When does the festival take place?
The 2008 festival will be our 50th festival. It is always staged on the 4th of July, unless the 4th is on a Sunday.
Where does the festival take place?
For many, many years, the Peach Festival was held on the grounds of our old Gilbert High School. When the park was constructed, the festival was moved to the park, with the overflow activities taking place in the Gilbert Primary School and on the grounds of the Gilbert Middle School.
What makes this festival so special?
Because of the many benefits our community has realized from the monies generated by concessions sales, our citizens have stepped forward year after year and volunteered to give up their 4th of July and work for the festival. AND the word “work” must be stressed. It is hard work. It is all day. It is often held on the hottest day of the year. BUT these wonderful volunteers have found ways to make it fun. Families volunteer to spend the day together making hot dogs. Neighbors volunteer to rub elbows dipping ice cream. Friends reunite to make and serve sandwiches from early morn until the last rocket explodes over the festival grounds. This festival is special because of the hard-working, dependable, honorable and selfless work that is given year after year by our volunteers to make it the best festival in the state. The Lexington County Peach Festival is a vital part of our little town’s history, tradition, and culture. It has operated over the years as a “family friendly”, fun-filled festival, and has truly lured folks from all over the world. The Peach Festival has helped to put “Gilbert on the map”.
Who has benefited from the festival?
This festival is one of the oldest and most successful in our state. Over the years, it has allowed our community club to raise monies for countless community projects, the most significant being the total construction of our Gilbert Community Park. Our park is open to all regardless of race, color, or creed. It is a place of great beauty and quite contemplation. Families enjoy outings under the picnic shelters. Children play on the playground. Walkers hike the hills and curving paths. On most Easter Sundays, the community churches meet together in the park for the Community Sunrise Service. Each year, hundreds and hundreds of folks visit and enjoy our park. Other projects include donations to our schools, our fire department, our town library, Girl’s State, and Festival Scholarships. When a crisis occurs in our community, our club uses its resources to help.
Do you have to be a Lexington County resident to participate in the Peach Pageants?
Yes. The participant MUST be a legal Lexington County Resident to participate in any division of the Peach Pageants.
How Do I get to the Peach Festival?
FROM LEXINGTON
Travel U.S. 1/Main Street (West) to Peach Festival Road. Turn left at traffic light at Peach Festival Road. Continue across railroad crossing as the name of Peach Festival Road changes to Main Street. (After crossing railroad, you may turn left onto Lewie Street, where parking is available at First Baptist Church.) Continue on Main Street to parking areas near Rikard Circle and Gilbert United Methodist Church on Main Street and at Crossroads Baptist Church on Main Street across from Gilbert Primary School.
The festival takes place in the Gilbert Community Park which is located on Rikard Circle behind Gilbert United Methodist Church and between Gilbert Primary and Gilbert Middle Schools. Shuttle service should be available from First Baptist Church to the Gilbert Community Park.
FROM I-20
From I-20, take Exit 51, Long’s Pond Road. Turn right onto Long’s Pond Road. At traffic light turn left onto Two Notch Road. Continue to stop sign. Turn left and continue on Two Notch Road until road forks, taking right onto Wire Road. At stop sign, turn right onto Juniper Springs Road and follow sharp turn back left on Lewie Street. Parking is available at First Baptist Church on Lewie or continue on Lewie to Main Street. Turn left at stop sign onto Main Street and continue to parking areas near Rikard Circle and Gilbert United Methodist Church on Main Street and at Crossroads Baptist Church on Main Street across from Gilbert Primary School.
The festival takes place in the Gilbert Community Park which is located on Rikard Circle behind Gilbert United Methodist Church and between Gilbert Primary and Gilbert Middle Schools. Shuttle service should be available from First Baptist Church to the Gilbert Community Park.
FROM BATESBURG-LEESVILLE
Travel U.S. 1 (East) to Peach Festival Road. Turn right at traffic light at Peach Festival Road. Continue across railroad crossing as the name of Peach Festival Road changes to Main Street. (After crossing railroad, you may turn left onto Lewie Street, where parking is available at First Baptist Church.) Continue on Main Street to parking areas near Rikard Circle and Gilbert United Methodist Church on Main Street and at Crossroads Baptist Church on Main Street across from Gilbert Primary School.
The festival takes place in the Gilbert Community Park which is located on Rikard Circle behind Gilbert United Methodist Church and between Gilbert Primary and Gilbert Middle Schools. Shuttle service should be available from First Baptist Church to the Gilbert Community Park.
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