ORANGEBURG, S.C. — e Annual Harvest Festival in Orangeburg County is something people in the community look forward to each year. Normally, it draws about thousands of folks. However, because of COVID-19, several small drive-thru events will take its place next week.
"Our kids have gone through so much socially and economically," said Superintendent of Recreation & Marketing, Shawn Taylor. "For them to have this event to go on, it was vital for us to host."
Thanks to community support, Orangeburg County Parks and Recreation Department is hosting its 5th Annual trunk-or-treat event on October 26th. It will be a drive-thru event to reduce the spread of COVID-19. For parents like Krystal Smalls, that's better than nothing.
"We've been on lockdown for a long time," Smalls. "It's giving us to look forward to."
Smalls has lived in Orangeburg her whole life, and she is looking for events to take her two-year-old daughter.
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"The tradition in my neighborhood is to allow the kids to ride on a hay-ride to trick-or-treat," explained Smalls. "I'm not sure if it's going to be done this year, but the mall used to have the haunted house, and the kids could come to trick-or-treat in different stores."
Other community partners are pitching in to make sure kids don't miss out on the celebration. Northside Baptist Church is hosting a 'Harvest Festival of Hope' for the first time this year.
"People get a little discouraged because they are cooped up in their homes and can't get out as they used to," Senior Pastor Dr. Shane Stutzman. "We decided to focus on what we can do and bring hope to people."
