The South Carolina Festival of Discovery

The South Carolina Festival of Discovery is an award wining festival that is entering its 9th year. It is an opportunity to learn about the history, traditions, folklore, arts and crafts, music and dance and the rest of the culture of South Carolina. Blues is a big part of the culture and there is plenty to enjoy at the free concerts at the main stage. The Blues Cruise takes you to several locations throughout the city where you can enjoy a large variety of top Blues artists. They pack a lot of action in a three day festival. It is a good choice for a unique weekend summer get a way.

Festivals and food go hand in hand and at the South Carolina Festival of Discovery the food is BBQ and the traditional and unforgettable Black Kettle Hash. There is an officially sanctioned cook off the BBQ chefs from around the county participating. In the past, there has been as many as 70 competitors. You do not have to be a professional chef to compete, so if you have the definitive BBQ recipe, you can have a chance to win one of the prizes -$2,500 Grand Champion, $1,500 Reserve Grand Champion, Trophies for 1st - 3rd places and Ribbons for 4th & 5th place. You can get a sample of any BBQ for a dollar and voice your opinion as well.

The kids are not forgotten either. They will have their own area with amusement rides.

The performers scheduled for 2009 include The Nouveaux Honkies from Port Salerno, FL featuring some great fiddle playing, the Larry Garner Blues Band from Baton Rouge LA, Rnady McAllister from Texas playing the drums and harp with his trio and mix of Blues, Rock and Tex-Mex, Johnny Rawls from Mississippi with a mix of Southern Soul and Blues dance music, Elliott and the Untouchables from Columbia South Carolina, Drink Small from South Carolina, Wanda Johnson form South Carolina, Shrimp City Slim from Charleston, South Carolina with low country blues, Tad Walters from Raleigh North Carolina, Hitman, a blues/rock trio from Savannah Georgia, Davis Coen from Charleston, South Carolina and Lightnin Wells from Fountain, North Carolina with his own twist on classic blues.

You can also take home a bit of South Carolina by visiting the Arts & Crafts Vendors where you can buy everything including toys, jams, cakes, BBQ sauces/rubs, needle/stitch art work, 'yard art,' baskets, wire wrapped jewelry and just about anything that can be made by hand.

South Carolina Festival of Discovery
2009 Greenwood, SC 29648
Greenwood, SC 29648
July 9 - 11, 2009