Say good-bye to Old Man Winter with these fun-filled, spring festivals and events

Remember winter? It was cold, slightly snowy, and the heater in your car never seemed to come on fast enough.

Well, forget winter, reader. Spring has come bouncing in, bringing with it flowers, sunshine, warmth and most importantly, festivals and events out the hoo-ha.

At 8 Days, we recognize the proliferation of spring festivals is a wonderful thing for the region, and we’d like you to enjoy as many as you can. So, we encourage you to browse our listing to pick which festival you’d like to decorate your spring time with.

Spring Events in the Pee Dee
A Gospel Festival — Dillon
April 19 at 4 p.m. at Dillon Theater, located at 108 E. Main St., in Dillon.
Gospel lovers will see an all-day event featuring performances by Mighty Gospel Saints, Lil Ricky & Mighty Golden Stars, Rev. R.L. Bush & New Swansilvertones, Minister Anthony Douglas & Nu Anointing, John “Pappy” McCoy Jr., Anointing.
Admission is $10 in advance, $12 at the door, $7 for children 13-16 and $5 for children 4-12. Food and prizes will be given away.
Call (843) 206-8323 or (803) 347-2146 for more information.

Hemingway BBQ and Shag Festival — Hemingway
April 23-25
This annual event features a barbecue cook-off, music, rides, fireworks, car show, gospel singing and more.
Call Dennis Miles at (843) 344-3527 or Brenda Sessions at (843) 558-2511 for more information.

Black Creek Kayak/Canoe Festival — Florence
Begins May 1 at Lawton Park from 1 to 5 p.m. and continues through May 2
This kayak and canoe event takes place alongside Black Creek Arts’ Bluejeans, BBQ and Live Music with Saturday events featuring kayak and canoeing in Black Creek.
Registration fees are from $5 to $45, depending upon age.
Call (843) 665-1551, or visit http://www.naturallyoutdoors.com.

Bone-E-Fit — Florence
May 7 at 7 p.m.
The home of Rick and Jane Huggins, located at 405 S. Coit St., in Florence will once again present this annual benefit for the Florence Area Humane Society that features a silent auction for art, jewelry, vacation items and service, as well as live music, food and drinks.
Tickets are $75 and are on sale at Porter’s Gift Shop, Fisher’s Jewelry, Woofers and Planet Arf.
Call (843) 250-5206 or (843) 229-7790 for more information.

Strawberry Festival — McBee
May 16 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
McLeod Farms in McBee celebrates the wonders of a juicy red fruit with their annual Strawberry Festival, which features games, vendors and fresh produce for sale. Admission is free.
Call (843) 335-8611, or visit http://www.macspride.com for more information.

Spring Events Outside The Pee Dee

World Grits Festival — St. George
April 17-19
Grits lovers gather to enjoy three days of true grit fun, including a parade, grits meals, arts and crafts, street dancing, clogging, a carnival, a grits eating contest and even a rolling-in the-grits contest. I ask you, where else can one enjoy waddling in a kiddie pool of grits? Probably nowhere above the Mason-Dixon Line.
Learn more about this festival at http://www.worldgritsfestival.com.

Wine Tasting at Riverbanks Botanical Garden — Columbia
April 24, 2009
Wine connoisseurs can sample domestic and imported wines while exploring the Riverbanks Botanical Garden at this beautiful time of the year.
Admission is $40 for Riverbanks members, $50 for nonmembers.
Learn more about this event at http://www.riverbanks.org.

Rural Heritage Festival — Florence
April 25 from 10 to 4 p.m.
The Pee Dee Research and Education Center’s Outdoor Education Trail, located at 2200 Pocket Road, in Florence features homegrown foods, exhibits on renewable energy and bluegrass band and gospel group. Admission is free.
Call (843) 662-3526, ext. 228, or visit http://www.clemson.edu/oet for more information

Bravo Arts and Cultural Festival — Hilton Head
Through April and May
Visual and performing arts events, cultural activities and special programs highlight the vibrant arts community and diverse cultural heritage of Hilton Head Island and the Lowcountry. Weekly events throughout the latter part of April and all of May constitute this month-long festival.
Admission varies per event.
Learn more about this festival at http://www.hiltonheadisland.org/bravo

Orangeburg Festival Of Roses — Orangeburg
May 1-3
Edisto Memorial Gardens is the center of activities for this annual festival, which celebrates the rose blooming season with arts and crafts, food vendors, entertainment, sporting events and much more.
Admission to the festival is free.
For more information about this event, visit http://www.festivalofroses.com.

Lowcountry Shrimp Festival and Blessing of the Fleet — McClellanville
May 2, 2009
Surrounding the blessing of the fleet is a full day of entertainment for the whole family, including live music and entertainment, exhibits of interest, displays by area artists, a special children’s area and plenty of food and refreshments.
Admission to the festival is free.
Learn more about this festival at http://shrimpfest.mcvl.net.

Iris Festival — Sumter
May 23-25
South Carolina’s oldest continuous festival includes concerts, an arts and crafts show, a golf tournament, a flower show, a food tasting, children’s activities and more.
To learn more about this event, visit http://www.irisfestival.org.

Spoleto Festival USA — Charleston
May 22-June 7
Firmly established as one of the world’s major arts festivals, Spoleto Festival USA fills Charleston’s historic theaters, churches and outdoor spaces each spring with more than 120 performances by renowned artists as well as emerging performers in disciplines ranging from opera, theater, music theater, dance, and chamber, symphonic, choral, and jazz music, as well as the visual arts.
For more information about this festival, visit http://www.spoletousa.org.