Raylrode Daze returns; Branch Junction reopens for fun

This year’s festival packed the weeklong celebration into a single weekend. While it was shorter than any previous festival, it was thoroughly enjoyed by all who attended.

At the opening ceremony, Raylrode Daze Festivul President Blaine Heffelfinger said he was filling big shoes succeeding Tom Jennings, who was president for 20 years before he stepped down.

With the 2020 festival cancelled, he had been working day and night to bring it back, worried that this year’s would have been cancelled as well due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This year’s short, three-day festival was held to ensure the people of Branchville and the state of South Carolina could come together to celebrate the town’s history.

Heffelfinger added that this was only possible due the hard work of the board of directors, the people of Branchville, and all those who volunteered their time and energy.

Mayor Frank Dickson said he was grateful for the previous 50 years of Raylrode Daze, and hopes the town has a wonderful 50 more.

This year’s grand marshal for the Raylrode Daze parade, Stacie Whetstone Keitt, spoke at the ceremony, sharing how much it meant to be a part of something that her grandfather started back in 1969.

She spoke of what Branchville and the festival meant to her – the family coming together, friends going out and the memories made. She finished with a poem about the festival and how it made her feel titled “What’s not to love about Raylrode Daze?”

For many, Raylrode Daze is a time to go out with family and friends to enjoy the sights and sounds, enjoy Fiske’s French fries and elephant ears.

But for some like Blaine Heffelfinger, it’s a lifestyle.

Blaine and his family have been part of Branchville’s festival for 29 years. It’s where he met his wife Stephanie in 1993.

His son and daughter partake in the gunfight with him and his wife. They work on Branch Junction, ensuring it is clean and ready for the crowds and vendors.

Heffelfinger was heartbroken when last year’s festival was canceled – it was the first time Branchville didn’t celebrate Raylrode Daze since its inception.

Since then, he has worked with committees and the town tirelessly in an attempt to bring a sense of normalcy back to the area.

On the last day, Heffelfinger said that he couldn’t have asked for a better first festival as president.

“Everything has been smooth, couldn’t have been smoother,” he said, while his son and daughter were getting ready for the womanless and manless beauty contests. “This takes heart, I love doing this, and now my son and daughter are right here part of it too.”

At the costume contest, Heffelfinger said that the children on the stage were the next generation to run the festival, that this is what it means to be a part of Branchville.

Stephanie Heffelfinger, Blaine’s wife and a former Raylrode Daze vice president, spoke about her time with the festival, saying, “It’s volunteer work, some people don’t realize that. We’re not doing this to make money, we do this to give back to the town, to our home.”

Blaine and his board of directors have already started planning for the 53rd annual Raylrode Daze Festivul. It’s a yearlong commitment, not something they start a few months ahead of time. Mayor Dickson already announced there will be another golf tournament for next year’s festival, while Stephanie hopes to bring back the oyster roast and other fundraisers to bring the people of Branchville together.

“If you have ideas, call us up and let us know. We can use the help,” she said. “If people want to submit designs for next year’s shirt, we will gladly take them and vote on them at the next annual meeting.”

The Raylrode Daze Board of Directors meets for their annual meeting at the Branch Junction Welcome Center on the last Sunday of January, with the meeting open to the public. Blaine Heffelfinger added that if you want to be a part of Raylrode Daze, call him at 803-614-0124.