Starting in 1987, every year the Pickens Civitan Clubhas chosen the artwork depicting a Pickens area landmark. Through the years, several other traditions have remained strong, including the annual Azalea Festival tee-shirt. 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. 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. Connie and June Bowers graciously excepted the challenge to play the parts of the General and his lovely wife, Rebecca, at the party. In 1990, a very special cake was made to celebrate the 250 th birthday of General Andrew Pickens. Some attractions were brief lived while others became traditions. Fun activities were planned each year, including parades, stage coach rides, a petting zoo, puppet and magic shows, clowns and organ grinders. 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. 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. Open for tours each year are the Hagood-Mauldin House, the Pickens County Art & History Museum and the Hagood Mill.Ĭynthia 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. By following the map in the printed tour guide, festival goers can read about each place as they walk by. The next year, and every year after, the guide was published in The Pickens Sentinel’s Special Section.Īs the years passed, more research was done by area historians to add new sites and old photos to the annually published tour. 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 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. 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. ![]() 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. 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.īy 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. 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. The Azalea Festival had its beginnings in the spri ng 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. 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. 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. 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.Ī 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!”Īnd having fun in a family-oriented atmosphere is exactly what they do during the Azalea Festival, which occurs each year in April.
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