Annual Festivals
Fan-favorite annual festivals like Rock Around the Clock, Pig on the Ridge, and others let residents and visitors move their feet, satisfy their appetites, and find their next great treasure.
- Rock Around the Clock (September or October): Fairfield’s most popular festival is Rock Around the Clock, when a variety of bands and entertainers “rock” around the oldest continuously running clock in the nation, built in 1833 and located in historic downtown Winnsboro. The two-day festival hosts activities for all ages, including a parade, a street dance, a showcase of classic cars and motorcycles from all over the southeast, a 5K run, plus train rides and a climbing wall for kids!
- Pig on the Ridge (November): The town of Ridgeway hosts its annual Pig on the Ridge BBQ Cookoff, where teams from all over the southeast compete for prize money, trophies, and “best BBQ” bragging rights. Folks from all around South Carolina and neighboring states come to enjoy a weekend of food, fun, and festivities.
- Arts on the Ridge (May): During this lovely weekend, residents and visitors enjoy visual, performing, and literary arts showcased through live shows, performances, demonstrations, book signings, and more.
- Wings & Wheels Air Festival (May): Come take flight during the annual Wings & Wheels Air Festival at the Fairfield County Airport in Winnsboro. Enjoy plane or helicopter rides (for a fee), or if you’d rather stay on the ground, enjoy a classic plane exhibit and skydiving demos. Not to mention, there’s great food, music, arts and craft vendors, face painting, and more.
Museums
- South Carolina Railroad Museum: This museum is the largest attraction in Fairfield County, and with good reason. Since 1973, it’s been collecting various types of freight and passenger cars, as well as a steam locomotive, which once belonged to the Hampton and Branchville Railroad. You’ll see cabooses, freight cars, and diesel engines from CSX and Norfolk Southern, and you’ll learn about the rich local ties to the railroad industry.
- Fairfield County Museum: Restored and converted into the Fairfield County Museum in 1976, this three-story townhouse in Winnsboro is now listed on the National Historic Registry as a late example of Federal-style architecture. The ornate wood and plaster work of the interior were beautifully restored in the 1970s through the efforts of local preservationists. The museum features artifacts and furnishings that represent Fairfield County’s history, and a genealogy research room on the second floor is staffed by volunteers.
Local History & Culture
- The Town Clock (Longest Continually-Running Clock in the U.S.!): With a history dating back to 1785, the Town Clock in Winnsboro is the longest continuously-running clock in the U.S. The works for the clock were imported to Charleston by sailboat, and hauled to Winnsboro in wagons. Some reports indicate that the journey required up to 50 wagons in total! Today, you can visit the site to admire the stunning architecture and hear the signature chime. The first floor is now used as meeting space for the town’s various organizations and as a voting location. The second floor of the Town Clock is home to the Fairfield County Chamber of Commerce.
