If you don’t think it’s big ask John Banks. Banks is the tourism director for the Greater Cayce-West Columbia Chamber of Commerce. He has been with Tartan Day South, as a promoter since 2011, the year it was established. Now, the numbers it attracts are impressive.

The Tartan Day South Highland Games and Celtic Festival begins Wednesday and ends Sunday. Most of the events are  at the Historic Columbia Speedway in Cayce.

“We are thrilled with the level of attention we get,” said Banks. “It’s a great event and people tell us they can’t wait to come back,” said Banks. “We’re very proud of what Tartan Day South has become.”

And the numbers produce by Tartan Day are impressive.  In 2016, Tartan day South attracted 10,221 total attendees over four days. There were 1,879 zip codes collected on Saturday alone. (April 2, 2016.)

According to the stats Banks, and his crew of volunteers collected, 256 of the zip codes attending came from outside of South Carolina. The Tartan Day patronage represented 113 cities from 21 states. Banks’s said an estimated 1,100 attending came from outside of the state.

More than 1,600 zip codes were collected from 152 different areas in South Carolina, with 630 zip codes coming from 92 Cities in South Carolina.

And those visitors produce measurable results.

Tartan Day South had a 2016 economic impact of $1.33 Million dollars on the local economy based on S.C. Parks, Recreation and Tourism formulas.