RenoFest comes to Hartsville March 26
By ARDIE ARVIDSON
RenoFest returns to Hartsville this weekend, starting with the S.C. Bluegrass Band Contest on Friday from 1:30 to 5 p.m. in the Center Theater. The Downtown Hoe-Down & Barbeque Concert begins at 6 p.m. Friday at Burry Park on Cargill Way, featuring 2009 RenoFest Band Contest winner, The Hagar’s Mountain Boys of Roxboro, N. C., and others. This event is free. Afterwards, starting at 9 p.m., participating downtown restaurants will host a late night event called Honky Tonk Hartsville featuring live bluegrass music into the wee hours.
RenoFest gets started Saturday morning at 10:30 a.m. with the South Carolina Championship Banjo and Guitar Competition at Center Theater. In the afternoon, starting at 1 p.m., in the Center Theater is a bluegrass concert featuring The Hagar’s Mountain Boys of Roxboro, N.C.; Lost and Found of Roanoke, Va.; Ronnie Reno and the Reno Tradition and The Grascals. Tickets: $25 and includes the morning banjo and guitar competitions.
After a short dinner break, the groups will return to the stage in the Center Theater for an evening concert from 6:30 to 10 p.m. Tickets: $15.
Sunday morning at 9 a.m., the festival winds down with a Bluegrass Gospel Sing at Wesley United Methodist Church, corner of College Avenue and Fourth Street, in All Saints Hall, featuring the Hagar’s Mountain Boys. Free.
Ticketed events are held in the Center Theater; other events are held at various downtown Hartsville venues, parks and restaurants. Ticketed events at the Center Theater include the State Championship Band Contest at 1:30 Friday afternoon ($15), the State Championship Banjo and Guitar Contests (Saturday morning) and the afternoon RenoFest Concert ($25), and the Saturday evening concert at 6:30 p.m. ($15).