Very few places in South Carolina love their history as much as Aiken. Oh sure, there’s Charleston with all its antebellum mansions and Camden with its Revolutionary War sites, but Aiken has some truly unique features.

From its days as an early 20th century enclave for the wealthy horse set from the Northeast to its unique place in Cold War history as home to the former nuclear weapons plant along the Savannah River, Aiken has quite a story to tell.

Much of that story is told in antiques that have survived and been handed down from generation to generation.

This weekend (Feb. 1-3), you can bring your “hand-me-downs” to Antiques in the Heart of Aiken and get free estimates on what it would cost to repair or restore your broken silver, gold, crystal or wood pieces as well as art and documents.

There also will be about 20 dealers with antiques for sale and special lectures.

The event is held at the Aiken Center for the Arts and is a fundraiser for the center and its programs. The Sweetheart Café will be open inside the center for lunch and snacks.

Tickets are $8 and are good for all three days. Hours are 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday and Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday.

Author Kathryn Greeley will give a lecture at 9 a.m. Saturday. Tickets for that event are $20 but also include admission to the show. Greely will sign copies of her book “The Collected Tabletop” following her lecture in the Brown Pavilion at the Aiken Center for the Arts.

You can bring your family artifacts and trinkets, but organizers ask that you leave your pets at home.

The Aiken Center for the Arts is at 122 Laurens St. SW. Click here or call (803) 641-9094 for more information.