Tony Baughman 
Music, Laughter And Fellowship Highlight Downtown Fete
Two lively little blonde-haired fellows – one sporting a Georgia Bulldogs tee, the other his USC Gamecocks gear – playfully chased each other through the pine straw and onto a small wooden stage outside Christine’s Farm To Fork.
Darkness soon fell on Edgefield’s Town Square, and a band aptly named Whiskey Run hammered through a setlist that ran the gamut from Bon Jovi to Lynyrd Skynyrd to 3 Doors Down. Two older fellows twirled with abandon in front of the stage, kicked up their heels and got lost in the music with their beers raised toward the sky.
The fourth annual Edgefield Block Party last Saturday moved for hours to its own beautiful rhythm, a song of community togetherness.
Hosted by Christine’s Farm To Fork, the rejuvenated Block Party began Saturday morning with vendors lining the sidewalk around the Square, selling their handcrafted wares. A few classic cars pulled up, parked and invited admirers.
Patrons dressed as pirates strolled around the village green, proclaiming “Arrrrrrgh!” and wielding inflatable swords to raise awareness for SCPaws & Hooves Rescue, a nonprofit animal advocacy group. And of course, live music played on and on from 11 a.m. until the Town’s noise ordinance kicked in as midnight approached.
“It was beautiful. Absolutely beautiful,” said Christine Smith, proprietor of Christine’s Farm To Fork and one of the Edgefield Block Party organizers. “To see the whole community come in together, having fun, spending time on a beautiful day. It’s a great turnout!”
Live Bands Brought A Blend Of Styles
Library staffers sat in front of the Edgefield County Public Library, which has been shuttered for a couple of months for much-needed renovations, and invited passersby to add splashes of color to a giant coloring sheet. Veterans from the local American Legion post offered free popcorn. First responders from the Edgefield County EMS handed out wristbands and stickers.
“I think people just want to have fun, have a good time,” Smith said. “Bring the kids. Bring your family, and spend time together listening to great entertainment. It’s great fun!”
The patio at Christine’s Farm To Fork was the epicenter of the celebration, alive with music throughout the Edgefield Block Party. The bluesy sound of the Josh Martin Band kicked off the slate, followed by North Augusta’s Abel Cricket band and their eclectic blend of country music, Beach Music and classic hits.
As twilight approached and the string lights began to glow over the patio, the tone shifted to a perennial favorite at Christine’s Farm To Fork, the gritty alt-rock vibe of Down 430. Augusta’s Whiskey Run brought the festivities home with their high-energy selection of ’80s rock, ’90s country and originals.
In the midst of all the music and dancing, patrons dined on boxed dinners from Christine’s patio grill and sipped cold brews served from steel tubs filled to the brim with ice.
Partying With A Purpose
After weeks of anticipation, Christine Smith finally took to the front of the stage, and her young assistant reached into a barrel filled with red and green tickets. She drew out the winning name for a prize basket worth more than a thousand dollars, filled with items donated by the sponsors and the vendors. Included in the bounty: a $200 gift card from Christine’s and coveted admission to the annual Guitar Pull hosted by radio station KICKS 99 (which brought its pickup truck to town for a remote broadcast with midday host Chris O’Kelley).
Ashley Davis of Edgefield won the basket. The raffle was organized this year to raise money for the Edgefield County Senior Citizens Council, which provides meals and transportation to area seniors. The benefit raised more than $5,700 for the charity.
“We couldn’t have been more blessed,” said Shannon Eargle, director of the Senior Citizens Council. “We were thrilled with the outcome. We’re a nonprofit, so any kind of extra money we get goes toward the running of this operation to help the seniors. It was really awesome.”
With another successful Downtown Block Party in the books, where does this community celebration go from here?
“We just keep encouraging all the different events,” Smith said. “We have the Italian Fest next month, hosted by our neighbors at Mario’s. We have our tree-lighting. We have our Christmas parade. We have our hospital foundation run in March. We’re going to keep rolling. We’re going to keep growing, keep promoting, keep helping each.”
That is, indeed, the sweet, sweet sound of a vibrant community in action – together.
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