The annual festival boasts the Upstate’s largest classic-car cruise-in. - Blue Ridge Fest is organized and executed by 250 Blue Ridge Electric and Blue Ridge Security employee volunteers, enabling the festival to maximize its proceeds to benefit local charities. - The 2017 Blue Ridge Fest has been scheduled for April 28 at the cooperative’s headquarters in Pickens. - The 19th annual Blue Ridge Fest raised a record-breaking $201,000 to benefit local non-profit organizations in Pickens County and Oconee County along with organizations in Anderson and Greenville counties. - - The festival attracted more than 5,000 attendees and more than 400 classic cars this year. - - Liza Holder, left, marketing coordinator for Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative, joined Rex Ramsay, supervisor of vegetation management for Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative, and Anna Chastain, a communications intern with Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative, in welcoming Blue Ridge Fest sponsors to the VIP dinner at the cooperative’s headquarters. - -

PICKENS – The 19th annual Blue Ridge Fest raised a record-breaking $201,000 to benefit local non-profit organizations in Pickens County and Oconee County along with organizations in Anderson and Greenville counties.

This is the first year the employee organized and executed event surpassed the $200,000 mark. Since the event’s inception almost two decades ago, Blue Ridge Fest has donated more than $2.2 million to numerous agencies in the Upstate area that provide individuals with basic necessities such as food, shelter, clothing and health care.

“This year’s Blue Ridge Fest reached a long-time goal, allowing us to support our community at a very high level,” said Charles Dalton, president and CEO. “We’re pleased that we can continually serve our community through donations to local non-profit organizations year after year.”

The beneficiaries of this year’s event, held May 6, include Cancer Association of Anderson, Collins Children’s Home & Ministries, Center for Developmental Services, Dot’s Kitchen, Emerson Rose Heart Foundation, Feed A Hungry Child, Foothills Alliance, North Greenville Food Crisis Ministry, Rosa Clark Medical Center, Samaritan Health Clinic of Pickens County, The Dream Center of Pickens County, and Wilderness Way Camp School.

Representatives from both Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative and Blue Ridge Security Solutions will host check presentations later this month for each non-profit organization receiving funds.

The annual festival boasts the Upstate’s largest classic-car cruise-in along with a beach night show and dance that has featured nationally known entertainers including The Drifters, The Temptations, Ben E. King and Lloyd Price and Jimmy Clanton. The festival attracted more than 5,000 attendees and more than 400 classic cars this year.

Blue Ridge Fest is organized and executed by 250 Blue Ridge Electric and Blue Ridge Security employee volunteers, enabling the festival to maximize its proceeds to benefit local charities. The 2017 Blue Ridge Fest has been scheduled for April 28 at the cooperative’s headquarters in Pickens.

Visit www.blueridge.coop/blueridgefest or call 800-240-3400 for more information.

The annual festival boasts the Upstate’s largest classic-car cruise-in. http://pickenssentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/web1_blueridgefest01.jpg The annual festival boasts the Upstate’s largest classic-car cruise-in. Blue Ridge Fest is organized and executed by 250 Blue Ridge Electric and Blue Ridge Security employee volunteers, enabling the festival to maximize its proceeds to benefit local charities. http://pickenssentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/web1_blueridgefest02.jpg Blue Ridge Fest is organized and executed by 250 Blue Ridge Electric and Blue Ridge Security employee volunteers, enabling the festival to maximize its proceeds to benefit local charities. The 2017 Blue Ridge Fest has been scheduled for April 28 at the cooperative’s headquarters in Pickens. http://pickenssentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/web1_blueridgefest04.jpg The 2017 Blue Ridge Fest has been scheduled for April 28 at the cooperative’s headquarters in Pickens. The 19th annual Blue Ridge Fest raised a record-breaking $201,000 to benefit local non-profit organizations in Pickens County and Oconee County along with organizations in Anderson and Greenville counties. http://pickenssentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/web1_blueridgefest06.jpg The 19th annual Blue Ridge Fest raised a record-breaking $201,000 to benefit local non-profit organizations in Pickens County and Oconee County along with organizations in Anderson and Greenville counties. The festival attracted more than 5,000 attendees and more than 400 classic cars this year. http://pickenssentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/web1_blueridgefest08.jpg The festival attracted more than 5,000 attendees and more than 400 classic cars this year. Liza Holder, left, marketing coordinator for Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative, joined Rex Ramsay, supervisor of vegetation management for Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative, and Anna Chastain, a communications intern with Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative, in welcoming Blue Ridge Fest sponsors to the VIP dinner at the cooperative’s headquarters. http://pickenssentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/web1_blueridgefest10.jpg Liza Holder, left, marketing coordinator for Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative, joined Rex Ramsay, supervisor of vegetation management for Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative, and Anna Chastain, a communications intern with Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative, in welcoming Blue Ridge Fest sponsors to the VIP dinner at the cooperative’s headquarters.

Blue Ridge Fest raises $201K