Music Festival Exceeds Fundraising Goal

The inaugural Southern Flame Southern Food and Music Festival held Saturday April 21, 2012 at The Ponds, a planned community in Summerville, raised more funds to benefit the Summerville Miracle League than their original goal. This event was previously known as BBQ-4-Baseball.

The Miracle League is an organization that provides opportunities for children and adults with special needs to play baseball. Proceeds from the event, which was sponsored in part by The Ponds Conservancy, will be used for maintenance and improvements for The Miracle League baseball field.

"This annual event is a wonderful way to celebrate not only music, food and baseball, but especially to spread the word about the Summerville Miracle League," said Phil Hartig, president of the Summerville Miracle League’s board of directors. 

"We are so happy with the increased turnout year after year,” said League founder Steve Hatton. "We are pleased to have exceeded our fundraising goal this year and we are proud that proceeds from the event will help maintain the Miracle League’s baseball programs. This will allow our players for many years to come the opportunity to enjoy one of America’s favorite pastimes."

More than 1,100 people attended Saturday’s day-long food and music festival, which was held under the oaks near the restored 1830s-era farmhouse at The Ponds. Live music was provided by local favorites Common Ground, DD Cumbee, Boundless, and headliner Eddie Bush and the Mayhem.

Also during the family-friendly festival, 19 teams competed in a sanctioned BBQ competition judged by the Southern Barbeque Network. The winners were:

• Grand prize winner: Queology
• 1st Place Pork: Some-r-Swine                     
• 2nd Place Pork: Queology
• 3rd Place Pork: Jack’s Smokin’ Butts
• 4th Place Pork: Mike’s Catering
• 1st Place Ribs: Pot Belly Cookers
• 2nd Place Ribs: Jack’s Smokin’ Butts
• 3rd Place Ribs: Queology
• 5th Place Pork: Palmetto Smoke House
• People’s Choice Award: Seacoast

Six local restaurants, including Ambers Lil Orbits, Firewater Grill, Kickin Chicken, Oscars, Perfectly Franks and Phil’s Sweet Treats, battled in the People’s Choice Southern Foods Competition. The winners of each competition were:

• Best Comfort Food: Oscars for Smoked Gouda Macaroni and Cheese
• Fresh Local Seafood: Oscars for Oscars style Shrimp and Grits
• Mighty Meaty: Perfectly Franks for Franks Fried Chicken on a Stick
• Sweet and Sassy: Oscars for Southern Crack Pie

For more information about the festival, visit www.SouthernFlameFestival.org.