Published: Saturday, Feb. 23, 2013 / Updated: Friday, Feb. 22, 2013 02:42 PM
Come-See-Me goes retro to mark 50th festival of spring
Come-See-Me – Rock Hill’s annual 10-day celebration of spring – will have a throwback feel this year to mark the 50th festival.
Organizers unveiled the 2013 Come-See-Me logo and theme at a breakfast with event sponsors and community leaders Thursday morning.
The festival runs April 11-20 at venues throughout Rock Hill.
In 51 years, Come-See-Me has been canceled only once. In 1973, the festival was not held because of construction of the roof over downtown Rock Hill, organizers said Thursday.
The Come-See-Me Collection in Winthrop University’s Louise Pettus Archives notes that “traffic issues” caused the then-weekend event cancellation.
The 2013 logo features festival mascot Glen the Frog, designed by the late Vernon Grant, nationally acclaimed illustrator and Rock Hill resident. The logo includes a 50th festival marker and the Grant-designed owl, Come-See-Me’s first mascot in 1962.
For the April 11 kickoff parade, participants and spectators will be asked to dress in fashion from the 1960s, 70s, 80s or 90s.
Come-See-Me will feature a mix of new activities – a cornhole tournament, shag contest – and returning favorites such as the Catawba Pow Wow, the Teddy Bear Tea Party and the Mayor’s Frog Jump.
At Thursday’s unveiling, organizers honored four people with the Come-See-Me community service award:
• Dale Dove, local adoption attorney and founder of Renew Our Community, a non-profit organization in downtown Rock Hill.
• Manning Kimmel, co-owner and managing partner of Our Three Sons Broadcasting and supporter of The York County Arts Council, the Culture and Heritage Museums of York County and ChristmasVille.
• Mary Beth Knapp, volunteer and member of board of directors for the Humane Society of York County.
• Jane Peeples, former educator, Rock Hill School Board member, York County Chamber of Commerce and member of the Rock Hill Planning Commission and the Rock Hill Economic Development Council.
Fireworks Extravaganza – 9 p.m.
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