Simpsonville, South Carolina, knows the right way to kick off Labor Day weekend. The city marks the holiday with a three-day celebration featuring more than the food, live music and carnival attractions that are festival staples. From kids who love animals and dads who collect classic cars, to moms who enjoy arts and crafts and teens who participate in pageants, the festival offers events and activities for the whole family. The Labor Day festival is held over the weekend from Saturday to Monday.
Basics
- First celebrated in Simpsonville in 1974, the Labor Day Festival now draws more than 20,000 visitors each year. Sponsored by the Jeff Richardson Company, a real estate agency based in Simpsonville, each festival day includes a special feature, which in past years has included NASCAR show cars and a petting zoo. Admission to the festival is free, but several events cost extra, so you'll want to have some cash on hand.
Activities
- The Labor Day festival has activities to please many different attendees. If you're concerned about identity theft, you'll appreciate the Community Shred-It during which you can shred your documents in exchange for a food donation. Music lovers can also listen to free live music and watch local performances during festival evenings. In recent years, musical acts have included solo artists and bands playing funk, jazz and soul music. Other activities include watching the Miss Labor Day Festival pageant, trying your hand at a dunk tank for dousing local celebrities and visiting arts and crafts booths.
Kids' Activities
- Thrill-seeking kids can also enjoy the carnival rides on all three festival days from morning until mid-evening, while animal lovers can enjoy a free petting zoo or pony rides, the latter of which costs an additional fee. Kids can also visit the Construction Zone, which lets them get up close and personal with construction trucks, a fire truck and a police cruiser. Similar to the Construction Zone is Touch a Truck, which brings in an Army Humvee and a race car for kids to explore.
Lodging
- Simpsonville has several lodging options if you wish to stay overnight for the festival. The Garden House Bed & Breakfast is a converted 1905 farmhouse located on Simpsonville's South Main Street. Offering five guest rooms, the Garden House serves breakfast and afternoon refreshments to its guests. The town is also home to mid-scale chains like Comfort Suites and Hampton Inn, as well as budget hotels like Days Inn and Value Place.
