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Fountain Inn might be a small town by most people's standards, but it has plenty of fun, family-oriented events to offer residents and visitors alike, according to officials with its chamber of commerce.
With events such as the city's annual Aunt Het Festival and music acts now appearing at the renovated Fountain Inn Civic Center, they say the city is making an effort to please people of all ages.
"One of the things that has kept us busy recently and that is ongoing is that we are trying to highlight the civic center," said Charlene Knight, administrative assistant for the Fountain Inn Chamber of Commerce. "It's owned by the city, but it's a great way to spotlight Fountain Inn by bringing in music acts."
So far, the civic center has hosted a sold-out show for stand-up comedian James Gregory and nearly sold-out shows for musical acts Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver as well as for Livingston Taylor, brother of famed singer James Taylor.
We're hoping to have Edwin McCain, and we're dealing now with Charlie Hall, who is a contemporary Christian singer," Knight said. "We are just looking for good talent to bring people out and show them Fountain Inn to make them aware we're here and we're growing."
Fountain Inn City Administrator Eddie Case said he hopes city leaders can eventually bring monthly events to the civic center, which housed Fountain Inn High School until 1957.
"We're moving forward with that facility to improve the sound and lighting to accommodate more events such as (appearances by) James Gregory," Case said. "Our goal is to host those on a monthly basis in order to improve the arts in our community and to bring people to Fountain Inn as a destination point instead of a pass-through point."
The 500-seat auditorium has earned a positive praise from people in the community, according to Allan Fletcher, chairman of the Fountain Inn Chamber of Commerce.
"I think people are glad to see the civic center being used, and then they're also glad to see the quality of entertainment we're pulling into a town the size of Fountain Inn," he said.
Case said the city also hosts annual events that draws thousands of visitors to the small town, including a horse show and golf tournament.
Fall also brings with it some of the city's most popular festivals.
The 2007 Aunt Het Festival, named for a character in Fountain Inn native Robert Quillen's comic strip, is scheduled for Oct. 6 and will feature a wide variety of local entertainment, including dance, karate and more. Craft vendors will be on hand to kick off the Christmas shopping season early, and visitors can enjoy a quilt show and street dance, Fletcher said.
"The Aunt Het Festival is a long-standing celebration for the Fountain Inn area that attracts many people from outside of the area as well as locals for the events, entertainment and family atmosphere that is provides," he said.
Fletcher, who owns Fletcher Funeral Home in Fountain Inn, said he is a relative newcomer to the city and enjoyed taking his children to last year's event.
"I had a great time," he said. "I really did. For a man with small children, it's good to have an event you can go to where the family atmosphere is definitely present."
The city's most popular event, however, is its annual Spirit of Christmas Past Festival, which is scheduled for at least two weekends in early December, Case said.
"The Spirit of Christmas Past is a tradition here in Fountain Inn where we bring in the horse-drawn carriages from Charleston, and it's either a two or three weekend event depending upon weather," Case said. "We load people into carriages here at City Hall and ride them down North Main Street to view the historical homes that have been decorated for the spirit of Christmas past."
Each year, the overall event brings between 8,000 to 9,000 visitors to the city, he said.
Fletcher said people don't seem to mind driving across the Upstate to participate.
"The thing is, people come back every year for that event," he said. "We have folks that drive here from Laurens, Anderson, Woodruff and Greenville just for that event. People love it."
