Press Release
The Walterboro History Art & Music (WHAM!) Festival is coming to a stage or screen near you during the month of May. What had originally been planned to be an in-person weekend event in 2020 has now evolved into a hybrid festival to also include a virtual attendance option that will last from May 1, 2021 until May 22, 2021. The event is a collaborative effort between the City of Walterboro and the Colleton Museum and Farmers Market. It is being sponsored by the South Carolina Arts Commission and the Coastal Community Foundation. Organizers have packed the schedule full of events and says there will be something for everyone to enjoy and all events are free. WHAM! will kick off with the Farmers Market grand opening that will be held on May 1, 2021 from 9 am until 1 pm at 506 East Washington Street. Folks will also see local downtown businesses featuring art exhibits in their storefront windows and many with full exhibits inside all the way to the Walterboro Wildlife Center with the aim of pushing foot traffic through downtown to our local merchants and restaurants. There will be live music from many local musicians at the farmers market, with Facebook Live broadcasts coming from the Colleton Civic Center on some evenings. Living History from the Revolutionary War and ceremonial performances from members of the Kusso-Natchez Tribe will take place on the campus of the Colleton Museum and Farmers Market. The cultural event will see artists not only displaying but also selling their work. “So many activities are going to be going on during the month. We realize some folks are feeling comfortable being out and about in controlled environments, and others will just want to watch from home; we are meeting that need by spacing everything out over 22 days and across a virtual platform. As we know, there will be challenges bringing an event this size for all to enjoy, we are confident we are working through the kinks ahead of time to make participating as easy as possible. We have many talented performers and artists that have put a lot of work and effort into making this event a fantastic experience and we cannot wait for everyone to be able to enjoy all WHAM! has to offer”, said Matt Mardell co-chair of the event. Not only is this event being planned by the City of Walterboro Tourism Department and the Colleton Museum and Farmers Market but others have been quick to get on board. The Colleton County Historical and Preservation Society, the Colleton County Arts Council, the Colleton County Memorial Library and the Colleton County High School Arts programs, all have events planned during the festival. There will be film screenings, storytelling, face painting, pop up creation stations, historic building tours, nature programs and much more for residents and visitors alike to enjoy. A complete list of events has been published and folks can check it out to see how they choose to participate. For more information on how you can attend in person shows or how to follow events virtually visit www.WHAMfestival.org and you can even follow our Facebook page “WHAM – Walterboro History, Arts & Music”.
