OLAR – The 6th Annual Model T’s to Olar Festival, which gives a nod to the town’s early connection to American car maker Henry Ford, will be in the national spotlight next Friday and Saturday, Oct. 17-18.

This year’s festival, which will feature a car show, antique cars and tractors, electric golf cart drag racing and a hot-dog eating contest, will be filmed for broadcast on Game Show Network’s GSNlive, an interactive game/talk show. The hosts of the show are actress Heidi Bohay, NBC sports commentator Fred Roggin, “Baywatch” actress Kelly Packard and actor Alfonso Ribiero of “Fresh Prince of Bel Air” fame.

Brenna Hancock, chair of the Model T’s to Olar Festival, said GSNlive has asked the Model T Festival Committee to videotape this year’s Electric Golf Cart Drag Racing and Hot Dog Eating Contest, which will be shown on GSNlive with Roggin and Packard discussing the event. Those interested in participating in either of the events is asked to call Hancock at 803-383-1795.

The Ford connection

The town’s biggest claim to fame, however, is the fact that one of its early business leaders actually loaned money to Henry Ford.

The following history taken from Olar’s Web site explains the town’s connection to Ford:

“In 1913, Olar businessman C.F. Rizer had the largest supply and sales of cars of any dealer in South Carolina, requiring 15 clerks to handle his merchandise and auto trade. In July 1920, Rizer placed a full-page ad for “Rizer Auto Company of Olar,” advising of his intention to discontinue all other lines of merchandise to concentrate on Ford Sedans, Ford Campelets, Ford Touring Cars, Ford Runabouts and Ford trucks exclusively. In October of that same year, he began advertising and selling Fordson farm tractors.”

The history goes on to note that despite the economic recession that gripped the country, Henry Ford wanted to expand his auto manufacturing.

“Not having the capital to expand, he called Rizer to ask if he had any money to spare. With full confidence in the Ford car and automobile industry, Rizer lent $25,000 to Ford. That year, Ford sold half a million cars, and the Ford Industry was on the way.

The same year, Rizer Auto Co. received the largest single shipment of cars in Bamberg County. It took a train with half a mile of box cars to bring the vehicles from Detroit to Olar. The train measured 2,880 feet, not counting the engine and caboose. The 256 cars arrived in Olar in March, and the last one sold in November. These cars had to be assembled and put together for a contract price of $15 a car,” according to the history of the town.

“Rizer was able to outsell other dealers because he had sufficient capital to sell on credit. Ford awarded Rizer the exclusive franchise to sell Fords in Bamberg, Barnwell, Colleton, Hampton, and Allendale counties.”

Rizer passed away in 1950 at age 81 and is buried in the Starr Cemetery in Olar.

Fun on tap

The year’s festival fun will begin next Friday at 9 a.m. with vendors, arts and crafts, children’s inflatables, and a Haunted House at the Olar Fire Department which opens at 7 p.m.

DJ Leroy Orr will be spinning the tunes from 7 p.m. to midnight.

Saturday’s activities get started at 9 a.m., with Model T’s and Model A’s and antique tractors on display.

The Sleytown Strummers will perform from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., and the Model T’s to Olar Parade will begin at 11 a.m.

The Hot-Dog Eating Contest is set for 1:30 p.m., and The Stillwater Band will play at 3:30 p.m., following by Orangeburg line dancers at 4:30 p.m. The Electric Golf Cart Drag Racing competition gets under way at 5:30 p.m.

The Haunted House will again open at 7 p.m., and providing music for the evening will be DJ Leroy Orr, country singer Kim Marlow and the Straight Shooter Band.

Reuniting with friends

Hancock said the Model T’s to Olar Festival is the town’s way of giving back to the community and its taxpayers.

“We (the festival committee) have a budget of $2,000. We do small fund-raisers and collect vendor and entrance fees. We have never made a profit on any of our Model T’s to Olar festivals,” she said. “Our event is something all of our citizens can be proud of. Children in our area look forward to October, and also our adult citizens from in and around Olar look forward to reuniting with friends at our event.”

Hancock said a steady stream of registrations for vendors and the car show competition are coming in.

“The size of the festival has grown steadily since about 1,000 people attended the first festival,” she said. “Last year almost 3,000 people came to Olar to see Model T’s and enjoy the small-town atmosphere. This year hopes are high with the festival committee that even more people will join them in Olar for a festival that celebrates the community’s tie to Henry Ford.”

The complete schedule of events for the 2008 Model T’s to Olar Festival can be found at the Town of Olar’s Web site at www.geocities.com/modeltfestival.

T&D Correspondent Laura G. Carlson can be reached by e-mail at Laura@carlsonclan.com or by phone at 803-793-3336.

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