Annual Porches of Sumter brings homeowners and businesses together through hospitality and history

A porch can be many things. It can be a quiet place to sit at the end of the day, a shaded spot to catch up with a neighbor or an extension of a home where family and friends can share a laugh over food and conversation.

For Beth Jackson, her North Purdy Street porch has become all those things.

Jackson and her husband, John, have welcomed people onto their porch as part of Greater Sumter Chamber of Commerce's Porches of Sumter.

The annual fall community event features homeowners in Sumter's historic district who open their yards and porches while local restaurants and businesses can serve savory and sweet Southern bites.

For the Jacksons, the event feels like a natural extension of what they have loved about their home since they first saw it. The couple bought the home in 1977, after John's graduation from Clemson University.

"It was love at first sight when we saw the character of the house, which reminded me of my grandmother's home and, more importantly, the beautiful live oak that dominated the front yard," Beth shared.

The original home was built in 1934. After several small renovations through the years, the couple did a major revamp in 1994 to retain the home's 1930 identity, including its arches, porches and high ceilings.

As an architect, John also incorporated some of his own ideas into the renovations. One of the most distinctive features is the home's carport. It is useful, versatile and, during Porches, becomes an extension of the porch itself. It provides a perfect place for the vendors to display their dishes while being a prime location for friends, family and neighbors to grab a spot to sit, enjoy a bite to eat and have good conversation.

That combination of food, fellowship and that feeling of home is at the heart of what makes the event meaningful for the Jacksons.

"Everyone always seems to enjoy this community event," Beth shared. "It's fun to meet and greet new people and see friends we have known for years."

While the Jacksons have welcomed visitors through their arches for the tour, other participants bring a different piece of home to the event: food.

For Derrick and Cassandra Floyd, owners of Pound of Love Bakery, Porches of Sumter is equal parts sweetness, connection and making memories that last.

The micro-bakery specializes in scratch-made pound cake artisan cookies. The heart of the business is a 100-year-old family recipe for pound cakes that has been passed down through the generations. A pound cake was a kitchen table staple growing up, as it was shared with visiting family and friends alongside a cup of warm tea or coffee. Now that recipe is being shared with the Sumter community.

"Serving this recipe is a homage to our family," the Floyds said. "We believe Porches epitomizes what a community is all about: good people, food and fun."

The family came to be part of the community after 26 years in the Air Force. Upon retirement, they made Sumter home. The bakery was started to create opportunities for their son, Devin, who is on the autism spectrum. Growing up, baking was a favorite pastime for the youngest Floyd. The bakery opened when he was a junior in high school, giving him an outlet for his interest.

Looking for a better way to become connected to their new community, Pound of Love Bakery joined Greater Sumter Chamber of Commerce. Their first year participating in Porches - the first event they ever participated in after joining - was a monumental one.

"That first event catapulted Pound of Love Bakery into a household name," the family said.

This led to invitations to various other events, festivals and gatherings, but Porches of Sumter will hold a special place in their heart. This year marks their fourth year as a Hospitality Host.

The Floyds credit the Chamber and Sumter with helping their bakery grow and expressed gratitude for embracing Devin's dream.

Porches of Sumter brings people together who may otherwise never cross paths - homeowners opening their homes to visitors, businesses sharing the purpose behind their plates of food and community members being able to fellowship in the middle of it all.

According to Peyton Richardson, director of communications for the Chamber, that's the purpose of Porches of Sumter.

"Porches of Sumter is really about celebrating what makes Sumter feel like home," she shared. "It brings together our local businesses, residents and community partners in one of the most historic parts of our city and gives people an opportunity to connect in a way that feels uniquely Sumter."

For the Chamber, Richardson said, the event is especially meaningful, as it highlights many of the people who help make it possible, from sponsors, Hospitality Hosts and vendors to volunteers and homeowners.

"Porches truly takes a community to bring to life, and I think that's part of what makes it so special," Richardson expressed. "It's a great example of what can happen when our business community and our community as a whole come together to create something people genuinely look forward to each year."

And they don't have to look much longer.

Porches of Sumter returns Friday, Oct. 9, at Patriot Hall, 135 Haynsworth St, from 6 to 9 p.m. General admission is $40, and VIP Experience is $75.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.porchesofsumter.com.