Midlands
VisitAikenSC.com; @VisitAikenSC
Aiken is a famous breeding and training ground for many majestic Thoroughbreds competing in steeplechase and flat racing, including the Kentucky Derby. The University of South Carolina Aiken features a 97,600-
square-foot Convocation Center, with retractable seating to accommodate up to 4,000 people. The Etheridge Center features several venues, including a theater seating up to 700 people, a smaller theater for 100 people, and a stunning lobby space for receptions of up to 200 people. The venue also has classrooms, onsite catering, and other options.
The Aiken Center for the Arts’ largest space accommodates up to 250 guests, while Hopelands Gardens—a former 19th-century estate—features three event venues. Aiken County Historical Museum has indoor and outdoor spaces to host up to 250 people. Other attractions available for private events include Clifford S. Gerde Carriage Museum, Gaston Livery Stable, Stable View equestrian training facility, and the Center for African American History, Arts, and Culture.
The historic Willcox Hotel has 23 guest rooms and event space for up to 300 people. The 92-room Hilton Garden Inn Aiken features 1,450 square feet of event space across two rooms; each room can host up to 62 people seated theater style and 45 for receptions and banquets.
