Folly Gras Festival dissolved

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The annual Folly Gras Festival in Folly Beach is being dissolved after several incidents at Saturday’s event led organizers to conclude that the festival no longer fits in the city.

Folly Gras 2019 drew more than 11,000 people, a record for events hosted by the Folly Association of Business, including some in “party buses,” according to a news release. Event security refused entry to dozens of people who were intoxicated before they got into Folly Gras.

“We want to thank all of the people who came out to Folly Gras to have fun and we apologize for those few people who don’t respect our community and have to ruin everyone else’s good time,” said Steve Carroll, Folly Association of Business president. “Honestly, we feel that Folly Gras has essentially outgrown … our quaint little beach town. At this point, it is not what we need for the city, the businesses or the community so we’re going to put it to rest.”

The association also hosts Taste of Folly, the Sea and Sand Festival, Follypalooza, and the Bill Murray Look-a-like Polar Plunge, as well as firework displays on July 4 and New Year’s Eve.

Over the past few years, the Folly Association of Business has increased security at its events and reworked logistics to address crowd control issues.

“Regardless of our efforts, Folly Gras seems to attract some unsavory people,” Carroll said. “The events we host are vital for our business community and allow us to do some great things, like funding expensive fireworks shows that benefit the Charleston area as a whole. We need the events but we’re determined to find a better way to celebrate Folly Beach than what Folly Gras has become.”