Hometown celebrations full of fried food, handmade art, face painting, and local music went into limbo last year while many aspects of COVID-19 were still unknown. Some festival organizers cautiously pushed ahead, others delayed and many canceled with crossed fingers that their celebrations could return in 2021. As spring gives way to warmer weather, many local favorites -- Pendleton'sSpring Jubilee, the Central Railroad Festival, the Great Anderson County Fair, and the Pickens Azalea Festival -- are forging ahead with COVID-safe practices in place. Last year's cancellations and postponements may have had some bright sides, Clemson Area Chamber of Commerce director Susan Cohen said. Central enjoyed hosting its annual event in the fall rather than April, so much that organizers have scheduled the Railroad Festival for October 2021.