New Fountain Park adds to Come-See-Me event
Fountain Park in downtown Rock Hill is a new venue for events during the Come-See-Me festival this year.
The street in front of the new park will be a rainbow of colors and images after Chalk on Main on April 17. At the same time inside the park is Musical Mania, a tuneful celebration geared for children that ends with a kazoo parade with festival mascots Glen and Glenda.
Fountain Park, which officially opened to the public in December, features a 90-by-70-foot modified quatrefoil design with 16 inches of water depth. The fountain is typically set to propel water to 35 feet. It has become a popular place to throw in a coin and make a wish.
The traditional Come-See-Me kickoff parade at 6:30 p.m. Thursday will end at Fountain Park. This year’s theme is “Remember When?” a celebration of the social network craze of Throwback Thursday.
On April 17, the Beach Bash at the Rock Hill City Hall plaza on East Black Street will feature shag music by the legendary Ken Knox and Co. Wristbands are $2 and required to purchase alcoholic beverages.
One of the longest-running Come-See-Me traditions is the Boy Scouts Pancake Breakfast from 7-11 a.m. April 18 at First Presbyterian Church, 234 E. Main St. This year marks the 46th year for this event. Tickets are $6 per person and available at the door. Children under 5 eat free.
The festival shifts to Cherry Park on April 18 for a guest favorite, Gourmet Gardens, which involves sampling dishes prepared by area restaurants and vendors from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Live music includes Milltown from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., then Zach Ludlam from 1:30-5 p.m.
Sundaes with Glen and Mother Goose, with PW’s ice cream is 2-5 p.m. April 19 at Glencairn Garden, the original site of Come-See-Me. Mother Goose is scheduled to share stories on stage at 2:15, 3:15 and 4:15 p.m. Ice cream is $2 per cup.
During the week, festival activity sings in Glencairn Garden with live entertainment over lunch and dinner. Lunch acts perform from noon to 1:30 p.m., while evening entertainment is set for 6-7:30 p.m. Festival-goers are encouraged to bring a picnic or buy food to enjoy in the scenic, laid-back atmosphere.
The stars shine bright at Come-See-Me Broadway Night at 6:30 p.m. April 23 at the auditorium at Sullivan Middle School. Contestants will perform various selections from Broadway productions.
The final weekend of the festival will bring some of the most popular events – Moonlight Jazz and Blues and the Tailgate Party and Fireworks Extravaganza.
Sweet sounds will fill the air at Moonlight Jazz and Blues, featuring the Adam Snow Trio at 6 p.m., Stolen Hearts at 7:15 p.m. and Plair at 8:30 p.m. April 24 at Winthrop Lake. There is an entry fee of $5 for adults, and parking is available at Winthrop Coliseum for an additional $5.
The next day is the festival grand finale, with the Tailgate Party and Fireworks Extravaganza at Winthrop Lake. Parking at the coliseum is $5 per car. The popular cornhole tournament begins at noon. The entry fee per team is $40.
It is the eighth year for the Barbecue Cook-Off, held during the Tailgate Party, during which top chefs compete for best barbecue honors, with judging by the South Carolina Barbeque Association. During Moonlight Jazz and Blues, competitors are judged on anything from gumbo to barbecue chicken to desserts in an Anything but Butts Competition.
Live entertainment at the tailgate consists of a three-band line-up starting at 3:30 p.m. with Danielle Dease; Anna Laprad plays from 5:15-6:45 p.m.; and Crashbox plays 8:45 p.m. to close. The Carolina Skydiving Team will take its performance to new heights at 6:45 p.m., and fireworks are scheduled to end the festival on a booming, but colorful note, beginning at 9 p.m.
This story was originally published April 13, 2015 at 1:37 PM with the headline "New Fountain Park adds to Come-See-Me event."