08/13/2025
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It has taken us a few weeks to collect our thoughts and work out what the the festival will look like this year.
For 50 years there was one constant at the Oconee Chamber Fall Festival.
No, not the location, it has changed and morphed several times over the last 5 decades.
No, not the vendors, although some have been with us a very long time, none have been there for every single festival.
No, not the Chamber staff, the staff has changed many times over the last fifty years as well.
What was that one constant for 50 years?
David Williams.
David helped start the festival as a Chamber volunteer and he never stepped away. Not one time. He was present every year for 50 years.
Although he said last year he was going to finally "retire" from the festival after we wrapped up the 50th annual event, we knew that wasn't true. We knew he would be back just like he always had. We knew he would stop by the chamber office several times over the months leading up to the festival to ask how things were going and tell us on his way out the door to "holler if you need anything." We knew he be there in the early morning hours of October 18, 2025 lovingly barking out orders, and he would stay with us until we wrapped up the 51st Annual Fall Festival and as he walked away, as he did every year, he would say, " Y'all did good. Real good." We knew he wouldn't retire. It just wasn't in him and quite frankly, he enjoys festival day too much.
What we didn't know was that God had other plans for David and last year was his last festival with us, he in fact, officially retired.
As hard as it is for us to imagine a festival without David, we know that his memory lives on and we at the Chamber are declaring the 51st Annual Oconee Chamber Fall Festival as David's festival.
Would he be mad that we are doing this? Absolutely. If you knew David, you know he wouldn't want any special recognition. But, if you knew David, and you know all that he gave to this festival and to our community, you know that this is most deserving.
So this year, we are officially and proudly dedicating the 51st Annual Oconee Chamber Fall Festival to the life and memory of David Williams.
We invite you to join us in remembering David and there is nothing more David Williams than laughing and telling stories, right? So, as we reminisce about one of our very favorite people, we would love for you all to stop by the Chamber Office now through the beginning of October or pop by our Chamber tent at the festival this year to share your favorite David Williams fall festival memory. We know there are MANY fun stories and we can't wait to hear them all!
A huge thank you goes out to Dave Helwig - Georgia Bulldogs Artist for helping us to create our nod of remembrance and appreciation to David and all he did for us at the Chamber and the Festival for so many years.
