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<p><strong>By Jennifer Tuckwiller</strong><br><br>Succulent shrimp, ice cold beer, rocking music, perfect weather and lots of smiling faces – all the essential ingredients for a great Lowcountry weekend were in abundance at the 2021 Beaufort Shrimp Festival. </p>
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<p>Community festivals are beloved by locals and visitors alike. They foster the hospitable hometown feeling we all love about living here, and they leave guests with warm memories and a thirst to visit again soon.&nbsp;</p>
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<p>Anyone who visited Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park last Friday or Saturday saw evidence of a hugely successful event. But they might not appreciate the hard work and teamwork that made it possible.&nbsp;</p>
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<p>The biggest round of applause goes to Linda Roper, Andrea Hackenberger, Bill Prokop, Reece Bertholf and every member of the City of Beaufort team who organized and executed this successful event. The hard work done on site is only a fraction of the effort these lead organizers put into producing the Shrimp Festival.</p>
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<p>Thanks also go to the 21 sponsors and business partners – like Lee Distributors, Sea Island Rotary, and Capital Waste Service – whose financial resources, labor, and equipment make events of this scale possible.</p>
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<p>The dozens of volunteers – Marines, Council Members, Chamber Ambassadors, and Water Festival stalwarts – who took time away from family and work to haul ice, pitch tents, sell tickets and stock coolers all deserve our appreciation.</p>
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<p>Finally, thanks to fellow organizing partners – Beaufort Area Hospitality Association, Beaufort Digital Corridor and Visit Beaufort – who, along with the Beaufort Regional Chamber, contributed their skills and efforts to ensure a successful festival. Like Mayor Stephen Murray said in his comments last Friday evening, “It takes a village to produce a festival.”</p>
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<p>A great community event like the Beaufort Shrimp Festival is only the start of the success that comes when community leaders and organizations share alignment, vision and purpose.</p>
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<p><em>Jennifer Tuckwiller is the Board Chair of the Beaufort Regional Chamber of Commerce.</em></p>
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