The hot weather and the glaring, setting sun did not stop Aiken residents from flocking to Hayne Avenue in downtown Aiken on Friday night for the debut Hops and Hogs event.
Sponsored by the Aiken Downtown Development Association, the palmetto state was represented in regional craft beers, award-winning barbecue and tunes from Aiken's very own Palmetto Groove Band.
Lines wrapped around the avenue as residents and visitors waited sometimes for 15 to 20 minutes, but some said it was worth the wait.
"Too long," said Tim Sheppard when asked how long he had been waiting in line for drinks from the River Dog Brewing booth. But, he said he enjoyed the event. "The turnout is great. There's some growing pains to work out, but it is a great idea."
He said he hopes the Downtown Development Association starts to make this event an annual one and that the space on Hayne Avenue was better than The Alley.
"It's a nice change," he said.
The breweries at the event came from all over the state, including the Charleston area, Ridgeland, Mount Pleasant and Columbia.
There were many selections to try. Aiken resident Don Anton said he started with the River Rat Brewery's Red Ale and then began to branch out from there.
The turnout was better than anticipated, according to officials.
"So far, so good," Aiken Department of Public Safety Lt. Karl Odenthal said during the gathering.
"This exceeds the crowd expectations we had, and that is a good thing."
Will Whaley is the crime and court reporter for the Aiken Standard.
He is a native of Fayette, Alabama and graduated from the University of North Alabama in Florence, Alabama with a degree in journalism.