Thousands of people will dress in their best and tote their coolers, grills and goodies to the Aiken Horse Park on Saturday for the 49th renewal of the Aiken Spring Steeplechase, and law enforcement is urging racegoers not to forget one thing - safety.
Gates open at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, and post time for the first race is 1 p.m.
The Aiken Department of Public Safety will have officers set up at several intersections surrounding the track to help keep things running smoothly before and after the event.
Lt. Jake Mahoney suggested anyone not attending Steeplechase steer clear of Two Notch Road and Powderhouse Road, particularly in the morning.
"The delays in the morning are greater than the afternoon, because most folks tend to leave relatively soon following the event," he said.
Officers will be stationed at the intersections of Powderhouse Road and East Pine Log Road, Audubon Drive and Powderhouse, Two Notch Road and Audubon, and South Boundary Avenue and Powderhouse.
Mahoney urges those attending Saturday's races to be aware of pedestrians on the roadways as people park near the field and walk to it. Motorists are reminded that parking in residential yards, in addition to blocking a road or driveway, is prohibited. A vehicle can be towed at the owner's expense.
Aiken Public Safety will be ramping up DUI patrols after the event and in downtown.
"Although consumption of alcohol is permitted inside the venue during the event, it is not permitted on the roadways or in vehicles going to and from," Mahoney said. "In the past, we have made numerous charges of open container and illegal transportation of liquor in vehicles to and from."
The field will be under the jurisdiction of the Aiken County Sheriff's Office.
Sgt. Jason Feemster said one of the main focuses during patrols at Steeplechase is underage drinking, and police will have uniformed and plain-clothed deputies out and about Saturday.
"We have units out there that are designated to identifying underage drinking and enforcing laws regarding underage drinking," he said. "We encourage people to be responsible with their alcohol while they're there, and to be responsible when they're leaving the venue."
Teddy Kulmala covers the crime and courts beat for the Aiken Standard.