Welcome !

August 27, 2011

Historic Downtown York, South Carolina

Summerfest sizzles!  The White Rose City of York, a quaint Upstate locale that proudly lays claim to the second largest historic district in the Palmetto State, welcomes you to Summerfest 2011.  This grand Celebration of Summer is expected to attract as many as 50,000 visitors from the Carolinas and beyond.

Summerfest evolved in 1984 from two previous Jaycee-sponsored attractions showcasing "The Charleston of the Upcountry" in all of its glory.  The York Colonial Festival premiered in 1960. With much the same format as the Colonial Festival, the South Carolina Grape Festival debuted in 1965. The excitement and pageantry of this event spanned 15 years, exiting the festival scene in 1979 amid the local grape market's near collapse.

The Greater York Chamber of Commerce, with generous support from the City of York, introduced Summerfest to Upstate festival goers.  With community leaders intent on drawing from the organizational skills of movers and shakers of the Colonial and Grape Festival eras, Summerfest exploded on the scene. The Celebration of Summer, held annually on the fourth Saturday in August, is recognized as a Top 20 event by the Southeast Tourism Society.  The Olde English District honored Summerfest as the 1996 Attraction of the Year.  And the accolades continue.  City of York and York County dignitaries, along with the president of the Greater York Chamber, officially open Summerfest in front of the York County Courthouse steps.