4-ton potato makes a 'spud-tacular' pit stop at Lowes Foods in Aiken during annual tour

A larger-than-life potato has been making its way across the country, and it stopped in Aiken on Aug. 29 as part of its 12th annual nationwide tour.

The massive 4-ton potato, a replica constructed by the Idaho Potato Commission, has been turning heads from coast to coast.

The colossal spud arrived in Aiken at the new Lowes Foods at 2940 Whiskey Road. The faux potato — which if real, would produce around 970,380 average sized french fries — is mounted on a flatbed trailer, which is pulled by a semi-truck.

Onlooker Linda Brown said she wasn’t expecting to see the 13-foot-tall attraction.

“We just came grocery shopping … they go on tour for seven months out of the year just making people aware of potatoes and that they're good for you," she said.

According to the Idaho Potato Commission, the purpose of the tour is to raise awareness about Idaho potatoes and promote the American Diabetes Association and American Heart Association.

Bobby Hames, Lowes Foods manager, said that the Aiken supermarket was the first in the chain to be visited by the mobile root vegetable.

“It’s just something unique,” he said. “I mean, it’s something really cool… I’ve never seen it and I’ve worked in grocery stores for 25 years. So, it’s something that you may never see again.”

The “Tater Team,” made up of Erin Witherspoon, Kyle Rauterkus and T.C. Evans, greeted shoppers inside the store’s entrance to share information about potatoes and give away stickers and pins.

“[We’ve had] a lot of good people coming by today, it’s been busy," Witherspoon said.

The potato began its first tour in 2012 as a tribute to the Idaho Potato Commission’s 75th anniversary. The tour gained popularity and has continued every year after. The colossal potato has now visited all 50 states plus Canada.

This 4-ton creation is not the original touring potato — it actually replaced an initial 6-ton model which was retired after seven years due to road wear. The first traveling potato has since been converted into a one-of-a-kind AirBnB in Boise, Idaho.

The potato will make its next stop in Statesboro, Georgia, for an appearance at the Boise State vs. Georgia Southern football game on Aug. 31.

“That’s kind of our last hurrah for the year,” said Idaho Potato Commission spokesperson Sue Kennedy.

You can see where the big potato is at any time by visiting potatotracker.com.