Gallery 3 - Festival on the Avenue

The South Side of Sumter was the place to be on Saturday as the annual Festival on the Avenue drew a huge crowd to watch the parade march over the Manning Avenue bridge.

The Grand Marshal was Dr. Margaret Wright Davis, a Sumter native and longtime educator in Sumter County School District 2 and Morris College who also served on the Board of Trustees of School District 17.

Another Sumter native, Moses L. Harvin Sr., was also a Grand Marshal and honored for his military service and distinguished career as a businessman who is president and CEO of American Services Technology Inc.

Remarks were made by the Rev. James Blassingame, the Rev. Marion Newton with a solo by Thelma Isaac and the National Anthem was performed by Four Brass Instrumentalist Quartet.

Also speaking were Sumter County Council Chairman James T. McCain Jr., Sumter City Councilwoman Ione Dwyer, Sen. Kevin Johnson, D-36, and Rep. David Weeks, D-51.

2017 Platinum Sponsors of The Festival on the Avenue were Thompson Industries, Rep. David Weeks, D-51, Earl Wilson, Sumter County Cultural Commission and Friends of Jim Clyburn.

Festival partners were: Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church, Sumter County Government, City of Sumter, South Sumter Resource Center, Manning Ave. Free Arts Studio, Sumter County Gallery of Art, Sumter Cultural Commission, Sumter Tourism, Sumter County Sheriff’s Office, Sumter Police Department, Sumter/Lee Detention Center, Shaw Air Force Base, Sumter Community Visions, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc., Jones Chevrolet, Danny’s Trophy, S.C. Department of Transportation, Crystal Lakes Golf Course, Jehovah Missionary Baptist Church, Sumter County CDC In., and Ivy Moore of The Sumter Item.

Other sponsors were: Palmetto Health Tuomey, Cedars Medical Clinic, NBSC (Division of Synovus Bank), Bank of Clarendon, American Services Technology Inc., A & T Auto Sales, Farmers Telephone Company and Tammy Kelly – State Farm agent.