Coastal Companion

Your ultimate guide to the coast

Things To Do for Father’s Day in Savannah

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It doesn’t matter if your Dad likes the outdoors, is a history buff, or just likes jazz and good food – below you’ll find a few ideas about fun things to do in Savannah for Father’s Day 2010.

Have a Blast with Dad!

What dad can resist a good old cannon firing? Wouldn’t that just be the perfect way to celebrate Father’s Day in style? This time of year there are cannon firings at Old Fort Jackson! For history buffs, a visit to the National Historic Landmark Old Fort Jackson is a special treat – especially when the visit includes cannon firings. The cannon firings take place at 10am and 2pm all throughout the spring and summer.

For more information, contact us at 912.232.3945 or visit www.chsgeorgia.org for more.

Fly Boy Special
Blasting cannons might not interest your dad, but how about air planes? In honor of Father’s Day on Sunday, June 20, the Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum is offering all fathers a special admission rate of $5.
Jun 20, 2010 – 9 a.m.- 5 p.m.

The Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum, 175 Bourne Ave., Savannah, GA
Call for admission information 912.748.8888 or visit www.mightyeighth.org

Jazz It Up
If your dad enjoys jazz, this is a great idea for a fun event to attend.
The performance with the Equinox Jazz Quintet led by Jeremy Davis is not your everyday concert or a jazz recital, but more a one-of-a kind, high-energy stage show featuring some of the best jazz musicians around.

Jeremy Davis has shared the stage with artist ranging from David Sanborn, Ellis Marsalis, Bill Watrous, Carl Fontana, Fred Wesley and Harry Waters to George Clinton, Govt Mule, Col. Bruce Hampton, Derek Trucks and many more.

Jazz – Just Across The River presents the Annual Fathers’ day Concert, featuring the Equinox Jazz Quintet, on Sunday, June 20 at 5 pm at the Westin Savannah Harbor on Hutchinson Island. The concert is free for Coastal Jazz Association members and $10 for non-members. Attendees who join CJA while at the concert will also be admitted for free.

The Equinox Jazz Quintet with Jeremy Davis
Sunday, June 20th 5:00 p.m.
Westin Savannah Harbor – Hutchinson Island

For more info call: 912.920.1317 or go to www.coastal-jazz.org

I Scream, You Scream…
Lately the heat has been a bit tiring, so make sure to include a trip to Leopolds Icecream Parlor – what dad is going to turn down a delicious cool treat?
Leopold’s has been around forever, and there is a special flavor for everyone. The pink grapefruit sherbert is so refreshing. I know that suggestion would meet with “the look” from my Dad, he would have opted for the more appropriate “real man” flavor of Peanut Butter Chippy or Rum Bisque.

Leopold’s Ice Cream, 212 E. Broughton St., Savannah
912.234.4442 or visit Leopolds Icecream

The Beat Goes On
Join dad on a trip down memory lane with this fun performance. Remember the big hair, the funky fashion and most of all the music. This hit musical will covers all of dad’s favorite songs from the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s! From beach blankets to the BeeGees, it’s three decades of Big Hair and big fun!

Savannah Theatre, 222 Bull St., Savannah 912.233.7764

A Luxury Brunch for Dad
To impress dad, how about a fantastic Father’s Day Sunday Jazz Brunch at Aqua Star at the Westin? You and dad will enjoy a decadent meal prepared by Executive Chef Roger Michel and his team of culinary experts. Live music provided by Jazz legend Ben Tucker. Reservations to this event is strongly recommended since it most likely will sell out.

So call now and reserve your spots at 912.201.2085 or visit www.aquastar@westin.com.

Down the River
Another idea is to go on a Fathers Day Brunch Cruise in the Savannah River. This is a great way to see Savannah from the water if you’re visiting for the day.

Enjoy a buffet style brunch while the Captain narrates the rich history of Savannah along the way. Spend some quality time with dad, learn about Savannah’s history and a experience a boat ride on the river!
The brunch cruise takes place at noon on Jun 20, 2010. Call (800)786-6404 for ticket information.
9 East River Street, Savannah, GA
Tickets: $21.95 – $39.95
www.savannahriverboat.com

For the Brave Outdoors Man
For dads who enjoy the outdoors – how about a special trip for summer solstice? This is an easy paddling tour down a historic, blackwater creek.Paddling is a great way to experience the outdoors, and this trip is suitable for beginners too. After basic canoeing instruction, the naturalist will lead the way downstream past stately tupelo and cypress. Their bright green foliage and unique trunks reflect perfectly in the mirror-dark water. Keep an eye out for turtles, herons and kingfishers. Maybe you’ll be lucky enough to spot a shy alligator.

The paddle takes place at Ebenezer Creek. The price is $45 – person, includes canoe, paddle and basic instruction. Please call 912.236.8115 or visit www.wilderness-southeast.org

Savannah Westin Hotel, Georgia

Free Family Film – Mt Pleasant, SC

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Free Family Film this Summer at the Mount Pleasant Memorial Waterfront Park and Pier!

This summer, a series of free family movies will be screened outdoors. The movie night is held at the Mount Pleasant Memorial Waterfront Park and Pier, the first of the series will be a 2010 Oscar award-winning family film presented on Saturday, June 26.

Bring chairs and spread out on the park’s Great Lawn to enjoy an evening movie on the giant inflatable screen.

Parking fees of 50 cents per hour will apply during the movie. Drinks, treats and snacks will be available for purchase at the pier’s Riverwatch Cafe, and on-site vendors will sell kettle corn, boiled peanuts, Italian ice and beverages. At the foot of the Arthur Ravenel, Jr. Bridge, stretching out into the Charleston Harbor, the scenic Mount Pleasant Memorial Waterfront Park and Pier will be a great spot to bring the family to enjoy an evening under the stars in the cool harbor breeze! This event is presented by the Town of Mount Pleasant and the Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission.

All movies begin at 9 p.m. on select Saturdays throughout the summer and early fall.

It looks like the organizers has made a list of great movies for us to watch again – and for the younger ones to enjoy for the first time ever. Just take a look at the impressive list below!

Movie dates at the Mount Pleasant Memorial Waterfront Park and Pier are:

  • June 26 – The Blind Side
  • July 24 – E.T.
  • August 14 – City Slickers
  • September 18 – Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory
  • October 2 – Rudy

Bring friends and family out to enjoy a free films under the stars! The Mount Pleasant Memorial Waterfront Park and the Mount Pleasant Pier are located at the foot of the Arthur Ravenel, Jr. Bridge at 71 Harry Hallman Blvd. For further details or info on movie showings, visit www.ccprc.com/movies or call 843-795-4FUN (4386).

Juneteenth at Telfair

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JUNETEENTH AT TELFAIR – Savannah, Georgia

June 14-19, 2010
Juneteenth: A Celebration of Freedom

In June, the Telfair proudly presents its third annual Juneteenth Festival, celebrating the anniversary of the end of slavery in the United States. This year’s event focuses on the roots of African music as well as its impact on American music. Throughout the week, the Telfair will present programs at multiple sites to explore black history, culture, and identity. Highlights include a talk by author and political commentator Farai Chideya, a performance by the renowned Senegalese rap group the Gokh-Bi System, and the third annual Juneteenth Family Day.

The Telfair will kick-off the 2010 Juneteenth festival on Monday, June 14, with an opening ceremony featuring storytelling by Aunt Pearlie Sue. Aunt Pearlie Sue is the creation of Anita Singleton-Prather, a native of the Sea Islands in Beaufort County, South Carolina. From 6:30-7:30 pm, the Aunt Pearlie Sue character, based on Prather’s grandmother, will entertain visitors with Gullah-flavored stories and folktales.

Owens-Thomas House Tour/Talk:
“How the Owens-Thomas House Got the Thomas Name”
June 15, 5 pm
Telfair’s Owens-Thomas House

Lecture by Multimedia Journalist Farai Chideya:
“The Color of Our Future: Race in the 21st Century”
June 17, 7 pm
Second African Baptist Church, 123 Houston Street
A former host of NPR’s News and Notes, Chideya is an award-winning political reporter and writer who has worked in print, television, and radio, as well as online. She has authored several books, including Kiss the Sky and Don’t Believe the Hype: Fighting Cultural Misinformation about African Americans.

Akonting Workshop with Sana Ndiaye of the Gokh-Bi System
Presented in collaboration with the Ships of the Sea Museum
June 18, 6 pm
Ships of the Sea Museum, 41 Martin Luther King Boulevard, Museum Garden Pavilion
Musician Sana Ndiaye will lead a workshop on playing the akonting—a stringed, banjo-like instrument used in parts of West Africa including Senegal and Gambia. Bring your akonting or come by to listen. Registration requested.

Juneteenth Family Day
June 19, 10 am – 1 pm
Telfair’s Jepson Center
This fun-filled morning features storytelling, instrument-making demonstrations, and more!

Family Day Schedule

10-10:10 am
Welcome with Drumming/Libations – Majied /J’miah

10:10-10:50 am
J’miah’s Juneteenth Storytelling

10:50-11:10 am
Health Restoration 101:
Presentation by Carolyn Guilford, Consulting Nutritionist

11:10am-11:40 am
Juneteenth and the Puppet People Theater

11:40 am-12 pm
World Music Interlude: “Hanif aboard the Black Star Liner”

12-12:30 pm
Conversation with Sana and Tony Pizzo, Director of Ships of Sea Museum (Musician Sana Ndiaye)

12:30p m
World Music Interlude and Broom Jumping with Sista V and Jahwalks

Activity Stations
Eckburg Atrium
Health Talk – Carolyn Guilford
Oral History Table – Barbara Fertig, Volunteer (Dr. Barbara Fertig, Preofessor of History at Armstrong Atlantic State University
Basket-weaving Demonstration – Jery Taylor

Gokh-Bi System/Rap Tassu from Senegal Concert
Presented in collaboration with the Ships of the Sea Museum
June 19, 5-7 pm
Ships of the Sea Museum, North Garden
Recognized as one of the leaders in contemporary African music, the Gokh-Bi System unites hip-hop with its ancient West African roots. The group uses a variety of instruments, including djembe drums and the traditional, stringed akonting, while rapping in English, French, Arabic, and Wolof.

All Juneteenth programs are free of charge and open to the public, thanks to project funding provided by the City of Savannah. Additional support for selected programs has been provided by the Ships of the Sea Museum.

telfair museum, savannah, georgia

Sweetgrass Cultural Arts Festival – Mt Pleasant, SC

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Our area is rich in history and culture, and one of the most fascinating cultures is the Gullah Geechee. This weekend you can learn more about the Gullah Geeche culture at the Sweetgrass Cultural Arts Festival in South Carolina. This festival has the largest showcase of authentic sweetgrass baskets in the Lowcountry, but the festival offers music, arts and craft, storytelling and much more.
Click here to read more about the Sweetgrass Cultural Arts Festival in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina