Camden feels extra special during the holiday season, with our lights and decorations, events and activities and the general small town charm. Parades, performances, markets and other holiday fun abound and shops and restaurants are bustling with good cheer and great gift ideas.
Make plans to join in on some of these special holiday events and activities, starting with the City of Camden’s annual Tree Lighting Ceremony on Thursday, December 5 at 6:00 pm at Broad Street Park, at the corner of Broad and Rutledge Street. The Tree Lighting Ceremony is a part of the Downtown Camden Cultural District’s “Christmas Wonderland”, where you’ll find a variety of activities and merchants will have extended shopping hours on the three Thursdays leading up to Christmas, December 5, 12 and 19. It also kicks off the “12 Days of Christmas”, highlighting community events taking place in and around Camden between December 5 and December 16, plus some bonus events leading up to Christmas. In addition to traditional holiday events, many local businesses will host open houses, pop-up shops, visits with Santa, and more fun and festive ways to help you complete your holiday shopping with less stress.
Here’s a listing of events taking place during the 12 Days of Christmas. Check back often, as more are added each week. We hope to see you out there!
Thursday, December 5
Holiday Market – 11:00 am – 6:00 pm – Arts Center of Kershaw County, 810 Lyttleton Street
The City of Camden, South Carolina (the “City”) is seeking professional architectural and engineering services for the assessment of the Robert Mills Courthouse located at 607 Broad Street. Read the full Request for Qualifications here.
An assessment of this building is needed to determine the structural integrity, as well as the condition of the interior and exterior of the building. Following the assessment, the City requires recommendations for the repairs, improvements, and restoration for each building, including prioritization of and estimated costs for each recommendation.
The selected firm must be experienced in the historically sensitive assessment and restoration of older buildings. It will be critical that the selected firm can accurately estimate the scope and cost of the recommended improvements in order to provide budgetary figures. The scope of work should be broken down into the following categories: exterior, interior first floor and interior second floor.
Sealed Proposals shall be delivered under the terms and conditions of this RFQ, via mail or hand-delivery, as follows:
By Mail: City of Camden Attention: Shawn Putnam Post Office Box 7002 Camden, SC 29021
Hand-Delivery: City of Camden Attention: Shawn Putnam 1000 Lyttleton Street Camden, SC 29020
Proposals will be accepted until 12:00 PM, November 27, 2024. Any Proposals received after 12:00 PM, November 27, 2024 shall not be accepted. Further, any delay in receipt of the Proposal, whether by mail or hand-delivery, or any incompleteness or illegible portions of any Proposal, will be the responsibility of the bidder.
On September 10, 2024, Camden City Council approved a moratorium on new residential development within the city limits.
The purpose of the moratorium is to pause residential development to determine if changes are needed to development ordinances in order to allow for orderly growth, address increased demand for public services and infrastructure, and consider possible environmental impacts of development.
The moratorium only applies to new residential subdivisions. This includes any subdivision that contains single-family or multi-family homes. Any residential subdivision that received preliminary plat approval prior to the enactment of the moratorium is not affected. Commercial and non-residential development is not affected by the moratorium.
The moratorium is scheduled to expire on March 31, 2025 and may be extended by a resolution approved by City Council.
The Kershaw County 250th committee, along with several organizing partners, is sponsoring a “Revolutionary November” from November 1 through November 21st.
This upcoming “Revolutionary November” will highlight Camden and Kershaw County’s importance to the outcome of the American Revolution. Local residents and vistiors alike are invited to enjoy and explore more than a dozen events throughout November, showcasing the area’s history, heritage and culture.
The month begins on November 1 with a commemorative program on the 250th anniversary of the Camden Distrct Resolves (Nov. 5, 1774), a document that set out the argument for independence later articulated in the Declaration of Independence. Other events include the Carolina Revolutionary War Weekend & Batte Reenactments on November 8-10, Colonial Cup Weekend on November 15-17, and a variety of other programs throughout the month – from tours, to presentations, to trivia night. Visit Kershaw250.com for a complete list of programs.
November 1-3 – Camden District Resolves On November 5th, 1774, Justice William Henry Drayton delivered a speech on the “Rights of Man under the Law”, arguing that there should be no taxation without the consent of the citizens, to the Camden District Grand Jury. His words resonated throughout the back country of South Carolina, and a “mini Declaration of Independence” was submitted to colonial legislature. Witness the reenactment of the 1774 Grand Jury Presentment, beginning at 12:00 pm on Friday, November 1 at the Revolutionary War Visitor Center, 212 Broad Street. Afterward, explore the Historic Camden Colonial Village and enjoy an afternoon at McCaa’s Tavern, visit the “Horses at the Battle of Camden” exhibit at the National Steeplechase Museum, or take a self-guided tour among fallen heroes at Quaker Cemetary, before embarking on a drive to see historic landmarks throughout Camden and Kershaw County.
November 8-10 – Carolinas Revolutionary War Weekend & Battle Reenactments Join the Southern Campaign 1780 for two whole days of life in the 18th century, featuring daily mock battles complete with cavalry, cannons, and cracking muskets. This is over a half century old Kershaw County tradition, bringing in reenactors and spectators as far away as the Midwest, New England, and the Deep South. The annual Carolinas Revolutionary War Weekend and the Battle Reenactment events will be held from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm Saturday, November 9th and from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm Sunday, November 10th at The Meeting Place, 1208 Keys Lane in Kershaw, SC. Afternoon battle reenactments are scheduled for 1:00 pm each day.
This all outdoor, family-friendly event is the largest annual force-on-force Revolutionary War Reenactment in the nation, and this year has been named one of two national events by the Brigade of the American Revolution, British Brigade, and The Continental Line, all three premier national Revolutionary War Reenactment organizations. It is thrilling to win this trifecta designation and will mean increased reenactor participation and a bigger and better event for participants and visitors alike. You will see hundreds of Crown and Patriot reenactors, civilian reenactors, 18th C. craftsmen and merchants. Heavy rain may force a “rain delay” for battle reenactments, but the event is rain or shine. For more information, visit southerncampaign1780.org.
Also on this weekend, you can sample “revolutionary” BBQ during the aptly named Battle of Camden BBQ Festival Friday evening and Saturday, November 8th and 9th, hosted by the Camden Jaycees on the Historic Camden Foundation campus. Featuring two days of South Carolina’s best pit masters smoking up amazing barbecue for you to sample, Friday night is all about the chicken wing, starting at 6:00 pm, and Saturday is when you find out who will win it all in their pulled pork competition, beginning at 11:00 am. Free entry, tickets for samples. Learn more at www.facebook.com/battleofcamdenbbq.
November 15-17 – Colonial Cup Weekend Experience Camden and all it has to offer, as we celebrate the return of the Colonial Cup, one of the premiere steeplechase races of the season. The 49th running of the Marion duPont Scott Colonial Cup Races will take place on Sunday, November 17th. The Colonial Cup, starting in 1970, was Mrs. Scott’s idea, and it became the first international steeplechase run in the United States with a purse of $100,000. Get ready for race day with a Pre-Cup Cocktail Party on Saturday evening. Learn more at carolinacup.org/colonialcup.
Get into town early to enjoy events in the Downtown Camden Cultural District leading up to the Colonial Cup, including a “Party at the Pavilion” Thursday, November 14th, hosted by the Kershaw County Young Professionals at the Arts Center of Kershaw County. And experience the first ever Silver Leaf Cigar Street Festival on Commerce Alley, beginning at 11:00 am on Saturday, November 15th behind Silver Leaf Cigar Lounge, 1015 Broad Street. Enjoy shopping and dining all day long in the cultural district. Learn more at www.facebook.com/Silverleaflounge.
More events are being added weekly to make this a simply “Revolutionary November” in Camden and Kershaw County. Keep up to date at Kershaw250.com.
The City of Camden is seeking to hire a consultant with experience producing successful nominations to the National Register of Historic Places to prepare an Additional Documentation nomination for the City of Camden Historic District.
The City of Camden Historic District was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1971. The period of significance for the District ended, by default, at 1921, or 50 years prior to the date of listing. A survey of Camden’s historic resources in 1996 determined that the period of significance for the district could be extended up to 1946 (50 years prior to the date of the survey) in order to account for the historic development of Camden through the years of the Second World War.
In 2024, it is now anticipated that the period of significance may be extended at the local level of significance, potentially up to 1975. Through this project, the City’s goal is to produce a National Register of Historic Places “Additional Documentation” nomination for the City of Camden Historic District that documents and justifies an extended period of significance into the latter half of the twentieth century and identifies contributing properties that date from within this extended period. This Additional Documentation nomination will be submitted to SCDAH for review and approval by the State Board of Review and the National Park Service.
The South Carolina Ag + Art Tour returns to Kershaw County June 1st and 2nd. This free, self-guided tour of farms and markets, and – this year – arts campuses, features local artisans and farmers at every stop.
This year’s tour welcomes new farms, such as Marshall Farm in Bethune and Granny Creek Homestead in Westville, as well as previously participating sites such as Canebrake Apiary, Gorget Distilling Co., the Farm at Historic Camden, and the Kershaw County Farmers Market. Also new this year, the Arts Center of Kershaw County and Camden Arts Shoppes will serve as tour sites, hosting local farmers. Many sites will have live demonstrations, as well as products and food for sale.
The South Carolina Ag + Art Tour is now in its thirteenth (13th) year, and has twenty (20) counties participating in 2024. 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, says Will Culler, Clemson Extension Agribusiness Agent, and Tour Director.
“We are proud of the commitment of our farms, artisans, and county teams. Because of that, we can sustain continued growth,” Culler said. “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 June 1st and 2nd:
Canebrake Apiary and Aquaponics – 1239 John G. Richards Road, Camden – Saturday 9am-4pm, Sunday, 1pm-4pm – Canebrake is a hobby farm that produces honey, products from the hive, eggs, and organic fruits and vegetables. Purchase fresh, local honey, and products from the hive. The apiary will be bustling and you can see where the bees forage and how their honey is processed. The family-sized aquaponic system is running for you to learn how to produce your own food year ’round at home. Artisans and activities include: Wateree Beekeepers, SEA Associates, CRM Associates – all providing local honey and hive products, Chick Bee Quilting, Cosmic Carnivorous Plants, Black Creek Wildlife Center, the Eager Beavers 4-H club, SC Master Naturalists, Motley Farms, RU Feeling Crafty, Tara’s Crafty, Muddy’s Teas, Pink Moon Tie Dye, Old South Creations, and the SC Governor’s School.
Granny Creek Homestead – 257 Payne Pond Road, Westville – Saturday 9 am-4pm, Sunday 1-4pm – Have you ever wanted to know how to start a small homestead or see where the goat milk soaps come from? Embark on an enriching tour of this 10-acre homestead, where you’ll encounter a vibrant community of chickens, Nigerian Dwarf goats, and American Guinea Hogs. Artisans and activities include: Handcrafted Visions, Bushels and Bags Farm, Grammy, Mommy, and ME, and Heartland Farm.
Marshall Farm – 1327 Old Georgetown Road East, Bethune – Saturday 9 am-4pm, Sunday 1-4pm – Open seasonally, this farm is full of tulips and strawberries in the spring, pumpkins and a corn maze in the fall. See goats, sheep, pigs, chickens, ducks, rabbits & more. Enjoy the outdoor games for kids and adults. Artisans and activities include: Blue Horse Jewelry, KHLOE & Calluna, Sticks and Stones and Words that Really Matter, From My Soap Box, and PurpleRoo.
Arts Center of Kershaw County – 810 Lyttleton Street, Camden – Saturday 9 am-4pm, Sunday 1-4pm – The artistic hub of Kershaw County, the Arts Center’s 3 acre campus is in the heart of Camden. Stroll through the Bassett Gallery’s latest exhibit and visit with the affiliated artisans while you enjoy live music from the arbor. Farms, artisans and activities on site include: Michelle’s Celestial Gardens, Costas Farm, Carolina Construction Equipment, indigo dying, Glory Bee Baskets, and Pine Tree Wildlife Rescue.
The Farm at Historic Camden – 222 Broad Street, Camden – Saturday, 10am-4pm – Historic Camden’s farm has grown considerably over the years, and showcases how 18th century settlers worked the land. Artisans and vendors on site will include resident potter Marti Wallace, Sudsy Dreams, Aurora’s Thorn Custom Creations.
Kershaw County Farmers Market – 906 Broad Street, Camden – Saturday only, 9 am-12 pm – 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 Distilling Co. – 1974-A Whiting Way, Lugoff – Open 10 am – 4 pmSaturday only – 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. Distillery Tours given every 30 minutes between 10:00am and 4:00pm.
Camden Art Shoppes – 1011 Broad Street, Camden, Open 9 am – 4 pm Saturday only – This local artist cooperative gallery and retail space consists of 80 artists, some of whom produce art related to agriculture and farming. Find specially designated art related to the agricultural theme of the Tour, along with farmers on sight to display and sell their wares. Classes and demonstrations, take home art kits and more available.
