Fish Camp Jam

Let’s rally together as the Greater Gaston Community and bring back an exciting and rich time in our county’s history.

What was Fish Camp Jam?

Gastonia’s festival, which celebrated its most famous eateries, benefitted civic groups.

Walter Gray and his wife, Jan, were two of many volunteers who put on the event for 13 years.

Four fish camps sold mounds of fried fish and hushpuppies to large crowds.

The Gaston Gazette hosted catfish races with proceeds benefitting nonprofits.

Gray said it was a lot of hard work and planning, but the event once met with a remarkable response from the community.

“We had a really great time at the festival,” he said. “We had a lot of good talent that came through, and it was a really good thing for our city and our county.”

Why did it end?

Not because of Boyz II Men.

The ’90s R&B group performed at Fish Camp Jam in 1992. During the performance, someone in the crowd yelled that a man had a gun, and people began to scatter. Some were injured.

“We had too many people in a small space,” said Gray. “That was just an unfortunate incident.”

The United Arts Council dropped its leadership of the festival after that year, but Gaston Festivals was created by a local group to keep it going.

The festival continued for seven more years before interest died out.

“We ran out of energy, sponsors and volunteers,” said Gray.

Why try it again?

People haven’t forgotten Fish Camp Jam, Elkins said.

“I talked to a lot of people in the county, and everybody loved the idea of it,” he said.

This year, Elkins hasn’t recruited fish camps to cook or civic organizations to participate. He didn’t have time to make a more collaborative event out of the celebration But Elkins hopes it will get bigger and better.

“Right now we’re going to take baby steps,” he said.