The 41st Annual Spring Water Festival will be held August 26 and 27 in Williamston’s Mineral Spring Park.
New this year will be will be axe throwing. Blade and Bull Mobile Axe Throwing will bring a 25 feet long, 8 feet wide trailer for willing participants looking for an exciting activity. The object is to throw a small axe (hatchet) down a designated lane into a wooden target. Points are scored based on sticking the axe into painted rings on a target board. Come compete with your friends.
501st Legion Canceled – Also appearing at the festival will be characters from The 501st Legion, an international costuming organization dedicated to celebrating STAR WARS™ through the creation and use of quality costumes that portray the villainous, morally ambiguous, or non-partisan characters from the STAR WARS™ universe.
Local artist Thomas Addison will display drawings and an oil painting of his interpretation of a mythical creature called a “Williamston Naiad”. In classical mythology, a Naiad is a water nymph or fairy, said to inhabit a river, spring, or waterfall. Inspiration came from Lander College, which had its beginnings in Williamston as the Williamston Female College and named their yearbook “Naiad” as a tribute to the college’s early days (in Williamston) and being located near the historic mineral spring. A real Naiad (character) is expected and there will be a fun activity for kids to look for Naiad fairys in the park on festival day.
Bob Seymore of Atlanta will bring the fantastic world of STATUARY back to Spring Water Festival depicting the character of West Allen Williams. Seymore will have a story board with history about the town.
The festival will kick off at 6 p.m. Friday evening with live beach music featuring the Carolina Coast Band and blues rock with the Blue Sky Band.
There will be festival food, amusement rides and craft vendors with handmade items for sale.
ABC Party Rentals and Amusements will be selling $20 wrist bands for unlimited rides from 6 to 10 pm. Tickets on Saturday will be $1 each.
The 5K Spring Water Run is returning on Saturday morning. Advance registration deadline has passed, however runners can still register on the day of the race.
Registration fee is $35 and includes a race shirt (limited supply on day of race), bib, and timing chip. Packet Pickup and registration begins at 6:30 am on race day in the parking lot beside McDonald’s in downtown Williamston.
The 5K open race will begin at 7:30 a.m. The race will be timed and the overall top three male and female winners will receive prizes.
On Saturday, festival activities will begin with 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.
This year’s festival will feature a variety of music including Beach, Americana, Bluegrass, Country, Blues Rock and Gospel.
The Amphitheater Stage will feature country and bluegrass beginning at 9 a.m. with Kendall Lanford, followed by Crawford-Colt at 11 a.m., Angela Easterling and the Beguilers at 1 p.m., and headliner Kristi Stanley at 3 p.m.
Kristi is making a name for herself in the bluegrass music world and is releasing a new album. Several years ago, at the age of 18, she was asked by Dr. Ralph Stanley, to be a part of the Grammy-nominated album “Clinch Mountain Sweethearts”. She joined not only her hero, Dolly Parton, but other stars including Pam Tillis, Sara Evans, and Chely Wright on the project. Kristi sang “I’ll Never Grow Tired of You” with the bluegrass legend himself.
The Gospel Stage, will feature The Maples, New Beginnings, Living Truth, All for Him, Jennifer Phillips, Catlin Tierce, Trevor Thomas, New Day, Talya Starrett, Singing Tornadoes, The Other Side and Revealed.
The Spring Water Festival Car Show, organized by the Williamston Fire Department and will feature more than 100 vehicles. There will also be rides on the restored 1936 fire truck.
Alive Wesleyan Church and Guthrie Grove Church of Abrahamic Faith will offer free kids games and activities.
Sponsors for the 2022 Spring Water Festival include the Town of Williamston, Cristina Ortiz State Farm Agency, Clinkscales Chevrolet, and The Journal.
The Spring Water Festival was organized in 1981 as a funding source for the town’s winter holiday attraction, the Christmas Park in December. The Spring Water Festival is held in Mineral Spring Park, State Highway 20, downtown Williamston.
Parking and admission is free. Additional information and entertainment schedules are available at www.springwaterfestival.com.