Aynor’s 43rd annual Harvest Hoe-Down festival returns this weekend

AYNOR, SC (WMBF) - If you’re ready for a taste of fall, the 43rd Aynor Harvest Hoe-Down’s got you covered.

The annual festival returns this weekend. The Aynor Harvest Hoe-Down started in 1979 with around 1,000 people and has grown ever since.

This year, the town’s biggest event is expected to draw in 30,000 people.

Saturday’s festival kicks off with a parade right through downtown.

There will be nearly 200 vendors to fill Aynor Town Park with food, arts and crafts and plenty of activities for kids.

A few downtown business owners decided to close up shop and enjoy the festivities themselves, including Color Me Classy salon owner Joy Harris.

“People need to be out and enjoying the day and not worried about getting their hair done,” Harris said. “Everyone in here likes to go and shop, mingle, talk to customers and enjoy the day too.”

While Harris is closing up shop, other businesses are hoping to see more people walk through their doors.

The Corner Outpost opened in May, so they are pulling out all the stops for their first Aynor Hoe-Down festival.

The shop is bringing in jewelry and decorating vendors, as well as having a special sale and giveaways throughout the weekend.

Corner Outpost owner Sandy Davis said she hopes the store will welcome in new and old customers during and even after the festival.

“I think the Harvest Hoe-Down is a way to not only bring in the small community of Aynor but also the people outside that can come in, and we can showcase what we have to sell,” Davis said. “Even if they don’t come to Aynor all the time, we hope that we can be an online store for them.”

The 43rd Aynor Harvest Hoe-Down Festival kicks off at 10 a.m. with a parade on Saturday.

For more information and a full schedule of events, click here.

Copyright 2023 WMBF. All rights reserved.