Iris Festival returns a bit earlier this year

Sumter is home to the longest-running festival in South Carolina, which is, of course, the Iris Festival.

Surrounded by beautiful irises cared for by Master Gardeners and the scenic natural beauty of the gardens and water, the Sumter Iris Festival is not one you want to miss.

In Sumter's idealistic Swan Lake Iris Gardens, the festival is seen as one of Sumter's best, but this year there will be one change. Even when the festival began back in 1940, it was on Memorial Day weekend, but this year, the iconic festival will take place the weekend before from May 16 to May 18.

The date shift follows changes to the dates of the school year, said City of Sumter Communications and Tourism Director Shelley Kile. If the festival took place on its usual weekend, it would have coincided with five graduations, spreading Sumter's police department thin and affecting volunteers who had celebrations to attend. With the new date, not only will it be more convenient for the public, but it will also allow city employees and volunteers to have the holiday weekend off for the first time.

For those who don't know, the Iris Festival is one of the biggest festivals in Sumter, with a large focus on the arts. One of the city's stipulations of use for acquiring Swan Lake Iris Gardens was to never charge an entrance fee, so the Iris Festival is completely free. In fact, it's completely possible to enjoy the day without spending any money, as only purchasing from vendors costs guests money. The musical entertainment, games and rides are all free. The festival is also the only time the city offers boat rides on Swan Lake, and even that is free.

On the topic of vendors, there will be more than 150 to choose from, coming from not only Sumter, but other states as well. These will be selling various items including art, crafted goods, toys and artisan food. And, of course, what's a festival without food?

A variety of good eats will be available to choose from, including Thai food, Mexican cuisine, barbecue, popcorn, and there will even be a coffee food truck.

For the first time, the festival will feature a large tent with seating, providing shade for those who need a second to sit down or a cool place to eat.

The festival is so old, one of the only times it was canceled was during World War II, so it has seen a lot of iterations throughout its life, but some things have stayed the same. For example, the parade. On Saturday at 10 a.m., the festival will have its traditional parade. Sponsored by Evening Optimist Club, the parade will start at USC Sumter and travel down Miller Road to Liberty Street heading toward Sumter County Civic Center.

In the past, the festival has had certain rides on certain days, but this year, to quell any disappointment from missing a certain attraction, the festival will have all rides and games for the whole weekend. There will be something for everyone, including a large foam play structure for the littlest of children, an activity trailer from Department of Natural Resources, a dunk tank, skee ball machine, basketball hoops, a large rock-climbing wall and jungle gym.

The festival will also coincide with the Moonless International Film Festival on May 18, which may become an annual event. You can catch some of the actors and actresses who were part of the film festival in the parade.

Every year, the Iris Festival showcases an art and that discipline's local artists. This year, it will be the literary arts, and local authors will be available to read excerpts from, sell and sign their books.

Though the official dates for the festival are May 16 -18, it will kick off on the night of Thursday, May 15, at 6 p.m. with "Taste at the Gardens." The event was described by Kile as a "foodie event" where there will only be food vendors and local chefs serving up dishes. Entertainment for the night will be DJ Howie D, and there will be the crowning of the king and queen of the Iris Festival.

The crowning of the king and queen of the Iris Festival is also traditional. Two seniors - one female and one male - from every high school in the county are nominated by the schools. All of the nominees get scholarship money, but the king and queen of the Iris Festival will get the most with $500 in scholarship money.

If one thing is true, it's that the Iris Festival has a lot to offer its attendees this year. Go to https://tinyurl.com/bdhtv48y to learn even more about the three-day celebration.