Rice Festival set for Sept. 1 & 2
September 1st will start two days of fun for the Darlington County community of New Hopewell. The New Vision Community Development Corporation will be sponsoring its 10th annual community rice festival. All proceeds will go towards New Vision CDC. The event will take place starting on Friday with a Free Old School Block Party from 6:00 pm until 9:00 pm. Attendees are asked to bring a lawn chair to the event and enjoy great food and music. On Saturday, the festival will begin at 10 am with a parade starting from New Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church and end on the Campus of New Hopewell Outreach Center located at 1416 Bethlehem Road, Hartsville, SC. where all festivities will take place this year. The event is free and open to the public.
Organizers Carolyn Hannah and Antonio McFarland say they want the community to come out and have a great time. Hannah says that during the Colonial Period, coastal South Carolina was the largest producer of rice in America. The crop arrived in the area around 1685. We have such rich history of how rice became a vital part of South Carolina so at the Rice Festival, we will have a museum set-up at the Outreach Center to educate the people about important South Carolina was at one point the largest producer of rice in America.
There will be a Car and Bike Show, an Umbrella Parade and Rice Tasting with a variety of different rice entrees, various vendors, water slides and bouncers for kids and so much more. We will also have live entertainment during the festivities by the Sounds of Motown. “We are excited about the number vendors and participants that are going to be there, Hannah said.”
McFarland, who was born and raised in the New Hopewell community but now lives in Atlanta, GA, said New Vision’s mission is to bring awareness to the community. We are aware of the many challenges facing our communities today and are committed to having a positive impact. We believe in investing in people! We want to see people prosper and be productive in every area of their lives. McFarland said that the proceeds from the festival will go to the New Vision Community Development Corporation which is a nonprofit, 501(c) 3 located in the rural area of Darlington County. “Many of our youth and elderly who live in the rural communities of our nation are restricted from many of the opportunities offered in the metropolitan areas; as a result they are not able to access those services which are designed for them.” New Vision’s desire is to provide opportunities for those in our community to participate in some of those services offered by soliciting funds and support from those who have a desire to partner in bringing positive change to all aspects of the community. For vendor space, please call Barbara Benjamin at 843-610-3737.
For more information about the Rice Festival that will be held on September 1-2, you may call Min. Hannah at 843-206-6357 or Antonio McFarland at 843-453-7083. The festivities will be held at the New Hopewell Outreach Center at 1416 Bethlehem Road, Hartsville, SC 29550