What is now a popular regional event was born from a single quip made by media personality Gene McKay.
McKay speculated on air that the “Ancient Irmese” were probably “short people — a farming tribe who lived off okra!”
This comment fell into the lap, or rather, ears, of the Lake Murray-Irmo Woman’s Club, who had been looking for ways to fundraise for the building of a new library. Suddenly they had it: an arts and crafts fair named for the fare of these so-called Ancient Irmese, the Irmo Okra Strut…