In its 31st year, the Clarendon County Striped Bass Festival is “THE BIGGEST.” The Festival is a celebration of spring, a tribute to the beauty of our county, and a special salute to the Striped Bass, which put the Santee Cooper Lakes–Marion and Moultrie–and Clarendon County on the fishing map of the world.
The Striped Bass Festival is a fitting, fun way to bring together the citizens of our county and the many great visitors who attend each year.
Each April in Clarendon County, Mother Nature puts on a show that's hard to beat. Azalea, wisteria, iris, tulips, geranium, roses, gladiola and more are in full bloom, making Clarendon County a visual treasure.
The Striped Bass Festival complements the natural beauty of our area with fireworks, dances, a parade, boating events and a host of other activities.
Events for the Striped Bass Festival actually begin the Saturday before the big festival. On Saturday, April 18, 2009, 98 beautiful young ladies crossed the stage at the Manning Junior High School Gymnasium in hopes of being crowned one of the Miss Striped Bass Titles. The pageant begins each year at 5:00 pm starting with the “Baby Miss Striped Bass” and at 8:00 pm for the older age groups. The winners of the 8 groups are as follows:
Baby Miss Striped Bass Festival
Winner: Marissa Autumn Green
1st R-Up: Emma Jean Casselman
2nd R-Up: Logan Nicole Rowell
Photogenic Winner: Marissa Automn Green
Tiny Miss Striped Bass Festival
Winner: Abigayle Elisabeth Beasley
1st R-Up: Kamden Emilee Rawls
2nd R-Up: Tara Kristen McKenzie
Photogenic Winner: Kendall Faith Sexton
Petite Miss Striped Bass Festival
Winner: Brenlanne Reese Barfield
1st R-Up: Elainea Rae Staton
2nd R-Up: McKenzie Lynn McLeod
Photogenic Winner: Raegan Deanna Kolb
Wee Miss Striped Bass Festival
Winner: Eaddy Grace Osteen
1st R-Up: Summer Renee Beachum
2nd R-Up: Jodi Madison White
Photogenic Winner: Hailey Ann Kennedy
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Little Miss Striped Bass Festival
Winner: Audrey Caroline Keds
1st R-Up: Hannah Griffith Graham
2nd R-Up: Savannah Caroline Johnson
Photogenic Winner: Lindsay Madison Lew
Young Miss Striped Bass Festival
Winner: Claudia Lee Watts
1st R-Up: Mary Elizabeth Richburg
2nd R-Up: Malloree Davidson Cothran
Photogenic Winner: Olivia Dean Wilson
Teen Miss Striped Bass Festival
Winner: Devyyn Wingard Youngblood
1st R-Up: Emily Caroline Floyd
2nd R-Up: Tatiana Shantell Ruiz
Photogenic Winner: Devyn Wingard Youngblood
Miss Striped Bass Festival
Winner: Sloan Powelll-Welsh
1st R-Up: Christian Taylor Watts
2nd R-Up: Lindsey Morgan Lyles
Photogenic Winner: Sloan Powelll-Welsh
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The big weekend of the festival took place on the night of Friday, April 24th with a Street Dance featuring Robert Lee Smith and the Original Tams. Several vendors were in the area with children’s games and food.
The “BIG Saturday” came in full force beginning with an old fashion “Home Town” parade. Over 100 entries paraded down Brooks and Boyce Street. Marching bands, dignitaries, ROTC, police force and rescue crew, local businesses and organizations all participated.
Over 75 vendors (craft, food and information) were spread around the Clarendon County Courthouse square for everyone to visit and purchase items, consume “festival food” and receive information about the different organizations throughout the county.
Once again, the City of Manning Fire Department opened their doors and allowed artwork from all the schools in Clarendon County to display their children’s masterpieces for judging of the Striped Bass Festival Student Art Show.
The Striped Bass Festival offered children’s rides for the first time. It was a HUGE success and everyone seemed to enjoy their day. The weather was beautiful, the resources were available to keep all 30,000+ in attendance busy and being hungry was not a question. Any and every type of food you could think of was there!
Thanks to the Manning and Summerton Rotary Clubs, the Striped Bass Festival Truck Pull was, once again, back in action!! An excellent crowd was in attendance cheering on their favorite truck and lawn mower and eating hamburgers and hot dogs.
The downtown area in Clarendon County slowed down on Sunday, April 26th but still had some action. Several dance schools gathered for “Sunday in the Park” to just relax and enjoy the company of fellow citizens. Meanwhile, John C. Land III Landing and Lake Marion was hoppin’! The Goat Island Boat Club had done their rain dances and the lake level rose for the annual Striped Bass Festival Poker Run!
Thank you volunteers!
Thank you vendors!
Most importantly, THANK YOU for coming downtown and making the 30th Annual Striped Bass Festival a success.
If you happened to miss the 30th Annual Striped Bass Festival, please mark your calendars for April 17th – 25th. This will be the 31th Anniversary for the Striped Bass Festival. You don’t want to miss it!!
Pageant forms, vendor applications and poker run registration will be available the beginning of February 2010!
For additional information, please contact the Clarendon County Chamber of Commerce at 803-435-4405 or 1-800-731-LAKE (5253). |
