S.C. State Fair to feature drive-through attractions in October

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The S.C. State Fair will look a little different this fall.

A free, drive-through fair will be held Oct. 20 and Oct. 21, featuring car-friendly attractions highlighting the state’s agriculture, arts, culture and history. Fair food favorites will be available by driving through the Lexington Medical Center Fair Park on the fairgrounds at 1200 Rosewood Drive.

The details of the attractions are still being worked out, according to a news release, and safety precautions related to the COVID-19 pandemic mean rides will not be a part of the 2020 state fair.

“In the midst of the worst global crisis of our lifetime, we wanted to give the community something positive to look forward to,” Nancy Smith, general manager of the S.C. State Fair, said in the release. “Our team is proud to offer a free event where families and friends can experience the joy of the State Fair in a safe and fun environment.”

The fair will also include a celebration of Ride of Your Life scholarship recipients. The nonprofit, 501(c)3 S.C. State Fair awards hundreds of thousands of dollars annually in scholarships to state public or private colleges, universities or technical institutions.

The S.C. State Fair is also encouraging the public to submit stories, photos and videos of past “prize-winning” memories of fairs to be shared on social media and possibly included in drive-through exhibits. Submissions are being accepted at favoritememory@scstatefair.org.  

The 2021 S.C. State Fair is scheduled to take place Oct. 13-24.

“The Drive-Through State Fair is going to give folks a snippet of the fair they’ve known their entire lives,” Smith said. “It will certainly look different, but we look forward to sharing this gift with the community. It will truly be a year like no other.”