WARD - The Clinton Ward Festival (or the Ward Summer Bash) might have been smaller this year, but it was just as loud.

Steele Justice entertained the crowd with a variety of music as some people danced, others visited with old friends and neighbors, and children (and adults, too) played on the playground equipment.

There were two food vendors, one with funnel cakes and the other with hotdogs and hamburgers.

“We’ve done a pretty good business,” said Mary McGee with the Richland Creek Ruritan Club. “People are always hungry.”

She and her husband Joel were visiting the festival for the first time, even though they are from Ward. Ann and Sim McCarty, however, haven’t missed one since it started. Their friends Carol and Jim Salter only missed one.

“We like to get out and see people,” Mrs. McCarty said. “It’s a good time to socialize.” Long said that is the number one reason come to the festival, although Saturday night a couple was visiting from Virginia who learned about it online. “

They had seen us (Steele Justice) play in Abbeville, and they came down to see us for the festival and were going on to Greenwood on Sunday to see the Swinging Medallions,” she said.

The festival was scaled down this year because of sickness and misfortunes that have impacted the workers, said longtime organizer Pam Long, who along with her husband Joel started the band Steele Justice.

The Clinton Ward Festival was named for the town’s founder, Clinton Ward. It has lately been referred to as the “Ward Summer Bash.” “We had a lot of cars show up for the cruise-in,” said Long.

“We also had a number of motorcycles and tractors.” Bingo was a big success, with a lot of nice prizes given away. “Most of the players were older people,” said Long. “Someone said they wish we could get the younger crowd to play.” At 10 p.m., fireworks lit up the sky and afterwards, locals sang karaoke.

“It was one of the best fireworks displays we’ve ever had,” said Long. “The fireworks display was sponsored by Ridge Recycle and Larry Lange was in charge of it.”

As usual, proceeds went toward the betterment of the Town of Ward.