Art, Education & Entertainment

Every spring a blast of beauty explodes from Aiken’s thousands of azaleas, dogwoods, wisteria and dozens of other dazzling flowers.

They are an inspiration to artists who yearn to capture some of that natural beauty. The downtown abounds with art and antique shops, and the performing arts are well represented with grand performances at the Washington Center for Performing Arts and the Etheredge Center. Aiken Center for the Arts offers year around art exhibits and classes.

Aiken has a proud history of education for both our African American and European American populations.

Northern Presbyterians built the Immanuel Center in the 1880s to teach the children of former slaves and Martha Schofield, a Quaker, built an industrial school to teach the trades to black students. Today, the new Center for African American History Art and Culture is coming to life in the Immanuel Center.

St. Angela School and St. Mary’s grammar school were established in 1900 by the Sisters of our Lady of Mercy from Charleston and the elementary school thrives today. Mrs. Hitchcock formed Aiken Prep School in 1916 and it thrives today.

Aiken’s public schools are regularly rated as among the best in the state and three new high schools are about to be built.

In higher education, there are few better colleges than Aiken Technical College and the University of South Carolina Aiken. Aiken Technical College is widely praised for its vision to prepare students for jobs of the future, most notably the hydrogen economy, much of which is being invented in our county today.  This year, U.S. News & World Report ranked USC Aiken the best baccalaureate college in the South. This is the 12th consecutive year USC Aiken has been rated in the top three and the sixth time it has ranked No. 1.

And for entertainment, rarely a weekend passes between September and May that there isn't a special event, festival or sporting event in Aiken.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Events created especially for Celebrate Aiken!

Artist Jim Harrison “Scenes of Aiken” Exhibition with Opening Reception: Harrison has created an official Celebrate Aiken! poster plus 20 new originals of local scenes. A reception will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. April 1, at the Aiken Center for the Arts. Harrison’s retrospective work also will be displayed there through May 8.  Free admission. Contact Kristin Brown at (803) 641-9094.

Earth Day with Aiken Performing Arts Academy: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, April 23, at Hopelands Gardens. Performances by the Aiken Performing Arts Academy coincide with the city’s annual Earth Day celebration. Mayor Fred Cavanaugh will welcome guests at 11:15 a.m. at the Roland Windham Arts Stage, with performances by students of the Arts Academy immediately following. Free admission.

Greater Aiken Area Picnic: “Remember When … Picnic and Lawn Party,” an 1830’s style picnic at Rye Patch in period costume on Tuesday, May 4, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Rain date is Wednesday, May 5. Bring your picnic lunch. Free admission.

Celebrate Aiken! Hopelands Gardens Monday Night Concert: 7 p.m. Monday, May 10, at Hopelands Gardens. Featuring the Aiken Youth Orchestra, a talented group of middle and high school students led by Dr. Laura Tomlin of the Augusta Symphony. Music selections for the evening focus on different periods in American music in relationship to Aiken. Prior to each selection, the history and historical period will be shared with the audience.

Celebrate Aiken! Writing and Art Competition: Through May, an art contest on Aiken themes by third-grade students and an essay contest by eighth graders. High school and adult competitions, as well. Cash prizes to student winners. Contact Pete Peters at aikenpoets@gmail.com.

Aiken Film Series: Viewings of films about or including Aiken shown weekly during June at 3 and 7 p.m. at the Brown Performance Pavilion, Aiken Center for the Arts. Free admission. Call (803) 641-9094.

June 3 — Aiken Remembers and Much Ado About Horses
June 10 —  The Battle of Aiken
June 17 — Edgewood: Stage of Southern History
June 24 — Displaced: The Unexpected Fallout from the Cold War

Community events supporting Celebrate Aiken!

Display of Historic Information: Sponsored by the Garden Club of Aiken, Month of April, at Rose Hill Estate. Contact Margaret Shealy (803) 648-2040.

Aiken Artist Guild Scholarship Fundraiser: Saturday, April 3, at Banksia. Call (803) 641-7542.

Midday Music Concert: Thursday, April 15, at First Presbyterian Church. Call (803) 648-2662.

Kite Festival: Saturday, April 17, at Perry Park. Call (803) 642-7631.

Aiken Bluegrass Festival: Sponsored by STAR Riding and Driving, Thursday-Saturday, May 14-15, Highlands Farm, Contact Steve Groat (803) 502-4746 or www.aikenbluegrassfestival.org.

Aiken Armed Forces Day Golf Classic: Proceeds help support Wounded Warriors in the area, Monday, May 17, noon, The Aiken Golf Club. Contact Walter Lamb (803) 641-6033 or walterwl@bellsouth.net.

Old-Fashioned Americana Concert: Thursday, May 20, 7 p.m., Hopeland Gardens. The AAA Home-School Band and St Paul's Lutheran Choir will perform music that follows the history of the founding of the United States of America. Selections will be American’s We, Star Spangled Banner, God Bless America, The Thirteen Original, Independence, Liberty Bell, 1812 Overture, God of Our Fathers, Oconee Sketches, America the Beautiful, Amazing Grace, and the Battle Hymn of the Republic. Contact Barb Rollins (803) 648-2447.

Trumpet/Organ Recital: Sunday, May 23, 3 p.m., St. Paul’s Lutheran Church. Music and slide show centering on gardens. Contact Barb Rollins (803) 648-2447.

Juneteenth - A Celebration in the Park: Sponsored by the Center for African American History, Art and Culture and Second Baptist Church, Saturday, June 19, Perry Park. Contact (706) 664-3989.

Independence Day Fireworks Display and Celebration: June 26 at Western Carolina State Fair, Aiken Fairgrounds, 1566 Columbia Highway North. Contact Mike Fanning at (803) 645-8243.