Rightfully called the "Flower Town in the Pines" because Summerville is also famous for its pine trees, but unfortunately, the pollen bloom that rains down from its branches when the weather warms is not enthusiastically embraced with happy celebration like the azaleas. With that being said, pine trees and azaleas are a perfect collaboration because azaleas grow well in their shadows.
The varieties of azaleas are as bounteous as its blooms thanks to hybridizing, or crossbreeding. They are native to North America, so it is likely they greeted our arriving ancestors in some form. All North American species are deciduous, meaning they drop their leaves. The evergreen varieties come from Japan where they can be hundreds of years old.
The azaleas that helped make Summerville famous are most likely the non-native variety. The first hybrids were planted in Charleston, South Carolina. John Grimke Drayton imported the Azalea Indica from Philadelphia where they were grown only in greenhouses by a nurseryman who also had a branch nursery in Charleston, and introduced them into the estate gardens of his rice plantation on the Ashley River. Marie Clinton Hastie wrote about the beginnings of her grandfather's garden, "it was somewhere in the mid 1840s that the Azalea Indica was introduced to Magnolia." His garden was the first in America to plant azaleas outdoors.
In 1932, Grange Cuthbert became the mayor of Summerville. He came up with the plan to take some of the land deeded to Summerville by the "Civic League" between Central Avenue and Magnolia Street and turn it into a mid-town paradise. George Segelken, a pioneer in azalea propagation, entered the picture. Thanks to his generosity Summerville became the place to see these prolific plants in all their abundant glory in 1935. People came from all over to view the lush beauty of the town's Azalea Park. Segelken named the salmon pink colored azalea "Pride of Summerville." The park is the predominant venue of the Flowertown Festival.
The Flowertown Festival ranks as one of the largest festivals in the Southeast with an origin that goes back to 1973. The three-day festival also carries the well-deserved distinction as one of the Top 20 events in the Southeast by the Southeast Tourism Society. One of the main features of this family-oriented festival centers on the promotion of arts and crafts. More than 200 craft artisans and vendors are given the opportunity to showcase their creative wares throughout Azalea Park.
The current festival was predated by a previous one in 1941, when Summerville celebrated the first Azalea Festival--a four-day event that included dances, concerts, a parade, and a formal ball. The festival promoted local business and celebrated the town's community pride, a pride as old as the trees. Summerville's rich history dates all the way back to the late 1600s.
Along with the Flowertown Festival, there will be The Southern Songwriter Festival--in collaboration with Summerville Dream, the Community Music Collective, and the Edisto Blackwater Boogie. 12 talented songwriters will perform in downtown Summerville on Short Central for a night of musical entertainment. It's free to the public, so bring a chair, the kids, and the pets. Time will be 6 pm to 10 pm.
Artists include: Sean Keefer, Lori Rinken, Scotty Oliver, Macy Crawford, Chris Rinken, Anna Crosby, Katie Lyon, Fleming Moore, Chris Roberts, Graham Whorley, Mark Yampolsky, and Dan Riley
If that is not enough, the 2024 Farmer's Market will begin on Saturday April 6, and will have extended hours of 8am-6pm.
Well, that is Summerville—azaleas and the biggest festival in the Southeast. While visiting for the Flowertown Festival, when you see me walking around town be sure to say, "Hey." I am always interested in making new acquaintances.