Sandy Zimmerman and Sherry Garrett take a break from giving rides during the festival to get a bite to eat at the food tent.
A few raindrops did not dampen the spirits of those attending the 45th Clay County Festival on the Square, but rain and thunderstorms did seem to keep some away. The old-fashioned street dance and live music, which traditionally kicks off the event on Friday night, was canceled when thunderstorms were expected and organizers decided to cancel for everyone’s safety.
Quick Brown Fox, who was to provide the free live music in front of Chinquapin’s for the dance, was invited to come on Saturday instead. Friday evening did not experience many storms, as had been predicted, but Saturday had sporadic rain much of the day. According to pastweather.com, 1.2 inches of rain fell on Hayesville from Friday, July 10 through Sunday, July 12, with some areas of the county reporting more.
Reba Beck, co-president of Clay County Historical & Arts Council, which hosts the event said, “This was considered a successful festival regardless of the weather. Thankfully, the sun came out on Sunday and the crowds responded. Some vendors reported a very good weekend and all expressed appreciation for the opportunity to be a part of the event.”
CCHAC media representative Tess Thomas agreed. She said more people experienced the event in other ways. “Overall, online visibility grew exponentially,” she said. “This was likely influenced by the weather, as many people chose to watch from home rather than attend in the rain.”
Thomas added, “I can confidently say video engagement for vendor booths increased significantly this year. Additionally, vendors were enthusiastic about participating in video promotion. I would guess 95 percent chose to make a video. Even those who were initially a bit hesitant stepped outside their comfort zones and were ultimately happy to showcase their booths.”
Artists and crafters were encouraged to record their story or info about their products to share on the CCHAC Facebook page. “Several vendors saw strong engagement, with view counts ranging between 700 and 1,100, and some as few as 50,” Thomas explained. “From a media perspective, the level of engagement was very encouraging.
Another successful Festival on the Square despite the weather not cooperating.”
Festival on the Square is held every year on the second weekend of July. As always, the 45th Festival on the Square brought music, food, arts and crafts, and lots of fun. Crafters and artists from around the southeast braved the weather on the lawns of the Beal Center, which is on the National Register of Historic Places. Fresh-cooked food from Hawg Wild BBQ and Catfish House, was served by CCHAC volunteers to benefit the group’s year-long projects.
Beck said she and other CCHAC board members are happy with the event’s success. “The change in vital leadership, since Patty and Denise Barber moved, has brought us to a new level of responsibility in getting all the loose threads woven into a workable fabric,” she said. “This weekend was an opportunity for us to move that process forward, The years Dennis and Patty worked to see the success of the festival are appreciated so very much.”
She continued, “We could not manage this project without the help of the many volunteers. We appreciate all of them. The list of businesses who stepped up to donate sponsorships grew this year from past festivals. We are deeply appreciative of all of them. Board members who worked so faithfully from last fall until late Sunday evening are all appreciated. Their efforts certainly helped us move in the right direction as we make plans for next year.”
CCHAC supports the Old Jail Museum and various art and history events for the schools and the community. CCHAC receives support from the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Cultural and Natural Resources. CCHAC is a 501C non-profit, operated entirely by volunteers and new members are always welcome.
To view performances and vendor recordings from the Festival, visit: Clay County Historical & Arts Council on Facebook, or go to: www.clayhistoryartsnc.org for more information.