Buoyed by tradition and a burgeoning downtown, Fountain Inn continues to offer a full slate of events for residents and visitors, with new opportunities hitting the calendar each month.
With a historic setting in the growing Golden Strip area, Fountain Inn is quenching the thirst of local residents who want true community experiences.
One of the city’s signature events is Aunt Het Day, held the first Saturday in October. The 2012 festival will mark the 29th anniversary of the event held in honor of Robert Quillen’s homespun cartoon character, AUNT HET.
Former Fountain Inn Chamber of Commerce Director Maria Bentley said Aunt Het Day is synonymous with the city’s small town identity, though newcomers often wonder about the origins of the honoree.
“We get questioned every year about Aunt Het and what that means,” Bentley said. “Since it is a festival based on a fictitious character, there aren’t any other festivals like it.”
Bentley said the festival evokes a different era for residents who have come to see it as a big family gathering where all are welcome.
“Fountain Inn has a true downtown,” she said. “We can truly have it down our Main Street. It is a time of year for people to see each other and it has grown to be a special holiday for residents and those who visit.”
The festival incorporates a variety of events, including a 5K and kid’s fun run for Lauren’s hope Foundation, a pumpkin patch sponsored by Fountain Inn Elementary, The Peg Leg Bates Dance Competition and the Aunt Het Quilt Show sponsored by the Nimble Thimbles Quilt Guild.
The Christmas season kicks off with the Spirit of Christmas Past in early December. The two-weekend event begins with the Fountain Inn Chamber’s Christmas parade and the City's Christmas tree lighting, and then continues with carriage rides through the streets of downtown. Riders can enjoy the Colonial Williamsburg-like atmosphere created by homeowners participating in the Fountain Inn Garden Club’s home decorating contest.
“The only way we can have a Christmas festival is by the homeowners, our downtown merchants and the City, decorating and taking such pride in their homes, their businesses and our wonderful city,” Bentley said. “That’s what makes Fountain Inn special - it’s a community that works together.”
An ice skating rink has proven to be a very popular addition to the festival, as well as seasonal merchants who locate downtown during the event, according to Fountain Inn’s Economic Development Director Van Broad.
Broad said the 2011 Christmas season included home tours offered by the Fountain Inn Music Club, as well as a concert by the Greenville Concert Band.
Summer weather means outdoor events in Fountain Inn. Fridays by the Fountain, a concert series held from May through August, now brings out hundreds of people each week for good music and an evening of fun. In 2011, the music continued on Saturday nights from July through early September with Bluegrass at The Pavilion at Commerce Park.
“Every weekend, there is something going on,” Broad said.
The Fountain Inn Farmers’ Market, held Saturday mornings, June through September, gives local growers the chance to reach their neighbors and provides residents with fresh produce and other local treats.
“We average 400 to 700 people every Saturday morning” Broad said.