A huge line-up of entertainment and the opportunity to taste a wide variety of barbecue are just two of the reasons this year’s Uniquely Union promises to be the biggest and best yet.
The Uniquely Union BBQ Festival will leave the judging up to festival attendees in the Taster’s Choice category. Attendees will have the opportunity to buy a wristband — for either $5 in advance or $7 at the festival — which will give them access to a taste of barbecue from each of the competing teams. Tasters will then be able to vote for their personal favorites. The contest begins on Sept. 8 at noon and lasts until 2 p.m. or while supplies last.
Wristbands are on sale now at the following locations:
- Union County Arts Council
- The Inn at Merridun
- The Chamber of Commerce
- City Hall (see Tourism Director Will Boyles)
- Union County Courthouse
This year’s entertainment line-up also offers something to please everyone.
Entertainment kicks off at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 7, with the Christian Music Showcase. The showcase is headlined by a worship team from Nashville known as FallowField.
FallowField features Donnie Willis on lead vocals and bass, Kenny “Malibu” Gorham on rhythm guitar, Kyle Connell on drums and Ashlee Willis on backing vocals. FallowField’s website states, “We are not a ‘band’ or entertainers, we are a worship team with players brought together by God. We want to see lives changed through Jesus Christ. He blessed us with our gifts and talents, now we want to be used by Him to bless people of all ages.”
FallowField will play twice during showcases on both Friday and Saturday. The Christian Music Showcase will also feature performances by Amy House, Room 302, Serenity, Praise 150, Pierce the Darkness and True Light.
The Christian Music Showcase will be followed The Horseshoe Band, which plays each Friday at the Horseshoe Entertainment Center on Harris St.
Friday night’s entertainment is headlined by longtime blues band The Shades, which is fronted by Buffalo native Freddie Vanderford. Vanderford received the Jean Laney Harris Folk Heritage Award in 2010 at the South Carolina State House. Vanderford received the recognition for his work in carrying on the tradition of the Piedmont blues — a genre indiginous to this region. Vanderford learned about the Piedmont blues as a teenager when he studied with Piedmont blues legend Arthur “Peg Leg Sam” Jackson.
Vanderford plays harmonica, guitar and washboard with The Shades, and he will be joined by master guitarist Brandon Turner, bassist Joe Jones and drummer TJ Jeter, who is also a Union County native. All members contribute vocals. The Shades will take the stage at 9 p.m.
On Saturday, onstage entertainment kicks off at 9 a.m. with consecutive vocal performances from those who competed in the 2012 Texaco Country Showdown at USC Union. Christian Music Showcase will then resume at noon.
Saturday’s Christian Music Showcase will be followed by The Buffalo Creek Band, 3rd Generation Band and The Haze Band. The festival’s entertainment will then culminate with Saturday’s headline act, oldies/rock/beach band Shot of Love.
Shot of Love features Joe Bates, Todd McGowan, Darron Williams and Erin Bates, and during Uniquely Union, the band will be joined by Scott Moore.
The 2012 Uniquely Union Festival entertainment line-up is as follows:
Friday, Sept. 7
Christian Music Showcase
5:30 p.m. — FallowField
6 p.m. — Amy House
6:30 p.m. — Room 302
7 p.m. — Serenity
7:30 p.m. — FallowField
Country/Bluegrass
8 p.m. — The Horseshoe Band
Blues/Rock/Americana
9 p.m. — The Shades
Saturday, Sept. 8
9 a.m. — Kayla Rochester
9:20 a.m. — Wendy Lawson
9:40 a.m. — Tiffany Littlejohn
10 a.m. — Brittney Pridemore
10:20 a.m. — Elliott Denkers
10:40 a.m. — Lexy Taylor
11 a.m. — Jenny Lynn Lee
11:20 a.m. — Tammy Garza
Christian Music Showcase
Noon — FallowField
12:45 p.m. — Praise 150
1:30 p.m. — Pierce The Darkness
2:15 p.m. — True Light
3 p.m. — FallowField
Country
4 p.m. — Buffalo Creek Band
Country/Bluegrass
5:30 p.m. — 3rd Generation Band
Country/Beach
7 p.m. — The Haze Band
Oldies/Rock/Beach
8:30 p.m. — Shot Of Love
For more information about this year’s Uniquely Union Festival, visit www.uniquelyunion.com or search “Uniquely Union Festival” on Facebook.
Post a Comment
