Residents Overview
Hello from Mayor Berry!
Dear Citizens:
On behalf of the employees and elected officials at the City of Marion, hello and we're glad you choose to call our city, a great place to visit and a wonderful place to live, home.
As you know, Marion is known for its beautiful homes and buildings, their architecture and as that “Pretty Little Town on the Way to the Beach,” complete with flowing Spanish moss in our trees. This year, Marion was again recognized by the National Arbor Day Foundation and the South Carolina Forestry Commission for its Tree City USA designation.
Each year former visitors are charmed by Marion. Its Southern style encourages them to return and several now they live in Marion. That is large part to the hospitality shown by our current residents. Thank you! The City is fortunate to have many partners who make our community a wonderful place in which to live, worship and have fun. Among the City’s varied active civic organizations are the Marion Chamber of Commerce, Main Street Marion program and civic organizations such as the Civitans, Kiwanis, Lion’s Club, Masonic Lodges, Pilot Club, Rotary Club and Garden Clubs. Along with the various houses of worship, these groups and others are always involved in helping to make our community the just right place to call home.
We take great pride in being a community that welcomes newcomers with open arms and one that embraces our "home folks."
As I'm sure you're aware, the Marion Chamber of Commerce has hundreds of members representing the Marion business community. The group's goal is to make Marion one of the best places in South Carolina to live, work and raise our families. For information about the Chamber, visit the group’s website at www.marionscchamber.com.
The Main Street Marion program, Historic Marion Revitalization Association, was established to enhance Marion's business environment while preserving the beauty of the city. It is part of a statewide network of programs striving to stimulate economic development within the context of historical preservation on the City’s Main Street. Members include businesses and individuals. For information about this program, visit www.theswampfox.com.
Two important annual events in Marion include the FoxTrot Festival in May, honoring famed Revolutionary War Hero Gen. Francis Marion, the “Swampfox,” and the annual Christmas parade and tree lighting. The FoxTrot Festival is an annual celebration that includes a horseshow, music and entertainment, parade, street dance, outdoor movie, fireworks, crafters and food vendors and historic reenactors.
The Marion FoxTrot Festival was organized in 1991 as a non-profit organization with the goal of promoting the City of Marion and historic Marion County. The festival is funded by the City of Marion, Marion County and private benefactors. The FoxTrot Festival is designed to be a "celebration of the people and things about Marion that are special." Each year the event has continued to grow with an estimated attendance this year at more than 20,000 people.
The annual “Christmas Prelude” is the weekend after Thanksgiving and features Saturday events that include a parade down Main Street, and most importantly, a visit by Santa Claus on the fire truck. Sunday events include Christmas music, entertainment, and the lighting of the town square’s Magnolia tree for Christmas and fireworks.
During this past year, several new businesses have opened along Main Street and in other areas of town. Join me in welcoming them to the city. Upcoming city projects include working with the Chamber and Main Street to continue work on our city master plan.
During 2010 we are looking forward to a new streetscape for Main Street in the City of Marion, among other things. The Marion Opera House, a beautiful two-story brick structure built in 1892, will see much use as a community center. This building houses the offices for the Arts Council, Marion County United Fund and a banquet room. The theatre is upstairs and will seat up to 250 people.
I am proud to serve you as the Mayor of the City of Marion and to work with the many organizations and citizens that love that community. We're glad you discovered why the “Pretty Little Town on the Way to the Beach” is the just right place for you to call home. We look forward to serving you and seeing you around town.
Best Wishes,
Rodney Berry, Mayor