After 25 remarkable years of hosting the Great Ogeechee Music & Seafood Festival, the Bryan County Chamber Board of Directors has made the difficult decision to exclude the festival from the Chamber’s 2025 Program of Work. “Originally established to promote the vibrant community of Richmond Hill and raise awareness of the local marine fisheries industry, the festival quickly evolved into a beloved event, becoming one of the largest seafood festivals in the Southeast,” stated Summer Beal, President & CEO of the Bryan County Chamber.

As Bryan County has experienced significant growth, now recognized as the fastest-growing county in Georgia, our business community has also expanded. To ensure that the Chamber effectively supports our business members and aligns with its mission, we have decided to prioritize new initiatives over the festival in our 2025 Program of Work. As we enter 2025, we are eager to implement a new agenda that focuses directly on the needs of our membership. Our primary objectives will be advocacy, connection, and fostering growth within our business community.

We invite you to share in our enthusiasm for this new direction, as the Bryan County Chamber of Commerce remains the backbone of our local businesses.

“We are disappointed to learn that the Bryan County Chamber of Commerce will not be hosting the Great Ogeechee Music & Seafood Festival this year, as this event holds significant value for our community. Nevertheless, we recognize their decision to realign with the Chamber's mission and fully support their commitment to developing a new program of work. The Chamber serves as the backbone of our local businesses, and we continue to support the Bryan County Chamber and its unwavering commitment to serving our business community,” stated Mayor Russ Carpenter.

In the coming weeks, the Chamber will announce an exciting new event scheduled for the fall of 2025. Meanwhile, we wish to express our heartfelt gratitude for the community support we have received over the past 25 years for the Great Ogeechee Music & Seafood Festival. We look forward to introducing new programs and initiatives that will promote business growth in Bryan County!