Written by: Mercedes Dubberly, Marketing Intern
Without farms, there would be no food.
Nancy Smith, general manager of the S.C. State Fair, knows that, and she wants others to know it, too. And that sentiment is heavily expressed in this year’s S.C. State Fair theme – “Harvesting Happiness.”
A major thought behind the theme of this year’s fair – which runs Oct. 8-19 – was to bring the focus back to agriculture. After all, the event began as an agricultural showcase in 1869 when a group of farmers petitioned to have an agricultural exposition to display their crops. From there, the event expanded to include crafts and baked and canned goods, elements that remain elements of today’s fair.
“Agriculture is really the fabric of our great state, South Carolina, “Smith notes. “When the South Carolina State Fair was founded, our goal and our mission was really to promote the material, industrial, agricultural and mechanical interests of the state of South Carolina.”
Today, Smith said, agriculture remains a big part of that promotion, noting that with less than 2% of American families involved in farming, “it’s very important to keep this very critical aspect of what we’re doing alive.”
And thus, this year’s fair theme.
“We landed on “Harvesting Happiness” because that would be a way, not only to get our agricultural message out, but to really do it in a setting where people are coming and they’re having a great time, and it’s a positive environment as they’re learning about something that’s very important,” Smith said.
A few of the agriculture programs to emerge from this history of farming at the fair include 4H Club and the Future Farmers of America, both which still exist today.
“Being involved in those types of things from a young age is more important now than ever, because folks have so many tools on which they can rely,” Smith said. “Some of these contestants have been coming here for years and showing their actual livestock, which is something they really have to work at. They have to have dedication and learn responsibility. So, I think we’re not only harvesting happiness, but also, we’re helping to build young lives and build the future of South Carolina.”
For the fair, Harvesting Happiness also includes giving back to the community so that everyone can enjoy the harvest. This is accomplished in large part through the fair’s Ride of Your Life Scholarship program, which annually awards 50 college scholarships ($10,000 each over four years) to high school seniors in the state.
“When I think of harvesting happiness, I just see us all coming together,” Smith said. “The kids in the livestock arena showing their animals, people on the rides, it’s just a feeling you get. We’re opening these gates and people are coming in smiling, and you know, we really are making a positive difference.”
Come harvest happiness with the S.C. State Fair Oct. 8-19 in Columbia.
