Here are 4 of the best SC peach and watermelon festivals to try this summer
It’s just not summer in South Carolina until the peaches return to peach sheds and the peach festivals begin.
South Carolina is the No. 2 peach-growing state in the U.S. California dwarfs South Carolina in the number of peaches harvested.
South Carolina and Georgia have long been in a competition for peach growing and even had a tweet-off in 2019. Georgia, which calls itself the Peach State, claimed victory because they said their peaches are three times as sweet.
South Carolina grows more than twice the number of peaches than Georgia.
South Carolina lost one of its major peach festivals this year. After last year’s 50th annual Ridge Peach Festival in Trenton in Edgefield County, organizers canceled it for this year.
There has not been much said about the cancellation, but on June 6 on Facebook they said, “Even though the Ridge Peach Festival will not take place this year, please plan to come out and support the Peach Festival Softball Tournament.”
The tournament is a fundraiser for the Ryan White Foundation, named for 13-year-old Ryan White, who contracted AIDS after a blood transfusion in 1984 and died six years later.
Several people asked on Facebook why the festival was not being held.
Beth Young responded, “The people of Trenton did an amazing job for 50 years to keep the festival going. Unfortunately, those people get older and there just isn’t a young population in Trenton anymore like there used to be. I was born and raised there- half a dozen houses on one street are my family members. They’ve helped to keep it going for years and at some point have to give it up.”
Two other peach festivals are planned:
July 4 — The Lexington County Peach Festival returns for the 63rd year, sponsored by the Gilbert Community Club. There will be a parade, entertainment, arts and craft exhibits, antique car show, tractor show, children’s rides and many food items specializing in peaches, peach delight, peach sundaes, peach cobbler, peach zip, peach slush, and fresh sliced peaches.
July 12, 14, 15, 21, 22 — From the city that gave the world the Peachoid, a 135-foot-tall water tower that some think looks more like a butt than a peach, comes the South Carolina Peach Festival in Gaffney. It features entertainment, games, food, arts/craft shows, talent competitions, and a peach parade. Concert headliner is Lainey Wilson on July 14. Returning this year is a dirt track race from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. July 21 at Cherokee Speedway.
If peaches are not quite your thing, there’s also a party to honor the watermelon.
June 17-24 — The Annual Hampton County Watermelon Festival in Hampton, which bills itself as the state’s oldest continuing festival with one of the largest parades in the state. Highlights include, watermelon eating and judging contests, Lake Warren State Park Family Fun Day, youth parade, pet show, mud run, Melon Miss pageant for all ages, arts and crafts displays, “good Hampton County Food,” and musical entertainment.
July 14-15 — Pageland Watermelon Festival in Pageland featuring a watermelon-themed parade and “seed spittin’ and watermelon eatin’ contests for all ages.” Various types of food, assortment of music, including beach, country, and gospel.
