Midlands
VisitFlo.com; @VisitFlorenceSC
Florence, in the heart of South Carolina’s “Pee Dee” region, is accessible via interstates 20 and 95. The Florence Center, located in the city’s Hospitality District, features more than 79,000 square feet of versatile space, including a 14,500-square ballroom, a junior ballroom, nine meeting rooms, an expansive pre-function area, and an arena, which can fit 160 vendor booths and seat 9,150 theater style or 1,500 banquet style. The Florence Center is an easy walk to 3,000 guest rooms, live-music venues, and cultural attractions. “Downtown Florence offers a free ongoing concert series, Florence After Five, which occurs on the final Friday of the month, April to September,” says Jade Perkins, tourism development manager for Florence CVB. “Also, the SC Pecan Music & Food Festival is Florence’s biggest event, attracting more than 50,000 people.” This year’s event was held on November 1.
Key area hotels include the 186-room Hilton Garden Inn, which offers event space for 100 people, and the 112-room Staybridge Suites, which has 2,600 square feet of event space. Homewood Suites by Hilton Florence has 1,512 square feet of event space for up to 160 people.
More venue options include Francis Marion University Place/Gately Gallery in downtown Florence, Darlington Raceway, Southeastern Institute of Manufacturing and Technology, the Bean Market, the National Bean Museum of South Carolina in Lake City, and Lynches River County Park.
Town Hall, a Florence restaurant known for its farm-driven Southern cuisine, features two private dining rooms suitable for small gatherings of up to 30 people. The Dispensary, Town Hall’s 3,500-square-foot outdoor rooftop space, serves artisan cocktails, wine, and craft beer and can host up to 100 people.
Florence County’s South Carolina Pecan Trail features more than 20 local restaurants offering creative takes on the tasty nut. Piggy Backs BBQ & Catfish in Lake City serves pecan-smoked beef brisket and pecan-roasted pulled pork, while LilJazZi’s in downtown Florence offers pecan waffles for breakfast and includes private event space with catering.
