By: Kathryn Siders
Autumn is the in the air, and there are so many ways to celebrate the beauty of the season in Aiken, SC. Get ready for cooler days, changing leaves, oyster roasts, polo matches, carnivals, horse shows, and fun fall festivals. From the Jack ‘o Lantern Jubilee to the Aiken Fall Steeplechase, we’ve compiled a list of the best fall events in Aiken, SC in 2024.
Are you interested in learning more about the Aiken area? Contact us today and we will send you a complimentary informational package in the mail filled with the latest brochures, maps and real estate books. It’s filled with great information and recommendations, including all the best upcoming fall events in Aiken, SC in 2024.
Experience the magic of autumn at Fall Fest in Aiken! The free, family-friendly festival takes place among the colorful plants and flowers at Cold Creek Nurseries. Express yourself and add a personal touch to your autumn decor with pumpkin painting. While you paint, enjoy great live music by Joshua Kendrick and delicious bites from Diablos and Flanigan’s ice cream food trucks. Goat Daddy’s Farm will also be on site with their goat milk cheese- and just wait until you try their new seasonal pumpkin cheese. It is AMAZING! Save the date and get ready to bask in the beauty of fall while enjoying a day filled with music, creativity, and delectable flavors.
In 2024, The Jockey Club Thoroughbred Incentive Program (T.I.P.) will offer championship divisions for Hunters, Jumpers, English Pleasure, Dressage, Combined Test and In-Hand (English). Each of the divisions at the Championships will offer prize money. T.I.P. Championships are open only to qualified and declared horses. View the schedule and prize list here.
Eudora Wildlife Safari Park’s Fall Festival includes delicious food, fun games, and activities for the whole family to enjoy! The Safari Village will even have a pumpkin patch, painting, slingshot, and more! The Fall Festival is every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from October 4th to November 3rd.
Come out to Bruce’s Field for an unforgettable weekend of music and community! The Southern Strings Festival includes performances by renowned artists including Leftover Salmon, Futurebirds, Keller Williams’ Grateful Grass, JoJo Hermann (of Widespread Panic), Town Mountain, Susto StringBand, and many more. From bluegrass to folk, southern rock to Americana, the diverse lineup promises something for every musical palate. The show starts at 5 p.m. on October 4th, and 10:30 a.m. on October 5th.
This rain or shine event promises non-stop entertainment against the backdrop of South Carolina’s scenic beauty. Pack your camping chairs and blankets for a cozy festival atmosphere under the open sky. Presented by The Kisner Foundation and Friends With Benefits Productions.
If you had a blast painting pumpkins at Fall Fest, come back to Cold Creek Nursuries the following Saturday for a Pumpkin Succulent Workshop! This is a another delightful hands-on experience where you’ll craft gorgeous succulent arrangements perched atop pumpkins, creating unique and eye-catching seasonal decor. This workshop is perfect for succulent enthusiasts, DIY lovers, or anyone looking to add a touch of nature’s elegance to their fall decor. Don’t miss the chance to create something truly special and celebrate the season in style!
You don’t have to travel all the way to Munich to celebrate an authentic Oktoberfest. In fact, you can enjoy all the beer, brats, and schnitzel right here in downtown Aiken! Aiken’s annual Oktoberfest is back and better than ever before. Don your most festive German attire and head to Newberry Street for authentic Bavarian food, ice cold beer, and great live music. Bring your pets, family, and appetite to this fun fall festival.
The weather is cooling down, and Aiken’s fall polo season is back in full swing! Feel the adrenaline, cheer for your favorite team, and immerse yourself into the world of fast and competitive polo.
Come out and socialize with friends (old and new!) and enjoy the horses, fall fashion, food, drinks and tailgating. Once you attend, we think you’ll agree that Sunday afternoons in Aiken are best spent at a polo field. Here are links to the Fall 2024 Polo Schedule:
Here is another event to add to your list! Mark your calendars for the 8th Annual Chukkers of Hope White Party and Polo Match at La Bourgogne Club de Polo. It’s a fun evening of glitz and glamor featuring a 14 Goal polo match, white dress-themed party, dinner, specialty cocktails, DJ and dance, silent auction, valet parking, and much more. Enjoy a Welcome Cocktail Reception, competitive polo match with Champagne Divot Stomp at halftime, award ceremony, and a fabulous after party complete with fashion show and dancing. This year there is also a fun twist – a Live Date Auction featuring a fun group of fellas and gals and curated “date” outings! All proceeds go to Great Oak Equine Assisted Programs and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Please note that this event is pre-purchase only and there are no gate sales. Reserve your tickets today.
Aiken Music Fest is another popular music series held at Highfields Event Center. Each event features a top local talent followed by a headliner band that is currently touring the Southeast. Food and refreshments are available from local vendors, as well as shopping at the makers and creators market. Families should plan to arrive early to enjoy the kids activities. Gates open at 6pm. Music starts at 7pm. Tickets are $15 per person.
Head to downtown Aiken every Thursday night to enjoy a wonderful evening with friends and great live music! Amp the Alley is a free, family-friendly concert series that continues each Thursday through October 31st. The stage is set at the rear of the municipal building, directly across from The Alley Downtown Taproom.
The upcoming performance schedule includes:
9/26: Low Country Locals (Amp Debut)
10/3: OGR (Amp Debut)
10/10: Trae Pierce & The T-Stones (Amp Debut)
10/17: Awen Family Band (Amp Debut)
10/29: The Experiment (Amp Alum)
10/31: DAZR (Amp Debut)
Nothing gets you in the fall spirit quite like a funnel cake at the carnival. It’s most definitely that time of year! The Western Carolina State Fair returns this October at the Aiken Fairgrounds, featuring both large and kiddie-sized fair rides, carnival games, food vendors, bull riding, rodeos, circus shows, and more!
Achieve your exercise goals while supporting a great cause! The 3rd Annual Run for Freedom 5K and Fun Run will be held at Odell Weeks on Oct. 12. The cost to participate is $35 and proceeds go to The Bridge 2 Home, a non-profit helping young girls who have been victims of trafficking in SC. Early Birds are guaranteed a T-shirt. This event is open to all runners, walkers, strollers, wheelchairs and friendly pets.
Get your tickets now for the annual Mane and Shell Oyster Roast at the Aiken Equine Rescue. The event includes all-you-can-eat oysters, Low Country Boil, silent auction, live music, beverages, and a night you will never forget! Music by Augusta’s favorite band, “MP4″ returns for a night of dancing. Participate in the action of the live auction or peruse the many incredible Silent Auction and Raffle items. Advance Tickets (before October 10) are $80 per person. Tickets after October 10 are $95 per person. Tables of 8 may be reserved for $ 730.00 and includes one free custom engraved brick (4″x8”) which will pave the entrance to the Aiken Equine Rescue’s new barn. Paper tickets are available at Aiken Saddlery, JC’s Seafood, Equine Divine and at Equine Rescue. Only cash or Check payments are accepted at these locations.
October at Bruce’s Field Week I & II are the most fun you’ve ever had at a horse show! Spectators are welcome and admission is free! Highlights of the event include the Hunter/Jumper shows, Halloween Costume Contest, Dog Costume Class, Barn Decorating Contest, Mechanical Bull Contest and Halloween “Spooktacular.”
Spectators should use the Audubon Dr gate and follow signs for parking. Dress comfortable for the weather as the event is outdoors. Feel free to bring a portable chair and refreshments. Limited bleacher seating and a fabulous onsite food vendor are available. A full schedule and more information can be found at aikenhorsepark.org/october Come watch beautiful Hunter/Jumper horses, shop on along vendor row, and grab a bite to eat at the onsite food vendor!
Join us for a Doggone good time at the annual Howl-O-Ween celebration! Bring your four legged best friend and dress them up in your most creative costumes for a chance to win the grand prize. Enjoy refreshments, special Pup-Cups, and snacks from The Village Café while you listen to The Lost Dog Band and shop with local Animal Vendors! More details to come– stay tuned!
Enjoy the crisp fall air with an invigorating hike at Henderson Heritage Preserve! The next hike in the ALC Hike Series is a two mile loop that will take you past a large pond, an upslope seepage stream, longleaf pine sandhill and a unique rock outcropping. Keep an eye out for interesting plants and animals along the way. This hike is kid-friendly, so please feel free to bring your little ones and leashed dogs along. Be sure to wear orange or other bright colors. Parking is limited, so this hike is limited to the first 25 people that register. Spots are already filling up fast, so reserve your spot today!
Come one, come all, to Aiken’s Sandhills Spooktacular Fall Festival at Aiken State Park! Carnival games & Trunk-or-Treating will be held from 11am to 3pm. Pumpkin decorating will take place at 2pm. S’mores & hayrides will take place from 3pm to 4pm. Food trucks will also be onsite for some seasonal treats. Please note that a special event park admission applies: Ages 6 and up – $5. Ages 5 and under – FREE
Join the Brooke USA Aiken Regional Advisory Council for the fourth annual “Ponies & Pearls” at New Bridge Polo & Country Club. This VIP event takes place during the Women’s East Coast Challenge 14-18 Goal from 3:30 – 8:30 PM. This gathering has become a beloved fixture in Aiken, blending the sophistication of a polo match with the celebration of women and their extraordinary accomplishments. Guests will enjoy a premier viewing area of the polo match, hors d’oeuvres, signature cocktails, a silent auction, bouquet bar, hat bar, and fashion show. This year you can enhance your style with a new look from the hat bar and savor your favorite mimosa from the Sister’s Bubbly Buggy Mimosa Bar.
Event proceeds will be dedicated to supporting the efforts of Brooke USA, a non-profit organization that funds impactful global programs aimed at enhancing the well-being of working horses, donkeys, and mules, along with the communities they serve in come of the world’s most vulnerable regions and right here in the United States. Tickets are available here.
Join the Friends of the Animal Shelter for the 9th Annual FOTAS Charity Golf Tournament “Playing Fore the Pets.” The event will take place at The Reserve Club at Woodside Plantation and includes a helicopter ball drop, complimentary breakfast with Bloody Mary bar, on-course challenges, free pouting contest, mulligan and raffle sale, Shotgun Start, lunch and more. All proceeds benefit the Aiken County Animal Shelter.
Get ready to kick off your sneakers and roll out your mats because Yoga at Hopelands is back. The City of Aiken Park, Recreation, and Tourism is thrilled to announce the return of this much-loved event. The free, traditional yoga session is open to ages 13 and up, with minors under 18 accompanied by an adult. Experienced instructor Kristi Whitley returns for this year’s sessions. Kristi describes the class as “A gentle flow yoga class with traditional poses suitable for beginners and advanced,” ensuring a welcoming experience for everyone.
Join them every fourth Wednesday from March to October for this rejuvenating experience at the amphitheater, located across from the Hopelands Stage, starting at 9 am and lasting for an hour. In the case of inclement weather, the event will be relocated to the inside of Rye Patch.
The event is free and open to the public.
Do you love horses and art? This is the event for you! The American Academy of Equine Art (AAEA) is home to some of the finest equine artists in North America. This year, the annual show is coming to Aiken! The public opening reception and awards ceremony kicks off Thursday Oct 24th from 6-8 pm at the downtown at Aiken Center for the Arts. Many of the accepted equine artists from across the US and Canada will be there. Come mingle with the artists, view incredible equine-themed masterpieces, and immerse yourself into this phenomenal fall exhibition. All equine and art enthusiasts are welcome! The show runs through November 29th. Regular gallery hours are 10am-5pm, Monday-Saturday.
Celebrate spooky season at the Jack-O-Lantern Jubilee! This annual, family-oriented festival is held in beautiful downtown North Augusta on Georgia Avenue. Activities include live entertainment, a variety of great food, arts and crafts vendors, car show, corn hole tournament, amusement rides, and plenty of activities for the kids including a costume contest, face painting, clowns, kiddie rides & inflatables. The concert and food trucks open at 4:30 p.m. on October 25th, but the full festival is on October 26th.
Calling all history buffs and anthropologists! The City of Aiken’s Visitor Center and Train Museum is pleased to host the Smithsonian Institution Museum on Main Street exhibit “Spark! Places of Innovation.” This thought-provoking exhibit explores the unique combination of places, people, and circumstances that sparks innovation and invention in rural communities. Inspired by an exhibition by the National Museum of American History, the exhibition features stories gathered from diverse communities across the nation. Photographs, engaging interactives, objects, videos, and augmented reality bring a multilayered experience to reveal the leaders, challenges, successes, and future of innovation in each town. “Spark! Places of Innovation” will be on exhibit November 9, 2024 to January 4, 2025. The City of Aiken’s Visitor Center and Train Museum is open Wednesday to Saturday, 10am to 3pm.
Here is another fun fall festival you won’t want to miss! Head to Boondock Farms in nearby Jackson, SC for a fun-filled day on the farm with live music, food trucks, and great crafts + art vendors on site! Make sure to stop in the farm store for delicious jams, pickles, salsa, and cider, toys, gifts, and merch. You are welcome to visit the animals, gardens, and trails while you’re there.
If there is one event you definitely should not miss, it’s the Fall Steeplechase in Aiken! Mark your calendars now for the 31st running of the Aiken Fall Steeplechase. Get ready for a wonderful day of watching horses race, spending time with friends, and enjoying the beautiful autumn weather in Aiken. Get your tickets today!
The Blessing of the Hounds is a Thanksgiving Day tradition in Aiken, SC. Every year, residents and visitors alike gather by Memorial Gate in Hitchcock Woods to watch the timeless ceremony, which pays homage to the various traditions of foxhunting, the heritage of Aiken’s historic hunt culture, and the skilled hounds that make this sport so engaging. Observe the Blessing, officiated by a local clergyman dressed in ceremonial white robes. Then, share in the excitement as the Aiken Hounds officially kick off their hunt season. When the horn blows, all that can be heard is the sound of baying hounds and thundering hooves as horses and riders take off into the forest. Wish them well!
There is no parking at the South Boundary entrance but attendees may park downtown. Plan a 15 – 30 minute walk from downtown into the Woods. No motorized vehicles or dogs are permitted for this event. The event is free.
If you are thinking of relocating to Aiken, SC, fall is a wonderful time to come visit and get a feel for the area. Whether you are looking for a downtown Aiken cottage, land, or your equestrian dream farm, Suzy Haslup is happy to help make your dreams of moving to Aiken a reality. As a Leading Sales Agent, Accredited Land Consultant and lifelong horsewoman, Suzy has over 35 years of local real estate experience and help guide you through the real estate process with ease. She’d love to introduce you to the area, give you a tour of town, and answer any questions you have about the local neighborhoods, schools, equestrian communities. Contact Suzy, 803-215-0153 to begin your home search today!
