Document: History, South Carolina Peach Festival Association
- Title
- Document: History, South Carolina Peach Festival Association
- Accession Number
- 2023.5.1
- Accession Date
- February 14, 2023
- Accession Creator
- David Lovegrove
- Depositor
- Found in collection
- Description
- brief summary of the South Carolina Peach Festivals from 1957-1965
- Date
- 1965
- Format
- typed document
- Storage Location
- General Archive Box #5 Folder #9
- Language
- english
- Text
-
HISTORY
SOUTH CAROLINA PEACH FESTIVAL ASSOCIATION
A peach festival in Greer had been talked about for many years, but no definite steps had been taken until March of 1957. At a meeting of the Retail Merchants committee, the recommendation was made that some concrete plans be laid for a festival.
The Board of Directors of the Greer Chamber of Commerce approved this recommendation and Paul Smith, Chamber President, appointed Laurens I. James as Chairman of the Festival Committee. Mr. James immediately began to work toward the ultimate goal of making the festival the biggest and most colorful event ever to be held in Greer. Immediately, a state charter was applied for and received, naming the organization the "South Carolina Peach Festival Association". Its primary purposes were to promote the Peach industry and the peach-producing areas of South Carolina. Mr. James was later made President of the Association.
The first festival was a three-day affair, being held on May 16, 17, and 18, 1957. It featured Marian McKnight, Miss America form Manning, S. C.; Betty Lane Cherry, Miss United States; and Miss Martha dean Chestnut, Miss Dixie. These three lovely young ladies were the three top beauty queens in the country at that time, and two were from South Carolina.
The first festival was a memorable one in many ways, but perhaps most of all because of one picture that was made during the Miss America luncheon. Greenville photographer, Joe F. Jordan, snapped a picture of Miss America, Miss United States and Miss Dixie - the first and only time that winners of those top titles have ever been photographed together. Because of its unique content, the wire services sent the picture all over the world. The first South Carolina Peach Queen was Miss Martha Brannon from Bishopville, South Carolina.
In order to obtain contestants and visiting queens more easily, the Second Annual Peach Festival was moved up to June 11-14, 1958 and became and 3 1/2 day affair. James E. Boling, Secretary of the Chamber of Commerce, was President that year. Miss Frances Hambright of Clover, South Carolina, was selected as Peach Queen.
In 1959, the Festival added something which is not usually found in events such as this: it was decided to dedicate the 1959 Festival, and succeeding Festivals, to the memory of a Pioneer
Peach Festival History
Page 2
Peach Grower of the State. Thus, the Third Annual Festival was dedicated to the memory of J. Verne Smith, Sr. It might be noted that since then, growers form all around the peach growing sections of South Carolina have been honored as the Pioneer Peach Grower of succeeding years.
The 1959 Festival was held of June 10-13 and had more than 45 contestants. When it was all over, Miss Anne Goldsmith of Greenville had won the coveted title. Mr. Doyle Stansell was the President that year. Anne went on a peach promoting trip to Boston, New York, and Washington, D. C.
Held on June 8-11, the 1960 Festival became a full four-day event and Hubert Adair became the President. Its present day schedule began to take shape. Top-notch titlists from all over the southeast attended as Visiting Queens. The Festival was dedicated to James P. Taylor from Greer. The queen selected that year: Judy Penland from Rock Hill, South Carolina. For the first time, the Peach Parade was televised by WFBC-TV.
The 1961 Festival became a five-day affair. J. Verne Smith was President. Recipient of the dedication: Ben M. Gramling of the Gramling Community. Phyllis Parker, from Greer, but entered as Miss Gaffney because she was a student at Limestone College, was chosen as Peach Queen.
The Sixth Annual South Carolina Peach Festival was headed by W. H. Botts and had the fullest schedule in its history: a full five days. It was at this Festival that the memory of Col. Robert Briggs Warson was honored because he was probably the real Pioneer Peach Grower of the state. Chosen to reign as Peach Queen was Miss Tillie Smith, a native on Quincy, Florida, but a student at Converse College in Spartanburg.
During her reign, Tillie toured widely to promote South Carolina peaches. Included were a trip to New York where she appeared on an NBC television show, had her picture go out on the wires of United Press International, had an interview published in the New York World Telegram and had a picture made at the Borden Company which was sent out as a "Photoflash" to all of their dealerships and installations throughout the United States.
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In Washington, D. C., she was interviewed by the press, photographed feeding peaches to Senator Olin D. Johnston, delivered peaches to a number of Senators in the Senate Dining Room and was also pictured with both Senator Johnston and Senator Strom Thurmond.
The 1963 Seventh Annual Festival with W. H. Botts as President once again, remained a five-day, fun-filled event. This Festival was dedicated to the memory of the late brothers, R. A. Dobson and I. B. Dobson, who became peach growers in 1925 and worked together in most of their activities. A vivacious blonde from Greenville, representing Wade Hampton-Taylors, Miss Diane Thompson, was chosen South Carolina's new Peach Queen.
Diane had a full schedule representing the South Carolina Peach Festival during her reign. She took part in numerous events such as the Water Festival, Apple Festival, Rhododendron Festival, Watermelon Festival, Christmas parades and banquets throughout the year.
Miles Bruce was selected as President of the Eighth Annual South Carolina Peach Festival that was held June 9-13, 1964. This year's Festival was dedicated to Troy H. Cribb of Spartanburg. Mr. Cribb was especially recognized for pioneering new consumer packaging and shipping methods in the past three years, and for his 40 years of pioneering in production and marketing peaches. a low-country girl, pretty Pam Tovey, reigning "Miss Charleston", captured the judges' eyes and the 1964 South Carolina Peach Festival queen's crown.
Pam had a full year as Peach Queen. She has represented the Peach Festival in such events as the Beaufort Water Festival, Pageland Watermelon Festival, N. C. Rhododendron Festival, N. C. Apple Festival, Columbia's Spring Festival, The Festival of States in St. Petersburg, Florida, the Easley Football jamboree, and in many parades, including the Columbia Carillon, Charlotte Carrousel, Greenville Christmas parade, Walterboro Christmas parade, and the Greer Christmas parade.
And now we are approaching the 1965 Ninth Annual Peach Festival with George Beckroge as President. It will not be long before we know who the Pioneer Peach Grower is and who will reign as the new South Carolina Peach Queen.
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For the past five years, the Coca Cola Bottling Company of Greenville has assisted the Festival by awarding a cash scholarship of $500.00 to the winner.
Financial support for the Festival comes partially through receipts from the various events and partially through the sale of advertisements in the Festival's Official Program which has won several awards for its outstanding quality in artwork and design. - Relation
- Related sources are all from the 1965 Peach Festival and are kept in same archival box
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1965 Peach Festival program
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Newspaper clipping: Marketing Key To Peach Future
Part of Document: History, South Carolina Peach Festival Association