No 2010 Winyah festival
By Clayton Stairs
cstairs@gtowntimes.com
Two local festivals that draw thousands of visitors to the area are suffering because of the recession.
The 2010 Winyah Bay Heritage Festival has been rescheduled for the following year and although the Pawleys Island Festival of Music and Art will be held in October, organizers have had to scale back the events.
Winyah Bay Festival
Organizers of the Winyah Bay Heritage Festival have announced that next year's event will not take place.
However, the group is planning to hold a few of the fund-raising events that were part of the festival last year: the Cattails and Cocktails and the South Carolina Duck Calling Competition.
And they say the festival in January 2011 will take place as scheduled when the economy improves.
"The general feeling of the steering committee is that during these tough economic times, it would be very insensitive to ask people for the financial support that is necessary for the festival," said Bill Brabson, spokesman for the committee.
"We felt it was in everybody's best interest to put it on hold for one year."
The Winyah Bay Heritage Festival depends heavily on local individual and business sponsorships.
This year, however, it has become apparent that asking for the level of financial support needed to promote the high quality festival, comparable to those in previous years, is not possible, Brabson said.
The bulk of the sponsor funds -- about $60,000 the first year and only $40,000 last year -- went to advertising on billboards, flyers and posters around the state, he said.
Proceeds from the event have gone to the Georgetown Historical Society for a new maritime museum.
Details about the "Cattails and Cocktails" evening, the South Carolina Duck Calling Competition and all other festival news is available at www.winyahbayfestival.org.
Pawleys Island Festival
Organizers for the Pawleys Island Festival of Music and Art have seen similar trends in funding, but they are only scaling back this year's festival.
They are also asking for more in-kind donations and volunteers.
Now in its 19th season, this year's festival will feature two weekends of cultural entertainment and musical performances (as opposed to three weekends in previous years).
Events will take place at Brookgreen Gardens and Litchfield Plantation.
Festival director Delores Blount says with a great line-up of entertainment, this year will be another great one for attendees.
"This will probably be one of the best years ever, talentwise," Blount said.
Entertainers include Grammy Award-winning jazz vocalist Steve Tyrell; jazz and blues singer Ann Caldwell; Mexican pop and jazz singer Enrique Haneine; Long Bay Chamber Orchestra; brass ensemble Dallas Brass; and Bits and Pieces Puppet Theatre's rendition of "Alice in Wonderland."
For details, call 843-23704774, or visit pawleysmusic.com.