The cutest parade in Kershaw County is getting a “sestercentennial-sized” glow up! Kids from all across Kershaw County are invited to show off their patriotic spirit, decorating bicycles, scooters, and wagons and wearing their red, white, and blue as we celebrate the 10th Annual Kids’ 4th of July Parade, in partnership with Books on Broad, and America’s 250th Birthday!
Festivities begin at Camden City Hall at 9:30 am, with balloons and decorations handed out by the Camden Fire Department and the Hobkirk Hill chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, to help spruce up the bikes and other non-motorized vehicles. A short program will begin at 10:15, and the parade starts at 10:30 am. This is a free event open to the community. For the safety of all participants, motorized vehicles (electric or gas powered) are not allowed, and children 10 and under must be escorted by an adult.
A special addition to this year’s program will be the 250th anthem composed by Ike Pitts, Director of Music at Grace Episcopal Church and performed by students in the Kershaw County School District’s Arts Arising program, which takes place each summer at the Arts Center of Kershaw County.
This year, the parade will march to Camden City Arena, 420 Broad Street, for a community-wide celebration of our nation’s independence, on the 250th anniversary. All our welcome, as you enjoy live music from the BunchQuitters, playing Americana and bluegrass tunes, and other entertainment, free refreshments, and more family fun – in partnership with community organizations such as the Revolutionary War Visitor Center, Daughters of the American Revolution, Col. Joseph Kershaw Chapter of the South Carolina Society Sons of the American Revolution, the Kershaw County Library, Camden Junior Welfare League, and more. Free snow cones will be available to all parade participants. Looking to join in on the fun? Spaces at City Arena are still available to organizations wanting to hand out free giveaways or offer family-friendly activities. No vendors please. Email kspadacenta@camdensc.org for information.
The excitement surrounding America’s 250th anniversary is well underway. The Kershaw County 250th Committee and DAR are sponsoring a decorating contest for homes and businesses, along with a countywide scavenger hunt highlighting some of Kershaw County’s most significant historic sites. Learn more about both activities on the 250th Committee’s Facebook page at facebook.com/kc250th.
The parade is sponsored by Books on Broad and Coffee and the City of Camden.
Free outdoor concerts return to Downtown Camden on select Thursdays in April and May, featuring live music, local favorites, and a welcoming community atmosphere.
The beloved Blankets & Bands free concert series returns to Town Green this spring, bringing live music, community, and warm evenings to Downtown Camden. Performances will take place on Thursdays, April 9 and 23, and May 7 and 21, from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m.
Guests are encouraged to bring blankets or lawn chairs, gather with friends and family, and enjoy an evening of live entertainment in the heart of Camden. Pack a picnic or grab takeout from one of Camden’s local restaurants and make it a night.
The series kicks off on Thursday, April 9, with the smooth sounds of The Esquires, offering a mix of timeless favorites that are sure to get the crowd grooving.
On April 23, Blankets & Bands welcomes Phil James & the Fast Lane to the stage for the first time, delivering high-energy 90s hits filled with fun and nostalgia.
Thursday, May 7 features Nigel Grant & Friends, bringing a lively mix of funk and feel-good tunes to keep the energy high.
The spring series wraps up on Thursday, May 21, with long-time local favorite Landslide, known for their signature blend of smooth classic rock.
Each concert will feature a student or young musician as the opening act, with the headlining band beginning at 6:30 p.m. Beer and wine are permitted on Town Green during concert hours. Glass containers are not allowed.
In the event of inclement weather, updates and cancellations will be shared on the City’s website and official social media channels.
Blankets & Bands is a partnership between the Downtown Camden Cultural District and the Arts Center of Kershaw County, offering free, live music to the community each spring and fall.
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*
