Anderson / Lake Hartwell KOA Holiday Events

Campground Events

Local Area Events

Anderson Motor Speedway March to October Photo

Anderson Motor Speedway March to October

The Anderson Motor Speedway is located just north of I-85 at exit 27 - approximately 15 miles from the campground. Anderson Motor Speedway is a 3/8 mile paved oval. Wide straightaways and tight, tricky corners are infamous for producing close, competitive short track racing most Friday nights in the quest for the checkered flag. Anderson Motor Speedway roars into action each Friday night throughout the summer. A full lineup of the best driving talent from across the Carolinas and Georgia invade the "Supertrack of the Carolinas" each week in the quest for the checkered flag. Anderson Motor Speedway showcases some of the fiercest competition around. Come check out the Super Trucks.

Check out the Anderson Motor Speedway Schedule

SC Festival of Flowers, Greenwood Photo

SC Festival of Flowers, Greenwood

July 4 Hillbilly Day - Mountain Rest Photo

July 4 Hillbilly Day - Mountain Rest

Come on over for live bluegrass bands under a shady 5000 sq ft pavilion, with arts & crafts, hickory-smoked BBQ, greased pig chase, horse-drawn wagon, snow cones, costume contests, clogging contests, children's games, and more! Hillbilly Day was founded in 1959 and is a celebration of Appalachian mountain culture and crafts. Free admission. Parking donations accepted. Bring your own lawn chair for some traditional Appalachian music and family fun!

Hillbilly Day History
Hillbilly Day began between 1959 and 1961 to celebrate the Fourth of July and to showcase local talent in the areas of fiddling, square dancing, buck dancing, and political oration. The first gathering included music played in the back of a pickup, and a greased pole competition for the young, with money at the top as the prize. It has been an annual event that draws at least 5000 people to the small community of Mountain Rest on the Fourth of July. Homemade food and Bluegrass music are plentiful all day long, as well as demonstrations and competitions for sheep shearers, yodelers, and cloggers. Whoever has a talent is invited to come onstage, young'uns and old-timers. The crowd cheers for the most authentic hillbilly costume, and some them have been the same outfit worn by the same person for the last 50 years!

Children have run around barefoot and rolled in the sand to prepare to pile on top of each other to climb the greased pole where money is pinned at the top. Of course, it's a team effort, and the child on the bottom of the pile has to have strong shoulders. Tug-of-war, tossing games, chicken coops, goat pens, roosters, rabbits, soap making, pottery throwing, face painting, fabric crafts, hillbilly T-shirts, corncob pipes- you name itm it's there- even a blacksmith and wood carvers. Grills and smokers are aplenty with chicken and barbeque; there are homemade cakes and pies, and of course, ice cream.

Watch out, because when the greased pig is let loose, it will run under your feet, followed by dozens of fast children racing to catch it, knocking over everything in their path.

South Carolina Apple Festival, Westminster Photo

South Carolina Apple Festival, Westminster

The Upcountry's salute to the apple, the SC Apple Festival, founded in 1961, celebrates the beginning of apple harvest season in Oconee County, the largest apple producing area in the state. The annual festival starts on the Tuesday after Labor Day and continues to the following Saturday. The week-long activities include arts, crafts, and food vendors, a Chattooga River Float (Wednesday), live entertainment by various musicians, a street dance on Friday evening, the annual Apple Festival IPRA sanctioned World Championship Rodeo (Friday and Saturday nights), and so much more. Most of the events are free and are planned with the family in mind.

Parade is on Friday, 5pm start time. The parade will start in front of Westminster United Methodist Church, turn at Walgreens to go down Main Street, then turn at Blue Ridge Bank to cross the road to Sluders Urban Forestry's parking lot where the parade ends.

Belton Standpipe Heritage and Arts Festival Photo
Oktoberfest, Walhalla Photo

Oktoberfest, Walhalla

Tucked into the mountainous foothills of the Northwestern Corner of South Carolina, Walhalla bids you "Guten Tag! (Good Day!)". You're invited to experience "Gemutlichkeit!" (good spirits, good times, laughter and goodwill) at the Annual Walhalla Oktoberfest! Oktoberfest is a wonderful fall celebration of Walhalla's German heritage, with something fun for everyone! Each year, thousands of people come to Walhalla to experience Oktoberfest! Listen to the OOPS Polka Band while munching on a bratwurst with kraut. Enjoy a refreshing mug of cold German beer. Join the dance floor for the always fun "chicken dance". Explore our amazing arts & crafts with vendors from all over the Southeast. And don't forget an apple dumpling for dessert! The kids will love our carnival rides and games as well as a delicious funnel cake! 

There's truly something for everyone at the Walhalla Oktoberfest!

Holiday Lights in Upstate SC Photo

Holiday Lights in Upstate SC

Anderson Christmas Lights, sponsored by the Anderson Lights of Hope (organized exclusively for charitable and educational purposes) is celebrated at the Anderson Sports and Recreation Center. It is a 2.5 mile drive with over 400 animated and stationary displays. The Lights of Hope is open nightly from Thanksgiving to Christmas Day. Admission is charged ($15 per car to enter and $30 per bus) and proceeds are given to local charities. 

The Upstate Holiday Light Show is celebrated at District Park (148 Crumpton Lane, Easley 29640), with over 32 million dancing lights that can be driven or walked through. A Santa's free petting zoo has something for everyone with farm animals like goats and donkeys to exotic kangaroos. Feeling adventurous? Take a ride on the pony corral for extra fun (tickets available for purchase onsite).  If you haven't visited recently there are also carnival rides. Safe, fun, and oh-so-merry, the carnival rides are perfect for parents and kids. Ride tickets are available for individual purchase or via ticket bundles for additional savings. Warm up with a cup of hot chocolate or snack on delicious holiday treats while you explore our illuminated wonderland. The Upstate Holiday Light Show is open nightly from Thanksgiving through the end of December. Admission is charged ($35/car, $75/passenger vans, $100/busses).Nights of Lights is a magical experience transforming the night sky into a canvas of twinkling lights, colors, and joy. Build a new Christmas tradition with your friends and family here at Nights of Lights. We hope the stunning lights will bring a smile to your face – just as they do ours!? Visit Nights of Lights at CCNB Amphitheatre at Heritage Park, located at 861 SE Main Street, Simpsonville, SC 29681. Purchase your tickets at the gate entrance or online!