Coastal Companion

Your ultimate guide to the coast

Fun Things To Do in June on the Coast

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In the Coastal Companion Calendar of our TV show “I Know Jax” broadcasting on CW17 on Saturdays at 11 pm,  we take a look at what’s happening on the coast in the area.  

Savannah Asian Festival in June

One of the most popular cultural festivals on the coast is coming up in June, the Savannah Asian Festival. This yearly one-day festival attracts about 60,000 people, so you know it’s a popular event.

Here you can sample exotic cuisines from across the continent. Local restaurants, will be cooking up favorite dishes from Polynesia, China, Japan, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Thailand. In addition, there’s a variety of martial arts and dance performances, and live music on stage from artists representing different countries.

There’s also traditional arts, crafts, fashions and treasures unique to each nation. From hand made jewelry to calligraphy sets, paintings, hand-beaded clothing, henna body painting, and even a workshop on Asian and Middle Eastern Tea Ceremonies. The festival takes place on June 23 at the Savannah Civic Center, located at Montgomery and Liberty Streets. Parking at the Civic Center is free for the day. Read more about Savannah Asian Festival here.

Greek Festival

Greek Landing Day Festival – St. Augustine, Fl

Maybe you already know that St Augustine, Florida has a strong historic tie with Greece and Greek culture. In June the community celebrates the 244th anniversary of the arrival of the first colony of Greeks in North America. Hundreds of Greeks, Menorcans and Corsicans arrived in St. Augustine on June 26, 1768 and went on to establish what was called the New Smyrna Colony.

If you haven’t tried greek food before, this is your chance. My favorite is baklava, but I also enjoy spanakopita and mousaka.

Visit the so called “Glendi” for a celebration of music, food and dancing during the Greek Landing Day Festival June 22 – 24, 2012. Admission is free.

The St. Photios National Greek Orthodox Shrine is located at 41 St. George Street in St. Augustine.

For more information, call 904-829-8205

 

Daufuskie Day in South Carolina

Another heritage festival in our area is the annual Daufuskie Day in South Carolina. This festival was organized by islanders to preserve the gullah heritage. this year it’s the 36th year for the festival where you can taste authentic Gullah cuisine, and learn more about the culture.

You can take a boat from Savannah or from Hilton Head Island.  Daufuskie day takes place on June 23.

For more information visit www.daufuskieislandfoundation.com

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

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

Gullah Heritage Celebration – Mt Pleasant, SC

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The National Park Service and the Town of Mount Pleasant present a Gullah Heritage Celebration

Ann Caldwell
Ann Caldwell

Gullah Heritage – Ann Caldwell

The National Park Service, in partnership with the Town of Mount Pleasant, is sponsoring a series of free cultural programs at Charles Pinckney National Historic site to celebrate the Gullah Heritage.

The Gullah people of the Lowcountry preserve a culture rich in African influences. Gullah has its own unique culture and its own language. The Gullah culture was developed on plantations in the area where enslaved Africans and African-Americans were the vast majority.
Participants include Ann Caldwell and the Magnolia Singers, spirituals; William Rouse, sweetgrass baskets.

Gullah Heritage Celebration – Mount Pleasant, South Carolina

March 28 at 2:00 p.m.
Charles Pinckney National Historic Site, 1254 Long Point Rd.,
Mt. Pleasant

For more info call (843) 881-5516 and visit www.nps.gov/chpi .

4th Annual Sugar Cane Harvest – Savannah, GA

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Moonrise_Maui_Jameson“Come jine we” for our annual celebration.

The Juice, and Cane Syrup will be made the traditional way – All Day
11:00 a.m. – 5:0 0 p.m.

Enjoy Cane Juice, Biscuits, Cane Syrup, and More! Nyam (Eat) – All Day
11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Experience Performances and Demostrations by the Internationally Renown Geechee Kunda Family
12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

See ‘een tayk ‘ome wit hunnah (See and take home with you) Gullah Geechee and African Arts and Crafts –
Sweetgrass Baskets, Dolls, Horseshoes, Artifacts, Paintings, and More!

For further information please call (912) 884-4440 or email gullahjourney@yahoo.com

This Event is free – Donations will be Accepted

Geechee Kunda
622 Ways Temple Rd.,
Riceboro, GA