Seasonal farmers’ markets are getting ready to open with summer right around the corner.

The South Carolina State Farmers Market is kicking off its season with the Midlands Plant and Flower Festival.

The festival takes place at the beginning of the farmers’ market season. Local and family-owned farms, along with food stands and lawn ornament businesses, sell at the market.

“This kind of kicks off our season for the market,” said Brad Boozer, market manager.

Boozer has worked at the State Farmers Market since 2012 and said they prioritize local farms and businesses that apply for a spot at the festival.

Rich Crider, co-owner and farmer at Three Shovel Farms, a local farm, said the locality of many of the businesses is what makes the festival so important.

“Local farming is the backbone of not only this area but this country,” Crider said.

The festival brings together farms that specialize in different plants, which allows farms to share their products with others.

“We grow things that most other people don’t grow or don’t know about,” Crider said.

The festival doesn’t just bring farms but also businesses like Family Affair, which makes handmade lawn decorations.

Family Affair has been attending the festival for nearly 10 years and continues to come back for a variety of reasons.

“The business is good – the people are wonderful, and we enjoy being here,” said Karen Patillo, owner of Family Affair.

Patillo said she not only sells but will walk around and looks at what others have to offer because the plants are part of what makes the festival special.

“It’s the variety and the growers that come down with their beautiful plants and flowers,” she said.

Family Affair isn’t the only stand that comes back to the festival. Both festival-goers and sellers will return each year.

“I see a lot of the same people that come back year after year,” Boozer said. 

The reason people want to come back and support local businesses is partly because of the community built at the festival, Boozer said.

“People get to know these people,” he said. “They build relationships with the vendors.”