Residents Discussing Farm Days Festival's Future

The Dacusville Farm Days festival is going through some changes.

County Councilman Tom Ponder said Monday night that the festival has been held over a 29-year period.

“Unfortunately, the Robinson family had to withdraw from providing that festival for various reasons,” Ponder said.

There was a danger that the festival might not be held at all this year.

A public meeting was held to discuss the future of Dacusville Farm Days. A committee has been formed, Ponder said.

Thomas Turner has volunteered to host the festival on his property, Ponder said.

“The festival will be Labor Day weekend on Highway 186 in Dacusville,” he said. “We're trying to push it through this year, with hopes of expanding it. It probably won't be as grandiose as it has been in the past because this is a transition, but the spirit will be there, and we feel like the people will be receptive about coming back. The plan is to move ahead with it either at this location, or find some other location.”

He said one possibility is using the old Dacusville Elementary School, which has been purchased by the county for use as the Dacusville Community Center.

“We need to find a permanent home,” Ponder said. “I feel like each year it will get better and better.”

Resident Thomas Watson urged council to do what they could to help keep the festival going.

“It was started by the Robinson family and it has grown into quite an event,” Watson said. “I've been there and I've seen license plates from Indiana, Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama.”

He urged council members to help the festival survive and grow.

“This event to me could be turned into a dramatic thing, happening or event for Pickens County,” Watson said.

He said the festival could be self-sustaining and even “an revenue-enhancing thing for Pickens County.”

He suggested county council and county staff investigate taking it over and sponsoring it.

“Let's don't lose this,” Watson said.

Watson said he'd like to see the festival turned into a week-long event.

“Just think, what if we would fill up all the motels in Pickens County?” he said. “They would eat in our restaurants. They would go to our historical sites - Whitewater Falls, Table Rock, Jumping Rock. We have so many things here that we are probably on the list of best-kept secrets, maybe in the world, I don't know.”

Ponder thanked Watson for his input and his interest in Dacusville Farm Days.

He said that he thought council would have eventually a role to play in the festival's future.

“I don't think we'll be working on that project this year, but at the appropriate time, maybe next year, we'll be looking at ways we can assist,” Ponder said.