BLYTHEWOOD – The Town of Blythewood will host its fifth annual July Fireworks bash with music, food and a park full of fireworks fans from Blythewood, Fairfield and beyond.
The Fireworks, Food and Music event will happen Wednesday, July 3 and will feature about 25 food vendors, five on-stage music groups and a full half hour of fireworks that will light up the sky over Doko Meadows Park.
The festivities start at 5 p.m. and end with a fireworks show at 9:30 p,m. Featured artists include Eboni Ramm, Blues Deluxe, A.J. Sanders and the DB Bryant Band. This year, there will be an after-fireworks performance featuring local musicians Ramblin’ Road from 10 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Food and drink vendors will include Doko Smoke BBQ, McNulty’s Taproom, Papa John’s Pizza, Scotties, The Haute Dog Lady, Sweet Peas Ice Cream, The Donut Guy, Bessie’s Sweet Delights, Brain Freeze, Kona Ice, Fishin’ Fellas, Randolph Italian Ice and others. Beer sales will be available. No coolers please.
The event is free. Bring lawn chairs or a blanket to sit on and show up with the kids for Blythewood’s big night of the year.
FAIRFIELD COUNTY – The county will once again be showing off its fair fields and farms during the fifth annual Fairfield County Ag + Art Tour. The farm sites on the tour will feature their home-grown produce as well as local artisans and musicians.
“The tour is an introduction to some of the beautiful farms and products that Fairfield has to offer,” Chamber of Commerce Gene Stephens said.
Eleven farms throughout the county will be open for touring on Saturday, June 15, from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Sunday, June 16, from 1 – 5 p.m. The tours are free.
Visitors can begin their self-guided tour at any of the farms. The day is meant to be leisurely and enjoyable, so It will probably not be possible to see all the farms in one day.
Bring a cooler with an ice pack and pick up some fresh veggies, let the kids enjoy a hay-ride and barnyard animals, watch artists at work, and enjoy a day in the country! Food, drinks and treats will be available for purchase at many of the farms.
At the first site, visitors can register and pick up a tour booklet that will serve as a guide to the various farms and their offerings.
WINNSBORO – The name of the county, Fairfield, is believed to have originated with Lord Cornwallis when, during the Revolutionary War, he and his British Troops wintered in Winnsboro. While taking in the view of the surrounding area from his second floor window, Cornwallis is said to have declared, “Oh, what fair fields.”
Next weekend the county will once again be showing off its fair fields and farms during the fifth annual Fairfield County Ag + Art Tour. The farm sites on the tour will feature their home-grown produce as well as local artisans and musicians.
“The tour is an introduction to some of the beautiful farms and products that Fairfield has to offer,” Chamber of Commerce Gene Stephens said.
Farm to Table Dinner
The weekend kicks off with a farm to table dinner on Thursday, June 13, on the promenade behind the town clock on East Washington Street.
The evening begins with a social hour (beer, wine and hors d’oeuvres) at 6:30 and dinner (salad, entree and dessert) starts at 7:30. The dinner will be catered by a local caterer, Exquisite Catering Company, and much of the food will be provided by some of the farms on tour.
Guitarist/singer Luke Moore will entertain.
Tickets are $65/person and $115/couple and can be purchased at www.eventbrite.com. Tickets are limited to 150.
The Tour
Donita Bailey with goats and goatmilk soap.
Then it’s off to the tour. Eleven farms throughout the county will be open for touring on Saturday, June 15, from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Sunday, June 16, from 1 – 5 p.m. The tours are free.
Visitors can begin their self-guided tour at any of the farms. The day is meant to be leisurely and enjoyable, so It will probably not be possible to see all the farms in one day.
Bring a cooler with an ice pack and pick up some fresh veggies, let the kids enjoy a hay-ride and barnyard animals, watch artists at work, and enjoy a day in the country! Food, drinks and treats will be available for purchase at many of the farms.
At the first site, visitors can register and pick up a tour booklet that will serve as a guide to the various farms and their offerings.
BLYTHEWOOD – The Blythewood Historical Society (BHS) and Museum will place a historical marker on the site of the original Blythewood School at 501 Main Street. The placement is set for Friday, May 24. The building now houses Blythewood Academy.
“We are inviting the community to join us for the placing of the marker,” BHS member Jim McLean said. Others who will participate in the marker placement include Nancy Stone-Collum from the Richland County Conservation Commission, Blythewood Mayor J. Michael Ross, Richland County Councilwoman Joyce Dickerson and graduates of the original school.
BLYTHEWOOD – The community is invited to a farewell reception prior to the May 28 Town Council meeting to honor Blythewood’s magistrate, Judge Josef Robinson, and his staff.
Robinson, who was serving his second term after being appointed to the bench by Sen. Joel Lourie in 2014, said he was notified by Sen. Mia McLeod last month that he would not be reappointed. McLeod was elected to serve after Lourie decided not to run for re-election.
“We are going to truly miss Judge Robinson,” Mayor J. Michael Ross said. “We couldn’t have had a better judge to serve as Blythewood’s first magistrate. He did a great job in the Courtroom and I think most everyone regarded him as fair and compassionate, a fine example of a public servant and our community benefited greatly from his service.”
Robinson will be returning to law enforcement as a deputy sheriff, serving as a public information officer under Sheriff Leon Lott.
The reception for Judge Robinson and his staff will at 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, May 28 at the Doko Manor in Blythewood. Town Council will convene for a budget workshop at 7 p.m.
Fairfield Farmers and Artisan’s Market during the Christmas season.
WINNSBORO – A grand opening and ribbon cutting will be held Saturday for the new jewel in downtown Winnsboro – the recently renovated former county stable located on East Washington behind the Town Clock.
Under County Administrator Jason Taylor’s guidance, county workers have turned the former stable into a show barn that will house the Fairfield Farmers and Artisan’s Market and eventually serve as an event venue for weddings, receptions, reunions and other social events.
A celebration of the facility, organized by the Fairfield County Chamber of Commerce, will begin with a ribbon cutting at 9 a.m. and end at 1 p.m.
During that time, about 30 food vendors including Doko Smoke and Winnsboro’s The Donut Guy will offer a full array of foods. Singer Sophia Lynch will entertain and, beginning at 9:30 a.m., there will be prize drawings every half hour to include gift cards to local restaurants and merchants.
Local farmers will be selling fresh produce, eggs, meats and other foods. Other vendors will offer artwork and crafts, free massage demonstrations, an entertaining parrot who will pose for photos with event visitors and a kids’ drawing contest that will be judged with prizes for the winners. A magician and a balloon creations booth will also be performing throughout the day.
Fairfield County Museum Director Pelham Lyles has displayed a number of colorful handmade quilts on the market building’s walls.
“It’s just beautiful inside, and I think everyone is going to be surprised at what they see,” Fairfield County Chamber Director Gene Stephenson said during a presentation at the County Council meeting Monday night. “We have Mr. Taylor and Ms. Terry Vickers [former Chamber Director] to thank for this becoming a reality,” Stephenson said.
Taylor, in turned passed along his appreciation to the county employees who did the renovation work.
“We did all this work in-house for the most part,” Taylor said. “We hired very little outside labor, maybe plumbers and a few others.”
Taylor said the cost was covered by $35,000 from the Chamber and about $35,000 in matching funds from the County.
The facility includes a DHEC-approved teaching kitchen which can be used by the farmers market for teaching food preservation and similar classes. Work is still to be done on the exterior and the parking lot. That work is expected to be completed this summer, according to Taylor.
“We’re going to have a lot going on at the market on Saturday. It’s going to be a big day,” Stephenson said. “We’ll have local as well as visiting state and national dignitaries visiting our town for the event, and I just hope everyone will take this opportunity to come out and enjoy it all. You’re going to be surprised,” Stephenson promised.
BLYTHEWOOD – Prepare to be entertained when the Reggie Sullivan band takes the stage in Doko Meadows Park Friday night with Christina Bhola opening. The concert admission and parking is free, and those attending are encouraged to bring the kids, lawn chairs and blankets.
From 6 – 9 p.m., the entertainment will include Jazz, funk, soul and rock originals and covers influenced by B.B. King, Miles Davis, John Mayer, Duke Ellington, James Brown, Ray Charles, Little Richard, John Coltrane, Marvin Gaye, The Canton Spirituals, The Beatles and more.
There will be kid-friendly activities and food vendors.
Beer, wine and soft drinks sales will be sold to benefit Bravo! Blythewood.
And for those who feel the need for some exercise during the concert, the Relay for Life event will also be taking place in the park until 10 p.m., and everyone is invited to join in the walk.
The Bravo event is funded by the accommodation tax revenue.
LAKE WATEREE – In late April, 24 of the top fishing guides and tournament catfishermen from North and South Carolina converged on Lake Wateree for the 2nd Annual Lake Wateree Catfishing event for children with special needs.
Under the auspices of the United Special Sportsman Alliance, Inc. (USSA) 34 special needs children, along with their parents, were able to fish on Lake Wateree, one of the top catfish lakes in South Carolina.
The event headquarters was Lake Wateree Baptist Church on Dutchman’s Creek and despite high winds and cool morning temperatures, almost every boat caught multiple fish and catfish weighing up to 45 pounds.
It was four exciting hours of fishing the kids won’t soon forget.
The USSA is a not-for-profit dream-wish granting charity specializing in sending children and veterans with life threatening illnesses and disabilities on the outdoor adventure of their dreams.
Justin Whiteside, a Rock Hill, S.C. fishing guide who fishes several lakes in the Carolinas, came up with the idea for the all-volunteer event.
“My original idea was to give back to the sport of fishing in some way because fishing has meant so much to me and my family,” Whiteside said. “I wanted to share the outdoors experience. After talking to friends, including professional fishing guides and top professional catfish tournament anglers, the idea became reality.”
Fishing guides, tournament anglers, cooks and boat crews donated a day of peak fishing time to help with the trip.
Brian Snipes, who volunteered as a boat captain during the inaugural fishing event last June, did so again this trip. He said reactions from the kids have been incredibly positive both years and that the kids on his boat expressed the joy of several firsts including first fish, biggest fish or both.
“Turns out I had as much fun as the kids,” he said. “They enjoyed catching every fish regardless of size, and I enjoyed watching them.”
Lake Wateree and Santee Cooper Lakes fishing guide Scott Peavy of Blythewood said the youngsters on his boat were thrilled to simply have the chance to catch fish.
“It’s a great event and one that really puts the joy of fishing into perspective,” Peavy said. “What began as a day for helping these kids get a chance to fish, turned into a day where the guides and tournament fishermen were impacted in a very positive way.”
Peavy said the events have made him realize that it’s easy to take the sport of fishing and the outdoors for granted.
Whiteside said because of generous donations to the event, all the children received fishing tackle of their own, including rods and tackle boxes.
On Friday prior to the fishing trip, the kids and their families were treated to dinner, and the event wrapped up with a cookout.
“You never know when something we do now will impact a youngster in a positive way for the short or long-term,” Whiteside said. “It takes a lot of volunteers to pull off an event like this,” he said. “Everyone from boat Captains, cooks and clean-up crews made a real difference in a lot of lives, not just the kids’ lives but the parents’, too. USSA adventures give patients something to look forward to and help sustain them in their time of need.”
Peavy agreed that healing thru enjoyment of the outdoors is a reality.
“Enjoying God’s great outdoors gift to us all is a passion for many and I, one hundred percent, believe it’s one of the best healing opportunities in the world, not just physically but mentally and emotionally,” he said. “Participating in these events has been humbling, enriching and healing for the volunteers, too. As a fishing guide I take people fishing and get paid for it. I love guiding, but the opportunity to take these kids fishing has become much more valuable to me.”
At the end of the day all echoed the same sentiment – that it was one of the best things they’d ever been involved with in the sport of fishing.
RIDGEWAY – Ridgeway will be colorfully yarn-bombed and read for visitors on Saturday, May 4, when the 13th annual Arts on the Ridge festival kicks off with a farmer’s market opening at 9 a.m. and festival activities from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
This year’s focus is on Opening Doors to Literary and Artisan Expression featuring 17 published local authors, panel discussions and book giveaways, arts and crafts vendors and unique handcrafted items.
Plein Air painters will be at work along the streets, there will be free musical performances, the Fairfield County Farmers Market will be open from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. and attendees will be welcomed to visit the town’s new library.
At straight up 10 a.m., the festival organizer, Phyllis Gutierrez, will welcome the crowd and present the Fairfield County Arts Association will present the 2019 Friend of the Arts Award. The remainder of the day will be filled with musical performances, literary discussions, giveaways and drawings.
Stores and restaurants will be open all day with specials for Mother’s Day and other sales.
“The weather is expected to be great and the shopping will be too,” Gutierrez said. “It will be a really fun day for the whole family.”
Doko Film Fest organizers Andrew Smith and his father Raymond Smith, owners of Modus Media.
BLYTHEWOOD – Two-time Oscar winner Michelle Eisenreich will be returning home to Blythewood this weekend as a judge, presenter and patron of the inaugural Doko Film Fest on April 26 and 27.
Michelle Eisenrich with her latest Oscar.
The festival, produced by local film maker Raymond Smith and his son Andrew, is the first of its kind in South Carolina and is dedicated to developing the skills, knowledge and confidence of young filmmakers in the state and beyond.
Eisenreich, the visual effects producer for film company Double Negative in Vancouver, and her team won their second Oscar in February for their work on the film, ‘First Man.’ Her team also won an Oscar last year for ‘Blade Runner 2049.’
As a result of her success on ‘First Man,’ Eisenreich has been asked to pull together and oversee a new TV division for her company.
“We just finished work on Star Trek Discovery for CBS, which is in its second season, and we’re currently working on a couple of projects for Netflix and Amazon,” Eisenreicht said.
“I would have loved to be involved with something like the Film Fest when I was growing up,” she said.
Eisenreich will be honored with a reception at Doko Manor on Friday, April 26 from 7 to 9:30 p.m. There will also be a silent auction featuring a knife signed by James Jude Courtney aka Michael Myers of Halloween as well as live jazz music, drinks and heavy hors d’oeuvres.
Screenings of selected films made entirely by high schoolers will be held all day Saturday, April 27, from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at Westwood High School.
Throughout the day, there will be master classes held by Eisenreich and other video professionals on tips and tricks needed to produce winning and engaging films. There will also be representatives from the University of South Carolina and Savannah College of Art and Design speaking about their media arts and film courses. At the end of the day, awards will be announced in their respective categories as well as best in show.
Venues
The Friday night reception will be held from 7 to 9:30 p.m. at Doko Manor, 100 Alvina Hagood Circle, Blythewood.
The film festival screenings and master classes will be held on Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at Westwood High School, 180 Turkey Farm Road, Blythewood.
Tickets range from $5 – $20 and can be purchased at www.dokofilmfest.com.
