Aiken equine events are among those scheduled to make a spring return after a COVID-induced hiatus.
Harness races at McGhee’s Mile on Banks Mill Road, S.E. will be the first of the equine events on March 12.
That serves as the lead-in to the return of the Aiken Triple Crown.
The first event is the Aiken Trials, on Saturday, March 19 at the Aiken Training track on Two Notch Road, SE. One week later, Saturday, March 26 is the Aiken Steeplechase at the Aiken Steeplechase Racecourse on Richland Avenue.
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The third jewel in the crown is Pacers and Polo. It will be held Saturday, April 2, at the Powerhouse Polo Field at Powerhouse Rd SE.
“We can tell that there’s already a lot of excitement from people buying tickets and interested in the event. I think people are just ready to be social and get out there. We’re seeing excitement from our donors and our supporters. We haven’t seen some of them in about two years. So, it’s exciting to kind of reconnect with them,” said Marissa Collins, the interim director of Alumni Relations at the University of South Carolina Aiken.
Ticket prices range from general admission of $8 for adults and $3 for children, to VIP Hospitality Tent Tickets. Those are currently $75 but will increase to $90 after March 23. VIP tickets can be purchased by calling (803) 641-3516. General admission tickets are available for purchase at All Star Tents and Events, 176 Bettis Academy Rd.; H. Odell Weeks Activity Center, 1700 Whiskey Road; Lionel Smith, LTD, 132 Laurens Street and the USC Aiken Athletics Department, 2049 Champion Way.
“The general admission goes towards mostly athletic scholarships, and then the VIP tickets kind of go back into advancement. And a lot of that also goes into student scholarships,” Collins said, adding there is also a silent auction run by the Alumni Association. That money goes to alumni scholarships.
From the business perspective, David Jameson, President and CEO of the Aiken Chamber of Commerce calls this time of year a second Christmas.
“Because these events attract a lot of visitors to the community as well as local people, relatives and friends and family. It’s a big time of the year for real estate transactions and for all kinds of other business to take place. People buy clothes for these events and buy groceries for the tailgate. And it has a real ripple effect throughout the community,” he said.
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Dana Lynn McIntyre is a general assignment reporter for The Augusta Press. Reach her at dana@theaugustapress.com
