Live music, a farmers’ market, craft beers, a pig-calling contest and barbecue are part of this weekend’s activities in downtown Aiken.
The fun doesn’t wait to start until Friday, according to Haley Knight, the executive director of the Aiken Downtown Development Association.
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“On Thursdays, we have Amp the Alley,” said Knight.
Held in Aiken’s The Alley, the event is a weekly happening showcasing local bands.
“It’s very popular,” she said.
On June 3, there be live music by King Size and a pop-up farmers’ market with 20 to 25 vendors on-site.
“We have a traditional Farmers’ Market on Williamsburg Street, but this will bring the market downtown,” she said.
The market will run from 6 to 8 p.m. while King Size will play from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.
Friday, June 4, will kick-off monthly First Friday events on Laurens Street in downtown Aiken.
“Our downtown businesses will be open late; they’ll stay open until 7,” she said.
The featured business will be Blossoms of Grace, a flower business that opened about a year ago.
A few individual musicians will play on the sidewalks.
First Fridays will happen in downtown Aiken through October.
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Hops and Hogs will return for its sixth year from 4 to 9 p.m., Saturday, June 5.
“It’s a barbecue and craft beer festival,” Knight said.
The event will feature six different barbecue vendors and about 20 craft brewers from South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia.
“This event is a lot of fun,” she said.
It’s child-friendly with a kids’ zone and dog-friendly too.
Three bands will play during the evening — Lost Dog, Briggs Alley and Red Foxwood. And for an extra dose of fun, there’s a pig-calling contest. The winner will receive a free growler full of Steel Hands Brew.
Newberry Street between Richland and Park Avenue will be blocked off to vehicular traffic.
Admission to the event is free.
Knight said previous years have drawn upwards of 8,000 people. Hops and Hogs is a fundraiser for the ADDA, a non-profit organization “made up of members and volunteers who all work toward a common goal: to improve the economic vitality, enhance the beauty and preserve the historical inheritance of downtown Aiken. Through our members and volunteers, we work to build community relationships to help maintain the quality of life in our vibrant downtown,” according to its website.
To learn more visit downtownaiken.com.
Charmain Z. Brackett is the Features Editor for The Augusta Press. Reach her at charmain@theaugustapress.com.
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