2024 Spring Water Festival – Williamston SC

The 43rd Annual Spring Water Festival will be Aug. 23 & 24, 2024
in
Williamston’s Mineral Spring Park

SPONSORED BY . . .

The Spring Water Festival Features:

Arts & Crafts – Live Music  – 5K Run – Gospel Music Showcase – Free Children’s Activities – Amusement Rides – Antique Car Show – Festival Food  – Exhibits – Souvenirs    50 plus Craft and Boutique Vendors – 40 plus Display Vendors –
12 Food Vendors – Live Music – 150 + Car Show entries – Jeeps – Fire Truck Rides

FREE ADMISSION – FREE PARKING

Mineral Spring Park one of the oldest in the country
Research shows Williamston’s Mineral Spring Park is one of the oldest public parks, and may be the oldest, in the country. Central Park in New York was established in 1853. Research on the town’s park shows it may have been established in 1844 or 1854. Documents are still being looked at to determine the exact date.
When the town’s founder, West Allen Williams set aside property for a park and surrounding town, it was done during a time when the country was being pioneered and there wasn’t much thought of public parks. The town was incorporated Dec. 16, 1852.

ROAD CLOSURES
On Friday, Aug. 23 from 5-11 pm – East Main/West Main Street will be shut down from Pelzer Ave to Minor St.. Detour is around Town Hall. Parking is available in the old Town Square Center parking lot.
Saturday, Aug. 24 from 7 am – 5 pm. – East Main/West Main Street will be shut down from Mill St. to Gossett Dr. on West Main St. From 4 pm -10 pm, Main St. will be shut down from Pelzer Ave to Minor Street. Detour will be around town hall.

Live Music Friday Night

6 pm – Blue Sky Blues Band
8 pm – The Fortunate Sons

Blue Sky Blues Band
Blue Sky is a blues/rock band from Piedmont that boasts some of the area’s top local talent. Featuring Ian Alerre on drums, Steve Myers on bass, and Adam Lindsley on guitar and vocals, Blue Sky is sure to deliver a fun and energetic performance. Listeners can expect to hear a variety of classic blues and rock songs with a few originals mixed in! Be sure to visit their website at www.reverbnation.com/blueskybluesband.


The Fortunate Sons
The Fortunate Sons are a rock n’ roll party band from the Greenville area of South Carolina. Drawing from influences of rock, blues, pop, and soul from the likes of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Motown and The Beatles. The Fortunate Sons create a musical environment that all audiences can engage and enjoy! This 5 piece band of young men from the Upstate play everything from concert halls, private parties, weddings, and corporate events. Their ability to blend the sounds of yesterday’s classic rock-n-roll with those of today makes for an undeniable crowd-pleasing performance.

Williamston Fire Department Auto Show
A tremendous display of antique and classic autos and trucks will surely delight enthusiasts during the 43rd Annual Spring Water Festival. The show is being held at the Williamston Fire Dept. and on West Main St. in front of the park. It is being sponsored by Clinkscales Chevrolet in Belton, Kenneth Rhodes & Associates Insurance Managing Partner Laruen Marvin and the Williamston Fire Department.
Organizer Williamston Fire Chief David Huff said he is expecting more than 100 antique autos, street rods, customs, trucks and other special vehicles to be on display.
The show will feature the town’s 1936 Chevrolet Fire Engine. Vehicles from outside the local area are also expected.
This year there will be a $500 Cash Give-a-Way to registered entries, $100 each hour. Registration will be $20 with awards to the top 25, plus six specialty awards. Owners may register their vehicles between 8 a.m. and noon on festival day.
Persons interested in displaying a customized vehicle, antique or tractor in the show can register on festival day.
Specialty awards include Best Original, Best GM, Best Ford, Best Truck, Best Street Rod, Best Rat Rod, Best Jeep, Mayor’s Choice, and The Will Drake Memorial Award. A new award, the Steve Ellison Memorial Award was added in 2021. Trophies are a special design.
The fire department will also offer $1 rides on the restored 1936 Chevrolet fire engine.

Antique Firetruck Rides
The Williamston Fire Department will be offering rides for $1 per person on Williamston’s antique firetruck on festival day. Proceeds will be used to continue restoration and upkeep on the vehicle.
Engine #1 was put into service in the town in 1936 and remained in service until 1962.
Department firefighters have worked numerous hours to restore the appearance of the 1936 Chevrolet. The restoration effort on the truck amounted to more than $8000. The local firefighters have done most of the work themselves.
Volunteers rebuilt the truck’s motor, making the majority of the parts themselves. Workers went by a pattern, then cut out metal and wood for the seats. Running boards for the truck were fashioned at Jimmy Jeanes’ sign shop in Pelzer.
David Harvell’s Old Time Body Shop painted the truck. Firefighters refinished ladders and shined up original brass fire extinguishers and hose fittings.
A major expense, which had to be done by professionals, was re-chroming the grill, rails, and other parts. The process cost the department about $3600. A chrome bell and spotlight has been mounted on the vehicle.
In addition to a fun day at the festival, the firetruck restoration project also preserves a part of the town’s history.
The vehicle replaced a wooden wheeled hose carrier which was pulled behind a car. That antique contraption is still stored at the department.
The 1936 truck was used to fight several memorable fires. The truck was used in 1956 at the largest fire the town ever had, which burned Mark’s Dept. Store, a shirt manufacturing operation, and an old theater building used as a warehouse on Main St.
The truck was also used earlier to fight a fire at the White Swan Laundry and Dry Cleaners and in 1950 when the auditorium of the Williamston First Baptist Church was destroyed by a blaze.
Since the old truck has been taken out of fire service, it is used for parades, festival rides, and to transport Santa Claus to the opening of the Christmas Park.
Due to the skill and dedication of Williamston’s firemen, the old truck remains in mint condition.
The firetruck was featured on the 1999, 2009 and is on the 2021 40th Anniversary festival T-shirt.

Spring Water Festival Features FREE Parking
PUBLIC PARKING
The Williamston Police Dept. recommends the following locations when looking for parking at this year’s festival:
Behind Soccer Fields – Limited parking will be available behind the soccer fields with access from Mauldin St. Festival goers parking in this area can easily walk under the Main Street bridge to the craft and food area.
The Armory Fitness (old Armory) on Gossett Dr. – Public Parking is available in the field area adjacent to the Armory which now houses Armory Fitness, with short walk to craft and food area of the festival.
Municipal Center – Limited parking will be available in the parking lot located behind town hall and at the baseball fields.
HANDICAP PARKING
Handicap parking will be available with decal beside the Historic Depot on Main St. and in front of the Municipal Center from Minor St. and Main St.
CRAFT VENDORS
Crafters will have limited designated parking at the corner of Gossett Dr. and West Main and with public parking available at the Armory on Gossett Dr.
BUSINESS/DISPLAY VENDORS
Business and Display vendors will be given a parking pass during registration and will be allowed to park in designated parking just outside the rear gate entrance/exit with pass.
OTHER NOTES
Visitors are reminded not to park on private property or block entrances to homes or businesses in the area.
Vendors may set up on Thursday evening with festival representative approval or until 6 p.m. on Friday.
Craft Vendors may begin unloading at 6 a.m. Saturday on Gossett Dr. Signs will direct crafters to Gossett Dr. for unloading and parking on festival day. Registration will be in the Gazebo.
Business/Display and NonProfits who set up Saturday must register at the shelter in the center of the park.

Thank You
The Williamston Springwater Committee gratefully acknowledges the contribution of time, money, and talent given by individuals, businesses, volunteers and organizations in Williamston and surrounding areas.
Special Thanks to all volunteers and others who have helped with repairs and painting and other work done in the park over the years.
Medshore Ambulance & Anderson County Paramedics for providing medical assistance. Williamston Police Department for security and traffic control.
The Town of Williamston Street Department for providing trash pickup services.
Also for the support of the Town of Williamston, Mayor, Council and employees. Thanks to all who helped make the 43rd Annual Spring Water Festival a success!

 

Spring Water Festival to celebrate 43 years! – 4th Saturday in August

The 43rd Annual Spring Water Festival will be held August 23-24 in Williamston’s historic Mineral Spring Park.
It is one of the longest running festivals in the upstate.
The festival will kick off at 6 pm on Friday evening with live music by two local bands, the Blue Sky Blues Band and The Fortunate Sons. Music lovers are invited to bring a lawn chair or blanket and enjoy an evening of music. Twelve different food vendors will offer a variety of delicious festival food items and specialties.
Festival day activities will officially kick off at 9 a.m. Saturday with an antique and classic auto show, informative displays, children’s activities, historic displays, craft demonstrations, handmade crafts and festival food favorites.
More than 50 craft vendors, boutiques and local vendors will display and sell their items. Many offer handmade specialty items.
Approximately 50 business and non-profit organizations are expected to have informative displays about the goods and services they offer.
The Williamston Fire Department antique and classic auto show will have more than 100 antique autos, street rods, customs, trucks, jeeps and other special vehicles on display.
It is sponsored by Clinkscales Chevrolet in Belton, Kenneth Rhodes & Associates Insurance/Managing Partner Lauren Marvin and the Williamston Fire Department.
This year there will be a $500 Cash Give-a-Way to registered entries, $100 each hour. Registration will be $20 with awards to the top 25, plus six specialty awards.
Persons interested in displaying a customized vehicle, antique car or truck or tractor in the show can register between 8 am and noon on festival day.
Specialty awards include Best Original, Best GM, Best Ford, Best Truck, Best Street Rod, Best Rat Rod, Best Jeep, Mayor’s Choice, and The Will Drake Memorial Award. Trophies are a special design. A new award, the Steve Ellison Memorial Award was added in 2021.
The fire department will also offer $1 rides on the restored 1936 Chevrolet fire engine.
The 5k Spring Water Run will be held at 7:30 am on Saturday. There will be some temporary street closures during the race.
Advance online registration will be available until race day. Entry Fee is $25 and includes a race bib and timing chip. Spring Water Race shirts can be added to any registration for $12 each.
The race will be timed and the overall top three male and female winners will receive cash and gift card prizes.
The course includes city streets and country roads with rolling hills. Food and drink (bananas and bottled water) will be provided for runners. The Williamston Police Department will secure all major intersections and paramedics will be on site.
Packet Pickup and registration begins at 6:30 am on race day in the parking lot beside McDonald’s in downtown Williamston.
Registration information is available online at www.springwaterfestival.com or email: Kellylanemoon@gmail.com
The Spring Water Festival celebrates the founding of a town that was once a popular tourist destination, with the state’s largest hotel and drawing people from across the state to enjoy the benefits of a mineral spring which reportedly had medicinal qualities.

Today the spring around which the town was built still flows, offering visitors a cool, refreshing drink of spring water in Mineral Spring Park, one of the oldest public parks in the country.

The festival is organized by the Williamston Springwater Festival Committee, a 501 C3 non profit organization. Proceeds from the festival are used for improvements in the park and to help decorate the Christmas Park.

 

 

 

Spring Water Festival 2023

SPONSORED BY . . .

The 42nd Annual Spring Water Festival will be Aug. 25 & 26, 2023 in Williamston’s Mineral Spring Park

 

The Spring Water Festival Features:

Arts & Crafts – Live Music  – 5K Run – Gospel Music Showcase – Free Children’s Activities – Amusement Rides – Antique Car Show – Festival Food  – Exhibits – Souvenirs   

80 Craft and Boutique Vendors – 50 plus Display Vendors – 17 Food Vendors Live Music on 2 stages 150 + Car Show entries & Jeeps – Fire Truck Rides

FREE ADMISSION – FREE PARKING

 

Spring Water Festival kicks off on Friday, Aug. 27, 2021

The 40th Annual Spring Water Festival will be held this Friday and Saturday, August 27 & 28 in Williamston’s Mineral Spring Park.

The two day festival will feature free kids activities, amusement rides, more than 50 vendors, antique and classic auto show, live music and other special attractions.

The festival will feature a variety of performers on the Park’s Center Stage and the Amphitheater Stage.

The 2021 Spring Water Festival will kick off on Friday evening with live music by Blue Sky Blues Band and the Carolina Coast Band.

The Carolina Coast Band features some of the Upstate’s most talented professional musicians. Included are Joey Werner, the band’s manager plays keyboards and is a lead vocalist having performed with many artists, including early stints as a drummer with the original members of the Swingin’ Medallions”. Frank Wilkie is bass guitarist and toured internationally with The Marshall Tucker Band, Rickey Godfrey Band, and Garfeel Ruff Band. Kym McKinnon is lead guitarist and lead vocalist and toured nationally with Nappy Brown. Big Tez Sherard is on drums and lead vocals and tours frequently with National Artist, Edwin McCain. Tez has worked with other artists such as Darius Rucker, and The Tams.
Alan Nowell is on saxes, woodwinds, and vocals. Rhonda McDaniel, Ten year CBMA Female Vocalist of the Year, and recording artist with several #1 Hits, adds talents of both vocals and keyboards to give the band a great shag and beach music show.
Rickey Godfrey of Nashville, TN, is on guitar, keyboards, and lead vocals. Rickey is an beach and blues artist and the recipient of many CBMA awards including a song of the year and male vocalist of the year. He took the Blues Artist award for the City of Nashville in 2018. Ron Davis will be on trumpet.

Ten special selected food vendors will offer a variety of delicious festival food items and specialties. Beer and wine will be available at this years festival.

On Saturday, activities will begin with an Opening Ceremony at 9:15 a.m. Music lovers are invited to bring a lawn chair or blanket and enjoy a day of music and other activities.

Slated to perform are Easton Gowan, Andrew Crawford, Marvin King Revue, Odyssey Band & Show and the Brooks Dixon Band. (See information and schedule below)

New this year will be a Golf Cart parade at 5 p.m. Carts will meet in the Town Square Center parking lot at 4:30 for staging. Carts will parade through downtown and West Main St. entering the park near the fire department and park near the Amphitheater Stage.

ABC Amusements will bring a variety of new rides. Wrist bands for unlimited rides will be sold Friday evening.

Alive Wesleyan Church will provide an expanded area of free children’s games and activities with a foam pit, golf course and games. Guthrie Grove Church will return with a puppet show, games and other activities for children.

Bob Seymore of Atlanta will bring the fantastic world of STATUARY back to Williamston depicting the town’s founder West Allen Williams.

Vendors from the Upstate and surrounding states will join local vendors to display and sell handmade items in the craft area while local and regional businesses and non-profits will provide information in the display section along the sidewalk.

The festival will again feature one of the Upstate’s largest antique and classic auto shows. There will be awards in a number of categories.

The Williamston Fire Department organizes the car show which features more than 100 vehicles and they will offer rides on the restored 1936 firetruck, a festival favorite.

Hours for the festival this year will be 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday followed by an After-Party from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Beer and wine will be available during the evening hours on both days of the festival.

Festival visitors are reminded to social distance.

Parking and admission is free. Additional details and entertainment schedules are included in a Special Program Tabloid in this week’s Journal and on the festival website at www.springwaterfestival.com.

 

40th Annual Spring Water Festival set for Aug. 27 & 28, 2021

The 40th Annual Spring Water Festival will be Aug. 27 & 28, 2021 in Williamston’s
Mineral Spring Park. The Springwater Committee is excited that our two day outdoor festival will take place in August and in addition to celebrating our 40th year, this year’s festival will include new and exciting attractions, extended hours on Saturday and more entertainment.

Announcements will be coming soon!

The Spring Water Festival Features:

Arts & Crafts  Live Music  Gospel Music Showcase
Free Children’s Activities  Amusement Rides
Antique Car Show   Festival Food  Exhibits Souvenirs   
50 plus Crafters – 50 plus Display Vendors – 10 Food Vendors
Live Music on 2 stages
125 + Car Show entries – Antique Fire Truck exhibit – Fire Truck Rides

FREE ADMISSION – FREE PARKING

2021 SWF Applications

 

 

 

 

Spring Water Festival 2021

The Spring Water Festival Committee is beginning to make plans for the 40th Annual Spring Water Festival which will be held August 27 & 28, 2021!

As of April 5 we are planning to hold our Spring Water Festival in August of this year.
 
Of course, this will depend on the coronavirus situation through the summer and into August, and local and state guidelines at the time. The Springwater Committee usually begins meeting in March/April to begin planning for our festival, so we should know by June where things are.
 
Since all activities will be held outside in Mineral Spring Park, we feel we can go by guidelines at that time regarding COVID-19, possible including social distancing and face masks by festival goers in more crowded areas. We may have to look at children’s rides to see what state guidelines are in effect later this year.
 
Our business and craft vendors most likely will be spaced out to every other normal space, allowing a 10-12 ft distance between each vendor.
This may reduce the number of spaces that will be available to vendors. We will be looking at that.
 
We are always looking for volunteers who would like to be a part of the festival and currently need at least 3 more people on our committee. If you or someone you know may be interested, please email SWF Chairman David Meade at  editor@thejournalonline.com
 
A meeting of the Springwater Committee will be announced soon.
 
The Spring Water Festival is one of the longest running festivals in the Upstate.
This will be our 40th year – so we are planning to make it happen if we can!
 
2021 SWF Application Forms will be posted soon.

Spring Water Festival 2019

Spring Water Festival 2019

SPRING WATER FESTIVAL
August 23 & 24, 2019
Mineral Spring Park

Williamston, SC

State Hwy. 20 just off I-85 between Anderson and Greenville, SC

Arts & Crafts  Live Music  Gospel Music Showcase
Free Children’s Activities Amusement Rides
Spring Water 5K Run  1 Mile Fun Run
Antique Car Show   Festival Food  Exhibits Souvenirs   

Directions to Festival
From I-85 or Hwy. 29, exit onto Hwy.8 to Pelzer (Exit 32)
Right on Hwy. 20 into downtown Williamston

50 plus Crafters – 50 plus Display Vendors – 12 Food Vendors
Live Music on 3 stages
125 + Car Show entries – Antique Fire Truck exhibit – Fire Truck Rides

FREE ADMISSION – FREE PARKING
All Events – Rain or Shine
No alcohol – No coolers – No Pets – No Bicycles, No Skate Boards

2019 Festival Brochure

Spring Water Festival 2019

SPRING WATER FESTIVAL
August 23 & 24, 2019
Mineral Spring Park

Williamston, SC

State Hwy. 20 just off I-85 between Anderson and Greenville, SC

Arts & Crafts  Live Music  Gospel Music Showcase
Free Children’s Activities Amusement Rides
Spring Water 5K Run  1 Mile Fun Run
Antique Car Show   Festival Food  Exhibits Souvenirs   

Directions to Festival
From I-85 or Hwy. 29, exit onto Hwy.8 to Pelzer (Exit 32)
Right on Hwy. 20 into downtown Williamston

50 plus Crafters – 50 plus Display Vendors – 12 Food Vendors
Live Music on 3 stages
125 + Car Show entries – Antique Fire Truck exhibit – Fire Truck Rides

FREE ADMISSION – FREE PARKING
All Events – Rain or Shine
No alcohol – No coolers – No Pets – No Bicycles, No Skate Boards

2019 Festival Brochure

Spring Water Festival special attractions

A display of unique and original pottery will be on exhibit in the Williamston Municipal Center Exhibit Hall during the Spring Water Festival. The pottery production is a joint venture between Anderson master potter Ross Bryant and local artist/ art teacher Thomas Addison, and features a pottery glaze that is unique to the local area. The glaze on the pottery pieces is a homemade mixture which is created from the “chalybeate” or mineral spring water collected from the mineral spring in the park. The color on the pottery is derived from the high concentration of iron carbonate, which has been a well-known feature of the spring since its discovery in the late 1830’s by West Allen Williams.

There will be a Little Miss and Master Spring Water Festival Pageant held Aug 24th in the Municipal Center Auditorium. This is a fundraiser pageant for The Mill Town Players and Spring Water Festival projects. Deadline for entry is Monday, August 19.
The pageant is for girls ages are 0-18 boys age 0-7. Entry fee is $35. No pageant dresses needed. Only a summer dress or summer outfit. Every participant receives a crown. For info sheet and application please email wking5670@charter.net or call 2300157.

Bob Seymore of Atlanta will bring the fantastic world of STATUARY back to Williamston depicting the town’s founder West Allen Williams.

The 2019 Spring Water Festival T-Shirt is white with blue logo and features the Envision Williamston mural design by Thomas Addison. Addison’s mural design of “Unbroken Chain of Mineral Spring Water”, was brought to life by Palmetto High Art students Kerrigan Campbell and Rebecca Stephen, under the direction of Art teacher Gregg Davis, for Envision Williamston. The mural was the fifth placed in Williamston over the last year and can be seen on the side of the building located across from Calvary Church and near the new Anderson Drive “Gateway Welcome Sign”.

Twelve food vendors will offer a variety of festival food and snacks. They are Holly’s Concessions, Mamacita, Danny Dogs, Mile High Sweet, Mile High Concessions, Road Runner, Wainani Shaved Ice, Mama’s Sweet Shoppe, Grandma’s Homemade Ice Cream, Hey Bo Sassy Sow BBQ, Hudson Peanut Company and Southern Smoke BBQ.

The annual festival returns with over 100 vendors featuring arts and crafts, exhibits and business displays, festival food, children’s activities and rides, 5K Spring Water Run, antique car show, and live entertainment.

More than forty vendors will be offering handmade, personalized and unique items for sale in the craft area at this year’s Spring Water Festival. There will also be a 5KSpring Water Run and car show sponsored by the Williamston Fire Department and Clinkscales Chevrolet.
Guthrie Grove Church will have a puppet show, games and other activities for children. Buttons the Clown will entertain with balloon art.
Hours for the festival this year will be 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday.

Spring Water Festival Now Accepting Vendor Applications

Organizers of the 38th Annual Spring Water Festival are now accepting vendor, display and run applications for the two day festival August 23 & 24, 2019. Hours for the festival this year will be 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday.
Any local craft vendor interested in participating in the event can pick up an application and guidelines at The Journal office or online at the Spring Water Festival website at www.springwaterfestival.com.
For more information on crafts contact Beth Watkins at 864-704-4502 or email swfcrafts@gmail.com
Local businesses, and non-profits are also invited to have a display to promote their business at the festival.
Business displays should contact Dianne Lollis at 864-847-5743 or by email at missetta@charter.net.

The festival will again feature one of the upstate’s largest antique and classic auto shows, being sponsored by the Williamston Fire Department. To register contact Steve Ellison at 864-844-7107 or email wfd100@att.net. Also online at www.williamstonfire.com. There will be awards in a number of categories.

The 5K Spring Water Run will be a featured attraction and will be held on Saturday, Aug. 24. The run is sanctioned as an USATF certified course. The 5K open race will begin at 8:30 a.m. There will also be a 1 mile fun run at 7:45 a.m.
The course includes city streets and country roads with rolling hills. Splits will be called at the one and two mile mark and water stations will be on the course.

 

2019 Business & Non-Profit Display Application
2019 Business & Non-Profit Guidelines

2019 Craft Vendor Application
2019 Craft Vendor Guidelines

2019 5K Spring Water Run Application

2019 Festival Brochure