Jim Fair
The 31st Annual Pelham Medical Center Family Fest events and its main entertainment was announced at Greer City Park today. Left to right: Mark Owens (President/CEO Greater Greer Chamber of Commerce), Tony Painter (festival chairperson), Tony Kouskolekas, (President of Pelham Medical Center) and Jeff Howell (commission chairman at Greer Commission of Public Works).
Sister Hazel will headline the Greer Family Fest, May 1-2.
Sister Hazel, an alternative rock band named for a local missionary who ran a homeless shelter, from Gainesville, Fla., will be the headline act at the 31st annual Greer Family Fest May 1-2.
New River Bluegrass, a Greer band that has reached the top of gospel music charts, and will perform at Dollywood during Memorial Day weekend, is also scheduled to perform.
Today’s announcement was made at the entrance to City Park with Greater Greer Chamber of Commerce and event organizers and sponsors.
The festival golf tournament, Friday, April 17, at Greer Country Club and bass tournament, Saturday April 18, at Lake Robinson, are scheduled back-to-back two weeks before the festival. Entry to each event will be posted on the festival’s web site.
“We think this is the premier festival in the upstate,” Tony Kouskolekas, President of Pelham Medical Center, the event’s title sponsor for the eighth straight year. “We will provide community care and services including skin screenings, body mass index and blood pressure readings and a ‘Ask the Doctor’ station.”
Last year the medical staff found eight patients with suspicious lesions and 10 recorded moderate-to-high blood pressure readings. “We believe the Family Fest gives us an opportunity to engage with the community in this event,” Kouskolekas said.
The City of Greer staff, including public services, fire and police, will be located throughout the park during the festivities. “It’s a wonderful community opportunity to gather family, businesses, community and city together,” Ed Driggers, City Administrator, said. “We hope you never see any of our people so they blend in the background.”
Mark Owens, President/CEO of the Greer Chamber, said the early announcement was to afford vendors, crafts, restaurants and participants an opportunity to plan for the anticipated sellout.
“We’re hoping for a big crowd for (Sister Hazel),” Rudy Painter, festival chairman said. “It’s a family oriented band. We thought we would change up a little bit from our past acts (Marshall Tucker Band and Aaron Tippin).”
Barry Long and the New River Bluegrass Band, has performed at Family Fest in the past. “We always love to play for people here in Greer,” Long said. “It gives us a better atmosphere and a lot of different people we can play for.”
The festival is 4-10 p.m. on May 1 and 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. on May 2.
The Anne Helton Creation Station returns at the Depot on Saturday, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
The announced events are:
Friday (two stages)
6 p.m. – Pickett Strait and Greer Idol auditions
7 p.m. – Silver Travis
8 p.m. – Hott Grittz
Saturday (two stages)
10 a.m. – ‘Lil Miss and Mr. Pageant
11:30 a.m. – to be announced
12:30 p.m. – Chandler Creek Choir
1 p.m. – Greer Idol auditions
1:30 p.m. – to be announced
2:30 p.m. – New River Bluegrass Band
3:30 p.m. – Becky Greene
4:30 p.m. – Splitshot
5:30 p.m. – to be announced
6:30 p.m. – Hot As A Pepper
7:30 p.m. – Veteran’s Walk
8 p.m. – Sister Hazel