COLUMBIA, S.C. — The Richland County Ag + Art Tour Committee has announced that the 2021 event has been slated for June 12-13. The Richland County tour will feature 11 farm sites, five ancillary sites (agriculture and art-related), two farmers markets and more than 60 artisans. Part of a larger effort by Clemson University Extension and its annual South Carolina Ag + Art Tour, there will be 11 counties participating in the 2021 tour, including three new counties: Colleton, Charleston and Lexington.
“Now in its ninth (9th) year, this free self-guided farm and art tour is a great way to educate people about where their food and fiber comes from, as well as introduce them to local artisans”, says Will Culler, Clemson Extension Agribusiness Agent and Tour Administrator.
“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 own backyard and help them to support local businesses while making healthier food choices. We think this event does that by putting food and product with a face.”
This year the tour will include farms and artisans in Charleston, Chester, Chesterfield, Colleton, Fairfield, Kershaw, Lancaster, Lexington, Newberry, Richland, and York Counties.
From late May through June, tour events are hosted across the state. Event hours are 9 AM – 4 PM Saturdays and 1 PM – 5 PM Sundays. For a complete listing of SC tour dates and locations, please visit www.agandarttour.com<.
Culler said the interest in the South Carolina Ag + Art Tour continues to be phenomenal. It is already the largest FREE farm tour in the nation and has drawn over 40,000 visitors since its inception.
Tour stops include farms and farmers markets with at least one form of art at each location. Artisans on the tour range from weavers, painters, musicians, storytellers, metalworkers and craftsmen, to poets and live musical performances. Some of the farms will offer value-added products, such as jarred and canned foods, honey, baked goods or even farm-fresh meals. There is no fee to attend and visitors can start and stop their tour at any location they choose.
For more information about the Richland County participating farms, markets, artisans and ancillary sites, please visit https://bit.ly/3uYUvoC. Volunteers are needed for Richland County’s event. Anyone interested in volunteering for this event should visit https://linktr.ee/AgArtRichland.
About the South Carolina Ag + Art Tour
The South Carolina Ag + Art Tour began in York County in 2012 and has added at least one new county each year since. The tour is coordinated by leadership and county-level planning teams that are led by Clemson University Cooperative Extension. Partner organizations include economic development agencies, chambers of commerce, tourism bureaus, farm and artisan organizations, education and extension offices, arts councils and community volunteers.
–Michelle Cantey, SCDA
