SUMTER, S.C. — Sumter residents are opening their porches to the community tonight. The 13th annual Porches of Sumter event encourages residents to get to know each other.
For this year's event, residents in the historic district are setting up tables on their porches and in their front yards where different local businesses and community members will be stationed to hand out food and drinks "to really showcase the neighborhoods that make Sumter so special," as Eric Reisenauer puts it.
Reisenauer is the past president of the Heart of Sumter Neighborhood Association, so he knows the value of getting to know his community. That's why he's opening his porch up for the event.
"My wife and I spend a lot of time on the porch. We face to the west and so we get a nice sunset during the spring and the summer," Reisenauer explained. "The porch is a nice place for the family to gather. When friends come by, we always end up on the porch."
Thursday night, friends - both new and old - will be stopping by.
"It is a neighborhood where people are out all the time and while you don’t necessarily know all your neighbors by name, certainly there are a lot of familiar faces in the community," he said.
Tables are being set up around the neighborhood for different local businesses and organizations to serve food at. Chris Hardy with the Sumter Chamber of Commerce says he’s expecting at least 300 people to come out.
"This is one of the few things that we do that involves the entire community. Most of what we do involves the business community and our members and partners, but this involves just general citizens. Anybody can come and participate in this event, not just members of the Chamber of Commerce," Hardy shared.
The planning for this event started in June. It involved setting up caterers, vendors and local businesses, as well as finding residents to open their homes.
"It’s the vendors and the volunteers and the staff at the Sumter Chamber of Commerce and everyone who really pitches in and makes it work," Reisenauer explained. "So they’re the real people behind making this event a success."
The event runs Thursday night from 6 to 9 p.m. Parking is available at Patriot Hall in the historic district.
"It’s a feel-good thing for Sumter. Get people walking around downtown, a lot of foot traffic. And just kind of being Sumterites and doing what we do and enjoying each other’s company."