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23rd Annual Seafood Fest begins

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Full speed ahead. That’s how Richmond Hill Bryan County Chamber of Commerce CEO Kathryn Johnson characterized preparations for this weekend’s Great Ogeechee Seafood Festival, which takes place at J.F. Gregory Park in Richmond Hill.

“Our team is working hard to get everything ready for the crowd this weekend,” Johnson said in an email Tuesday. “Can’t wait to see everyone there.”

The event, the RHBC Chamber’s largest fundraiser of the year, is expected to draw an estimated 25,000 people to the park over the three-day period to eat seafood, check out vendors and enjoy music from a slate of local acts, up and coming artists and headliners Deana Carter and John Michael Montgomery.

The first Seafood Festival was held in 1985 at the Bryan Fisherman’s Cooperative. It was initially organized and run by the Richmond Hill Exchange Club.

Over the years the event has gotten bigger and moved to J.F. Gregory Park, where it’s gone on mostly without a hitch, though it was canceled for Hurricane Matthew in 2016, rained out in 2019 and the pandemic caused organizers to cancel it in 2020.

Over its history, the Festival has brought top notch entertainment to Richmond Hill, with performers ranging from the late Gregg Allman to .38 Special, Collective Soul, Travis Tritt and Blackberry Smoke.

For more information on ticket prices, a schedule of events and more go to www.goseafoodfestival. com.

The Bryan County News once again has a booth at the festival. Stop by and say hello.

Read editor Jeff Whitten's take on the seafood festival.