PRESS RELEASE - The third annual Edisto Blackwater Boogie is an outdoor festival taking place at Givhans Ferry State Park from October 7th-9th, 2022. The Edisto Blackwater Boogie aims to celebrate the Edisto, North America’s longest free-flowing black water river, and bring people together around a love for music and the outdoors. Funds raised from the festival will support capital improvements to the Givhans Ferry State Park to help improve accessibility for those with disabilities. In 2021 the event raised $8000.00 toward this goal.
The festival will include a variety of outdoor activities as well as performances from local musicians, food and drink trucks, kid-friendly activities, yoga, and more. Activities include camping, jam sessions, a poetry open mic, guided tours, and musical performances by local musicians. Public Works Art Center of Summerville will be onsite with art projects for people of all ages to participate in. Food and drink trucks will be on-site as well as artisan vendors.
The Boogie is also proud to be the largest gathering of local musicians in the Charleston Area! With over forty performances of all original music this festival is a true music lover’s paradise and showcases a wide variety of musical talent, you’ll find throughout the Low-country. As a weekend-long event camping is encouraged! Immerse yourself in the experience by camping out under the stars. Tent and camper sites are available through the ticketing site now! You can visit edistoblackwaterboogie.com for more information.
New outdoor festival to take place on Edisto River this fall
This fall, the largest music festival in Dorchester County’s recent history is set to take place at Givhans Ferry State Park beneath a full moon. Hundreds of people are expected to gather along the Edisto River for the third annual Edisto Blackwater Boogie. Over forty different acts have committed to perform American roots music on October 7th-9th, 2022 in conjunction with a variety of outdoor activities for families including kayaking, canoeing, bonfire jam sessions, guided tours, food, and drink trucks, and artisan vendors.
Local musician Dan Riley dreamed up the idea for the Edisto Blackwater Boogie over three years ago while kayaking on the free-flowing blackwater river. Riley, owner of Capital Service Group, building services, and janitorial company, said there have been small bluegrass jams held in Givhans Ferry but not a large weekend-long festival. He said one of the most important aspects of the festival was to plan it during a full moon. Riley gets goosebumps just talking about live music performed under the moonlight, alongside that blackwater and he isn’t the only one who can visualize such a scene.
“The amount of support that has come together to put this event on has been amazing,” Riley said.
The county’s Parks and Recreation Department is on board, along with two conservationist groups; the Friends of the Edisto River and the Edisto River Keeper. Several different members of the community have already pledged their support of the event, but the more support we get, the better able we are to make improvements to Givhans Ferry State Park and fund even better future festivals. A three-stage set-up provided by Awendaw Green will allow a seamless flow of music between the main stage and side stage. A third stage will be set up in front of River Front Hall within the park, allowing any state park visitors to enjoy live music.
“The biggest thing I’ve been trying to do through my music is to encourage a sense of community through people gathering and sharing the experience of live music,” Riley said. “At a live event or concert, there’s an exchange of energy that happens between the musician and a crowd- it’s a beautiful thing. You don’t get that experience very often in life.”
Tent and camper sites are available from Givhans Ferry State Park, on-site parking is available for participants. Tickets are on sale now at www.edistoblackwaterboogie.com. The event is rain or shine. In the event of a mandatory evacuation, the festival will be canceled and all tickets refunded. The Edisto Blackwater Boogie aims to “Celebrate the Edisto.” Funds raised from the festival will support improvements to the park and future Edisto Blackwater Boogies.
