School may be starting soon, but a Jeep show, giant yard sale, burger cookoff and much more will round out summer events
SUMTER
Fourth Fridays continues for the summer in front of Sumter County Courthouse, 141 N. Main St. Every fourth Friday through September, a different band will take the stage at 6:30 p.m., and the event will last until 9 p.m. with food trucks/vendors, beer and free entertainment. Palmetto Optimist Club will give out free books to kids and have popcorn for sale, and Sertoma Club will sell the beer. Downtown restaurants will also be open during the event. Bands on the schedule are Chief Complaint on July 26, Second Nature on Aug. 23 and Too Much Sylvia on Sept. 27. Bring your own chairs. Coolers aren't allowed.
Jeep lovers, their friends and family will all come together at the third-annual Krawlin' for Christ Jeep Show and Shine on Saturday, July 27, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Sumter County Civic Center, 700 W. Liberty St. There will be Jeep vendors, live music, food vendors, an RC course and the Show and Shine Competition. The indoor/outdoor event is free and open to the public and supports St. Jude Children's Hospital. To be a vendor or for more information, please contact Minnie Sue Ardis or Ashley Ardis at krawlinforchrist@sc.rr.com. Learn more about the event at https://Krawlinforchrist.wixsite.com/my-site-1.
Join The Live in the Flesh Experience for a night of good vibes and throwback music at the '90s Jammy Jam Party on Aug. 9-10 from 8 p.m. that Friday through 2 a.m. that Saturday morning. Once you've bought your tickets at https://tinyurl.com/3z28by5w, join the party at Catchall Masonic Lodge, 3280 Peach Orchard Road, Dalzell.
The Palmetto Optimist Club's Burger Cookoff event returns to downtown Sumter's Rotary Plaza on Sept. 14 from 2 to 7 p.m. for the third year to help raise money for families battling childhood cancer, and the club is looking for people to sign up to compete or become a sponsor. Teams interested in participating can email PalmettoOptimistClub@gmail.com for details. Teams will compete in two categories, People's Choice and Judges' Choice. Everything will help support Children's Cancer Partners of the Carolinas, with the money raised going to children in Sumter and Clarendon battling cancer. Visit www.palmettooptimistclub.com/s-projects-basic for more about the event and to sign up to participate.
CLARENDON
The Joanne W. Charles Memorial Annual Charity Golf Tournament will be held on Saturday, Aug. 10, at Santee Cooper Country Club, 630 Santee Drive, Santee. Shotgun start is at 9 a.m., and the cost is $75 per player or $300 per team. There will be prizes for closest to the pin and longest drive, plus a putting contest. Register online at Charitygolftoday.com/jwcsantee. Contact Kenneth Johnson for more about the tournament at info@jwcmemorial.org or (803) 410-0976.
Find a few new-to-you treasures as the annual Clarendon Club Giant Community Yard Sale on Saturday, Aug. 3, starting at 8 a.m. Vendor and household spaces are available, and there will be deals and treasures for everyone. Catch the sale at 1219 Dingle Pond Road. For more information, email ccweddingsandevents@outlook.com or call (803) 478-2010. Sign up to be a vendor at https://tinyurl.com/2hk5t2wr.
Hear plenty of beautiful gospel music at the Gospel Sensationals - 21st Anniversary event on Saturday, Aug. 3. Earthquake Entertainment presents the show, with The McDuffies, The Gospel Legends, Ernest Pearson & The Singing Disciples, Justified, The National JRS, The McClary Sisters, The Heavenly Stars, Sons of Faith, Heavenly Angels and Cedric Bennett and Company. Doors will open at 4 p.m., and the program starts at 5 p.m. Advance tickets are $15 or $20 at the door. Children under 12 can attend for free. Buy tickets at Bennett's Oil Change, 102 N. Boundary St., Manning. The event will be held at Manning Junior High School, 1101 WL Hamilton Road. For more information, call (864) 525-0625.
Add the End of Summer concert to your calendar for Thursday, Sept. 12. The downtown Manning concert organized by the City of Manning will start at 6:30 p.m. and last until 8:30 p.m. Email ctrebil@cityofmanning.org or call (803) 435-8477 for more information.
LEE COUNTY
Hop aboard the whisper-quiet, open-air tour vehicle and explore the park along the historic Loop Road in Lee State Park on Saturday, Aug. 3 and Aug. 24. Guided tram tour guests will visit historic points of interest while keeping an eye out and ears open for park wildlife like white-tailed deer, many species of birds and turtles out and about on the park. Each tour runs from 10 a.m. to noon and costs $10 per person. Wear clothing appropriate for the weather and also for riding on a 15mph open-air tram, water and bug repellent. Binoculars, camera, sunglasses and a hat are optional. Registration deadline is one day before the program. Limited seating is available. Book your seats at https://tinyurl.com/4ybd57s5, then fill out the form at https://forms.office.com/r/86pLRh204z. Meet at the Environmental Education Center.
COLUMBIA
The South Carolina Book Lovers Expo and Food Truck Festival will be held Saturday, July 27, at the Gala Event Center, 1801 Bush River Road, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. You can meet 40 regional authors representing many genres, get writing coaching, get books signed and take your pick of food from among five food trucks. Children are welcome at the event and will be able to explore the newest books, get their faces painted, take part in storytelling and more. The event is free and open to the public. Learn more at www.thebookbutler.com/events.
Repticon returns to Columbia on Aug. 3-4. There will be a mixture of vendors and breeders at this family oriented, fun-filled event for everyone to learn about animals not normally seen in local pet stores. Shop for a new family pet among the hundreds of reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates, arachnids and small exotic animals. You can also buy cages, supplies and both live and frozen feeders, and get expert advice about caring for the new pet. Repticon will be held at the Jamil Temple, 206 Jamil Road, Columbia, on Saturday, Aug. 3, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday, Aug. 4, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets are sold online only: $15 Super Ticket (entry for both days), $12 Saturday (all day), $10 Saturday after 1 p.m., $12 Sunday (all day), $6 for children 5-12, and children 4 and under are admitted free. To buy tickets or for more information about the show, visit https://repticon.com/south-carolina/columbia.
Enjoy a five-course meal at a Beer Dinner to help support Folds of Honor of the Palmetto State, which awards scholarships to the spouses and children of fallen and disabled military veterans. The dinner will start at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 1, at Steel Hands Brewing, 2350 Foreman St., Cayce. Buy your tickets in person in the taproom with a bartender or call Baylee Richter, (803) 260-2985.
FLORENCE
Enjoy an outside rodeo with entertainment and music by DJ PAYME and DJ B-LORD on Aug. 3-4. RNB+Southern Soul Birthday Rodeo starts at 8 p.m. and lasts through 1 a.m. at the Florence Fairgrounds, 5526 E. Palmetto St., Florence.
Find vintage and secondhand items, decor, clothing, crafts, jewelry, handmade items, flowers, food and music at the Round Town Vintage and Handmade Market on Saturday, July 27, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Local makers, artisans and vintage/secondhand curators will be there. The market will be in the green space area surrounded by local restaurants Bean Bar Coffee, Buddy's Burgers, Local Motive, Thai Local +King Jefe Sushi, 2519 W. Palmetto St., Florence.
Florence RaceFest at the Market will be held at the Pee Dee State Farmers Market on Saturday, Aug. 31, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Pee Dee State Farmers Market is at 2513 W. Lucas St., Florence. All are welcome to this free event to kick off Race Weekend. There will be games, activities, arts and crafts, food, and family friendly fun, including Cozy Coupe Races, the Kenny Shelley Memorial Auto Fair and Acceleration Zone, where you can touch and see racing vehicles up close.
UPSTATE
The South Carolina Bigfoot Festival is returning to Westminster on Oct. 11-12. Since 2019, thousands of people descend on this small town during the month of October to celebrate and learn about the most well know mysterious creature in the world - Bigfoot! People from all over the United States have come to the festival since 2019 and many have returned every year. Whether or not you believe in the Big Fella, you will have fun listening to expert Bigfoot researchers, tapping your feet to live music, participating in or watching the multiple contests, or perusing the many vendors up and down Main Street Westminster. Vendors may apply to participate by going to www.scbigfootfestival.com or emailing scbigfootfestival@hotmail.com.
AMUSEMENT PARKS
The YMCA of Columbia opened its water parks for summer 2024, one in Orangeburg and one in Santee. The Santee Water Park, 1761 Bass Drive, Santee, SC 29142, is open Fridays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. The Orangeburg Water Park, 2550 St. Matthews Road, Orangeburg, SC 29118, is open Thursdays and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Admission is $10 for those 48 inches and above and $5 for those 47 inches and below. Free for YMCA of Columbia members. Both parks offer family fun slides, zero-depth pools, tot pools, lazy river, slides and spray features, group pavilions and snack bars. If you have any questions, contact the Orangeburg County YMCA at (803) 268-9622.
Carowinds has announced the lineup for its Carowinds Summer Music Fest Amplified by Coke Studio. The fest also features performances by regional bands and emerging artists throughout the park, including 10 acts performing in-park, showcasing a mix of Nashville recording artists and Carolina talent.
- Friday, July 26: Brett Young with Restless Road
- Saturday, July 27: Brantley Gilbert with Lauren Alaina
- Friday, Aug. 2: Skillet with 10 Years
- Saturday, Aug. 3: Sugar Ray, Better Than Ezra and Tonic
- Friday, Aug. 9: Flo Rida with Blanco Brown
- Saturday, Aug. 10: Russell Dickerson with Tyler Rich
The Carowinds Summer Music Fest is free with park admission. Season passholders can enjoy all performances as part of their pass benefits.
For the latest updates on the Carowinds Summer Music Fest, including performance schedules, visit Carowinds.com. Carowinds, a 400-acre amusement park located on the North Carolina-South Carolina state line, is home to top-rated roller coasters, including Fury 325, the world's tallest and fastest giga coaster, as well as more than 58 rides, attractions, and live stage shows. Carolina Harbor, a 26-acre water park, features a variety of water slides, wave pools, large play structures and a three-acre children's play area. For information on attractions and accommodations at Carowinds, visit www.carowinds.com or call (704) 588-2600.