South Carolina State Fair facts for kids
Quick facts for kids South Carolina State Fair |
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| Genre | State fair |
| Dates | 12 days (starting date varies in October) |
| Location(s) | South Carolina State Fairgrounds Columbia, South Carolina, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 33°58′41″N 81°01′19″W / 33.978°N 81.022°W |
| Years active | 1869–1916; 1919-41; since 1945 |
| Attendance | 473,359 (2014) |
| Area | 101 acres (41 ha) |
The South Carolina State Fair is an annual 12-day state fair held in Columbia, South Carolina and operated by the State Agricultural and Mechanical Society of South Carolina. North American Midway Entertainment caters rides, food, and games for the fair. The fair is South Carolina's largest recurring event, attracting over 400,000 fairgoers annually.
History
Bands and singers that have played in the Grandstand include Chicago in 1970, Golden Earring (from the Netherlands) in '74, Billy Ray Cyrus in 1995, Little Richard (from Macon) in '98, Jars of Clay in 2000, Beach Boys in 2001, Columbia's own Hootie & the Blowfish in 2001, Daughtry (from Greensboro) in 2007, Jonas Brothers in 2007, American Idol winner David Cook in '09, USC alumni Darius Rucker in 2010, Eric Church (from NC) in '10, Miranda Lambert in '10, Avett Brothers (from Charlotte) in 2010, Styx in 2011, Skillet in 2011, O.A.R. in 2012, Doobie Brothers in 2012, Boyz II Men in 2012, Hunter Hayes in '13, Foreigner in '13, Corey Smith (from Georgia) in 2013, Marshall Tucker Band (from Spartanburg) in 2014, Charleston's Shovels & Rope in '14, MC Hammer in 2014, Shawn Mendes (from Canada) in 2015, Lynyrd Skynyrd (from Jacksonville) in 2016, Alabama in '16, Chris Young (from the Nashville area) in 2017, Bret Michaels of Poison in 2018, The Temptations with The Four Tops, Trace Adkins, Scotty McCreery (from Raleigh), and Irmo's Tokyo Joe band doing a tribute to Elton John in 2018. Charleston's Jump, Little Children played there for the relocated 2019 Rosewood Crawfish Festival. The State Fair had a circus tent instead of famous music acts for its 150th anniversary in 2019. This circus had camels, a dog show, a high wire, and motorcycles in a cage. The rocket turned 50 years old in 2019, and was wrapped up for the occasion.
There was a drive-thru fair with fair food sold from vendors in 2020.
Upcoming dates
- 13–24 October 2021 (subject to cancellation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic)
