Coastal Companion

Your ultimate guide to the coast

Museum Mile Weekend – Charleston, SC

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Museum Mile in Charleston, South Carolina is an area in historic downtown with lots of museums and cultural sites. As you know, the city of Charleston is rich in history, so the museum density in downtown comes as no surprise. No matter where I go, I always seem to miss out on some of the museums – lack of time and entry fees for a family of four will do that. That’s why I think the Museum Mile Weekend in Charleston is one of the best deals around.

Charleston Museum MileJust buy a weekend pass and explore all 13 sites in the Meeting street area downtown during September 25 & 26, 2010.

To find out more, see what sites are participating, download a map or to get ticket information, visit our special events page for Museum Mile Weekend – Charleston, South Carolina

Fall Festival and Events in Charleston 2010

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Charleston, South Carolina , is the perfect place to visit for a weekend getaway. The beautiful city with its international flair and southern charm, makes it the perfect destination for a relaxing weekend. Charleston is also known for its many restaurant and renown chefs. The city even boosts to popular food festivals every year; BBT Wine & Food Festival in the spring and Taste of Charleston in the fall.

Take a horsedrawn carriage ride around the historic district, and let your guide tell you about the fascinating history of Charleston. When you have limited time to explore, a guided tour is well worth paying for. You’ll get a great overview and you’ll be able to easily figure out where you want to return to for more details. You might also want to stop by the visitor center downtown for maps, brochures and more details.

There’s always a lot happening in Charleston, but here is the list of the big annual events coming up this fall.

2010 MOJA Arts Festival
A Celebration of African-American and Caribbean Arts
September 23 – October 3, 2010

A Swahili word meaning “One,” MOJA is recognized for its ability to bring people together through a celebration of Western and world cultures. Highlighting African-American and Caribbean fine arts, MOJA will showcase everything from gospel, dance, poetry, storytelling, theatre, children’s activities, traditional crafts, ethnic food, and more. For more information, call (843) 724-7305 or visit www.mojafestival.com.

Charleston Museum MileMuseum Mile Weekend in Charleston
September 25 – 26, 2010
Charleston is rich in history and culture, and the city has several museums.  If this history is something you love, or you want to visit the museums, don’t forget about this special weekend. You can visit the museums at a reduce rate during this time. Read all about it on our page for Museum Mile Weekend.

34th Annual Fall Tours of Homes & Gardens
September 23 – October 24, 2010

This event is sponsored by the Preservation Society of Charleston. Visitors tour breathtaking gardens, private homes, churches and public buildings showcasing architecture from the early Georgian period to the 20th century. The tours explore Charleston’s neighborhoods which emanate with a culture that started in the Colonial area. For additional information, go to our special event page for Fall Tour of Homes and Gardens, Charleston please call (843) 722-4630 or visit www.preservationsociety.org.

Taste of Charleston
October 8 – 10, 2010

The Greater Charleston Restaurant Association hosts this three-day gastronomical extravaganza highlighting lowcountry cuisine. It features some of Charleston’s finest, nationally recognized chefs. In addition to opportunities to sample the chefs’ creations, the event features an Iron Chef Competition, wine and beer classes, an art walk and live music.

Please visit www.charlestonrestaurantassociation.com or call
(843) 577-4030 for more information or read more on our Taste of Charleston page

Things to do in South Carolina – August 2010

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August is the hot month, but even so most of us enjoy going to the beach, grilling out, and spending time outdoors. There is no shortage of


Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Myrtle Beach in August

live music event, festivals and happenings going on during the month of August.  Here are a few tips for fun things to do in August in South Carolina.

There’s a Tobacco Heritage Festival this month.  At this event you can experience the rural heritage of Horry County through demonstrations of traditional farming techniques such as hand stringing and tying tobacco. There are also children’s activities, live entertainment and more.

The Tobacco Festival takes place Horry County Museum’s Living History Farm in Conway, SC on August 7, 2010, from 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM.
Call 843-915-5320 for more information or visit the Museum’s website.

Folly Beach Fishing Pier

Southern Fried Reggae

Enjoy live reggae music in the Charleston area parks this summer. There are two reggae concerts in the Reggae Nights series taking place in the month of August. The first Reggae Nights concert takes place in Wannamaker Park where Mystic Vibrations is performing live on August 7, 2010. The second concert of the month is at James Island County Park where Jah Works performs on August 21. For more information, visit our special events page to find out more about Live Reggae Music in Charleston

Speaking of live music,  you can enjoy live music, the ocean breeze and the stars above while you  dance the night away on Folly Beach Fishing Pier on August 13.  Read more about this event here – Moonlight Mixers on Folly Beach Pier.

Sometimes the heat in August can be a bit much, and it’s nice to cool off inside in the a/c.

The Craftsmen's Classicâ„¢ Arts & Crafts Festival

Handmade & Unique

The Craftsmen’s Classicâ„¢ Arts & Crafts Festival in Myrtle Beach, SC, will allow you to do just that. This festival features work from hundreds of talented artists and craftspeople from across America.  You get an opportunity to close up see how it’s all done as many exhibitors demonstrate throughout the weekend.  This event takes place at Myrtle Beach Convention Center August 6-8, 2010. Visit the event website for more information.

(Click here to get a printable coupon for $1:00 off at the door!)

If you like to shop and find bargains, you have an opportunity to go bargain hunting indoors at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center during the Largest Garage Sale taking place on August 14, 2010.

LUNA by Richard Blake, Clay for Bronze
LUNA by Richard Blake, Clay for Bronze

Shop, Shag & Sculpture

If you’re serious about your shopping and finding the best deals, this event opens already at 7 a.m. in the morning.  Check out our special events page for The Largest Garage Sale in South Carolina for details.

Take your sweetheart by the arm and head out to  the pier in Mount Pleasant for a night of music and dancing. On August 28 Shem Creek Boogie Band is performing. Get more details on our special events page for Shaggin’ on the Cooper

Check out some of the incredible sculptures on exhibit at Brookgreen Gardens this month. The National Sculpture Society’s popular Annual Awards Exhibition opens on August 7, 2010, at Brookgreen Gardens. Here you can see every type of sculpture from traditional to out of this world.
Click here to read more about the Awards Exhibition at Brookgreen Gardens

In Hilton Head, don’t forget to check out HarbourFest, one of the most popular events in the area.  HarbourFest offers live entertainment every night of the week, and there’s even fireworks every Tuesday until August 10, so don’t miss out.  For the complete schedule, visit our special events page for HarbourFest Hilton Head Island, SC

McIntosh County Shouters Raise the Roof – Savannah, GA

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McIntosh County Shouters
McIntosh County Shouters

The McIntosh County Shouters are making a special appearance on Wednesday, July 21, 2010 at 6:00 p.m. at Second African Baptist Church, 123 Houston Street in Savannah.

The McIntosh County Shouters have been bringing folks to their feet with their unique “shouting” performance for over 30 years. A mesmerizing blend of circling dance movements, call-and-response singing and percussive handclaps, modern “shouting” derives from the communication used by African slaves working in rice fields in the 18th- and 19th centuries. It is thought to be one of the oldest surviving forms of African American cultural and spiritual expression, and its influences can be heard in later musical genres including jubilee, gospel, and even jazz.

McIntosh County ShoutersThe ring shout tradition was for the most part forgotten by the world until it was discovered that a small community had been passing down this joyful practice for generations. The group began performing as the McIntosh County Ring Shouters in 1980 and has held audiences spellbound ever since. Unchanged for hundreds of years, today’s ring shout both pays homage to the community’s ancestors and contributes to a greater understanding of early African American culture.

The Shouters have been featured in a Georgia Public Broadcasting documentary, performed at Lincoln Center in New York City, and are a recipient of the prestigious National Heritage Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts.

McIntosh County ShoutersThis event is brought to you by the Georgia Historical Society and is free and open to the public. For more information, www.GeorgiaHistory.com

The McIntosh County Shouters presented by The Georgia Historical Society on Wednesday, July 21, 2010 at 6:00 p.m.
Second African Baptist Church, 123 Houston St., Savannah, GA
Cost: FREE

View Map of the Location here

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