These 9 Fall Festivals In South Carolina Are A Great Way To Celebrate Autumn
It’s fall festival time again and there is no better way to celebrate than either heading back to the tiny little town you grew up in, or by visiting a small town for a fall or harvest fest to enjoy the cooler weather at the end of each summer in the Palmetto State. Check out some of the best fall festivals in South Carolina below, and then put a few on the calendar…
Whether you trace your roots back to Germany or not, you should make plans to get in on this annual Bavarian celebration in the one little town in South Carolina that has an extreme passion for celebrating their German roots. From food to dance, music, and loads of other activities, this event is a dead ringer for the most lively festivals of the year and for one of the best things to do in fall in South Carolina. Learn more here.
The Annual Irmo Okra Strut began as a fundraiser for the local women's club and has evolved into one of the biggest end-of-summer celebrations in the state. The two-day event includes food and craft vendors, a midway, musical performances, and a parade. Event admission is absolutely free. Don't miss it! It takes place at Irmo Community Park. More info.
Address: 7507 Eastview Drive, Irmo, SC, 29063
3. Albino Skunk Music Festival - October 3 - 5, 2019
There is no better way to experience the splendor of the fall season than at an outdoor music festival in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The event takes place on an old farm near Greer and is a family-friendly event featuring an outstanding lineup of musical talent and hoards of local food and craft beer vendors. Bring a tent and stay the weekend on the farm and enjoy this laid back atmosphere. Learn more here.
Be sure to arrive hungry at the 40th Annual Loris Bog Off Festival. In addition to all of the other activities available at the festival, there will be plenty of opportunities to eat! Learn more here.
Address:
4242 Main Street, Loris, SC, 29569
5. MOJA Arts Festival - September 26 - October 6, 2019
MOJA is an annual celebration of African and Caribbean arts and is produced by the City of Charleston Cultural Affairs Department. The 11-day event includes a variety of indoor and outdoor events, including visual arts, classical music, gospel, jazz, poetry, R&B music, storytelling, theater, children’s activities, traditional crafts, ethnic food, and more. The festival kicks off on Thursday, September 26 with an opening day parade in downtown Charleston at 6:00 p.m. Learn more here.
Every South Carolinian can trace their love of BBQ back to their roots in the Palmetto State. This tiny town celebrates not only BBQ each year, but also the PIG. You'll find a variety of costumed pig statues scattered in the lawns of town residents as you make your way to the party. Oh, and be sure to come hungry! Learn more here.
Address: 170 S. Dogwood Avenue, Ridgeway, SC, 29130
Although Greenville isn't a small town, plenty of small town folks still feel akin to this city that's been on the up and coming scene for more than a decade. Spending a day at Fall for Greenville will definitely help you reconnect with small town life, even in a big city. Learn more here.
Address: Main Street, Greenville, SC, 29601
8. Honea Path Sugarfoot Festival - third weekend in October 2019
The annual Sugarfoot Festival in Honea Path is set for the third weekend in October and features a local "You've Got Talent" contest, a midway, attractions for the kiddos, and vendors galore. If you're seeking one of the best family-friendly fall events in South Carolina, you'll find it here.More info to come at this link.
Be sure to arrive early enough to get in on the hog callin' contest. In addition to plenty of chitlin samplings, you'll find the usual fair food, a variety of art and craft vendors, and a midway. One of the longest-running fall festivals in South Carolina, this is the 55th year for this annual event. More information is forthcoming at this link.
Address: 230 Pine Street, NW Salley, SC, 29137
If summer has to come to an end, at least we celebrate in a big way with some of the best fall festivals in South Carolina. Does your small town have a festival not on this list? Feel free to add it and let us know about it in the comments.
What other types of events take place in fall in South Carolina?
Autumn brings to South Carolina cooler and crisper days and nights and a world of ways to get back outside and play without the solid wall of humidity encountered during the dog days of summer. In what just may be our favorite season of all in the Palmetto State, fall is filled with a variety of activities to get outside and enjoy the cooler weather. Numerous outdoor festivals (see a list of nine of them above), including fall festivals and harvest fests provide venues for some wholesome family fun. The state’s only recreational, scenic train found at the South Carolina Railroad Museum in Winnsboro offers a number of themed rides each year, including the much-anticipated Pumpkin Patch train ride that’s perfect for the youngest members in the family. (Read more about it here.) More family activities to enjoy in the fall season are below…
What are the best family-friendly activities to do in the fall in South Carolina?
Each autumn, a number of farms in the Palmetto State transform into seasonal playgrounds that include everything from hayrides to pumpkin patches and gigantic corn mazes. Expect hours of family fun at any of them. The biggest corn maze in the state is found in the PeeDee Region in the tiny town of McBee at McLeod Farms, where a 20-acre corn maze will have you looking for clues to find your way out. Learn more about it here. And scores of fall festivals light up the days and nights with lively activity geared toward families and togetherness. (More on nine of those can be found in the article above.)
Which South Carolina town is the best to visit in the fall?
Aside from the annual Oktoberfest held here each October, the town of Walhalla is a wonderful place to experience the fun and the beautiful splendor of the fall season.
Robin Jarvis is a travel and entertainment writer and editor for OnlyInYourState.com with a bachelor's degree in Journalism. Her love for travel has taken her to many parts of the world. She spent more than two decades living on the coast in South Carolina and currently lives in the mountains of North Carolina - although she still makes it back to see family in South Carolina quite often. When she's not working, she loves to hike, kayak, and check out new adventures. Get in touch at [email protected]
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