5th Annual Pee Dee Blues Bash - Day 303

The 5th Annual Pee Dee Blues Bash will take place Friday and Saturday! The Friday night performances begin at 7:30 at Southern Hops and continue at Apple Annie's at 9pm. On Saturday, the day is full of live performances all over downtown Florence in conjunction with the Pecan Festival. Admission is free to all of the shows! We'll see you there!

 

For more details on Blues Bash and the Pecan Festival, please visit our calendar. 

365 Days Around Florence is a blog written by the Florence Convention & Visitors Bureau. At the Visitors Center - located near the Florence Civic Center - we spend a great deal of our time in letting guests know how much is happening in Florence. We decided to share (blog-style) 365 days worth of things to do. Find more things to do on our online calendar, and enjoy!

Disney On Ice Race to Feed the Pee Dee - Day 302

 

On Thursday evening, celebrate the successful food drive that was held earlier this month in conjunction with Disney on Ice for Harvest Hope Food Bank. At 5pm in the upper parking lot of the Florence Civic Center, cheer on your local law enforcement and Disney on Ice skaters as they compete for the title of the Fastest Food Box Packer in the Pee Dee! The pre-show celebration is free, so bring the whole family. The Harvest Hope Food Drive held on October 13th collected over 3,000 lbs of food for families in our community. There will also be a silent auction to benefit Harvest Hope at 5pm as well. And there is still time to get tickets to see Disney on Ice this weekend, so call the box office for more information on getting your tickets before they're sold out!

For more information, please visit our calendar or call the box office at 843.679.4525.

365 Days Around Florence is a blog written by the Florence Convention & Visitors Bureau. At the Visitors Center - located near the Florence Civic Center - we spend a great deal of our time in letting guests know how much is happening in Florence. We decided to share (blog-style) 365 days worth of things to do. Find more things to do on our online calendar, and enjoy!

 

 

An Evening with Frank Vignola - Day 301

Enjoy an evening with Frank Vignola tomorrow at the FMU PAC! The performance starts at 7:30pm and tickets range in price from $23-$33. He has been called one of the most extraordinary guitarists performing today! Vignola's performance will cover different music genres including jazz to opera, classic rock to contemporary pop and more. He has been known to throw in some boy band choreography for a good laugh! His resume includes working with Ringo Starr, Madonna, the Boston Pops and the New York Pops, just to name a few. Don't miss your chance to spend a very entertaining evening with Frank Vignola in Florence. For more information on tickets, please call the box office at 843.661.4444.

For more details on this event and other things happening in our area, please visit our regional calendar. 

365 Days Around Florence is a blog written by the Florence Convention & Visitors Bureau. At the Visitors Center - located near the Florence Civic Center - we spend a great deal of our time in letting guests know how much is happening in Florence. We decided to share (blog-style) 365 days worth of things to do. Find more things to do on our online calendar, and enjoy!

 

The Hope Harvest - Day 300

Join the Harvest Hope Food bank and the Florence community for The Hope Harvest. On November 2nd from 6-9pm enjoy an evening fundraiser to benefit families in the Pee Dee region who are in need of food. There will be live music, food and drinks and the opportunity to purchase hand-crafted bowls by Teri Federer and students from The King's Academy and FMU. The bowls will be sold as a reminder of the families who have empty bowls on their dinner tables every night in the Pee Dee. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at the Morning News or online here. All proceeds will go directly to fighting hunger in our area.



For more information on this event, please visit our calendar. 

365 Days Around Florence is a blog written by the Florence Convention & Visitors Bureau. At the Visitors Center - located near the Florence Civic Center - we spend a great deal of our time in letting guests know how much is happening in Florence. We decided to share (blog-style) 365 days worth of things to do. Find more things to do on our online calendar, and enjoy!

Halloween Happenings - Day 299

From fun to scary, we've got you covered! Here are some Halloween happenings this weekend to celebrate the spook-tacular day!

Saturday: 

Smile-O-Ween hosted by Small Smiles Dental Center and CiCi's Pizza will be held from 11am-3pm at CiCi's pizza in Florence. Costumes are Welcome! There will be coloring contests, prizes, drawings for free pizza, face painting  and more!

The Not-So-Scary Haunted Trail will be from 5:30-7pm at Kalmia Gardens in Hartsville. After the trail, enjoy a hot dog, popcorn and a drink. Cost is $2. Also enjoy face painting & pumpkin painting!

Hear professional storytellers spin tales of low country haints, devils and odd creatures from all up and down the east coast. Tickets are $15 and begins at 7pm in downtown Conway.

Walk through the Trinity-Byrnes Haunted Halls! The Halls are open on October 27th from 7-11pm and on October 28th from 7-10:30pm. Admission is $6 or $5 for a less scary route. Bring a canned good and enter for just $1.

Haunted Hills of Lynches River is a 2 mile hay ride through the dark, spooky swamps of Lynches River. Wagons will stop at many interactive scenes along the route and there will also be a walk through haunted house. Ticket are $5 and sales begin at dark until 11pm. Concessions are available. Parking is free. All proceeds go to the Lamar Firemen Association. For more please call 843.346.7140.

"Scream on the Green" in Burry Park in Hartsville presents Ghostbusters. Begins at sunset (approximately 7:27pm).

Sunday:

This Sunday along with a spooky family movie will be a Character Costume Contest at the Thomason Public Library in Olanta. From 2-5pm children can come dressed as their favorite book/graphic novel character. Bags of goodies will be given out and awards for costume winners. Free admission. For more information, please call 843.396.4287.

Central United Methodist Church will have a Halloween Carnival on Sunday, October 28 from 4-5:30pm in the Davis CLC. Children of all ages are welcome to come for games, prizes, and tons of fun! Costumes are encouraged - no scary ones, please! Children under 8 must be accompanied by an adult. Friends are always welcome! For admission, please bring a non-perishable food item for Harvest Hope.


For more details and information on any of these events, please visit our calendar.  

365 Days Around Florence is a blog written by the Florence Convention & Visitors Bureau. At the Visitors Center - located near the Florence Civic Center - we spend a great deal of our time in letting guests know how much is happening in Florence. We decided to share (blog-style) 365 days worth of things to do. Find more things to do on our online calendar, and enjoy!

McLeod Farm Fall Festival - Day 298

Join McLeod Farms for their annual fall festival on Saturday, October 27th from 10am - 4pm. You can take a horse drawn wagon ride, pick pumpkins, play corn hole, bounce in inflatables, taste their homemade ice cream, and enjoy live music from Doug McCormick. There will be a recipe and costume contest, too. Admission is free for kids 3 and under, $4.00 for elementary students, $6.00 for high school and college ages, $6.00 for senior-citizens, and $8.00 for adults. Visit Mac's Pride for a fun day of fall activities.

For more details, please visit our calendar.

365 Days Around Florence is a blog written by the Florence Convention & Visitors Bureau. At the Visitors Center - located near the Florence Civic Center - we spend a great deal of our time in letting guests know how much is happening in Florence. We decided to share (blog-style) 365 days worth of things to do. Find more things to do on our online calendar, and enjoy!

'Meet the Pioneers' Cemetery Walking Tour - Day 297

 Photo courtesy of the Southern African American Heritage Center.

You might think a cemetery walking tour at this time of the year would be scary, but not this one! This is an educational experience that takes you through a historic cemetery. Join the Southern African American Heritage Center for their first "Meet the Pioneers" Fall Cemetery Walking Tour. Learn all about contributions of local African Americans and see where they were laid to rest. Mr. Ted Bradley and Felicia Flemming-McCall will be leading the tour and will meet at the front entrance of the Foundry Hill Cemetery on Saturday, October 28th, at 2pm. There is a fee of $8 for adults and $5 for ages 5-18. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes!

To purchase tickets or for additional information, please contact the Center at 843.921.9989 or send an email at southernaaheritagecenter@gmail.com. 

For more details on the cemetery walking tour, please visit our calendar.


365 Days Around Florence is a blog written by the Florence Convention & Visitors Bureau. At the Visitors Center - located near the Florence Civic Center - we spend a great deal of our time in letting guests know how much is happening in Florence. We decided to share (blog-style) 365 days worth of things to do. Find more things to do on our online calendar, and enjoy!

Parris Island Marine Band - Day 296

The Parris Island Marine Band will perform at the Florence Civic Center tomorrow evening at 7pm. The patriotic program will include familiar marches, traditional classics and national favorites. The band will play under the baton of Chief Warrant Office 3 Joshua A. Stone. Tickets to the concert are free, but are going quickly! There will be no reserved seating and guests will be seated on a first come basis.  

Call the Florence Civic Center box office today at 843.679.4525 for more information on tickets.

Never heard of the Parris Island Marine Band? Read this bit of history:

The band was first started in 1915 when the Marine Corp Recruit Training was transferred to Parris Island, SC from Norfolk, VA. William Gauer, the first bandmaster, was one of the first Marines sent to Parris Island. Drum Major Anton Schnichowski and a group of Marine musicians began the Parris Island Marine Band. The band is an efficient musical unit that often reaches a persons soul, to the very center of their being. Today, the Parris Island Marine Band, with fifty enlisted instrumentalists and one band officer, performs hundreds of commitments each year in every idiom imaginable.

The culmination of military pride and efficiency along with precise musical expertise has set the United States Marine Field Bands apart from any other military unit. The Parris Island Marine Band is dedicated to upholding and displaying the very same high standards and traditions established by the United States Marine Corps.

Don't miss your chance to see such a special concert! For more details, check out our calendar. 


 365 Days Around Florence is a blog written by the Florence Convention & Visitors Bureau. At the Visitors Center - located near the Florence Civic Center - we spend a great deal of our time in letting guests know how much is happening in Florence. We decided to share (blog-style) 365 days worth of things to do. Find more things to do on our online calendar, and enjoy!

Pee Dee Motorcycle Classic - Day 295

The Pee Dee Motorcycle Classic will be held this weekend at the Florence Civic  Center.  There will be bikes, bands and BBQ! The Classic will feature Pee Dee Homegrown Concerts with live music on both days. Enjoy the vendors, custom bikes, and great food. All motorcycles are welcome! The Pee Dee Motorcycle Classic will be held on Saturday from 10am-6pm and Sunday from 10am-5pm. Admission is $10 per person and children under 10 are free with an adult. 

For more details, visit our calendar or the Florence Civic Center.

 365 Days Around Florence is a blog written by the Florence Convention & Visitors Bureau. At the Visitors Center - located near the Florence Civic Center - we spend a great deal of our time in letting guests know how much is happening in Florence. We decided to share (blog-style) 365 days worth of things to do. Find more things to do on our online calendar, and enjoy!

Final Florence After Five - Day 294

Friday night will be the final Florence After Five of the season! Be sure to join the fun from 5:30-8pm for live music by band 12%. Bring the kids for the annual "Pumpkin Patch" hosted by the City of Florence. During the show, stop by the Art Trail Gallery and enjoy the locally-provided food and beverages. Afterwards, enjoy casual night at Victor's Bistro & Garden Room. If you miss this one, you'll have to wait until April for the next Florence After Five! 

For more details, please visit our calendar. 

 365 Days Around Florence is a blog written by the Florence Convention & Visitors Bureau. At the Visitors Center - located near the Florence Civic Center - we spend a great deal of our time in letting guests know how much is happening in Florence. We decided to share (blog-style) 365 days worth of things to do. Find more things to do on our online calendar, and enjoy!

Moore Farms Botanical Garden Fall Garden Open - Day 293

Moore Farms Botanical Garden will open the garden for one day for their Fall Garden Open on October 26th. This is a rare opportunity to see the Botanical Gardens! Guests will be given the chance to tour the gardens and the state of the art growing facility and green roof. Horticulturists will be on site to answer any questions. Tickets are $10 and you must RSVP in advance to Tamra Richardson at gardenopen@gmail.com. You should provide your name, address and how many people will be in your group. The garden will be open from 8:30am-3pm and all proceeds from the ticket sales will go to the A.C. Moore Herbarium of USC. The Moore family agreed to match the proceeds of all guests who come dressed in farm or garden oriented Halloween costumes! 

 For more information, please email Tamra Richardson or visit our calendar. 
 

 365 Days Around Florence is a blog written by the Florence Convention & Visitors Bureau. At the Visitors Center - located near the Florence Civic Center - we spend a great deal of our time in letting guests know how much is happening in Florence. We decided to share (blog-style) 365 days worth of things to do. Find more things to do on our online calendar, and enjoy!

Ice skating...in Florence! - Day 292

It's not every day you get to go ice skating in South Carolina! The Florence Civic Center will host public ice skating next week and throw an early Halloween party on the rink. The ice rink opens with the Halloween party on October 25th, from 6-9pm for $7.50. Wear your costume to receive $1 of admission. There will be free soda and candy during the Halloween party, too. Bring your little goblins to enjoy a one of a kind party.

If you can't make it to the party there are still plenty of chances for you and your family to enjoy the ice. Check out the dates below:

Fri. Oct. 26 1pm-3pm
Fri. Oct. 26 4pm-6pm
Fri. Oct. 26 7pm-9pm
Sat. Oct. 27 9am-11am
Sat. Oct. 27 12pm-2pm
Sat. Oct. 27 3pm-5pm
Sat. Oct. 27 6pm-8pm
Sun. Oct. 28 10am-12pm
Sun. Oct. 28 1pm-3pm
Sun. Oct. 28 4pm-6pm
Sun. Oct. 28 7pm-9pm
Mon. Oct. 29 4pm-6pm
Mon. Oct. 29 7pm-9pm
Tue. Oct. 30 4pm-6pm
Tue. Oct. 30 7pm-9pm


Admission is $7.50 per person and just $5.00 if you bring your own ice skates. Public skate times are subject to change, please call the Florence Civic Center to double check at 843-679-9417. For more information on ice skating, please click here.

Be sure to visit our calendar for more events in Florence.

365 Days Around Florence is a blog written by the Florence Convention & Visitors Bureau. At the Visitors Center - located near the Florence Civic Center - we spend a great deal of our time in letting guests know how much is happening in Florence. We decided to share (blog-style) 365 days worth of things to do. Find more things to do on our online calendar, and enjoy!

 
 

USTA Ladies Pro Circuit Tournament - Day 291

The Florence Tennis Center will host the 2012 Florence Open Ladies Tennis Tournament this week. The USTA Pro Circuit Event will begin on Saturday, October 20th and end on Sunday, October 28th. This tournament will be bringing in pros ranked as high as 150 in the world playing for an automatic wild card spot in the Australian Open! Click here for the tournament schedule of events. Admission is free on most days, but there will be a $5 fee for October 27th & 28th.

For more information, please call 843.665.3106 or visit our calendar. 

 365 Days Around Florence is a blog written by the Florence Convention & Visitors Bureau. At the Visitors Center - located near the Florence Civic Center - we spend a great deal of our time in letting guests know how much is happening in Florence. We decided to share (blog-style) 365 days worth of things to do. Find more things to do on our online calendar, and enjoy!

RoosterFest 2012 - Day 290

Join the Midnight Rooster as they celebrate 10 years of coffee, creativity and community with RoosterFest! The prom-themed costume party with live music, visual arts, and the delicious food that they're known for, will take place in downtown Hartsville from 6pm-midnight on Saturday. The festival will feature 10 musical acts with special guest performers, a wide variety of beers and 2 stages for music. A portion of the profits from RoosterFest will benefit the Hartsville Boys and Girls Club and Black Creek Arts Council.  The festival is free to the public. Put on your best prom attire and celebrate with the Midnight Rooster for a great cause!

For more details, please visit our calendar.
 

365 Days Around Florence is a blog written by the Florence Convention & Visitors Bureau. At the Visitors Center - located near the Florence Civic Center - we spend a great deal of our time in letting guests know how much is happening in Florence. We decided to share (blog-style) 365 days worth of things to do. Find more things to do on our online calendar, and enjoy!

Pumpkin Painting Contest! - Day 289

Have a little one that likes to paint? If so, join Forest Lake Greenhouse on Saturday for their Pumpkin Painting Contest! From 9am-1pm stop by to let your Picasso paint a masterpiece on their pumpkin. The cost is $6 and includes a pumpkin and paint. There will be two age categories for the contest, 4-7 and 8-12. One winner in each group will win a $15 gift card to Cold Stone Creamery. The winners will be announced on Saturday, October 27th and be sure to stop back by to pickup your completed pumpkin after the winners are announced.

If you need additional information on the Pumpkin Painting Contest, please visit our calendar or call  843.662.5666.

365 Days Around Florence is a blog written by the Florence Convention & Visitors Bureau. At the Visitors Center - located near the Florence Civic Center - we spend a great deal of our time in letting guests know how much is happening in Florence. We decided to share (blog-style) 365 days worth of things to do. Find more things to do on our online calendar, and enjoy!

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy - Day 288

 

Get ready for a fun night of jazz from Big Bad Voodoo Daddy! Join the Florence-Darlington Technical College Educational Foundation for their 48th Anniversary Celebration on Friday, October 26th. The reception will begin at 6pm and the show will begin at 7:30pm at the SiMT Building. Tickets for the event are $125 which include an open bar, gourmet food, and exciting music. For information on purchasing your tickets, please call 843.661.8003. 

For more details on this event, please visit our calendar.

365 Days Around Florence is a blog written by the Florence Convention & Visitors Bureau. At the Visitors Center - located near the Florence Civic Center - we spend a great deal of our time in letting guests know how much is happening in Florence. We decided to share (blog-style) 365 days worth of things to do. Find more things to do on our online calendar, and enjoy!

 

Kingstree / Bi-Lo Pig Pickin' Festival - Day 287

Photo courtesy of Kingstree / Bi-Lo Pig Pickin' Festival.

The Kingstree / Bi-Lo Pig Pickin' Festival is coming up this week! It kicks off on Thursday, October 18th, at 6pm. The Pig Pickin' Festival brings crowds from all over the state for the annual BBQ cook-off. There are plenty of activities planned including live music, dance performances, art and craft vendors, a carnival section for the little ones, and much more. Check out the schedule of events below to see what's happening on each day of the festival. There is no admission fee, but parking is $3 for one day or $5 for a multiple day parking pass. Enjoy festival fun and plenty of good food this weekend in Kingstree! 

 For more details, please visit our calendar. 

365 Days Around Florence is a blog written by the Florence Convention & Visitors Bureau. At the Visitors Center - located near the Florence Civic Center - we spend a great deal of our time in letting guests know how much is happening in Florence. We decided to share (blog-style) 365 days worth of things to do. Find more things to do on our online calendar, and enjoy!

Fiddler on the Roof at the PAC - Day 286

Don't miss one of the most recognized musical theater productions, Fiddler on the Roof, on October 22nd, at the Francis Marion University Performing Arts Center. The timeless story of the father who has to to choose between his daughter's happiness and their Jewish traditions, set to a heartwarming score including songs like Matchmaker, Matchmaker and Tradition, make Fiddler on the Roof an exciting production to experience. The performance begins at 7:30pm and you can purchase your tickets here.

For more details on Fiddler on the Roof, please visit our calendar.

365 Days Around Florence is a blog written by the Florence Convention & Visitors Bureau. At the Visitors Center - located near the Florence Civic Center - we spend a great deal of our time in letting guests know how much is happening in Florence. We decided to share (blog-style) 365 days worth of things to do. Find more things to do on our online calendar, and enjoy!

Taste of Florence - Day 285

Savor Tuesday's Flavor at the Taste of Florence! Enjoy a food festival at the Florence Civic Center on Tuesday evening where restaurants will transform the Civic Center into mini restaurants! The Taste of Florence will be held from 5-9pm and include a Kid Zone with carnival games for the kids. Over 40 restaurants and bakeries will be there for you to try! Admission is $6 at the door. Specialty samples can be purchased using food tickets. Food tickets are $1 each and the specialty samples will range from 1-4 tickets. Bring your appetite, you will need it!

For more details on tickets for the Taste of Florence, please visit our calendar.

 365 Days Around Florence is a blog written by the Florence Convention & Visitors Bureau. At the Visitors Center - located near the Florence Civic Center - we spend a great deal of our time in letting guests know how much is happening in Florence. We decided to share (blog-style) 365 days worth of things to do. Find more things to do on our online calendar, and enjoy!

SC Jazz Festival - Day 284

The South Carolina Jazz Festival will be held in Cheraw next weekend! Dizzy Gillepsie's hometown will celebrate everything jazz on October 18th - 21st. There are 3 full days of activities and events taking place like the Bebop Parade on Saturday, Dizzy's Birthday celebration (complete with cake!), over 20 regional musicians performing in eclectic locations, a golf tournament, a 5k run/walk and fun kids' activities. Each day has its own schedule of events, so check out our calendar here for a detailed schedule of events for the SC Jazz Festival.The celebration kicks off on Thursday evening with a street party where you can dance under the stars to jazz music from the Joe Gransden Quartet.


365 Days Around Florence is a blog written by the Florence Convention & Visitors Bureau. At the Visitors Center - located near the Florence Civic Center - we spend a great deal of our time in letting guests know how much is happening in Florence. We decided to share (blog-style) 365 days worth of things to do. Find more things to do on our online calendar, and enjoy!

Free Paddle Clinic - Day 283

 Photo courtesy of Cheraw State Park.

Join the SCDNR and SC Parks of Recreation and Tourism as they host a free paddle clinic. Learn to canoe and kayak at the Cheraw State Park with a session at 9:30 and one at noon. They will last about an hour and canoes, kayaks, life jackets and paddles will be provided. You can call 843.537.9656 to sign up for your spot today! Enjoy Cheraw State Park and the beauty of Lake Juniper.

For more details on the paddle clinic, please visit our calendar.

 365 Days Around Florence is a blog written by the Florence Convention & Visitors Bureau. At the Visitors Center - located near the Florence Civic Center - we spend a great deal of our time in letting guests know how much is happening in Florence. We decided to share (blog-style) 365 days worth of things to do. Find more things to do on our online calendar, and enjoy!

SC Sweet Potato Festival - Day 282

Don't miss the 30th annual SC Sweet Potato Festival this weekend! On Saturday from 9am-4pm in Downtown Darlington, you will find fun festival activities like crafts, food, art, live entertainment, a magic show and an antique car show. And of course, what would the Sweet Potato Festival be without sweet potatoes? Make sure you try all of the sweet potato goodies and take some home for later, too!

For more details on the Sweet Potato Festival, please visit our calendar. 

 365 Days Around Florence is a blog written by the Florence Convention & Visitors Bureau. At the Visitors Center - located near the Florence Civic Center - we spend a great deal of our time in letting guests know how much is happening in Florence. We decided to share (blog-style) 365 days worth of things to do. Find more things to do on our online calendar, and enjoy!