Irmo gearing up for Okra Strut

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The Irmo Okra Strut will celebrate its 45th anniversary next weekend with dancing, drinks, offerings from area restaurants and, of course, okra.

The 2018 festival, presented by Lexington Medical Center, will take place Sept. 28 and Sept. 29 at Irmo Community Park. An addition to this year’s lineup is “Under the Canopy,” a nightly picnic setting where festival-goers can sample delicacies such as crab legs, turkey legs and okra egg rolls while a variety of entertainment acts perform.

The Root Doctors will headline Friday night’s street dance, which begins at 6 p.m. and features a $15 wristband that provides access to festival rides all night. Saturday begins with a 9 a.m. parade down St. Andrews Road.

Proceeds from the festival support local charities, scholarships and neighborhood improvements, Okra Struck Commission chairman Larry Slaughter said in a news release.

“This has always been an event for every member of our community, young and old,” Slaughter said. “A safe, fun, family event has been central to our mission, in addition to engaging the whole community in a festival that is designed to give back.”