One of Clarendon County’s favorite spring traditions is headed back to Shannon Greens Golf Club next month, bringing with it a familiar mix of hometown flavor, friendly competition and the kind of fellowship that keeps people coming back year after year.
The Clarendon County Junior Chamber’s annual Taste of Clarendon is set for Thursday, May 14, with local cooks, live music and a crowd that organizers hope will once again turn out hungry and ready to celebrate community.
For new Junior Chamber President Steven Prebish, the event is more than just one of the group’s biggest fundraisers — it is the one that best reflects what the organization is all about.
“So for me, this is my favorite event that we do,” Prebish said. “The Junior Chamber is all about community. And truthfully, whenever I think about Taste of Clarendon, I think it just fully embodies what community is.”
The Clarendon County Junior Chamber is a volunteer organization made up of men under 40 from across Clarendon County. Through events like Taste of Clarendon, the group raises money to support local causes, including food banks, nonprofit organizations, first responder appreciation efforts, Boys State and Girls State participation, and annual scholarships for one male and one female student in the county.
Prebish said the event brings together local cooks, businesses and residents in a way few others can.
“Local people, local cooks, local businesses [are] coming together, sacrificing their time,” he said. “There’s absolutely nothing that brings people together better than good food, good music and good drinks, and we’ve got all of that at the Taste of Clarendon.”
This year’s event is expected to feature approximately 25 cooks, with organizers anticipating more than 30 participants by the time the event arrives. Dishes typically range from Clarendon favorites like perlo, fried catfish, catfish stew and barbecue to desserts and sweet treats.
There is also a competitive edge.
The evening’s top cook will take home a custom cutting board crafted by local business Gone with the Grain, and reigning champion Thad Kennedy is expected back to defend his title after winning last year with his catfish stew.
“It was incredibly special,” Kennedy said of last year’s win. “I used my late dad’s recipe.”
The catfish stew earned Kennedy last year’s top honors and returns this year as the defending champion dish.
“I feel like it’s a traditional dish for our area,” he said. “Something that represents Clarendon County.”
Kennedy said he has no plans to reinvent the winning recipe this year.
“Why fix it when it ain’t broke,” he said.
Asked for a prediction, Prebish laughed that he might “get in trouble” for naming favorites, but said Junior Chamber members Brewer Brunson and David Wilder, who recently launched Simply Southern Barbecue, are two cooks he believes could make a strong run this year.
Guests can also expect live music from Chapell Court, returning by popular demand, along with the Junior Chamber’s annual bourbon raffle.
Tickets are $35 for a single or $60 for a couple and will be available at the door, through Junior Chamber members and soon at the Clarendon County Chamber of Commerce. Checks made payable to the Junior Chamber will be accepted, and card purchases will be available at the event.
“We just need a good turnout,” Prebish said. “We just need people coming and showing up and having a good time. That’s all I want.”
