Honors, Awards & Recognition

'Distinguished Budget Presentation Award' from the Government Finance Officers Assoc. for our FY 2022 Budget Document.
Downtown Sumter Wins Inspiration Award for Outstanding Partnership
Downtown Sumter Wins Master Merchant Inspiration Award
The Sumter Item Awards City 2022 Best Community Event: Iris Festival
The Sumter Item Awards City 2022 Best Park: Swan Lake Iris Gardens
The Sumter Item Awards City 2022 Best Place to Take a Visitors: Swan Lake Iris Gardens
The Sumter Item Awards City 2022 Best Event Venue: Sumter Opera House
'Distinguished Budget Presentation Award' from the Government Finance Officers Assoc. for our FY 2023 Budget Document.
'Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting' from the Government Finance Officers Assoc. for our FY 2021 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report

Sumter’s eSTEAM Festival wins Excellence on Main Street Award
Sumter Fire Department Receives FSSC Community Designation
Sumter Named All-America City Finalist
Sumter Receives Top Tourism Award from Governor
Tripadvisor's Travelers' Choice Award
The Sumter Item Awards City 2020 Best Community Event: Iris Festival
The Sumter Item Awards City 2020 Best Park: Swan Lake Iris Gardens
The Sumter Item Awards City 2020 Best Place to Take a Visitor: Swan Lake Iris Gardens
The Sumter Item Awards City 2020 Best Family Entertainment: Sumter Opera House

Sumter recognized at the SC State House as a "work ready" community.
Project CheckMate and Random Acts of Kindness programs win 2015 MASC Achievement Award in Public Safety.
Project CheckMate receives the SCANA Crime Prevention Award presented by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers Association.
TripAdvisor 2015 Certificate of Excellence for Swan Lake Iris Gardens
Sumter Pride Program recognized at top 20 programs in the United States by US Conference of Mayors.
Swan Lake Iris Gardens named top 20 most jaw dropping places in South Carolina.
Southeast Tourism Society names Iris Festival as Top 20 Events in the Southeast.

Sumter City/County Building Codes Department is recognized as one of eight jurisdictions in the State to achieve a 100% Employee Certification Status and one of 214 in the entire US by the International Codes Council (ICC).
Statesboro, Georgia named Sumter as their model for success in economic development.
Sumter certified as "work ready" community through SC Workready Communities.
Nerd Wallet names Sumter as top four "Cities on the Rise in SC".
New Geography ranks Sumter as 56 out of 380 as one of American's smartest cities.
Southern Business & Development names Sumter as one of the top five "Outstanding Supplier Sites for Boeing."
Southeast Tourism Society names Iris Festival as Top 20 Events in the Southeast.
American Bus Association names Iris Festival as one of the Top 100 Events to visit in the US.
Sumter Police Department awarded as a Patriotic Employer by the Department of Defense for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR).

Sumter receives honorable mention as "most livable cities" from the US Conference of Mayors.
Fire Service Program wins 2013 MASC Achievement Award in Public Safety.
FEMA Community Rating System upgraded to Class 8, due to various floodplain management activities the City implemented, first change in over 20 years and gave residents a 10% discount on flood insurance premiums.
Southern Business & Development names Sumter as 10 Most Wonderful Small Town Central Business Districts in the South.
Sumter receives Outstanding Traffic Safety Community award from AAA.
Southeast Tourism Society names Iris Festival as Top 20 Events in the Southeast.

Sumter Pride Program wins 2012 MASC Achievement Award in Economic Development.
Sumter wins City Livability Outstanding Achievement Award from the US Conference of Mayors

Sumter awarded the Traffic Safety Community of the Year by AAA Carolinas' Foundation.