After being consumed in the sea of cancellations that was 2020, The Lancaster County Ag+Art Tour is back on for 2021 with a celebratory kick-off on Friday, June 4, from 6-10 p.m., at the picturesque farm that is home to Benford Brewing Company. Live music by Queen City Jukebox will provide the perfect soundtrack as guests enjoy free admission, plentiful parking, food trucks, craft brews, artisans, vendors, and outdoor family games. This year’s tour promises to be one of the best yet with eight farm sites, three ancillary sites, and more than 30 artisans.
The event is the perfect way to kick-off Lancaster County’s eighth year participating in the South Carolina Ag+Art Tour, our nation’s largest free farm tour. Locally, Ag+Art is in partnership with Clemson Extension, See Lancaster, and the Lancaster County Council of the Arts. Eleven counties comprise the agritourism event on weekends in June, proclaimed by the Governor’s office as Ag + Art Month in South Carolina.
“We’re really excited about the fantastic lineup of farms and talented artisans on The Lancaster County Ag+Art Tour for 2021,” said this year’s county coordinator Stuart Graham. “This free self-guided
tour is a great way for families or even a group of friends to explore Lancaster County.”
Lancaster County farms and cultural sites offers visitors the opportunity to see first-hand where local products come from. Along the way, they’ll find food trucks so they can grab a bite to eat and even take in a walk along the new Lindsay Pettus Greenway which is a new ancillary site this year.
“The Ag+Art tour is always a fun event showcasing the beauty of our county and the many talented artisans we have right here at home,” said Eric Grace, Program Director for the Lancaster County Council of the Arts, who is coordinating the artisans on this year’s tour. “But this year’s tour is especially great. Not only do we have an exceptional line up of artisans, more than ever, but after the past year of festival and other event cancellations we’re thrilled to be able to offer our local artisans a way to get their great work seen and hopefully in the hands of locals and tourists alike.”
When:
Saturday: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Sunday: 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Sites and Artisans:
2271 Boxcar Road
Lancaster, SC 29720
Locally owned and operated craft beer producer, where beers are brewed in 30-barrel batches on a small farm and with a pure well water source tapped into the water table of three known springs located on premises. Beers are brewed with only natural based ingredients staying true to brewing traditions. Visitors will enjoy livestock, bees/beekeeping, beer samples, live music, food trucks including Carolina Cajun Meats and Kona Ice of Chester & Lancaster. Kid-friendly activities are on site and artisans include: stationery & papergoods by Hornback Designs, impressionist art by Kelly Ellis, functional pottery by Clay Impressions, sewn merchandise by Delilah’s Apron, and woodwork by Daddy’s Workshop of the Carolinas.
Craig Farm
1859 Craig Farm Road
Lancaster, SC 29720
Historical Craig Farm, founded in 1773, is one of the few Lancaster County farms that has continually operated since pre-Revolutionary War days, with the Craig family the continuous owners. Consisting of almost 400 acres, it is a beef cattle farm. In addition to cattle, primary crop is hay. The farm is about 55% pastureland & 45% woodland. The c. 1800 Craig Farm house is on the National Register of Historic Places, as is Kilburnie, the Inn at Craig Farm (1827), which operates as a bed & breakfast inn, across the road. The farm has beautiful woodland paths for walks and cattle and horses for viewing. Visitors are welcome to view Craig House formal gardens & landscaped grounds, livestock, equestrian, timber/forest, historical farm, formal gardens, guided tours of historic Craig house, and woodland nature walks. Artisans on site include painter Walt Simpson, baskets, jewelry, and watercolors by Carolyn Kemp, and crochet & fluid art by Hamlin Craftworks.
Griff’s Greenhouse & Nursery
234 Bill Sweatt Road
Lancaster, SC 29720
Visit a relaxing country setting with a wide variety of annuals, perennials, hanging baskets and a good selection of Native Plants. This location also has herbs and vegetable plants for your garden. Talented craftspeople are looking forward to sharing their treasures with you. Visitors have asked for more workshops and Griff’s plans to make this happen. Kid-friendly activities on-site. Artisans include baskets by Fort Lawn Basket Cases, woodwork (birdhouses and feeders) by Above the Rest, crochet items & hair bows by Rayna’s Creations, pottery by Pottery by Sue, and fabric arts & weaving by Marcia Houston.
445 West Rebound Rd
Lancaster, SC 29720
New to the tour this year, is the very popular Hall Family Farm featuring U-pick strawberries (if fields are still productive), hayrides, kid’s activities including maze, bamboo walking trail, firetruck slide, sandbox, food including funnel cakes, donuts, burgers, chicken tenders, fries, cider slushies, ice cream. Artisans include woodwork by SJ Woodworking, fantasy artwork & painted items by Sam Woodson Art, pottery by Organically Thrown.
8603 Van Wyck Road
Lancaster, SC 29720
Open Sunday Only!
Gardens, historical house (not open to the public), wedding venue, old barns, beautiful gardens, and visitors will be able to pick berries, weather permitting. Mini Farm Stand on site and artisans include paintings & crafts by Silver Art & Hand Crafts, metal sculpture and jewelry by Art Attack, vivid abstracts by Abstract Alexandra, and local honey & handmade products by Beeyond Bees.
845 Jim Wilson Rd.
Indian Land, SC 29707
Open Saturday Only!
New to the tour this year is Maple Leaf Stables—a professional horse boarding and training facility. Maple Leaf Family Coop supplies Indian Land customers with fresh free-range chicken eggs. You can also see goats, ducks, dogs and cats at the farm. Pony rides, face painting, adult beverages, and value-added products (jams, sauces, baked goods, etc) will be available along with these artisans— custom woodwork by Pen Shop Plus, book signings of ‘No Ordinary Soldier’ by author Liz Gilmore Williams, oil paintings & lanterns by Xiaohong He, pottery by Harry The Potter SC. All Artisans at this location will be at The Ivy Place on Sunday.
3061 Rocky River Rd.
Heath Springs, SC 29058
This stop, which is known for some of the best produce around, is a family-owned and operated produce farm. Fruits, Vegetables, Livestock – Meat, Value-added Products (Jam, Sauces, Beverages, Baked Goods, etc.) and Flowers will be onsite along with artisan Mary Gart (SUNDAY Only) with delicious baked goods and handmade cotton wreaths.
3248 New Hope Road
Lancaster, SC 29720
The ranch is an animal ministry and visitors will meet alpacas, sheep, goats, donkeys, chickens, and more! Come learn how each animal was created uniquely for a purpose and participate in fiber crafts, weaving, spinning, leather tooling, and children’s crafts. Artisans include: laser engraved wood signs, jewelry & accessories by Troo & Co, pottery By Taylor Casey, animal fibers & yarns by J&E Homestead, and Kona Ice
Ancillary Sites that make great stops along the way include:
Parking at 459 Colonial Drive and 610 E. Meeting Street
Lancaster, SC 29720
A great place to talk a walk and enjoy nature, check out two ‘Paws on Parade’ sculptures, make some nature crafts, and grab a bite at the food trucks.
Mahaffee’s Pottery and Painting Studio
2875 New Hope Road
Lancaster, SC 29720
This two-story studio features 3-D work such as pottery downstairs, and 2-D work such as paintings, mosaics, etc. upstairs. Some students and artisans may be working independently. Dianne will be rakuing and on the pottery wheel during the day and will offer a free mini-workshop with clay, to interested folks. Kid-friendly activities on site.
Lancaster County Farmers Market
1920 Pageland Highway
Lancaster, SC 29720
Only open on Saturday,.
Enjoy locally grown produce and meats.
