Welcome to the 2023 Sumter Iris Festival

SUMTER, S.C. (May 22, 2023) – The annual Sumter Iris Festival starts this Thursday with the announcement of its 81^stannual King and Queen at the Taste at the Gardens event, starting at 6 PM.

The Iris Festival is one of South Carolina’s oldest and Sumter’s largest festivals and runs through Sunday, May 29^th. Hours of the festival are Thursday 6-8:30 PM, Friday and Saturday 10 AM to 6 PM, and Sunday 10 AM to 5 PM. Admission is free for the entire event.

This year will include new additions such as human bowling, inflatable axe throwing, a classic carousel, and a petting zoo. There is also an extension to the kid’s area for younger ages to color, run, jump, and play, while parents have plenty of opportunities to shop and eat at over 149 vendors throughout the weekend.

All three days of the festival are packed with things to see and explore, along with live entertainment. Ongoing events throughout the weekend include Art in the Gardens with featured artists, gardening, arts & craft vendors, food trucks, children’s art, a parade, car shows and so much more.

“This festival would not be impossible without the generous support from our sponsors,” stated Kristin Milan, Iris Festival Chair. “The festival has some special surprises in store that we hope you will enjoy, we look forward to welcoming visitors from all across the Southeast to the festival this year.”

The Iris Festival is an annual tradition and has been named one of the Top 20 Events by the Southeast Tourism Society as well as one of the Top 100 Events in the U.S. by the American Bus Association.

For a full schedule and more info visit www.irisfestival.org.

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