Quirky or just plain fun festivals make the rounds each year in the small towns of South Carolina. From a festival that grew out of a frog-jumping contest to a festival dedicated to ripe juicy watermelons, South Carolina has enough of these small town events to keep you entertained and busy all year. Here are 13 of the best small-town festivals in South Carolina.
- Hampton County Watermelon Festival - Hampton
Flickr/Ahmad Nine days of watermelon fun earmark this annual festival, now in its 75th year in Hampton. Live entertainment, a street festival dance, and a Miss Watermelon Festival contest are a few of the fun events ahead at the Watermelon Festival. Dates: June 17-25, 2017. More info
- South Carolina Poultry Festival - Batesburg-Leesville
Facebook/South Carolina Poultry Festival This egg-cellent festival began 20 years ago and now attracts more than 100,000 folks to this small town of a little more than 5,000 residents. If you guessed there’s a chicken cooking contest, then you’re right on the money. They shut down Main Street and throw a huge extravaganza including a 5K race, a midway, a parade and plenty of food. Dates: The second Saturday in May. More information.
- Chitlin Strut - Salley
Chitlin Strut Southern Soul Food rules the day at the annual Chitlin Strut in Salley. Usually held on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, this one-day festival is fun for the whole family. In addition to celebrating the many ways to prepare chitlins (hog intestines) there’s also a parade, a carnival, live entertainment, a hog calling contest, a car show, beauty pageant and more! Date: Usually the fourth Saturday in November. More information
- Aunt Het Annual Family Festival - Fountain Inn
Facebook/Aunt Het Annual Family Festival This giant street festival in Fountain Inn celebrates a fictional character, Aunt Het, who was created by the founder of the local newspaper. The event features vendors, food, children’s rides, and music. It all takes place on Main Street in Fountain Inn. Date: October 7, 2017. More information.
- Okra Strut - Irmo
Facebook/Irmo Strut It’s not hard to figure out what this annual festival celebrates! Fun for the whole family, the Okra Strut Festival dishes up free live entertainment, plenty of food, a street dance, midway and a parade. Dates: Usually the 4th Friday and Saturday in September at Irmo Park. More information.
- Loris Bogoff Festival - Loris
Loris Chamber What’s a festival without food? The annual Bogoff features local vendors facing off with their own chicken bog recipes. Look for more than 200 vendors, two stages full of entertainment, a childrens area and a fireworks finale. Date: Saturday, October 21, 2017. More information.
- Frog Jump - Springfield
Facebook/Springfield, SC Bring the family out for a fun weekend event that culminates in the annual frog race. But not before everyone’s had three good days of fun at the carnival and arts and crafts fair. Watch and learn as frog “coaches” blow on their frog racers’ backs to send their racers hopping toward the finish line. Dates: April 13-15, 2017. More information.
- Honea Path Sugarfoot Festival - Honea Path
Facebook/Honea Path Sugarfoot Festival A honey-soppin’ contest and the Little Miss Sugarfoot Pageant are only two of the exciting events at this annual festival. Bring the family for children’s rides, festival food, vendors, live music and a car show. Dates: Usually on the third Friday and Saturday of October. More information.
- Walhalla Oktoberfest - Walhalla
Flickr/emdees Forget those airline tickets to Germany, you can celebrate Oktoberfest right here in South Carolina at the Walhalla Oktoberfest. The event features traditional fare, like bratwurst & sauerkraut, funnel cakes, Strudel and of course, beer. Oktoberfest takes place on the Sertoma field in Walhalla. Dates: Usually the third Friday and Saturday in October. More information.
- Pig On The Ridge - Ridgeway
Pig On The Ridge If you love BBQ, then you’ll want to attend this upcoming festival! You might have guessed there’s a cookoff, but there’s also a dance-off, a shag contest, and live music. Don’t miss the hog-calling contest or the classic car show. Dates: Usually the first Friday and Saturday in November. More information.
- Hook & Cook Festival - Jackson
Flickr/Joe Plocki The annual Hook & Cook Festival features a fishing contest, a BBQ cook-off, live entertainment, a car and boat show and lots of vendors including arts and crafts. Date: Usually the third Friday and Saturday in October on Main Street in Jackson. More information.
- Oktoberfest of Woodruff - Woodruff
Flickr/Luiz Eduardo The third Saturday in October promises to stack your day full of activities and great German fare at McKinney Park in Woodruff. Some of the things to look forward to include live music, dancing, and German food and drink. Date: Third Saturday in October. More information.
- South Carolina BBQ Shag Festival - Hemingway
Facebook/South Carolina BBQ Shag Festival It’s the one day a year in Hemingway where it’s okay to be a pig in more ways than one and no one will judge. In addition to BBQ and shagging, this fun-for-the-family event features a carnival, music, vendors and a 2017 appearance from wrestling legend Ric Flair. Dates: April 6-8, 2017. More information.
Wacky festivals are a fun treat for the whole family. Did your small town festival make the list? If not, then you’re always welcome to add it in the comments below.
Flickr/Ahmad
Nine days of watermelon fun earmark this annual festival, now in its 75th year in Hampton. Live entertainment, a street festival dance, and a Miss Watermelon Festival contest are a few of the fun events ahead at the Watermelon Festival. Dates: June 17-25, 2017. More info
Facebook/South Carolina Poultry Festival
This egg-cellent festival began 20 years ago and now attracts more than 100,000 folks to this small town of a little more than 5,000 residents. If you guessed there’s a chicken cooking contest, then you’re right on the money. They shut down Main Street and throw a huge extravaganza including a 5K race, a midway, a parade and plenty of food. Dates: The second Saturday in May. More information.
Chitlin Strut
Southern Soul Food rules the day at the annual Chitlin Strut in Salley. Usually held on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, this one-day festival is fun for the whole family. In addition to celebrating the many ways to prepare chitlins (hog intestines) there’s also a parade, a carnival, live entertainment, a hog calling contest, a car show, beauty pageant and more! Date: Usually the fourth Saturday in November. More information
Facebook/Aunt Het Annual Family Festival
This giant street festival in Fountain Inn celebrates a fictional character, Aunt Het, who was created by the founder of the local newspaper. The event features vendors, food, children’s rides, and music. It all takes place on Main Street in Fountain Inn. Date: October 7, 2017. More information.
Facebook/Irmo Strut
It’s not hard to figure out what this annual festival celebrates! Fun for the whole family, the Okra Strut Festival dishes up free live entertainment, plenty of food, a street dance, midway and a parade. Dates: Usually the 4th Friday and Saturday in September at Irmo Park. More information.
Loris Chamber
What’s a festival without food? The annual Bogoff features local vendors facing off with their own chicken bog recipes. Look for more than 200 vendors, two stages full of entertainment, a childrens area and a fireworks finale. Date: Saturday, October 21, 2017. More information.
Facebook/Springfield, SC
Bring the family out for a fun weekend event that culminates in the annual frog race. But not before everyone’s had three good days of fun at the carnival and arts and crafts fair. Watch and learn as frog “coaches” blow on their frog racers’ backs to send their racers hopping toward the finish line. Dates: April 13-15, 2017. More information.
Facebook/Honea Path Sugarfoot Festival
A honey-soppin’ contest and the Little Miss Sugarfoot Pageant are only two of the exciting events at this annual festival. Bring the family for children’s rides, festival food, vendors, live music and a car show. Dates: Usually on the third Friday and Saturday of October. More information.
Flickr/emdees
Forget those airline tickets to Germany, you can celebrate Oktoberfest right here in South Carolina at the Walhalla Oktoberfest. The event features traditional fare, like bratwurst & sauerkraut, funnel cakes, Strudel and of course, beer. Oktoberfest takes place on the Sertoma field in Walhalla. Dates: Usually the third Friday and Saturday in October. More information.
Pig On The Ridge
If you love BBQ, then you’ll want to attend this upcoming festival! You might have guessed there’s a cookoff, but there’s also a dance-off, a shag contest, and live music. Don’t miss the hog-calling contest or the classic car show. Dates: Usually the first Friday and Saturday in November. More information.
Flickr/Joe Plocki
The annual Hook & Cook Festival features a fishing contest, a BBQ cook-off, live entertainment, a car and boat show and lots of vendors including arts and crafts. Date: Usually the third Friday and Saturday in October on Main Street in Jackson. More information.
Flickr/Luiz Eduardo
The third Saturday in October promises to stack your day full of activities and great German fare at McKinney Park in Woodruff. Some of the things to look forward to include live music, dancing, and German food and drink. Date: Third Saturday in October. More information.
Facebook/South Carolina BBQ Shag Festival
It’s the one day a year in Hemingway where it’s okay to be a pig in more ways than one and no one will judge. In addition to BBQ and shagging, this fun-for-the-family event features a carnival, music, vendors and a 2017 appearance from wrestling legend Ric Flair. Dates: April 6-8, 2017. More information.
For more South Carolina fun, take this unforgettable waterfall horseback tour.
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