RenoFest preparations underway

From Staff Reports
Published: February 19, 2010

Downtown Hartsville is getting ready for the return of the Annual RenoFest Bluegrass Festival on March 26, 27 and 28. The festival always runs the fourth weekend in Marhch.

“RenoFest has become a national springtime ritual signaling the opening of America’s annual bluegrass festival season,” said Marty Driggers, one of the festival organizers. “Blooming dogwoods, daffodils and azaleas surrounded by the natural purity of bluegrass music in air makes RenoFest a splendid event to welcome springtime and begin America’s 2010 bluegrass festival season.”

RenoFest was chosen Promotional Event of the Year by the S.C. Community Development Association in 2003 and 2005 and as Event of the Year by S.C. Festival & Event Association in 2005.

“On RenoFest weekend, Hartsville’s downtown district is filled with bluegrass musicians engaging in spontaneous ‘jam sessions’ in parking lots, street corners and alleys where fans, performers and musicians of all ages form circles to play, sing and listen to their favorite bluegrass tunes,” Driggers said.

To many folks attending RenoFest, “jamming” is the highlights of the festival.

Ticketed events are held in the Center Theater while other events are held at various downtown Hartsville venues, parks and restaurants.

Ticketed events at the Center Theater include the State Championship Band Contest at 1:30 p.m. Friday afternoon ($15), the State Championship Banjo and Guitar Contests (Saturday morning) and the afternoon RenoFest Concert ($25) and the Saturday evening Center Theater Concert starting at 6:30 p.m. ($15). A $35 advance ticket gets you into all ticketed events.
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