Arts, Culture, and Recreation Activities in Clarendon County, S.C.

The following are selected links to 'Arts, Recreation & Culture (ARC)' web sites and resources in Clarendon County, S.C. It's amazing to see the scope of these activities taking place across the county. Check out some of these links.

• Clarendon County Historical Society
• Clarendon 'Swamp Fox' Murals
• Historic Summerton
• Lake Marion Artisans
• Pink Dogwood Garden Club
• Summerton Cultural Arts Center
• Summerton Nature & Outdoor Recreation
• Swamp Fox Murals Trail
• Weldon Auditorium
• '4 Main' in Summerton

... not to mention the Clarendon County Parks & Recreation Department, Manning Azalea Garden Club, DuckFest, Striped Bass Festival, Taste of Manning, BirdFest, Puddin' Swamp Festival, County Historical Archives, Swamp Fox Symposium...

Perhaps its time for the county to bring together a group of community leaders to help better understand, fund, promote, and improve coordination of all these public and private resources and activities dedicated to the Arts, Culture and Recreation (ARC). It could prove to be profitable to the county. Many other larger counties have  already taken the step. What do you think?   

* There are currently 905,689 businesses in the US involved in the creation or distribution of the arts, employing 3.35 million people. This represents 4.42 percent of all businesses in the US and 2.15 percent of all employees. Art is big business.

Biking Around Summerton, Santee, and Lake Marion, S.C.

Like to go Biking? Try one of the many scenic rides around Summerton, Santee, and Lake Marion in South Carolina.

Biking, also known as bicycling or cycling, involves the use of bicycles for transport, recreation, or for sport. Today, there are more than 1 billion bicycles in use worldwide.

The more common types include utility bicycles, mountain bicycles, racing bicycles, touring bicycles, hybrid bicycles, cruising bicycles, and BMX Bikes. You can also find tandem bicycles, lowriders, folding models, and ergonomic recumbent bikes.

When you visit Summerton and nearby Lake Marion, you will find many nature trails and back roads to ride as you explore the wildlife and historical sites throughout the region. Some of these include:

• Killer Three Loop Trail
• Palmetto Trail
• Santee National Wildlife Refuge Trails
• Santee Shuffle Bicycling Route
• Santee State Park Biking Trails

According to CEO Arnold Kamler of Kent International, by the end of 2016 over 500,000 bikes should be rolling off their assembly line in Clarendon County, S.C., Kent’s bicycles will be the first U.S.-made bikes sold in Wal-Mart stores in more than 15 years. The company is also a major supplier to Toys R Us, Amazon, and Academy Sporting Goods.

Selected Information Sources

• League of American Bicyclists
• Palmetto Cycling Coalition
• South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (DNR)
• South Carolina Great Outdoors

Biking in Santee State Park, S.C.

* Be sure to visit the Summerton SC: Nature & Outdoor Recreation web site.

Horseback Riding Around Summerton and Santee Cooper Country

Giddyap!  Horse riding, or equestrianism, generally refers today to the skill of riding horses for competitive sporting or recreational purposes, e.g. dressage, show jumping, fox hunting, trail riding.

When you visit Summerton and the surrounding SanteeCooper Lake Country, you will find many opportunities to participate in a variety of equestrian activities. For example, check out the following sites:

• Alcolu Equestrian Center
• Cypress Forks Stables
• K D Cutting Horses
• Keller Stables LLC
• Linda Lou Stables
• Manchester State Forest - Equine Trails
• Palmetto Trail - Horse Riding Trails
• Stan Tindal Stables
• Starnes Quarter Horses

The University of South Carolina upset Georgia last year to win the National Collegiate Equestrian Association's National Championship. It marked the Gamecocks' third national title in the program's history. They previously won the National Championships in 2005 and 2007. South Carolina finished the 2014-15 season with a 12-5 record. Paige Stopperich, a member of South Carolina’s equestrian team, recently won the American Quarter Horse Association’s Amateur Hunt Seat Equitation 2016 World Championship.

Selected Information Sources

• American Horse Council
• Back Country Horsemen of America
• National Collegiate Equestrian Association
• South Carolina Great Outdoors
• South Carolina Horsemen's Council
• South Carolina State Parks - Equestrian Camping
• US Equestrian Federation

 
47th Running of Elloree Trials

Make sure you take the time to visit the Summerton SC: Nature & Outdoor Recreation web site.