When the air turns crisp, leaves start changing colors, and pumpkins make their appearance at local farms, there’s one event in the Camden area of South Carolina you definitely won’t want to miss: Old McCaskill’s Fall Family Farm Day. A blend of farm life, fall fun, and southern charm, this is your chance to let the whole family get their hands dirty and soak up harvest-season memories.
Just 10 minutes outside of Camden in Rembert, Old McCaskill’s Farm is hosting its annual Fall Family Farm Day on October 4, 2025, from 10:00 am until 4:00 pm. Now in its 16th year, this fall-tastic event continues to grow, while keeping its working-farm authenticity and southern hospitality.
What to Expect: Activities + Experiences
The Fall Family Farm Day offers something for everyone:
🎃 Pumpkin Patch: Pick your own pumpkin or just wander among the vines.
🐎 Hayrides & Horseback Rides: These classic farm rides are always a hit!
🪵 Farm Demonstrations: See how a working farm operates, including blacksmith, woodworker, sawmill & gristmill demonstrations.
🪕 Live Entertainment: Enjoy the sounds of the season, with Bluegrass music providing the perfect soundtrack to your family’s farm day.
🍔 Great Food & Local Fare: Traditional fall treats and farm-style offerings to indulge in.
🐑 Activities for All Ages: Games, inflatables, barrel trains, animal encounters, and more.
What Makes It Special?
Before you think this is your typical “fall festival,” remember that Old McCaskill’s is still a working farm. You’ll see real farm operations and demonstrations you won’t find in a standard fall festival. And, with plenty of activities on offer, this event appeals to families in all stages – those with little ones who love animals and exploring new things, and those who’s older kids (and adults!) enjoy craftsmanship, music, and farm history. What’s more? You’ll be majorly supporting local – local farmers, artisans, craft and food vendors and entertainment. So, if you’ve been waiting for your sign to fully lean into the fall vibe — pumpkins, hayrides and crisp air — consider this your official invitation.
Tips for Attending
To make the most of the day, here are some helpful hints:
🎟️ Skip the Line – Buy your tickets in advance and avoid waiting in line at the gate.
⏰ Arrive Early — Parking areas and access points become more crowded as the day goes on. Getting there early gives you breathing room for the more popular activities.
🧥 Wear Appropriate Clothes — Think comfy shoes, clothes you don’t mind getting a little dusty, and be sure to layer (it may start cool and warm up).
💵 Bring Cash — Some food and artisan vendors may be cash-only.
🪑 Bring a Chair or Blanket — For enjoying music, watching demos, or resting between activities.
Here’s how we would spend our time at the Fall Family Farm Day:
10:00 am – Arrive, grab a quick snack from one of the local vendors, explore the pumpkin patch and snag a gorgeous pumpkin before it gets too crowded.
11:00 am – Enjoy a hayride followed by a live blacksmith or sawmill demonstration.
12:30 pm – Lunch from another local vendor & take a little break. Let the kids check out the inflatables or the barrel train while you enjoy a craft beer, glass of wine or mocktail.
2:00 pm – Squeeze in a horseback ride or farm tour, then find a shady spot to relax and enjoy some live bluegrass music.
3:30 pm – Wrap up your best day ever with one last loop, revisiting your favorite spots and ensuring you have enough pumpkins (is there such a thing?) and any purchases before you head home.
Old McCaskill’s Fall Family Day is more than just a fall festival; it’s a chance to throw it back to simpler times, enjoy hands-on experiences, and embrace the magic of the fall season in a warm and welcoming setting. Whether this is your first visit or a long-standing family tradition, expect laughter, fall aromas, friendly faces and cute animals, and memories that will last long past pumpkin spice season. Get your tickets today!
EXPLORE MORE
If you’re not ready to call it a day just yet, head back over to Camden and explore Broad Street for all your cultural, art and retail needs. Crawl the Cultural District, discover boutique shopping at its finest, or unearth some unique vintage finds at one of our many antique shops. Once you’ve met your shopping quota, you’ll probably need to quench your thirst. Grab a beer at Greener Pastures Brewing, Camden’s first and only brewery and the newest watering hole on the block, or Steeplechase Sports Bar & Grill if you’re looking to watch a game. Prefer wine or spirits? Broad & Vine Wine Bar has over 30 bottles for you to sample at their unique self-pour system, and offers charcuterie boards and dessert as well. Silver Leaf Cigar Lounge is your go-to for elevated cocktails and top-notch cigars.
Famished from your day of fall fun? Check out B.Colson, Camden’s polished casual eatery serving steaks, seafood and an impressive selection of bourbons. Salud Mexican Kitchen serves upscale Mexican food and a seemingly endless list of spirits and Sam Kendall’s is your go-to Camden favorite for traditional American cuisine where everyone knows everyone. If you’re looking for a place to stay the night before heading home, we’ve got you covered. Rest your bones one of our locally-owned hotels or cozy up in a home away from home short-term rental. Wherever you choose to lay your head, Camden’s southern hospitality will be there to make sure your stay is nothing short of charming.
Camden Invites Community to Trees4SC! Open House to Shape Urban Forest Future
Public Input Sought on Community Tree Canopy Plan and Urban Forest Initiative
August 21, 2025 – CAMDEN, SC – The City of Camden, in partnership with Green Infrastructure Center, Inc. (GIC), invites residents to attend a community open house on September 15, 2025, at 6:00 PM at the Revolutionary War Visitor Center, located at 212 Broad Street, Camden, SC 29020.
The Trees4SC! initiative represents months of collaborative work between City of Camden staff, community stakeholders, and GIC staff to assess the community’s tree canopy, develop comprehensive mapping, and review existing ordinances. City officials are now ready to present their plan for Camden’s urban forest and seek valuable community input.
What Attendees Can Expect:
View comprehensive community tree maps showing current canopy coverage
Provide feedback on urban forestry initiatives
Help decide optimal locations for new tree plantings
Enter a free tree raffle for residents
Enjoy complimentary food and beverages
“We are excited to have been chosen as one of the communities to participate in the Trees4SC! program,” says Community Development Coordinator Kat Spadacenta. “This community open house is an important next step in the program, and we are hoping to engage as many residents and civic groups that we can to provide input on where trees are most needed in the City of Camden.”
The urban forest plan aims to enhance Camden’s environmental sustainability, improve air quality, provide natural cooling, and increase property values while preserving the city’s historic charm.
Tree planting campaigns will be launched in the community in November, and the City is looking to engage residents in learning about the benefits of trees and proper tree care during that time as well. Trees will be distributed by GIC to be planted within the City of Camden.
Can’t Attend but Want to Participate?
Residents unable to attend the meeting can still contribute by scanning the QR code on event materials or click on this link Camden Trees Community Survey to access an online survey about the community’s trees and urban forest priorities.
For More Information:
Marsha Potter Community Forestry Planner mpotter@gicinc.org 434-996-1378
Tom Knowles Community Forester tknowles@gicinc.org 434-995-8576
The Trees4SC! Open House is free and open to all City of Camden residents. Light refreshments will be provided.
About Trees4SC!: The Green Infrastructure Center (GIC) and the South Carolina Forestry Commission’s Urban and Community Forestry Program have joined forces to champion urban forestry initiatives across South Carolina through a new program called Trees4SC! With funding from the USDA Forest Service, courtesy of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), three cities, including Camden, Dillon, and Walterboro, were selected to receive support for this second round of funding to plan for and plant trees over the next two years, beginning in 2025.
The South Carolina Ag + Art Tour returns to Kershaw County for one day only, Saturday, May 31st from 9 am to 4 pm. Join in this free, self-guided tour of farms and markets, and art spaces.
Experience farm living at Granny Creek Homestead, immerse yourself in art, see antique tractors and so much more at the Arts Center of Kershaw County and Camden Art Shoppes, and fill your belly and basket with farm fresh, locally produced items at Gorget Distilling Company and the Kershaw County Farmers Market.
The South Carolina Ag + Art Tour is now in its fourteenth (14th) year, and has 22 counties participating in 2025. This annual agritourism attraction is a great way to educate people about where their food and fiber come from and introduce them to local artisans.
“We are proud of the commitment of our farms, artisans, and county teams. Because of that, we can sustain continued growth,” says Will Culler, Clemson Extension Agribusiness Agent, and Tour Director. “One of our goals has been to give people a better knowledge of what is produced in their backyard and help them to support local businesses while making healthier food choices. This event does that by putting food and product with a face.”
The following sites will be featured in Kershaw County May 31st, from 9 am to 4 pm:
Granny Creek Homestead, 257 Payne Pond Road, Westville – Have you ever wanted to know how to start a small homestead or see where the goat milk soaps come from? Tour this 10-acre homestead and visit with the chickens. Or pet, feed and milk the Nigerian Dwarf goats and see demos from the farmers on site. Artisans will be on site as well.
Arts Center of Kershaw County, 810 Lyttleton Street, Camden – The artistic hub of Kershaw County, the Arts Center’s 3 acre campus is in the heart of Camden. See live demos including chair caning, fabric ice dying, basket weaving, and more! Other activities include tortoise and hare races, hosted by Pine Tree Hill Wildlife Rescue, all natural henna tattoos, and an antique tractor petting zoo. Food and beverages will be sold on site, including the award-winning Camden Jaycees BBQ.
Kershaw County Farmers Market, 906 Broad Street, Camden – 9 am-12 pm only – Voted #1 Farmers Market in South Carolina in 2023, this is a family-friendly (pets included) place to enjoy the very best of South Carolina-grown and made products. Locally-grown produce, meat and dairy products, fresh baked goods and desserts, artisan crafts, food trucks, and more.
Gorget Distillery, 1974-A Whiting Way, Lugoff – Open 9 am – 4 pm – Kershaw County’s only distillery and a member of the Certified SC Grown program, customers are able to tour the distillery, view the spirit making process and understand how it all starts, in the field, to end in the glass. Learn from the owners how their partnerships with local farms makes the whole process sustainable. Visit artisans and food trucks on site. Distillery Tours given every 30 minutes beginning at 10:00am.
Camden Art Shoppes, 1011 Broad Street, Camden, Open 9 am – 4 pm – This local artist cooperative gallery and retail space consists of 80 artists, some of whom produce art related to agriculture and farming. Here you will see demonstrations throughout the day, including Bob Ross style plein air in the morning, mosaics and felting inside the shops, beekeepers and antique tractors outside, and art of healing instructions using medicinal herbs and teas.
The City of Camden joins other communities across the nation in a national initiative in commemorating the April 17th-18th ride of Paul Revere, William Dawes, and other alarm riders, to warn Massachusettes villages that the British were coming. “Two Lights for Tomorrow” is a multi-state collaboration that calls for everyone to display two lights in homes, businesses, public buildings, and other sites to raise awareness and draw attention to our working together as a nation to ensure a better tomorrow.
Camden City Council issued a proclamation on April 1, 2025 endorsing this national initiative and calls “on all citizens to unite in remembrance of our shared history, honoring the sacrifices made by those who fought for our independence and reminding ourselves of the values we hold dear today.”
The City of Camden encourages all citizens to take part in this symbolic display by displaying two lights for all to see from April 14 to April 21 and to reflect on how those lights, symbols of the two lanterns hung in Old North Church in Boston to tell Revere and Dawes that the British were traveling across the water, will shine out in the darkness and illustrate our ongoing journey as a nation.
Family, friends and the community at large are invited to visit the African American Cultural Center of Camden, located at 517 York Street, as it hosts the winning student projects from the annual Heritage Tea program.
Each year, since 1987, the Arts Center of Kershaw County and its Multicultural Committee partner with the Kershaw County School District to encourage students in grades 3 through 8 to explore the history of prominent African American figures. And student submissions are hosted at the Arts Center of Kershaw County while the Multicutural Committee holds a blind judging of the submitted works. Without knowing students’ names or school, only grade, the Committee selects a first, second, and third place from each grade.
This year, the African American Cultural Center is excited and proud to host the winning projects, for family and friends of the students and members of the community to enjoy, through May 17, 2025. After which, projects will be returned to the students.
The African American Cultural Center is open Fridays from 1:00 to 4:00 pm and Saturdays from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm at 517 York Street. For more information, contact kspadacenta@camdensc.org or call 803-432-2421 x1153.
Join in the festivities for CAMDEN’S BICENTENNIAL LAFAYETTE WEEKEND (March 7-9, 2025), with planned events beginning the week leading up to the reenactment of the Marquis de Lafayette’s 1825 visit to Camden. For details about local events taking place and for more information about the Marquis de Lafayette’s 1825 visit to America, please visit https://lafayette200.org.
So far, the following events have been planned for Camden:
March 2025: Lafayette Exhibit: Artifacts from Lafayette’s 1825 visit to South Carolina at the Camden Archives & Museum, 1314 Broad St, Camden. Free to the public.
March 2025: Silent art auction with a french flair, in honor of Lafayette’s visit, raising money for youth art scholorships. The auction is on-line for the month of March. Art is exhibited at Camden Art Shoppes Elevator Lobby Gallery, at 1011 Broad Street. See art and learn more here.
Monday, March 3 – Saturday, March 8th, 3pm: “Where’s Lafayette? A Historical Scavenger Hunt for Families” – Pick up the passport & instructions from the Kershaw County Library, 1304 Broad St. starting Saturday, March 1st. Sponsored by the Hobkirk Hill Chapter, NSDAR.
Tuesday, March 4th 12pm-1:30pm: “Lunch & Learn: Lafayette and the Rights of Man” – Bill Davies will help take us through this remarkable man’s life and his time spent in South Carolina. Bring your lunch! Revolutionary War Visitor Center, 212 Broad St, Camden. Reservations recommended. Free to the public.
Friday, March 7th & Saturday, March 8th: “Revolutionary Art Sale” at Artists Attic, 930 Broad Street. Meet local artists, see the work they do, and find that special something to take back home.
Thursday, March 6th 6:30pm: Regency Dance Lessons McCaa’s Tavern, Historic Camden Foundation, 222 Broad Street. Free to the public.
Friday, March 7th 10am-4pm: “Run to the Waxhaws” Battle Site Tour with Box Lunch. Departs from Historic Camden Foundation, 222 Broad Street. $75 pp. *ADVANCE TICKETS REQUIRED*
Friday, March 7th 5:00pm: McCaa’s Tavern Yard Supper featuring Half-Crown Bakehouse’s Provisions Plate. Live music and cannon firing at dusk. McCaa’s Tavern, Historic Camden Foundation, 222 Broad Street. $15 per plate. Cash Bar. Admission free to the public.
Saturday, March 8th, 10am: Lafayette Arrival Ceremony Lafayette arrives in an open carriage. Speeches from 1825 recreated. Mayor Vincent Sheheen will read the Lafayette Day Proclamation. Kershaw-Cornwallis House, Historic Camden Foundation, 222 Broad Street. Free to the public.
Saturday, March 8th, 10:30am: Parade through Downtown Camden, Broad Street to DeKalb Street to end at Bethesda Presbyterian Church, 502 East DeKalb Street. Everyone is welcome to join in! Estimated Distance = 1 mile. Free to the public. Saturday, March 8th, 11:00am: Laying of the Cornerstone for General DeKalb’s Monument. Lafayette and the Freemasons will reenact the ceremony from 1825 at Bethesda Presbyterian Church, 502 East DeKalb. Free to the public.
Saturday, March 8th, 12pm-2pm: French Wine Brunch at Broad & Vine, 1025 Broad Street. Join Neelie Edwards of ALEPH Wines as you sample 6 amazing French wines and enjoy a 5 course brunch. $50 per person, reservations required. Call 803-714-7898.
Saturday, March 8th, 12pm-4pm: Living History Open House at Historic Camden Foundation, 222 Broad Street. Living history demonstrations. Lunch will be available for purchase from Half-Crown Bakehouse. Historic Camden. $10 pp.
Saturday, March 8th, 1pm-3pm: Book Talk and Q&A Children’s Authors Jenny Cote and Libby McNamee and Lafayette, himself! Liberty Hall. Revolutionary War Visitor Center, 212 Broad Street. Free to the public.
Saturday, March 8th, 5pm-7pm: 1825 Dinner at McCaa’s Tavern cooked by Chefs Justin Cherry & Hugh China. Includes wine, port, and nonalcoholic drinks. McCaa’s Tavern, Historic Camden Foundation, 222 Broad Street. $100 pp. *ADVANCE TICKETS REQUIRED*
Saturday, March 8th, 7pm-9pm: 1825 Soirée at the Robert Mills Courthouse, 607 Broad Street. Live music, English Country Dancing with Mr. Steplively as the dance caller, cash bar, and refreshments served. Robert Mills Courthouse. $50 pp. *ADVANCE TICKETS REQUIRED*
Sunday, March 9th, 9:30am: Regency-style Breakfast at McCaa’s Tavern cooked by Chef Justin Cherry. During breakfast, we’ll give a talk on the Camden Burials Project. McCaa’s Tavern, Historic Camden Foundation, 222 Broad Street. Tickets are $20 pp. *ADVANCE TICKETS REQUIRED*
