Sunshine, Smiles, and Shenanigans: 43rd Annual Aunt Het Festival Brings Out the Best of Fountain Inn

The weekend forecast threatened rain, dark clouds, and afternoon storms, but that legendary “Chamber weather” worked its magic right on cue. Instead of dodging raindrops under umbrellas, downtown Fountain Inn was treated to clear skies, comfortable autumn breezes, and an electric crowd on Saturday as thousands rolled in for the 43rd Annual Aunt Het Festival.

Main Street transformed into an absolute haven of handmade artisan wares, fall crafts, and irresistible aromas. Local makers and vendors turned out in full force—lining the street with everything from handcrafted woodwork and pottery to boutique finds and seasonal home decor. And let’s talk about the food: we couldn’t get enough of the warm boiled peanuts, and the French dip sandwich from The Farehouse was on another level of delicious. Add in the funnel cakes and sweet treats, and it was the kind of Saturday that made you promise you’d start your diet on Monday. Over at the Commerce Park Stage, the Reedy River String Band brought the energy with their signature funky newgrass sound, keeping toes tapping all afternoon.

The Golden Strip News had the absolute privilege of being on-site as an official media sponsor alongside HIS Radio, and our team had a total blast. We set up shop right in the middle of Main Street with our giant “Hometown star makes headlines” interactive front-page photo frame, and it turned into an instant festival favorite.

Dozens of neighbors, local leaders, and festival-goers stopped by to step behind the headlines and snap a photo. We had visits from smiling couples, local photographers turning the lens around on us, and even the Fountain Inn High School Fury mascot dropped by to pose for the front page! One of our absolute favorite moments was catching up with Fountain Inn Police Chief Patrick Fortenberry, who was out walking Main Street and stopped by our booth to frame up a headline with a big smile. His presence was a great reminder of the amazing local officers who were out and about keeping everyone safe, smiling, and having fun all day.

Between snagging selfies with Aunt Het herself—complete with that iconic bonnet and sass to spare—browsing the artisan booths, and checking out community staples like the Fountain Inn Elementary PTA creative pumpkin auction, there was no shortage of hometown charm.

A massive shoutout and heartfelt thank-you goes out to Chamber President & CEO Marnie Schwartz-Hanley and the entire chamber team, who did an amazing job putting together the festival—and apparently cutting a backdoor deal with the weather forecast to keep the sunshine rolling. Along with the city staff and dedicated volunteers, their hard work made for an unforgettable, seamless, and high-spirited event. If you missed it, make sure that you come see us next year!

The festival wouldn’t be possible without the generous support of this year’s community partners and sponsors:

• Presenting Sponsor: Laurens Electric Cooperative

• Main Stage / Music Sponsor: Prisma Health

• Kids Zone Sponsors: United Community Bank & HIS Radio

• Media Sponsors: The Golden Strip News & HIS Radio

To all the artisans, vendors, emergency personnel, and neighbors who stopped by our booth to subscribe, pitch a scoop, or simply say hello: thank you for making it such an unforgettable Saturday. We can’t wait to do it all over again next year!

Photo credit: Aerial photo by Larry Warsh, Larry Warsh Photography. Contact: 954-856-6240, [email protected]

Check out the photo gallery from the festival.