Southern charm is easy to come by in a place like South Carolina. After all, the state is home to Charleston, a gorgeous city with a striking European appearance, as well as St. George, a historic, sleepy town in Dorchester County. Situated between Charleston and Augusta, Georgia, it has a population of around 2,000. Although St. George is small, this doesn’t make it any less enchanting. The town has made a name for itself by hosting the annual World Grits Festival. This corn-based porridge is South Carolina’s official state food and is beloved in the South.
The World Grits Festival first began in 1986. As the story goes, it was established to commemorate St. George and its residents, who were believed to be the biggest consumers of grits in the world. Once named one of America’s wackiest festivals by NBC News, this three-day event is held every April and features your typical fair offerings. Think carnival rides, concession stands selling corn dogs and cotton candy, live music, and more. Naturally, there is also a grits-eating contest and, of course, you can indulge in dishes with grits.
However, a one-of-a-kind experience you’ll have while attending the festivities is witnessing or taking part in “Rollin’ in the Grits.” This is exactly what it sounds like; participants enter a kiddie pool filled with grits and proceed to cover themselves in this creamy concoction. They are then pulled out and weighed. Whoever has acquired the most grits is declared the winner of this unconventional contest.
Grits, grits, and more grits, in St. George, South Carolina
The World Grits Festival is a springtime tradition that has put St. George on the map. On Reddit, an individual who responded to a user asking where in South Carolina they should visit suggested attending: “You’ll get to see the real South Carolina culture, not the gentrified, yuppified stuff you see every day. Try the food! Talk to the locals!” There is no admission fee for the World Grits Festival. Take into account that St. George is situated off I-95, making it highly accessible to those located in Georgia, Florida, and North Carolina…