Rock Hill’s Come-See-Me Festival will offer 9 days of local entertainment, activities
Thousands of people are expected to bring lawn chairs, toddlers and frog-themed swag to Rock Hill for this year’s Come-See-Me Festival.
It all begins Thursday with a parade through downtown Rock Hill, S.C. The festival will run April 13-22 at venues throughout the city. The parade will be 6:30-8:30 p.m.
The route starts on Oakland Avenue near the railroad tracks and heads towards Main Street.
For details about the parade and other associated activities, visit comeseeme.org.
What to expect
Friday’s events start with fun for the kids.
Musical Mania will be 4:30-6:30 p.m.; Chalk on Main is 4:30-7 p.m. That’s followed by a family-friendly Beach Bash featuring Gary Lowder and Smoking Hot. The event takes place at the Founders Federal Credit Union Stage -- the City of Rock Hill’s pavilion.
The Beach Bash will have food trucks and vendors onsite. Beverage tickets are $5, cash only.
The festival’s first Saturday event starts early. Road Races will be 7:30-10 a.m. at Winthrop Lake. The events are 5K and 10K races and include a one-mile fun run and a beer at the finish line for those ages 21 and older. You can register online.
Other events start at 10 a.m. with the Healthy Kids Zone at the Rock Hill Velodrome, and the Mayor’s Frog Jump at Miracle Park from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
The frog jump is one of the festival’s highly anticipated events, where kids ages 12 and under “race” frogs provided by festival organizers.
Kids also can bring their own frogs. Register online. In-person registrants are welcome, but space is limited. Be prepared to name your own frog.
Winthrop Lake will be the site for a handful of events during the first weekend of the festival. Beginning at 11 a.m., festival-goers can partake in food trucks and live music, followed by the Cornhole Throwdown at 11:30 a.m. Teams will compete for cash prizes. Online registration is required.
Adult participants can go to Hops at the Park to sample 40 craft beers or have a pint-sized beverage in the sampling garden. Music will include the Blue Dogs Trio from 1-3:15 p.m. and Songs From the Road Band, 3:45-6 p.m.
Saturday events end with Movie Night in Fountain Park where families can watch “Encanto” and snack on Kona Ice, 8-10 p.m.
Sunday’s event is Sundaes with Glen & Mother Goose 2-5 p.m. at Glencairn Garden. Mother Goose will share stories at 2:30 and 3:30 p.m. on the park stage.
Other events throughout the week include the Golf Classic on Monday, Glencairn Garden Entertainment Monday through Thursday, a coloring contest ceremony Tuesday, and Broadway Night on Thursday.
The Teddy Bear Tea Party will be 4-5 p.m. Wednesday at Westminster Park, where kids up to age three dress in their Sunday best for a tea party. The will meet Glen and Glenda the frogs.
Reservations are required and is limited to the first 100 children.
Friday kicks off the second weekend of the festival with the Moonlight Jazz & Blues from 6 - 10 p.m. at Winthrop Lake with The Blues Thriller Jay Rogers from 6 - 8 p.m. and Mac Arnold & Plate Full O’Blues from 8 - 10 p.m.
For more details on the events, visit comeseeme.org.
This story was originally published April 12, 2023 at 1:50 PM.
