Thousands rock Winnsboro Clock

As night fell, the crowd grew and The Fantastic Shakers played on during the 21st annual Rock
Around the Clock festival in downtown Winnsboro. | Photos/Barbara Ball

WINNSBORO – It was estimated that between 2,000 and 3,000 people attended this year’s Rock Around the Clock festival in downtown Winnsboro last weekend in spite of a rainout during part of the day on Saturday.

“I think the Fantastic Shakers, great weather on Friday night and a lot of new acts and entertainers were the key to success this year,” said organizer Terry Vickers, President of the Fairfield Chamber of Commerce and event coordinator for the Town of Winnsboro. “It’s always a lot of work to pull this festival together,” Vickers said, “but it’s a great event for the town and county. I love to see so many of our residents and visitors come together and have a really good time.”

And they did.

Carolina Country Dancers swing around the dance floor before doing a western electric slide dance.

The Friday evening audience was delighted with Mike Goode’s Carolina Country Dancers kicking up their boots to some good ol’ country music. Then, the popular Fantastic Shakers took the stage and played on until after 11 p.m. And the crowd had barely thinned.

Other changes in this year’s event included the addition of more food trucks both days and free children’s activities.

On Saturday, Fairfield School District Schools’ Honors Chorus, FCHS Dance Team, Kelly Miller, Middle School Dance Team, and Magnet School and Susan Douglass Taylor’s Bunch Quitters entertained. While some afternoon acts were cancelled due to rain, the sun came out for the day’s finale – the car show with Doug Pauley and friends DJ’ing and calling out 50-50 jackpot winners throughout the afternoon. Best of Show was a 1956 Chevrolet Nomad owned by Billy Roberts of Chester, S.C.

: State Treasurer’s Office Booth, Nancy Frazier, MaryGail Douglas, Todd Taylor and Kristen Cook

: Mike Kelly’s law office booth

: Kaden Frazier, 4, and Jacob White, 5

: Johnnie Bass, 5

: Doug Pauley, DJ for the car show, with friends Wes Edenfield, & Ryan Davis

: Hannah Parker and Deanna Bass

: Charlie, Catherine and Nobell Barbet and their pup, Nobell

: Coleman Trapp, Peanut, Coleman III and Clayton Trapp show off Coleman’s car, which finished in the top 20 in judging.

: During intermission from the stage, Bo Schronce of the Fantastic Shakers joins Debbie Lewis and Ralph Taylor to celebrate Ralph’s birthday in the yard behind Debbie’s S. Congress street office.