Columbia Hosts First Annual South Carolina Pimento Cheese Festival

News Summary

Columbia is celebrating the inaugural South Carolina Pimento Cheese Festival at Saluda Shoals Park. Attendees enjoy free admission, tasty pimento cheese dishes from local vendors, and family-friendly activities. Guests can taste various pimento cheese entries and enjoy live music performances. Bring lawn chairs and prepare for a delightful day of fun, food, and community celebration.

Columbia Celebrates Pimento Cheese at the First Annual Festival

The city of Columbia is buzzing today with excitement as it’s the inaugural South Carolina Pimento Cheese Festival, taking place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the beautiful Saluda Shoals Park. This delightful event promises a full day of food, fun, and family activities, celebrating a true Southern delicacy that many adore but have yet to see showcased in its own festival.

A Fun Day for Everyone

For those thinking of attending, the good news is that admission is free. However, the parking fee is $5 per car at the gate, which is a small price to pay for a day packed with deliciousness! If you’re ready to indulge your taste buds, consider purchasing tasting tickets for just $5. These tickets allow you to sample six different pimento cheese creations from ten local eateries, caterers, and food trucks. Now that’s a deal!

Delicious Highlights on the Menu

What can attendees expect to nibble on? Prepare for an exciting array of tantalizing dishes featuring everyone’s favorite cheesy spread, including:

• Pulled pork and pimento sandwiches
• Hot dogs topped with pimento cheese
• Pimento cheese loaded fries
• Cochon & pimento cheese grits
• Pimento cheese beignets
• Pimento cheese and bean quesadilla
• Barbecue fries drizzled with pimento cheese
• Pimento cheeseburger
• Grilled pimento cheese sandwiches
• Pimento cheese biscuits
• Pretzel twists served with pimento cheese
• Pretzel dogs with a pimento cheese dip

Who’s the Best of the Best?

To add a touch of competition to the festivities, there will be a pimento cheese judging contest where various entries will be evaluated, and winners will be revealed during the event. It’s sure to spark friendly debates about who makes the best pimento cheese around!

Fun for the Whole Family

But the fun doesn’t stop at just food! The festival is designed to be family-friendly, featuring live musical performances from popular local bands Soda City Serenade and Prettier Than Matt. There’s also an arts and crafts fair boasting over 40 vendors, perfect for those looking to find unique items and support local artisans. For the little ones and those young at heart, there are inflatables, a coloring wall, a bubble area, and yard games to enjoy.

Plan Your Visit

Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs to sit back and relax as they enjoy the music, food, and company of friends and family. The festival is organized by local culinary enthusiasts who wanted to celebrate pimento cheese in a way that Columbia has never seen before. It’s a gathering meant to evoke a sense of community and enjoyment.

If you’re looking for more details about the event or want to plan your visit, feel free to check out their website at www.scpimentocheesefest.com. So grab your family and friends, and head on over to Saluda Shoals Park today. Experience a celebration of flavors and get ready to indulge in a cheese-filled day of fun!

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Additional Resources

• WACH: Pimento Cheese Festival Debuts in Columbia
• Cola Daily: SC Pimento Cheese Festival Set for Saturday in Columbia
• ABC Columbia: Local Living – Pimento Cheese Festival
• Wikipedia: Pimento Cheese
• Post and Courier: Free Times Events