North Augusta celebrated the expansion of the Sharon Jones Amphitheater, Tuesday afternoon, with local leaders and members of the Jones family gathering for no less than three ribbon-cuttings.
Some 350 seats have been added to the outdoor venue, giving it a seating capacity of 1,300, along with new restrooms, and nearby, a new boat dock along the river with seven slips.
“The goal was to have entertainment on a consistent basis,” said North Augusta Mayor Briton Williams, who was joined by S.C. State Rep. Bill Hixon and S.C. State Sen. Tom Young, along with the Parks and Rec Dept., to commemorate the new amenities. “We want the spirit of Sharon Jones. We want that talent that lingers in this venue. We want that to be people to feel that when they come here. We’re going to showcase this all the time.”
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Williams noted that, via the efforts of the city’s tourism department—launched earlier this year—the amphitheater has entertainment booked every week through mid-November, including a free concert by Taylor Swift tribute band “Taylor Nation” this coming Saturday.
The new dock arrives in time for the city to host, for the second year in a row, the swimming portion of the Ironman 70.3 triathlon, which, for the second year in a row, will begin on the North Augusta side of the Savannah River, on Sept. 29.
Formerly the Riverside Village Amphitheater, the space was renamed after the locally born R&B legend in fall of 2020, followed by a rededication in 2021.
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The amphitheater is now poised to draw and accommodate even larger crowds, which will reflect on the legacy of Sharon Jones, born in Augusta and raised for a time in North Augusta, said Jones’ sister Willa Stringer, who recalls them growing up in a time when segregation would have prevented such diverse gatherings.
“Sharon was the baby sister, but more she was more like a big sister,” Stringer said. “She… was the glue that held everything together. She was youngest, but she acted as the oldest when something needed to be done.”
The Sharon Jones Amphitheater is located at 1009 Center St. in North Augusta. For more information on events, visit www.explorenorthaugusta.com.
Skyler Q. Andrews is a staff reporter covering business for The Augusta Press. Reach him at skyler@theaugustapress.com.
