For More Than 67 Years, This Small Town Has Hosted One Of The Longest-Running Festivals In South Carolina
By AnneMarie|Published September 13, 2023
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AnneMarie
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South Carolina has been home for AnneMarie since 2001. Her favorite part of the state is Lake Jocassee. An App State alumna, it's always the mountains; the lake bonus makes it heavenly. When not writing about the state, she may be spending time with family, relaxing by the pool, or out somewhere enjoying nature.
With more than 500 fairs and festivals held each year in South Carolina, ranging from food to art to culture, there will always be a fun event to attend at any time of the year somewhere in the state! Some of these festivals have been going on for decades, such as the oldest festival in South Carolina, the Hampton County Watermelon Festival, which started in 1939. The very close second oldest in the state is the Sumter Iris Festival, first held in 1940! While those events happen in the summer and spring, respectively, there’s another long-running festival you can enjoy during the fall season on the first Saturday after Thanksgiving, the Chitlin Strut in South Carolina.
For this South Carolina festival, we're heading to the tiny town of Salley, with a population of only 332 as of 2021. Yet, this little unassuming town is widely recognized as the uncontested "Chitlin Capital of the World," having been featured in major magazines such as Southern Living and Newsweek, newspapers such as the international Herald Tribune, in the World Book Encyclopedia, and even on national television.
With the exception of a two-year hiatus during the coronavirus pandemic, Salley has hosted an event called the Chitlin Strut every year since 1966. Chitlins, more formally known as chitterlings, are boiled and fried pig intestines, often eaten with hot sauce on the side. It's estimated that more than 128,000 pounds of chitlins have been eaten at the festival through the years!
The longtime festival celebrating chitlins draws an average of anywhere between 40,000 to 60,000 people! Beginning in 1971, the famous event kicks off with a parade along Pine Street in downtown Salley.
People come from all over America and even from other countries for this event. Many return year after year to reunite with attendees they've met at the event in prior years. Campsites are available, providing a convenient way to stay overnight to fully enjoy all of the festivities. Check your camping gear and stock up on anything you may need!
