Don’t be a toad; 10 days of Come-See-Me starts Thursday, with frogs and fun

Everything for the next 10 days in Rock Hill for the Come-See-Me festival is green. Slimy frogs are cool.

Except in the downtown Fountain Park water fountain that has reopened. No frogs there, please.

Festival chair Amelia Anderson showed off Tuesday, near the fountain, the first frog caught for the annual frog jump. Then she had to hop after it herself, when it leaped to attempted freedom.

“Everything about Come-See-Me is to show off what a great place Rock Hill is, and how we love to welcome people here to see all that makes Rock Hill a special and unique place,” said Anderson, with Comporium Communications. “There are events at places all over the city, with something for everyone.”

Rock Hill’s annual Come-See-Me festival is one shindig where the prince isn’t as cool as the frog. And an NCAA basketball tournament team will share a float with a frog.

Because at Rock Hill’s annual spring festival, in its 54th year, the mascot frogs and fun for all ages are center stage.

It all kicks off Thursday, when the city hosts the Come-See-Me festival parade.

Come-See-Me arrived a little later this year, to not overlap with area schools’ spring break. But it is here.

The invite list is everybody. Young and old, beer-bellied and whippet thin, funky and high-fashion – there is a place for all.

The festival, honored as one of the best in the Southeast, attracts more than 125,000 people. It is put on by an army of more than a thousand volunteers. It takes almost a year to pull it off.

Dog lovers get a fashion show and a dog adoption day. Kids have dozens of events, from ice cream to tea parties to coloring to a kazoo parade. A tailgate party and fireworks attracts thousands to the Winthrop Lake area.

There are Winthrop University sports and road races and, for those who want to sit still and watch, plenty of that, too.

What matters most is all the stuff to do. The fun that marks the arrival of spring, and a festival with almost 80 events. Most are free; some events have a cost for food or beverages.

Check the Come See Me Web site for details.

All the events are great. The best ones are what you like. It’s impossible to list them all. Here are some of the tops:

Parade, 6:30 p.m. Thursday. Members of the Big South champion Winthrop men’s basketball team are grand marshals.

Mayor’s Frog Jump, Saturday. No adults can jump. Only kids under 12. No adults makes it great; the frogs and kids make it greater.

Hops at the Park, Saturday. New event, samples of craft beers from dozens of Carolinas breweries, cornhole throwdown, music and more. Cost for beverages.

Beach Bash, 5:30 to 10 p.m. Friday at downtown City Hall Plaza. Band, dancing and more. Block party. If you can’t have fun here you ain’t tryin’.

Gourmet Gardens, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday. Food all day at Cherry Park.

Glencairn Garden entertainment, 725 Crest St. Several days and evenings of music and fun at one of the most beautiful public gardens in South Carolina.

Moonlight Jazz & Blues and BBQ Cook-Off, April 28, 6 to 10 p.m. at Winthrop Lake. Music fun, barbecue and food sales and more.

Teddy Bear Tea Party. Tuesday. Kids only. Cuteness.

Tailgate and Fireworks, April 29, Winthrop Farm. Annual huge finale attracts thousands of people. Bands, barbecuing and food salesand much more.

Rock Hill, York County and visitiors from several states – you pick the best ones anyway.

As Anderson, the festival chair, “Come-See-Me is all yours to choose from.”

This story was originally published April 18, 2017 at 3:58 PM with the headline "Don’t be a toad; 10 days of Come-See-Me starts Thursday, with frogs and fun."