Azalea Festival
History
Spring, with
its warming days encouraging trees to bud and flowers to grace the
landscape, is always a reason to celebrate, and Pickens takes full
advantage of the opportunity.
A 1989 brochure
promoting the city’s annual festival said it best with the words “When
the azaleas are blooming in Pickens, South Carolina, the little town
celebrates!”
And having fun in a
family-oriented atmosphere is exactly what they do during the Azalea
Festival, which occurs each year in April.
Hosted by local and
area civic-minded organizations, the Azalea Festival resembles a large
family reunion for Pickens County residents, and it gives people who
have been away far too long the chance to return for a visit with old
friends while strolling the streets of Pickens that are filled with
artists offering a variety of their work and crafts, local organizations
handing out important information on a series of topics, and an
assortment of food that will entice even the pickiest of eaters.
The Azalea Festival
also calls to people who have never been fortunate enough to actually
live in Pickens County, beckoning them to share for a moment the
pleasures local people enjoy each day.
The Azalea Festival
had its beginnings in the spring of 1983
as a small, juried show called
the Mountain Arts & Crafts Show and organized by the
Pickens Civitan Club was held in the north end of Pickens.
Later, in 1983, the
then current Chamber of Commerce President and Pickens Civitan Club
founder, Ruth Swayngham Hinkle, had the vision to convince the Civitans
to move the show to downtown and invite other non-profit groups to
participate. Hinkle told of her vision at the annual Chamber banquet,
“I see many different organizations having activities on closed off
streets and parking lots all over town,” she said.
By enlisting the
support of the Chamber as sponsor, the first Pickens Festival was held
in 1984 with the Civitan Arts & Crafts Show, the Junior Assembly
providing lemonade, the Jaycees, donuts and the Chamber giving out
information.
Over the next few
years the event attracted many more organizations and greatly expanded
the gourmet choices to feed the hungry public and some ingenious
attractions. For those first years, it was held in May, the Saturday
before Mother’s Day, and at the same time as the springtime Pickin’ in
Pickens Bluegrass Festival, which was held in a pasture north of town.
The Azalea Festival
was able to not only borrow entertainers from the bluegrass festival, it
was also able to bring in other forms of local entertainment.
In 1987, Jerrie
Hixon, who served as the festival coordinator for the event’s first nine
years, compiled the first self-guided historical tour with about 20
locations. The next year, and every year after, the guide was published
in The Pickens Sentinel’s Special Section.
As the years
passed, more research was done by area historians to add new sites and
old photos to the annually published tour. By following the map in the
printed tour guide, festival goers can read about each place as they
walk by. Open for tours each year are the Hagood-Mauldin House, the
Pickens County Art & History Museum and the Hagood Mill.
Cynthia Boney,
another long-time festival coordinator who led the festival into the new
century, worked lovingly at preserving the history by adding to the tour
until it included over 50 locations.
Many are grateful
for the support of area businesses in faithfully advertising in the
section which comes out each year the Wednesday before the festival to
provide the Historical Tour and all the festival highlights for the
current year.
In 1988, the
Festival date was moved to the third Saturday in April, the peak of the
azalea blooming season, and by 1989 the name was officially changed to
the Pickens Azalea Festival. Fun activities were planned
each year, including parades, stage coach rides, a petting zoo, puppet
and magic shows, clowns and organ grinders. Some attractions were brief
lived while others became traditions.
In 1990, a very
special cake was made to celebrate the 250th birthday of
General Andrew Pickens. Connie and June Bowers graciously excepted the
challenge to play the parts of the General and his lovely wife, Rebecca,
at the party. Anna Simon, a local newspaper reporter, played the
part of Brenda Starr who “interviewed” the historic couple at the party,
thus starting a favorite tradition. Since then, many different local
couples have accepted the honor to put on the period clothing and be the
official greeters of
the festival by playing the part of the Revolutionary War hero and his
wife.
Through the years,
several other traditions have remained strong, including the annual
Azalea Festival tee-shirt. Starting in 1987, every year the
Pickens Civitan Club has chosen the artwork depicting a Pickens
area landmark. The first shirt was pale yellow with brown ink,
featuring the Hagood Mill drawn by local artist, Mary McDaniel.
Throughout the
festival’s history, many different colors of shirts have been added and
local artists have donated their talents for these shirts that help the
community. Most featured places are on the historical tour, such as,
historic homes, museums, Chapman’s Bridge, the old Pickens school house,
the Pickens “Doodle” train engine and even natural landmarks, such as
Glassy Mountain and Table Rock Mountain.
Each year, Pickens
High School art students are invited to enter original drawings of an
azalea flower and one drawing is selected to become the official artwork
of the festival. Since 1989, an official U.S. cancellation stamp has
been made for the Pickens Azalea Festival Station from the artwork.
Letters are received every year from all over the United States
requesting the cancellation stamp. In addition, many people visit the
post office station at the festival to mail friends and even themselves
a card or letter with the collector’s stamp. This drawing is also
featured on the tee-shirt and in publicity fliers and information.
Many longtime
visitors to the festival have tee-shirt collections including all 21
shirts and also the 18 cards with the annual one-day cancellation
stamp. In addition, some collectors have compiled posters advertising
the event and wonder if they may someday be displayed in the county art
museum.
Planning for a
festival of this size takes all year. The few that have assumed the
task of leadership are greatly appreciated. Although the sponsorship
has gone from Chamber to Civitans to the Greater Pickens Chamber
of Commerce, the two groups have always worked together to get
the fun day accomplished.
In 1992, when
Hixon left the lead, the Chamber passed the sponsorship back to the
Civitan Club where the energetic work of festival coordinators, Chalma
Drake, Michael Chastain and Cynthia Boney brought new and creative
ideas.
In 2002 the
Greater Pickens Chamber of Commerce was asked to re-adopt
sponsorship of the Azalea Festival. Jerri Hixon was asked to lead and
revive the structure of the community wide representation of the Azalea
Festival Planning Committee. In the summer of 2003, the role of
festival coordinator was taken over by the long time community leader
and former Jaycee, Russ Gantt.
Under Gantt’s
leadership, the Festival added Friday evening entertainment and carnival
rides in 2004 and was billed for the first time in 2005 as a two-day
event, including Friday evening and all day Saturday.
In 2009, to
celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Azalea Festival, the
event went to three days and for the first time the festival history
expanded out to include West Main Street .
Also in 2009, the
annual Azalea Festival program book will be published in both local
newspapers - The Pickens Sentinel and The Pickens
County Courier.
In addition, a
third musical stage will be added to the venue for Saturday’s
festivities.
As the years have
progressed, the arts and crafts booths have increased to more than 100
participants, and many more civic groups have brought their talents and
endless volunteer hours to the event.
The festival has
spread out through downtown Pickens – down Main Street, onto Court
Street and Lewis Street, on Legacy Square and business parking lots --
just as Ruth had envisioned so many years earlier.
Separate areas are
set aside for children’s activities, entertainment stages, historical
tours, displays, such as remote controlled model airplanes, and of
course, the great variety of food to be enjoyed while dining in the
street at tables decorated with bouquets of azaleas.
Added to the
festival’s activities are the Pickens Women’s Association’s
5K walk/run, now in its third year, and the second year for the
Pickens County Meals on Wheels fundraising Chili Cook-Off.
As the Azalea
Festival begins its 27th year as a family event, the tradition continues
as a way for more than 40 civic non-profit community organizations to
raise funds for various worthwhile causes. It has been estimated that
approximately $100,000 has been raised over the years to go to local
charities through the sale of food and souvenirs.
Yet, as always, no
admission fees are charged to anyone wanting to attend the Pickens
Azalea Festival and share in an annual tradition that is
anticipated year-round by area residents as a way to celebration spring
in Pickens.
updated 09/10
