THOMSON – A grand sight will be in Thomson soon when tons of vendor tents will be blooming all over like white camellias.
The annual Camellia City Festival will have more than 100 vendors with everything from food to crafts, jewelry, art and more in Thomson on Saturday, Oct. 22. The vendors number as just some of the many camellia blossoms in the 151-year-old McDuffie County where the city is located.
The fall festival kicks off on the grounds of the Thomson-McDuffie Government Complex on 210 Railroad St. in Thomson at 10 a.m. and will end at 5 p.m.
Debbie Jones, Executive Director of the Thomson-McDuffie Chamber of Commerce, speaking specifically about booking the large number of vendors, said this is due in large part to the hard work of volunteers and various organizations.
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Jones said, “The festival is made up of community volunteers that do a lot of pre-planning and get the word out. We have several organizations that play a huge part in the festival being a success … Our businesses do a lot of promoting as well.”
“The festival is well-organized, easy to walk through, and has lots of great vendors and entertainment,” she said and noted that is why it appeals to the public.
As per the camellia blooms which are part of the festival’s namesake, there are hundreds at times in the city, and the vendors will seem almost as plentiful as them.
“There are all kinds of camellia varieties growing throughout the community. We have Rotary Park on Washington Rd. that is made up of camellias there,” Jones said.
The artists and crafters may be adding some of their own reds, whites, and pinks, signature camellia colors, to the festivities, and there are bound to be traditional fall colors among their work as well.
The free family-friendly Camellia City Festival will also feature a car show, live music, activities for children, health and wellness services, and demonstrations from local businesses.
The car show begins at 10 a.m. in the parking lot on the corner of Greenway Street and Railroad Street while the live music begins at noon on the stage in the open field across Railroad Street from the government center. The Henry’s are up first, followed by Swing Shift at 1:15 p.m., and the Tony Howard Band at 3 p.m.
The activities for children will include several bounce houses and slides, arts and crafts, pumpkin decorating, and more.
“We also have several businesses that will be open and looking forward to festival guests stopping in to shop,” she said. “The festival is perfect for early Christmas shopping and fun for kids.”
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In addition to these festivities, the Thomson Family Y is hosting a 5K race in the morning at 9 a.m. before the start of the festival. To pre-register for the race, contact the Thomson Family YMCA at (706) 595-5615. Registration will also be available the morning of the race near the starting line in the parking lot on Church Street behind Fernanda’s Grill & Pizzeria.
Jones next gave a little more background on the origins of the festival itself.
“This festival has been a part of the fabric of Thomson and McDuffie County for (many) years,” she said. “I believe it started back in the late 90s/early 2000s. It was considered a Christmas festival then. We changed the name around 2017 to celebrate our city for being known as the Camellia City.”
That name change provided the festival’s identity, she said.
“Also, this past year, we changed the date of the festival to October to commemorate the county’s 150th anniversary. We had such a tremendous turnout for the festival this time of year that we decided to keep the fall date,” she said. For more information on the Camellia City Festival, see the Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/camelliacityfest
Ron Baxley Jr. is a correspondent for The Augusta Press.
