumbo and THEN it comes on, but it doesn’t come on like a habanero. It comes up from the bottom. You get a lot of this funky bottom to it and it’s the warmth rather than the thing that takes your head off. I want to have some flavor, not heat.”

How did that happen, exactly? Was it just a moment of divine musical providence? Well, as Wharton found out later, it was actually a friend looking to shed some weight as he moved out of town. “He didn’t tell me at the time,” Wharton says, “but he was leaving town and he wanted to lighten his load a little bit. And he figured, ‘Hey, Bill could probably use this.’ And so he just left it there. About a year later he came by the house and said, ‘You ever figure out who gave that guitar to you?’”

All that’s left to explain now is the gumbo, which Wharton started serving up with a healthy dose of hot sauce on New Year’s Eve 1989. He’d been in the studio with swamp-blues master Kenny Neal, and Neal’s mother decided to whip up some gumbo in the studio’s kitchen. It was so good that Wharton decided his hot sauce needed some company onstage. “I just decided I was going to make a big pot of gumbo while I was playing music and feed everybody at the same time. That was 27 years ago, and over 200,000 bowls later here we are!”

Regardless of the source, the gift of the guitar got the Sauce Boss on a serious practicing, digging into the National’s unique sound, which emanates from a small speaker in the body of the guitar. “I spent a year thinking, ‘If whoever left this for me comes back and I can’t play the bejesus out of it, I’m going to have to give it back to him!” Wharton says with a laugh. “And that led me down the blues path. When you get on that thing late at night, seeing what it will do, it sounds like a Les Paul through a Marshall amp if you

In order to time the songs and the cooking, Wharton has worked out a rough formula for when to do what, but it’s not an exact science. “I’ve made it in every imaginable circumstance,” he says. “So every show and every gumbo is different. It’s a matter of pacing the music with the food and figuring out what goes with what. It’s like a meal. I’m just mixing different kinds of media into a recipe.”

April 2017

SO Lakelands

55

Uptown Live

Each concert is FREE! Local Bands 5:30 PM Headlining Bands 6:30 PM All concerts at the Uptown Market unless noted otherwise!

Uptown Greenwood Hosted Events

Come and enjoy delicious German cuisine and beverages while listening to great music.

Boo Bash

Thursday, October 26, 2017 Uptown Market

Thursday, April 20, 2017 The Traveling Riverside Band Opener-Steven Galloway

Holiday Lights

Friday, May 12, 2017 Authenticity Opener-RG & Stan

Holiday Open House

Thursday, May 18, 2017 Jake Bartley Band Opener-Brandon Henson *Concert in Countybank Plaza

Oktoberfest

October 19, 2017 Live outdoor concert Oktoberfest is a FREE outdoor family friendly event!

Mid-November through the holidays TBA Santa on Main December 1-2, 2-17

Greenwood Christmas Parade Sunday, December 3, 2017 Visit www.uptowngreenwood. com for a complete calendar of all events, exhibits, classes, concerts, markets, and performances taking place in Uptown Greenwood.

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Lander Film Festival

SO Creative Screenwriter, Chris Parrish, will debut a feature-length film, inspired by his late son, Mason (left), at the Lander Film Festival in April.

Chris Parrish debuting feature film during Lander Film Festival

C

BY ST. CLAIRE DONAGHY Chicago-based screenwriter Chris Parrish is getting ready for the Southern United States premiere of his feature-length film at the 8th Annual Lander University Film Festival April 20 - 22. The movie is “Thrill Ride,” inspired by a fantastic adventure storyline, created by his late son, Mason. The young boy died at age 10, after battling a pediatric brain tumor.

The family-friendly PG-rated romp, “Thrill Ride,” centers on kids who sneak into an old amusement park, previously owned by gangster Al Capone.

The kids are looking for Capone’s hidden fortune, but amusement park attractions come to life and take the kids on a wild ride.

“Thrill Ride” is being shown at 5 p.m. April 21 in Barrett Hall Auditorium on the Lander University campus. (Auditorium seating is limited to 100 people.) Tickets are $10, and tax deductible.

Ticket proceeds benefit The Mason Parrish Foundation. Tickets are available at: https:// www.landerfilmfestival.com/thrillride/ Parrish said Mason came up with the idea for “Thrill Ride” not long after the two of them had seen the Ben Stiller movie “Night at the Museum.”

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“I was driving him to school and he told me he liked the movie, but he wondered why they made it about Ben Stiller’s character, instead of that character’s little boy,” Parrish said. “Mason told me, ‘Museums are boring. They should have set it in an amusement park.’”

Parrish said he thought those tweaks on the premise were fantastic and he and Mason began working on a story of their own that would become “Thrill Ride.”

Parrish, a full-time instructor at the School of Cinematic Arts at DePaul University, spoke at the Lander University Film Festival in 2016. He is a longtime friend of fellow screenwriter and LU film festival presenter Craig Titley. Parrish is known for television writing for shows such as “King of Queens” and he was also a consultant for “Curb Your Enthusiasm.”

“I’m excited about coming back (to Lander),” Parrish said. “My son, Mason, was an incredible writer and naturally-gifted storyteller. He was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor on Christmas Eve in 2010. He was 9 years old. But, before Mason got sick, he told me this idea he had

for a movie…That was kind of our favorite pastime, sharing stories and ideas.

“Even after Mason got sick, the disease wasn’t able to take away his imagination or love for writing stories,” Parrish continued. “We worked on that.

After he passed away, my wife and wanted to come up with a way to honor his memory.”

The Parrishes established The Mason Parrish Foundation, which funds pediatric brain tumor research, and provides handicappedaccessible vans to families with children coping with catastrophic illnesses: themasonparrishfoundation.org. Donations are 100 percent tax-deductible, Parrish said.

“We were trying to come up with a way to raise money for the foundation,” Parrish said. “I had this really, very longshot, impossible idea. What if we were to make Mason’s idea into a movie?

It wasn’t an idea for a low-budget independent film that somebody could do with two actors in a room.

“This is a big, Steven Spielberg-type movie, with dragons and special effects,” Parrish added. “We’re

like, ‘What the heck? Let’s try it and see what happens.’”

A Chicago philanthropist, Vince Foglia, financed the entire film, Parrish said.

“Half of everything the movie makes is going to go toward Mason’s foundation and the other half is going to go toward making the next film. Hopefully, we can keep funding the foundation through kids’ movies, which was kind of Mason’s mandate. He wanted to see and make movies where kids were the heroes.”

Chris Parrish wrote the movie, directed it and is one of the producers.

Emmy-winning actress Kristen Johnston (“Third Rock from the Sun”) is playing a friendly sea witch, Esmerelda, who does battle with an evil mermaid.

Also in the cast is Lucas Jade Zumann as Henry Perry. Zumann is best known for his starring role of Jamie in writer/director Mike Mills’ critically-acclaimed film, “20th Century Women”. Tim Kazurinsky from “Police Academy” movie fame and “Saturday Night Live” is also in “Thrill Ride” among others.

“We were lucky to film in Chicago,” Parrish said. “A lot of the film crew is from my film school, DePaul. A large portion of the special effects were done by a young man I met who is an incredible Mozart, an amazing special effects artist.

Others were done by a local film school. We really had a lot of folks who chipped in and helped out big time.”

From inception to the finished product, Parrish said it took two-and-a-half years to complete “Thrill Ride.”

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Parrish said his feature film directorial debut with “Thrill Ride” takes nods from some of his all-time favorite films, which include 80’s Spielberg classics in the Indiana Jones movie franchise and “The Goonies.”

“It was definitely an inspiration,” Parrish said. “They don’t those live-action family movies as much anymore…With ‘Thrill Ride,’ there’s definitely some stuff that’s geared toward the grown-ups that will kind of go over the kids’ heads. It’s a fun movie for kids and parents.”

As a teacher of writing for television and film, Parrish said the biggest changes he’s seen in recent years have been the emergence of web series and more affordable filmmaking technology.

“The traditional networks are no longer king,” Parrish said. “There’s incredible opportunity for new writers, people looking to break in, to sell their ideas for TV pilots and work on shows. For film, it’s something that’s made ‘Thrill Ride’ possible - technology to do an independent movie is much, much more economical and aesthetically better. It’s a great time to make movies and to work in TV.” Paul Crutcher, broadcast and emerging media specialist in Lander’s college of arts and humanities, who is also Lander’s campus radio station general manager, said Parrish’s film project “touched” the hearts of Lander University Film Festival attendees last year.

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“He shared origins of the idea for ‘Thrill Ride’ and the book and art his son had created,” Crutcher said. “He also had a brief trailer for the film for us to see. I think it’s really big for Lander to be able to screen the film, which is going to compete at a film festival, I think, in Ohio. It’s exciting to be able to promote Chris (Parrish) and The Mason Parrish Foundation.

“One of the big things for us was that he hired one of our film festival competitors – Patrick J. Lutz - right out of last year’s festival, to do graphics work for Mason’s Movies. It was the work done on one of last year’s films that led to the job.”

Additionally, for this year’s festival short film competition, the Mason Parrish Award is being awarded for the first time, to the youngest competing filmmaker who completes a movie during the two-week short film contest time period, Crutcher said.

Chris Parrish – Bio

Chris Parrish is a full-time instructor at DePaul University’s School of Cinematic Arts. Chris was a freelance consultant on CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM, a staff writer on THE KING OF QUEENS, story editor of DISNEY’S AMERICAN DRAGON: JAKE LONG and a writer/producer on various sketch comedy, animated and reality shows, including MTV’s NEXT. To date, he has sold seven television sitcom pilots to the studios and networks.

Some of Hollywood’s top screenwriters have written required lines of dialogue for entrants in Lander’s two-week short film competition this spring. Participating screenwriters include Bob Gale, Chris Columbus and Steven E. de Souza. To their credit, they have films such as “Back to the Future,” “48 Hours” and “Die Hard.”

Filmmakers compete in one of three categories: young filmmakers (for students in high school or younger), the college division or the open division. This year’s festival also includes a new showcase of previouslymade short films.

On the feature side, Chris Parrish has sold numerous projects to New Line Cinema, Dreamworks Animation, The Bubble Factory, as well as an animated feature for The Jim Henson Company, starring Brooke Shields and Jamie Lynn Spears. Recently, Chris ghostwrote THE PICKLE RECIPE starring David Paymer. In 2016, Chris made his directorial debut with the theatrical release of THRILL RIDE, a feature-length family comedy starring Kristen Johnston.

Films are judged during the week leading up to the festival. Winners are announced at an awards ceremony and winning entry screening. Monetary prizes and first, second and third place awards are presented, along with additional awards, such as director’s choice and best actor.

Chris Parrish is a member of The Writers Guild of America, West and The Directors Guild of America. In addition to DePaul, Chris has taught cinema and television at U.C.L.A. Extension, Santa Fe University and Tribeca Flashpoint College.

“We have to say thank you for the city’s support this year,” Crutcher said.

“That has allowed us to promote it on a wider scale. We have many more contestants than we have had before.”

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The film festival was allocated $6,700 from the City of Greenwood’s 2017 Hospitality Tax Budget.

For full schedules and information, go online to: landerfilmfestival.com.

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Ninety Six & McCormick

SO Festive in Ninety Six and McCormick Ninety Six ARTICLE BY DAMIAN DOMINGUEZ Ninety Six is gearing up for the S.C. Festival of Stars season with the 2017 Miss Festival of Stars Pageant at 2 p.m. April 22. Entries are being accepted, and applications are in stock at the visitors center, with categories spanning ages from babies to 25 year olds. The pageant will be held at the Ninety Six Primary School’s gymnasium, and a digital copy of the application can be found online at scfestivalofstars.com/ forms.

The town is dedicating three days to the festival, spanning June 29 - July 1, with the main event on the last day featuring a fireworks display, carnival rides, a parade, a car show and music from headlining country music artist Aaron Tippin.

-- June 29: The festival kicks off with a street dance, featuring music from SplitShot and other artists. Vendors and carnival rides will be open.

-- June 30: The fun continues with rides and vendors still being open, along with a concert in the park.

-- July 1: The main event unfolds, with the festival’s famous fireworks display, music from country music artist Aaron Tippin, a parade, a car show and all the other amenities of the S.C. Festival of Stars.

Country music artist, Aaron Tippin, is scheduled to perform July 1 at the SC Festival of Stars in Ninety Six.

S.C. Festival of Stars attendees in a patriotically-decorated golf cart circle the Ninety Six town park during last year’s festival.

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McCormick There’s a goldmine of events going on in McCormick -- including the McCormick Gold Rush Festival in September -- but the town has much to celebrate year-round. From the Juneteenth celebration on Main Street to the boat parade and beach party in July, all the way to New Year’s Eve, McCormick is looking to get people out of the house and bring them together. The Gold Rush Festival on Sept. 17 will feature a juggler and stilt-walker, music by Mike Short Jr. and The Russell Scott Band, a performance

by McCormick High School’s Marching Chiefs band, vendors and of course -- gold mining.

-- June 3: The Family Fun Day and Juneteenth Celebration runs from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. at S.C. Wild’s Heritage Center at 201 S. Main St. Juneteenth commemorates and celebrates the end of slavery in America, and the Juneteenth celebration will feature music, food, arts and crafts, competition and fun for the whole family.. For information, call Teresa R. Kemp at 803-618-2250.

-- July 4: Set sail with the Thurmond Lake Boat Parade and Beach Party. The boat parade will start at 10 a.m. at the Dorn Boating Facility, and boats will pass the judges’ stand at 10:30 a.m. The parade then circles a boat where ice cream sandwiches and goodie bags will be tossed out to all participants.

Then boaters will make their way to the beach party atat Savannah Lakes Marina Beach for a presentation of the winner of the Best Decorated Boat contest, featuring a trophy and various cash prizes. The beach party is free for families, and hot dogs, chips and soda will be served. There will be adult activities, games for children and contests. To register a boat for the

parade, email Doug Chalifour at dchali4@gmail. com.

-- A gold rush brought settlers to McCormick in 1852, so it’s fitting that the county’s largest annual event shares that theme. The Gold Rush Festival kicks off at 10 a.m. and runs until 5 p.m. Sept. 16, and like the rush that brought in the settlers, gold-panning brings in festival-goers. Thousands of attendees have flooded Main Street in earlier years, and this year will feature the beloved food, music and attractions that have brought in crowds for years. Scheduled entertainment includes a parade, a juggler and stiltwalker, music by Mike Short Jr. and The Russel Scott Band and a performance by the McCormick High School Marching Chiefs. Along with the festivities, the Golden Nugget awards will be given out to recognize groups, individuals or organizations that have left their footprint in McCormick. Details are still unfolding about this year’s festival, so anyone seeking updates can visit mccormickgoldrush.com for details.

-- Dec. 1: The Festival of Trees kicks off December by featuring a display of festively-decorated trees, along with tours of the Grist Mill. The event starts at 10 a.m. and runs until 1 p.m. at the Dorn Mill Complex at 206 n. Main St. Local artisans will also be featured at the Crafty Ladies Bazaar, where crafters will be selling handmade gifts, jewelry and more. The Festival of Trees will reopen for visitors and tours of the Grist Mill Dec. 2, 8 and 9. For information, call the McCormick County Chamber of Commerce at 864852-2835. Festivities continue that night, with the town’s tree-lighting ceremony at 5 p.m. at the MACK park at 115 S. Main St., followed by a downtown art trot running until 8 p.m., displaying locally-crafted gifts at a number of sites downtown.

The rush of panning for gold attracts thousands of visitors a year to McCormick’s Gold Rush Festival at the Heritage Gold Mine.

-- Dec. 2: Continuing with the holiday celebrations, the Holiday on Main parade will be at 11 a.m., starting at 100 Main St. After the parade, children will have an opportunity to get a picture taken with Kris Kringle himself at 115 S. Main St. Parade applications are available at the McCormick County Chamber of Commerce.

-- Dec. 31: Ring in the new year at plum Branch Baptist Church with the New Year’s Eve Family Celebration from 6:30-9:30 p.m. at 106 Church St., Plum Branch. The party starts off with a game of “Minute to Win It,” followed by a showing of the movie “God’s Not Dead” at 7:30 p.m. and festivities until 9:30 p.m. Attendees are encouraged to bring their favorite snack or finger food to share. The event is free, and anyone wanting more information can call Karen Willis at 864-443-2305.

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Abbeville

So Festive in Abbeville

ARTICLE BY CONOR HUGHES

Anyone looking for activities in Abbeville this year won’t be short of choices. From festivals in the Due West to community barbeques on the shores of Lake Russell to party’s on the City of Abbeville’s historic square, there’s something for everyone to enjoy in Abbeville this year.

Kids Fishing Derby at Lake Russell

Due West Fall Festival

(Hosted by the town of Due West)

•• April 22 The Kids Fishing Derby gives children a chance to snag a big catfish from Lake Russell and spend time with their community.

•• September 30 Due west will be kicking off the start of fall with a festival which will include live music, vintage cars and food vendors.

French Heritage Festival

Blue Hole Fall Jubilee

•• April 21-22, and 29 The French Heritage Festival is a celebration that includes an outdoor movie screening on Trinity Street, tours of Trinity Church’s gardens and wine tastings.

Beer Walk

•• October 7 Hay rides, live music and a silent auction will be just a few of the activities on tap at the Blue Hole Fall Jamboree at the West Carolina Pavilion in the Blue Hole Recreation Center.

•• 1-4 p.m. April 29 The Beer Walk in Abbeville gives attendees a chance to sample a diverse selection of premium beers while out on the square.

Hogs and Hens BBQ Festival (Hosted by the City Of Abbeville)

October 20-21 The Hogs and Hens BBQ festival gives those attending a wide selection of food to satisfy the most fanatic barbeque lovers and die hard-blues fans.

Vino in the Ville Wine Walk

2-5 p.m. October 21 The Vino in the Ville Wine Walk is put on in conjunction with the Hogs and Hens BBQ Festival and offers a wide variety for anyone who wants to wash down their barbeque with a good glass of wine.

Abbeville Spring Festival

•• May 4-6 A staple in Abbeville since 1981, the Abbeville Spring Festival draws crowds to the city with attractions like fair rides, live music, and food vendors.

Christmas Tree Lighting

6 p.m. November 17 Every year, Abbeville residents gather in the City’s historic square to kick off the Christmas season with a Christmas tree lighting.

Paddle Fest at Lake Russell

Dickens Christmas

(Hosted by Lake Russell Tourism)

November 18 Those attending the Abbeville Dickens Christmas on the city’s historic square will be transported back in time.

Members of the Abbeville Merchants Association dress in classic Dickensian clothing and horse and buggies circle the square to create an air of Christmas spirit.

•• May 13 At the Paddle Fest, attendees get to try out their kayaking skills, eat food fresh off the grill and relax on the shores of Lake Russell.

Summer Wine Walk

•• 2-5 p.m. June 24 The Summer Wine Walk offers a sampling of fine wines for attendees as they walk around Abbeville’s Historic Square.

Freedom Blast at the Blue Hole •• July 11 Paddle Fest offers attendees a chance to kick back at Lake Russell with live music, food and a giant inflatable slide for kids.

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Christmas Parade

11 a.m. December 2 Nativity floats, cars and kids parade through Abbeville every year for the city’s annual Christmas Parade.

Cookie Walk

(Hosted by the Merchants) 2-5 p.m. December 2 The Cookie Walk in Abbeville will feature a number of stops with a wide variety of delicious cookies.

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Ware Shoals

So Festive,

Ware Shoals

Ware Shoals Catfish Feastival Memorial Day Weekend, May 24-27

BY MUNDY PRICE If it’s Memorial Day weekend in Ware Shoals, you can count on the town coming alive for its most notable annual event – the Catfish Feastival. You read that right. It’s a Feastival, centered around that southern, freshwater delicacy that’s served best either fried or stewed – the catfish.

The Ware Shoals Catfish Feastival is a time of fun entertainment, arts & crafts, carnival rides, live music, a children’s program, educational information, honoring our veterans, and delicious food. It’s also a time of hospitality, where the town welcomes back former residents and hosts guest & tourists. Earlier in May, young ladies will be crowned in the Ware Shoals Catfish Feastival Princess Pageant, and

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the winners will be on-hand during the Feastival to meet and mingle with the crowd.

Centered around Town Square, there is a parade on Saturday starting in the West End Business District (North Greenwood Ave.) at 9:30 a.m. and ending at Town Square in time for the 10 a.m. Opening Ceremony at the flagpole.

The Feastival officially begins Friday evening, but you can get in on the fun early with carnival rides Wednesday and Thursday nights, both considered Family Nights. Ware Shoals First Baptist Church offers the catfish stew, fried catfish, and fried and barbecued chicken ready for hungry visitors. So, come hungry, bring a lawn chair, and feast away at the Ware Shoals Catfish Feastival!

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so, what

So, What Springtime Magic on the Midway

BY CHRIS TRAINOR We don’t get a lot of spring here in the South. It seems like our shortest season, at least in terms of weather and temperature.

You know what I mean. One minute we’re in the throes of winter and then, suddenly, spring and its beautiful, blooming rebirth arrives…ever so briefly.

It feels like we get a scant few weeks of that perfect weather before the thermometer rises to its permanent summer setting of “hell.”

But, for that handful of weeks in April and early May, we manage to squeeze in as many spring hallmarks as possible.

The Masters in Augusta, of course, with its blooming azaleas and endless emerald green fairways and perfect pimento cheese sandwiches. Stolen weekends and slapped together spring break getaways in Myrtle Beach or Surfside or some other sun splashed coastal party zone. Road trips to watch baseball at the University of South Carolina or Clemson or, if you’re feeling flush, down in Atlanta. And, of course, a goodly number of springtime weddings, where hope for an open bar springs eternal and guys who normally wear Realtree shirts act like it’s no big deal they are suddenly rocking a seersucker suit.

But one of my very favorite hallmarks of spring, and one that has long been a staple right here in the Lakelands, is the annual Abbeville Spring Festival on historic Court Square. For my money it is still the very finest festival in the Lakelands, though that isn’t meant as a slight to our many other wonderful shindigs, including Greenwood’s Festival of Discovery, McCormick’s Gold Rush Festival, Ninety Six’s Festival of Stars or the admittedly legendary Ware Shoals Catfish Feastival.

Yes, yes, I know. I’m biased. I’ll admit it. As you may know, I grew up in Abbeville, so I’m predisposed to lavishing praise on all of my fair hometown’s most hallowed institutions, such as Abbeville High’s long tradition of excellence on the football field, the delicious food at The Village Grill and Robert Fossett’s impeccable ability to gossip in the parking lot at McDonald’s.

But the Spring Festival really is a Lakelands institution, and one that I’ve been crazy about ever since I was a kid. When I was young, my anticipation for the festival was so feverish that I almost felt like it was a second Christmas, only in May rather than December, with funnel cakes instead of egg nog, midway rides instead of sleigh rides and the thunderous sound of Brasstown Ball instead of Jingle Bells.

(Yes, Abbevillians, I just referenced Brasstown Ball.)

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Part of the charm of the Spring Festival, back when I was a kid and all the way up until today, is that it’s one of the very few times that town leaders close off the square for a party. You have to understand, Court Square in Abbeville has always been more like an interactive museum than a city center, what with its picturesque brick streets and soaring trees and Confederate monument and stately Opera House and ancient fountain. Heck, the historic preservation folks don’t even want transfer trucks driving through the square, ever, for fear they’ll tear up those brick streets. Closing it off for a spring bash? That’s big stuff.

Then there’s the midway rides. When I was a kid they used to set up the rides down behind the Opera House, sort of tucked away from the rest of the festival. That had its advantages, especially for the kids who wanted to get into a little mischief outside of the gaze of their parents. But, after a number of years, the powers that be wised up and started setting up the midway right there in Court Square, truly incorporating it into the heart of the festival.

The result was that a festival that was already a pure, straight-line shot of Southern fried Americana became even more charming, especially when night falls and the lights from the midway dance off the canopy created by those ancient trees and the delighted screams from the kids on the rides mix with the thumping cadence of whatever band is playing on the main stage as the aroma of funnel cakes and corn dogs and grilling hamburgers plays on the air.

This year’s Abbeville Spring Festival is May 4-6, and it’s slated to have all the touchstones that have made it one of the area’s top spring attractions for nearly 40 years. The rides, the food, tons of live music (including a Saturday night performance from the Swingin’ Medallions), a Wheels of Time car show, a play at the Opera House (“Junie B. Jones is Not a Crook”), a lively mix of vendors and the largest gathering of gossipers, back slappers, story tellers, bull shooters and good timers this side of the Mississippi.

It’s spring time in the Lakelands, at least for a little while. You should get out and enjoy all the season has to offer, and be sure to make your way to Abbeville for the Spring Festival.

It’s a tradition built to last.

Chris Trainor is a staff writer at Columbia’s Free Times and a columnist for The Index-Journal. He lives in Lexington.

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