area Recreation

The Lexington County area is one of the fastest growing areas in South Carolina.  As part of the Columbia metropolitan area, opportunities for arts, culture, and recreation abound.  With a temperate climate that allows for year-round recreation and with more than 500 acres of shoreline on beautiful Lake Murray, it is no wonder that Lexington County is the place to be when it comes to living and playing.

Completed in 1930 to create electric power for the South Carolina midlands, Lake Murray was named in honor of William S. Murray.  The lake encompasses a vast area of water covering 78 square miles and approximately 50,000 acres of land. At its widest point, it is 41 miles long and 14 miles wide, providing storage for 763 billion gallons of water.

Lake Murray offers miles and miles of boating pleasure for all types of boaters. Whether you enjoy canoeing through calm waters, navigating your sails through cutting winds or leisurely cruising in your motor or fishing boat, Lake Murray is the place for you.  Lake Murray also offers excellent fishing and hunting opportunities. 

Lexington County has a number of quality state and local parks for the enjoyment of our residents and visitors. 

The City of Cayce, near Lake Murray operates several parks including beautiful Guignard Park.  The park is at the corner of Knox Abbot Drive and Axtell Road in Cayce. This wooded park has a stream running through it with picnic tables and a play area in a beautiful setting.

Peachtree Rock off S.C. 6 near Edmund in southern Lexington County is a geological wonder: It has stood for millions of years and is a natural testament to the ancient marine environment that was once there. Visitors are welcome but are encouraged to respect the site and its environment.

Peachtree Rock Preserve is named for the large sandstone formation (shaped like an upside-down pyramid) that the visitor sees immediately upon entering the preserve. The rock's strange configuration is a result of the erosion of lower layers of rock and sand, with the upper layers of hard, coarse-grained sandstone eroding at a slower rate. A small waterfall tumbling into a pool, the only cascade in the South Carolina sandhills or coastal plain, is another treasure found here.

In addition to these parks and natural areas, each of Lexington County’s 15 municipalities operate a number of parks and recreational facilities for residents and visitors alike.

Riverbanks Zoo and Garden, located on the northern border or Lexington County, is home to more than 2,000 magnificent and fascinating animals and one of the nation's most beautiful and inspiring botanical gardens. The lush 170-acre site features dynamic natural habitat exhibits, scenic river views, spectacular valley overlooks and significant historic landmarks.

For more than 30 years, Riverbanks has provided individuals, families and groups with a common place to connect with and learn about the world's wildlife and wild places. Twice awarded the Governor's Cup for South Carolina's Most Outstanding Tourist Attraction, Riverbanks is the premier family choice for education and recreation in the Southeast.

Arts & Culture

The Cultural Council of Richland/Lexington Counties is the centralized resource for the Arts Community, providing leadership, funding and business expertise to artists and arts organizations, and offering a single source of arts-related information to patrons and media.

The Cultural Council contributes to economic development and quality of life in the Riverbanks Region by promoting the Arts as the foundation of the knowledge-based economy.

The Art in Business Program serves as a venue to highlight the area's established and emerging artists. Shows are held in a variety of businesses throughout the Midlands.

The Art in Public Places Program began in 1996 with the purpose of selecting and erecting sculpture in the Midlands area. To date, 22 permanent pieces have been installed through the project.

The Artist Residency Program gives students the opportunity to work with professional artists to express themselves creatively, to enhance their artistic technique and to contribute to the well being of the Midlands community. The Cultural Council has forged strong partnerships with area schools and has administered the creation of nine lasting pieces of public art through our Residency Program.

Two residencies occured in the 2004-05 school year. A partnership was formed in Fall 2004 with Lexington County School District 3 and the Kennedy Center Alliance for Arts Education to help increase literacy in the district through the arts in an after-school program. Also in Fall 2004, John Daso Gregory, an artist from Lexington, worked with 5th graders in Harriette Edmonds' art classes at Conder Elementary School (Richland 2) to create an Australian Outback mural.

The Technical Assistance Program provides artists and organizations opportunities to help the arts help themselves. Workshops, on a variety of topics from marketing to pricing, are organized and open to all interested parties.

Nearly all of Lexington County’s 15 towns and cities offer a wide array of artistic and cultural opportunities for its residents.

Shopping

Lexington County is home to some of South Carolina's best shopping. The Harbison Boulevard area, anchored by the 800,000 square foot Columbiana Center shopping mall, is the fastest growing retail center in the greater Columbia area. The stores along Harbison Boulevard include many nationally known retailers from Barnes and Noble to Best Buy. It also has a variety of restaurants and pubs so shoppers can relax after a day on Harbison Boulevard or taking in a movie at the 14-screen Carmike Cinemas.

Great shopping also lies within the towns and municipalities of Lexington County. One can take a leisurely stroll "downtown" and peruse the specialty shops and family-owned stores that comprise these towns' traditional Main Streets. The great weather and natural beauty of Lexington County adds to the enjoyment of a day spent shopping in these charming towns.

Dining

Ask anyone in Lexington County and they will tell you that the true taste of the Carolinas is barbecue! Mustard is the base for traditional South Carolina barbecue sauce, which gives the slow-roasted pork a tangy, flavorful quality not found elsewhere.

Many area restaurants also serve North Carolina barbecue, which uses a vinegar and hot pepper sauce instead of mustard; Memphis barbecue, characterized by its vinegar-based sauce; and Chicago-style barbecue, famous for its spicy catsup sauce. Slow roasting the pork for 12 hours or more adds hickory flavor to South Carolina barbecue and makes it so tender that the meat practically falls right off the bones. Below is a listing of the barbecue restaurants in Lexington County. All of the restaurants are unique, each with its own character and style of presenting South Carolina's most beloved dish.

Lexington County also offers a variety of restaurants and dining establishments that specialize in many other types of cuisines. Restaurants serving everything from American dishes to international specialties dot the Lexington County landscape and present many choices for area diners. Some cuisines featured include American, Chinese, Greek, Italian, Mexican, Vietnamese, and even "nouveau Southern" foods.

Several of these restaurants have received The State's "Reader's Choice" awards, so be sure to try them all on your visit! Nearby Columbia is home to several four- and five-star restaurants that have garnered national acclaim. Whatever your tastes may be, you can be sure to find something to your liking in Lexington County.

If you enjoy getting out and experiencing festivals and special events, you will have plenty to choose from in Lexington County.

Perhaps the most famous and most attended annual festival in Lexington County occurs in the Town of Irmo each year. The thirty-two year old Okra Strut Festival is managed by a board of commissioners appointed by the Irmo Town Council and we are proud to say, "we are the nation's original celebration of Okra". The festival is a two day event featuring a street dance, parade, arts and crafts, rides and amusements, petting zoo, and lots of festival food. Attendance for the 2004 celebration was estimated to be 45,000.  Money raised by the festival is put back into the community through civic and school organizations, scholarships and improvements of public areas.

The Chapin Labor Day Festival brings thousands of residents and visitors to the town each September to celebrate Labor Day and the end of summer.  The festival features an arts and crafts show and sale, carnival rides, vendors, craftsmen, concessions, petting zoo, local entertainment and other events.

Christmas in Cayce is enjoyed by thousands each year in the beautiful Town of Cayce just across the Congaree River from Columbia. The week-long festival features the Cayce Tree Lighting Ceremony  and the Lights of Cayce which includes the grounds of City Hall being filled with thousands of lights, displays, and holiday music.  The festival also involves the resident of Cayce who participate by lining their streets with lighted trees and decorations, providing visitors with a ride through a fantasy winter wonderland.  The festival also sponsors the Christmas Traditions program hosted by the Cayce Historical Museum, the Christmas In the Trenches Lantern Tour which brings history to life.

The Batesburg-Leesville Poultry Festival is held each may and includes a parade, youth rally, street dances, fireworks, a carnival, music featuring several local bands, the arts, and a volleyball and golf tournament.  The event honors the area’s historical significance in the poultry industry and draws thousands of spectators each year.

Held every 4th of July in the Town of Gilbert, the Lexington County Peach Festival is a great way to recognize the Lexington County Peach, the peach industry, and the birthday of our nation! Residents and visitors alike can join the fun at the beautiful Gilbert Community Park each year.

A typical Peach Festival day begins at 9:00 AM with the judging of the Peachy Fruit Contest in the Gilbert Elementary School Cafetorium. There you will find peach dishes of all kinds being judged. There is a peach auction and recognition of the oldest and youngest in attendance. One of the main attractions is the ever-popular parade which winds through the main streets of Gilbert beginning at 9:30 AM. There are usually over 125 units in the Peach Festival Parade.

During the day numerous groups, bands, dance schools, and vocalists entertain on various outdoor stages in the beautiful, shady Gilbert Community Park. Hundreds of arts and crafts exhibitors are on hand to sell crafts -- many with "peachy" themes.  There are plenty of peachy treats such as peach ice cream, peach tea, peach almond delights, peach sundaes, peach pie, fresh peaches, and the very popular 40th Anniversary special, the "Peach Splash."

The evening Peach Queen Contest is a popular event. The Peach Festival day winds down with the street dance and a wonderful display of fireworks.

In 1990 the Lexington Chamber Business Retail Council decided the Town of Lexington needed a special event designed to attract visitors to the area. The desire to highlight local talent and showcase the special attributes of the Lexington Community was an important aspect. Equally important was the promotion of local businesses. The main goal was to offer a weekend of family fun with something for everyone. With this in mind, the Lexington FunFest was born.

Each year, the number of activities and participants continues to grow. The FunFest now runs for over a three days with a variety of special festivities including a Beauty Pageant, Golf Tournament, 5K Race, DooDah Parade, Carnival, Student Art Show, Craft and Business Exhibitors and tons of great food and entertainment.

Lexington's Race Against Hunger (LRAH) was established in 2001 with the goal of increasing awareness of world hunger and raising funds to benefit the hungry both locally and worldwide. One hundred percent of funds raised through LRAH go directly to charitable organizations. Charities that have benefited from LRAH include World Vision, the Souper Bowl of Caring, and Lexington Interfaith Community Services (LICS).

Over five years, LRAH has raised over $70,000 and has grown to a 750 plus people event (over 2600 through five years). In addition, the community has really pulled together as an average of 140 people volunteer each year to help with the event. Over half of these are members of local law enforcement who help to keep our streets safe for the runners and walkers.

LRAH is a great opportunity for runners and enthusiasts to hone their skills and race competitively, but the real winners are all the hungry that will benefit through funds raised and an increased awareness of hunger issues. Together we have made a difference, and we will continue to grow the dream to make an even bigger difference in future years! The Sixth Annual Lexington’s Race Aga inst Hunger is slated for Saturday, February 25, 2006 and aims to involve more than 1,000 runners & walkers and to raise over $30,000 for our charities.

Each Spring, the Town of West Columbia hosts the Rhythm on the River Concert Series - a series of free music concerts held each Saturday at the West Columbia Riverwalk Amphitheater.  The concert series features a wide array of music including bluegrass, blues/rock, modern rock, country, alternative country, contemporary Christian, hip hop and soul, celtic rock, jazz, and celtic rock.