Registration open for 4th annual Tour de Plantersville Bike Ride & Cultural Festival

Registration for the 4th annual Tour de Plantersville, which features 12-, 25- and 62-mile bike rides, is now open. The event, organized by The Village Group and sponsored by South Carolina’s Hammock Coast, will be held Saturday, Oct. 29, and will take riders along the Plantersville Scenic Byway, showcasing the area’s rice farming history and various Colonial-era landmarks.

“We are so excited to bring this annual event back to South Carolina’s Hammock Coast which has grown into a tradition that families and friends enjoy year after year,” said Nanci Conley, chief operating officer for The Village Group. “It is a great way to introduce people to the beauty and serenity of the western part of Georgetown County.”

The shortest route available is the 12-mile route, which introduces riders to the community of Plantersville. Participants will ride through the Jackson Village community, see historic cemeteries and churches, ride along the forests and wetlands along the Plantersville Scenic Byway, spend some time at the Samworth Wildlife Management Area, and have the opportunity to see a historic plantation along the Waccamaw River.

The 25-mile route adds an additional plantation site and extends the trip along the full length of the Plantersville Scenic Byway.

Again this year, there will be a full metric century ride of 100 km (62 miles), which travels through scenic farms and forests of Georgetown County, and also goes past the Georgetown County Rocky Point Boat Landing along the Black River, as well as historic and scenic locations along the Waccamaw River.

The three rides will have staggered start times, with the 62-mile ride starting first at 7 a.m., Conley said.

This year’s tour will feature new routes with each historical site having stops where volunteer docents will introduce riders to the history of the property. Riders will also enjoy special access to a select historical plantation along the Pee Dee River.

Bikers can register for the event at www.TourdePlantersville.com

Interested riders who don’t have a bike can rent one from Cyclopedia in Pawleys Island for the event. Renters will need to reserve, pay for, and pick up their bike in advance of the event. They will be responsible for its return as well.

In addition to the bike rides, there will be a cultural festival, sponsored by White House Farms and Andy’s Charleston Gold Rice, that will be open from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. and free to the public. Guests are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs and enjoy the reggae music of Mystic Vibrations at noon.

“We are very excited and proud to be able to share with our community and visitors what White House Farms is doing right here in Plantersville and what it will bring to our future. Having rice grown, cultivated and processed in our community is a huge benefit to everyone. To be able to offer the youth of the area the opportunity to be part of this enterprise could bring so much to Plantersville,” said Ray Funnye, executive director of The Village Group.

Food trucks from Aunny’s Country Kitchen and Charleston Caribbean Creole will offer tasty treats while the Vendor Village will feature local artisans, traditional Gullah products, and local farm items for purchase.

Kids will find lots of fun activities at the Kiwanis Kids Korner.

“Our Kiwanis family is glad to team up to support The Village Group,” said Raphael Carr, president of Kiwanis Club of Georgetown. “Our mission of serving the community fits perfectly with the cultural festival.”

Tour de Plantersville supports The Village Group of Georgetown County, SC, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2005. The Village Group strengthens the community by making positive changes in the lives of children. All contributions to The Village Group are tax deductible. For additional information on The Village Group, visit www.thevillagegroup.org.

For additional information about the event, visit www.tourdeplantersville.com

About South Carolina’s Hammock Coast

Georgetown County’s casual charm and Southern hospitality earned it the nickname Hammock Coast. Adventure and relaxation blend together in perfect harmony, like the flowing and ebbing of waves on the county’s famed beaches. With six communities – Garden City, Murrells Inlet, Litchfield, Pawleys Island, Georgetown and Andrews – comprising the pristine coastal area between Myrtle Beach and Charleston, visitors can experience South Carolina’s Hammock Coast like never before.

For more information about all of the Hammock Coast, visit www.HammockCoastSC.com.