Coastal Companion

Your ultimate guide to the coast

Fleet Week in Mount Pleasant, SC

by

Fleet Week is Mount Pleasant is an action packed gathering of events with a pelican sculpture unveiling, cooking demonstrations, free shagging lessons, wine and painting on the pier, Beer Week, Shaggin’ on the Cooper and a Starlight Pops Concert will lead up to the 25th Annual Town of Mount Pleasant Blessing of the Fleet and Seafood Festival.

Fleet Week focuses on activities centering on the shrimping industry.

About Fleet Week Activity Schedule

• Old Village Post House Shrimp Cooking Demonstration Tuesday, April 24, 5:00 p.m.
One of Mount Pleasant’s favorite restaurants, the Old Village Post House will offer a shrimp cooking demonstration using farm-fresh ingredients at the Mount Pleasant Farmers Market. Farmers Market Pavilion, Moultrie Middle School, Coleman Boulevard FREE Admission

• Pelican Sculpture Unveiling Wednesday, April 25, 5:00 p.m.
Shem Creek Park will be the permanent home for an educational art nine-foot tall Pelican Sculpture created by School of the Arts students using marine debris collected in local waterways. The unveiling will include SOA students who created the sculpture, along with Mount Pleasant residents and students who played a role in its creation. Mount Pleasant Shem Creek Park, Shrimp Boat Lane FREE Admission

• Charleston Craft Beer Week Event Wednesday, April 25, 5:00 p.m.
A tasting of German beers & food followed by a showing of the film “Beerfest” Cinebarre Movie Theater FREE Admission. Food and beverages available for purchase • Wine & Design Painting on the Pier Thursday, April 26, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. Paint your own masterpiece with step-by-step instruction. Wine & Design has created a new painting especially for the Blessing of the Fleet. No experience necessary. Refreshments will be available. Memorial Waterfront Park & Pier $40/person (Reservations required) – 843-388-7857

• Free Shag Lessons on the Pier Friday, April 27, 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Mary Kennerty, Director of Mount Pleasant Junior Cotillions and a business etiquette consultant, will teach the Charleston Shag on the pier. Come enjoy sunset in the park and get ready for a great weekend with free dance lessons. Memorial Waterfront Park & Pier FREE Admission

• Starlight Pops Concert – Charleston Symphony Orchestra Saturday, April 28,
Gates 5:30p.m., Picnic Judging 7:00 p.m., sunset show
Bring beach chairs/blankets and a picnic for this annual favorite, in a new venue this year! Great food and drinks will be available for purchase. Tickets on sale now in all area First Federal offices and The Grove at Patriots Point $15 adults, $10 First Federal customers (in-bank purchase only), $5 children

• Shaggin’ on the Cooper Saturday, April 28, 8:00 p.m.
(Gates open at 7:00 p.m.) Dance the night away under the stars while enjoying live classic oldies and beach music by Local Motion on the Mount Pleasant Pier. Beverages available for purchase onsite. Mount Pleasant Pier $10 per person (only 800 tickets available for this event!) Call 843-795-4FUN (4386) or visit www.ccprc.com

Beaufort Water Festival Last Weekend

by

The water festival is the biggest festival every year in Beaufort, South Carolina. This is the last week of the festival, and it all comes to an end this weekend.

The schedule includes a wide variety of events from arts & craft market, air show, grande parade, boat parade and blessing, dog demonstrations and much much more.

For more details regarding the schedule check out our special events page for the Beaufort Water Festival

Blessing of the Fleet Downtown Jacksonville

by

Have your boat blessed in time for the beginning of the season. On Saturday, March 27, 2010, the event “The Blessing of the Fleet” takes place in downtown Jacksonville.

Watch the boats parade by! The event starts at 2 p.m at the Hogan Street Gazebo, North Riverbank, Jacksonville.

If you want to register your boat to participate, or for more information, click here to go to the website.

2009 Historic Bluffton Arts and Seafood Festival

by

The 5th annual Historic Bluffton Arts & Seafood Festival takes place October 18-25, 2009. Discover “Where Fine Art & the Bounty of The Sea Come Together,” during a week long event showcasing locally harvested seafood, Low country cuisine, area andregional artists, live music and entertainment, fishing tournament, boat tours, children’s
activities, fireworks and more.
The festivities begin on the May River with the Blessing of the Fleet and Boat Parade at 2 pm at historic Church of the Cross on Sunday, October 18. Pack a picnic lunch and enjoy the Gospel Music on the bluff or join the parade in your own boat.

Monday again focuses on our local waterways as Al Stokes, Manager/Wildlife Biologist IV, presents a tour of the Waddell Mariculture Center during a seafood “lunch and learn” event from 10:00 am until 12:30 pm. The Bluffton Oyster Company will provide the delicious lunch buffet on the grounds of the center at Victoria Bluff. Tickets are $25.00 a person and can be reserved by calling 843.815.6278.

Wednesday night at six at Seven Oaks, Mary Alice Monroe, the New York

Bluffton Art and Seafood Festival, South Carolina

Times bestselling author of eleven novels, including Time is a River, Sweetgrass, Skyward, The Beach House, The Four Seasons, and The Book Club, will discuss her newest novel, LAST LIGHT OVER CAROLINA, which masterfully takes readers back to the South, to a shrimping community on the coast of South Carolina, and into the lives of a shrimper family. Also on hand will be Larry & Tina Toomer, owners of the Bluffton Oyster Company, who will share their personal experiences as a local couple involved in the shrimping industry. No charge but reservations only, 843-815-6278; donations to Friends
of the Rivers will gladly be accepted.

On Saturday, October 24, the two-day open-air street festival of visual and performing arts opens at 10 a.m. in Historic Downtown Bluffton. More than 50 by invitation-only artists from near and far will be showcasing their talents in all media. The Street Art Market continues until 5 p.m. and resumes again on Sunday, October 25 at 10
a.m. Musicians at several stages throughout the historic district will be performing along with strolling entertainers. Over twenty restaurants will also line the downtown streets offering a true taste of the Low Country.
Saturday night, Rockin’ on the Dock, a Seafood Extravaganza with music by the B-Town Playaz is scheduled at the Bluffton Oyster Company from 5:30 -8:30 p.m. capped off with a fireworks finale at dusk.

For details and a complete schedule of events, call (843)-757-2583 or go online to www.blufftonartsandseafoodfestival.com.

Bluffton Seafood Festival

Blessing of the Fleet 2009- Darien, Georgia

by

This popular event is the biggest event in McIntosh county. Every spring the Blessing of the Fleet celebrates the opening of the shrimping season. On Friday March 27 and Saturday March 28, 2009 the small town of Darien creates a party on the riverfront with food and live entertainment. The actual blessing takes place on Sunday March 29th, 2009. Decorated shrimp boats will pass under the bridge to recieve their blessing. For times and details for the event The Blessing of the Fleet Darien, click here.

If you haven’t had the opportunity to visit Darien before, this is a great time to do so. Plenty of vendors participate. There’s all kinds of food, from fresh Georgia shrimp to cotton candy, lots of activities for the kids and live music.

Visit the website for a detailed schedule at www.blessingofthefleet.com