Pickens’ Main Street to be closed all day for festival

PICKENS — Pickens’ third annual Founders Day Music Festival is set for this weekend.

The festival will be held on West Main Street in downtown Pickens on Saturday.

The event, which is free and offers fun for the whole family, will begin at 11 a.m. and end at around 9 p.m. with a fireworks display launched from Bruce Field.

West Main Street will be closed from North Ann Street to Catherine Street from 7 a.m. until midnight Saturday for the festival.

Five bands will provide entertainment at the festival this year on the Pickens amphitheater stage throughout the day.

Headliners for the event include Volume Five and DejaBlue Grass Band. Closing out the lineup are the Sweet Potato Pie Kids, The Traveling McCollums and the Blue Flame Bluegrass Band.

At the end of the evening, all musicians will be invited to take the stage to close the festival.

“We will once again have the big jam to close out the night, and it’s open for anyone who wants to jump on stage and participate,” Pickens music events chairman Daniel Brazinski said. “We also encourage any bluegrass, old-time, country or folk musician to join others in jams throughout the day and evening.”

Founders Day was started in 2012 to celebrate both the musical and cultural heritage of Pickens, featuring much more than just music.

Living history reenactments will be staged with musket, long rifle, and cannon-firing demonstrations. A large number of specially selected vintage vehicles will again be on display as well.

The Hagood-Mauldin House and the Pickens County Museum, where Pickens’ history can really be seen, will be open for tours.

Vendors will offer traditional items, original arts and crafts, and food and beverage such as homemade ice cream, with face-painting for the kids.

Experts in “lost crafts” will provide demonstrations on blacksmithing, quilting, musical instrument construction, gunsmithing and more. An Andrew Pickens impersonator will again be in attendance throughout the day for photo opportunities and to tell stories of his life. He will also share his 275th birthday cake with everyone.

For more information, call (864) 878-4460 or email nestfeathers@bellsouth.net.