The South Carolina State Fair begins with new entertainment, food and more

The South Carolina State Fair, considered the state’s largest event, returns to Columbia October 9-20, bringing 12 days of live entertainment, food and experiences to the Midlands.

This year’s fair will feature more than a dozen new foods, the debut of the South Carolina Grown Marketplace and Rocket Plaza, and a South Carolina-themed exhibit representing all 46 counties.

“Our guests can look forward to many fair favorites with a variety of surprises around every corner, including new fair foods, multiple South Carolina-themed attractions and local shopping,” said Nancy Smith, general manager of the SC State Fair, in a news release. “From agricultural and art competitions to craft and historical demonstrations, there will be numerous opportunities to learn and see the amazing work and talents of our fellow South Carolinians.”

The SC State Fair has partnered with the South Carolina Department of Transportation and the South Carolina Highway Patrol to implement a new traffic pattern to ensure smoother access to and from the fairgrounds. The fair also updated its clear bag policy and expanded its youth entry policy to increase safety and promote a family-friendly environment, the release said.

“We are always looking for ways to enhance the SC State Fair experience for our guests, and this year is no exception,” Smith said in the release. “We are committed to creating a safe, welcoming and enjoyable environment where everyone can create lasting memories.”

New attractions

New attractions include the South Carolina Grown Marketplace and the 46 Reasons to Celebrate South Carolina exhibit.

The South Carolina Grown Marketplace at Rosewoods Ballroom supports local businesses while giving attendees a taste of the South Carolina spirit. Discover a selection of handcrafted goods, farm-fresh produce, and one-of-a-kind treasures, all made, grown, or manufactured in South Carolina.

The 46 Reasons exhibit will explore the history, culture and beauty of every corner of the Palmetto State through exhibits dedicated to each of the 46 counties. In addition to the opportunity to learn something new, fair visitors also have the opportunity to mark their district on a huge map. Special guests and entertainers are scheduled to visit throughout the fair. The exhibition is located in the Ruff Building and is included in trade fair admission.

Located near the famous Rocket and North Gate, Rocket Plaza is an area full of entertainment performances and numerous places to eat, refuel and relax.

Entertainment options at Rocket Plaza include:

• Cast in bronzea musical performance by world-class musician Charlie St. Cyr-Paul, showcasing the majestic sounds of the glockenspiel, the largest percussion instrument in the world.
• The farmer’s daughter is a high-energy farm-themed show featuring Molly’s entertaining mix of gymnastics, rope tricks and a unique milk bottle walk.
• The silver stars Try to deliver a glamorous, high-energy aerial performance that combines power, grace and humor on a 20-foot trapeze apparatus.
• Major League Sports Show is hosted by Paz the Sports Guy. This double-header event features the Major League Circus Show, which combines baseball with acrobatics, followed by the Touchdown Circus, which combines the excitement of football with circus performances.

Food and drinks

With more than 90 food vendors, the SC State Fair offers plenty of choices for foodies. In addition to the classics like foot-long corn dogs, elephant ears, lemonade, turkey legs and fried Oreos, guests can enjoy more than a dozen new foods and drinks, including strawberry dragon fruit lemonade, poutine burgers, peach cobbler funnel cake, fried golden Oreos and more. For the second year in a row, in addition to the warm cookies and milk available at Pro Kitchen Cookie Kitchen, you can also pair your cookies with hot or iced coffee from Oliver Gospel Mission. For more information about the new foods and a map of all food vendors, visit scstatefair.org/food.

Rides and games

With a lineup of nearly 70 rides, the fair offers a variety from thrill rides to family-friendly rides. The fair offers daily trips at a one-off price. Visitors can enjoy unlimited rides every day of the fair, including weekends. Alternatively, guests can choose a reloadable card with 90 tickets that can be used over multiple days during the fair. Visit www.scstatefair.org/attractions/rides/ to learn more.

Entertainment

The SC State Fair will feature an entertainment program that includes daily shows such as Circus at the fairLive music on the Pepsi Place stage And Academic Avenue Stageroving entertainers on the exhibition grounds and historical demonstrations Heritage Village.

• Circus at the fair: The free, daily event is in its fifth year and features fresh new acts and new shows. The circus is located next to the Ellison Building near the South Gate entrance and will perform three 40-minute shows daily. Performances begin at 2:00 p.m., 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. With the trade fair admission ticket, entry is free every day. Led by ringmaster Ian Garden, circus acts include acrobatics, clowns, juggling, aerial acts and a human cannonball.
• Pepsi Place stage: Performers include The Tams, Oct. 9 at 7 p.m.; Best of All, a Tribute to Tom Petty, Oct. 10 at 7 p.m.; DraculaSneak Peek presented by South Carolina Ballet, October 11 at 7 p.m.; Cloverdayle, October 12 at 7 p.m.; Columbia’s Praise SC State Fair Unity Fest presented by Columbia’s Praise 95.7 FM, October 13 at 4 p.m.; Armed Services Veterans Band, Oct. 14 at 12 p.m.; Britishmania, Beatles Tribute Band, October 14 at 7 p.m.; Jason Sikes Tribute to Elvis, October 15 at 7 p.m.; ABBAMANIA – Abba Tribute, October 16 at 7 p.m.; Tokyo Joe, October 17 at 7 p.m.; Eloveation, October 18 at 7 p.m.; Marcel Portilla Band, October 19th at 7 p.m.; and Melvin Crispell III for WFMV Glory Night at the SC State Fair, October 20 at 4 p.m
• Main Street Entertainment: Palmetto State singer Carl Brunson returns to the SC State Fair this year to serenade fairgoers with a mix of pop, vaudeville, Motown, blues and more.
• Academic Avenue Stage: Musical shows, comedians and even hypnosis are part of the program of Academic Avenue stage shows for audiences of all ages. The stage will feature a boiled peanut eating contest, the Dennis Lee Band, country musician Jess Kellie Adams, comedy from Ron Diamond and sibling trio Renata the Band.
• The Netterfield Stage is presented TMichael Mungo’s intermittent shows from October 9th to 13th and J. Scott Thompson and J. Scott Thompson from October 14th to 20th.
• Roving performances during the fair include performances by artists such as clowns, stilt walkers and a unicyclist.

Heritage Village offers fairgoers a journey into the past with reconstructed historic structures, traditional crafts and demonstrations depicting the daily lives of early settlers. This year’s exhibition features two newcomers to the field: Albert A. Rasch: craftsman and primitive skills expert who highlights historical reenactments and metalworking, and traditional woodworking with Kaleo Simmons, who creates handmade items such as spoons, barrels and bows demonstrated and a look at the craftsmanship of the past.

The SC State Fair celebrates the talents of local gardeners, craftsmen and artists with a series of exhibits and competitions. The Cantey Building’s floral displays include potted plants, cut flowers and a new South Carolina Native Plants and Design Contest, while the Moore Building will showcase creative entries in arts and crafts, quilting, baking and more, including new contests such as the SC Dip Showdown and the Spirit of the Carolina Award.

Agriculture, lLivestock breeding and AAnimals

Deeply rooted in agriculture, the SC State Fair features a variety of competitions and exhibitions that highlight the state’s agricultural traditions. Visitors can enjoy the home-grown produce display, the new SC Seed Art-iculture competition featuring seed mosaics, and the From Field to Fair program with interactive games about agriculture and sustainability.

McLeod Farms’ daily exhibits in the Ellison Building showcase locally made or grown products, while animal exhibits offer an up-close look at farm animals and their care. New this year is the Spirit of South Carolina youth horse costume contest, as well as attractions such as the Swifty Swine Racing Pigs and the Commerford Petting Zoo.

For a complete list of daily and special promotions, visit www.scstatefair.org/plan-your-visit/promotions/. The daily calendar of events can be found at www.scstatefair.org/fair-calendar.

New admission policy for teenagers

To promote a family-friendly environment, the SC State Fair has updated its Youth Admissions Policy, which establishes important guidelines for minors attending the fair. From Sunday to Thursday, guests under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a legal guardian who is at least 21 years old to enter the exhibition grounds from 5 p.m. All days on Fridays and Saturdays, all guests under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a legal guardian who is at least 21 years old when entering the exhibition grounds.

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