July 2021 Council Highlights

  • Please be aware of traffic slowdowns at the intersection of North Lafayette Drive and North Main Street as the final stages of work to improve traffic flow in this area are underway. Most work will be done at night to minimize disruptions, but some daytime traffic interruptions may occur. This is a part of the first Capital Penny project that has been in the works for more than 10 years, to no fault of anyone, it’s just projects like these take time to go through the process as they involve many landowners as well as various environmental and permitting agencies.
  • The next Litter clean-up is scheduled for August 14, we want to encourage everyone to join in to help… Neighborhood Associations, churches, youth groups, businesses and more… we need your help to help keep Sumter litter free. The 2021 dates are:
    • August 14
    • October 16
    • December 18

This program is a partnership with the City of Sumter, South Carolina, Sumter County, the Greater Sumter Chamber of Commerce, and PalmettoPride. We invite you to join us in this cleanup effort... signup to volunteer anytime on our website www.sumtersc.gov/litter.

  • Downtown Sumter 4th Friday’s free concerts, are back! Join us in July and September in front of the Opera House from 6:30-9:00pm for music, food and fun for the whole family. Sponsored by The Yahnis Company. This Friday’s band is a local beach band favorite - The Footnotes.
  • Sumter Opera House Summer Movie Series continues through August 10. Admission is $1.50 per person and shows are at 10AM, 1PM and 7PM every Tuesday. More info at sumteroperahouse.com
  • Family Fun Days -- softball, tennis, art and more every Thursday at the South Sumter Park. Free for the whole family. 5:30-7:30PM
  • The annual Black Cowboy Festival will be held July 30-31 in Rembert. Family entertainment, enlightenment, and educational. Historical events, ethnic foods, and arts. Horse shows, Music, and much more. Event ticket prices vary and are available on their website at blackcowboyfestival.net.
  • The Sumter Police Department’s Back to School Bash will be held on Tuesday, August 10 at Crosswell Park, of Lafayette Drive, 10AM to 2PM. There will be a DJ, food, face painting, balloon artists and more. The event is free and open to the public.
    • The Santee-Lynches Regional COG presents their High Five 2 Change Back to School Jamboree, Tuesday, July 27 at the Sumter Civic Center, from 6-8PM. Music and light refreshments will be provided, along with information you need to get your kids ready and set for the upcoming school year. This event is free and open to the public.
    • Liberty eSTEAM School will be hosting their Back to School event on August 7 at 803 S. Harvin Street. This event is free and open to the public. There will be school supplies, health resources, entertainment, food and more.
  • Over the next year, the Sumter Tourism team, partnering with local businesses and organizations will host a series of Scavenger Hunts to help you explore the Sumter community more! The Hunt is free to download and play. More info on LoveSumter.com.
    • Our current race focuses on Downtown Sumter… Race to complete challenges to earn points to win. We encourage all participants to have fun exploring Downtown Sumter, South Carolina and visit the many amazing businesses and amenities we have to offer. All clues are in the Central Business District (Downtown Sumter), therefore points will only be given to participants who complete missions in Downtown Sumter, SC district. Sumter Tourism is utilizing GooseChase Appto encourage exploration of the Sumter Community. The Discover Downtown Scavenger Hunt will be open at 6:00 PM on Friday, July 23, 2021 and will close at 11:59 PM on Friday, September 24, 2021. Winners will be notified by e-mail the following week, after all bonus points are added and tallied.
    • While we are currently running a Scavenger Hunt game all about Downtown Sumter, join us this holiday season for the Poinsettia Scavenger Hunt (with holiday activities throughout November & December in Sumter, SC) and then check back for more in 2022!
  • City Council meetings are held on the first Tuesday at 1 PM and on the third Tuesday at 5:30 PM on the 4th floor of the Sumter Opera House (enter through the back entrance off the parking lot). Public comments may also be submitted online anytime through our website at sumtersc.gov/council/meetings, or city citizens can contact the Mayor or their Councilmember any time prior to any meeting to discuss a concern or idea you may have for the City. For our regularly scheduled meetings, agendas are announced the Friday before each meeting on our website and include links to detailed agenda items as well as location, and more.

Next month our regularly scheduled meetings are on August 3 at 1 PM and August 17 at 5:30 PM.