Ledger Staff Writer

Applications are being accepted for persons who would like to serve as event staff volunteers for the S.C. Peach Festival scheduled for July 8-23.

Volunteers will be screened and asked to sign a waiver of liability. Applications are available online at www.scpeachfestival.org or by mailing a request to P.O. Box 549, Gaffney, S.C. 29342.

Volunteers play a vital role in the operation of the festival, board chairman Dennis Fowler said. Volunteers are needed to work in many areas such as staffing access gates and working behind the scenes at events.

This year’s events include country, Peach Beach and Peach Praise concerts; two days of tractor pulls; a mud bog; road race; arts and crafts show; and Barbecue, Blues and Bluegrass Family Fun Day.

“Our board members work tire- lessly throughout the year to ensure the success of the festival. We couldn’t put on a festival without the help of volunteers,” Fowler said. “It takes about 100 volunteers to put on the festival. We need volunteers to work in a lot of areas.”

There is also room for vendors for festival events at its Orchard Park site. Vendor passes range from $100 for one day to $400 for seven days.

Vendor applications are available on the festival Web site.

Vendors selling food must be in a self-contained unit to meet state Department of Health and Environmental Control requirements. Vendors must serve soft drink brands of festival sponsors. No alcoholic beverages can be sold.

The volunteer and vendor applications are one of many steps involved in planning the festival.

The ticket office will likely open in mid-June at festival headquarters in the Chamber of Commerce building at 225 S. Limestone St., Fowler said. Tickets will also be available online.

An announcement regarding ticket sales will be made next month.