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Sumter Iris Festival

Sumter's Iris Festival is South Carolina's oldest continuous festival and is consistently ranked among the top festivals in the Southeast. The 3-day festival includes live performances, an arts and crafts show, a flower show, a quilt show, car shows, and a number of contests and children's activities.  The fun begins the evening before the festival, with the annual Crowning of The King & Queen followed by the Taste at the Gardens, featuring great music and great food from some of the area's leading restaurants and caterers!

Sumter's Swan Lake-Iris Gardens -- the main staging area for the Iris Festival -- is home to all eight types of the world's swans including swans from Asia, Australia, England and South America.

As the festival has gained popularity, it has become a favorite stopping place for bus tours from all over the U.S. and Canada and has been covered in "Southern Living" magazine. The annual event receives prominent news and advertising coverage in major newspapers, radio and television stations as well as on the world-wide Web, and has several times been named to the "Top 20 in the Southeast" list by the Southeast Tourism Society.





VIDEO SUMMARIES...

Gateway to Gardening    Market Place          Arts & Crafts               Kids Area              Chalk Art Contest 

PLEASE REMEMBER THAT PETS ARE NOT PERMITTED IN SWAN LAKE IRIS GARDENS EXCEPT FOR LICENSED SERVICE ANIMALS.

VENDOR APPLICATIONS ARE ONLINE NOW!  Please scroll to the bottom of the page.

Iris Festival Taste at the Gardens
May 24, 2012
6 p.m.
More information coming soon!

Ongoing Events, May 25-27
10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday & Saturday
10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday
All Events Subject to Change or Cancellation

  • Art in the Gardens (until 6 p.m.)
  • Gateway to Gardening (until 6 p.m.)
  • Arts & Crafts
  • Food Court
  • Iris Festival Marketplace
  • “Just Kidding Around” Children’s Area
  • Children’s Art in the Park
  • Quilt Show (Saturday and Sunday Only--Closes at 5 p.m.)
  • Head Turnerz Classic Car Show (Saturday Only)
  • Sumter Cruisers Show & Shine (Sunday Only)
  • One Senior Place
  • Military Displays (Saturday Only)

CONTINUOUS LIVE ENTERTAINMENT! 

ALL KID'S ACTIVITIES ARE FREE AND WILL BE HELD AT THE TENNIS COURTS AND SURROUNDING AREAS.

Iris Festival Entertainment Schedule Coming Soon!

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Sponsorship Information

Sumter's Iris Festival has been ranked as one of the Top 20 festivals in the region by the Southeast Tourism Association, and your company can become known as one of its major sponsors!

You can benefit from this high-profile festival and help keep Sumter in the spotlight. Together we can bring thousands of people into Sumter and hundreds of thousands of dollars into our economy.

For Festival information, Parking & Shuttle information, or to become a sponsor, contact:

Iris Festival Commission
PO Box 1802
Sumter SC 29151
Phone: 803-436-2640 OR 1-800-688-4748
Fax: 803-436-2652

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VENDOR & EVENT APPLICATIONS (PDF)*

Seasonal Business License Application

Arts & Crafts

Iris Festival Marketplace

Food Vendors

Art in the Gardens (Fine Arts)

Iris Festival Pet Show

Gateway to Gardening

Taste at the Gardens

Chalk Art Contest--COMING SOON!

Iris Festival Pageant--COMING SOON!

Iris Parade--COMING SOON!


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