Coastal Companion

Your ultimate guide to the coast

Jekyll Island Shrimp n’ Grits Festival in Georgia

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The annual Shrimp n’ Grits festival in Jekyll Island, Georgia, is one of our favorite festivals on the coast. There is always a lot to see and do at this festival. This year it’s the 8th year for the popular Wild Georgia Shrimp Festival. If you love seafood, especially shrimp, this is the place to visit. The festival takes place in the historic district on September 19 – 21, 2014.
To kick-off the weekend, Opening Night Plate Samples will be offered on Friday, Sept. 20, with plates priced at $3 each. On Saturday and Sunday, the festival hosts two cooking contests, first, an amateur Cooking Competition and then the Professional Chef Cooking Competition. There will also be cooking demonstrations with celebrity chefs.
Shrimp & Grits Festival on Jekyll Island, GAFrom the Kids Fun Zone, zip lines and bounce houses, to ongoing cooking demos, shrimp eating contests and never-ending assortment of tasty finds, the 2013 Shrimp & Grits: Wild Georgia Shrimp Festival promises to dish up a good time for the whole family!

General admission to the festival is free.

Here is our video from when we visited the festival a while back.

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

The Sack of St Augustine 2010

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This is a great opportunity to relive history in St Augustine when the Historic Florida Militia re-enacts the Sack of St. Augustine, March 6th, 2010. The sack happened back in the year of 1668. Captain Robert Searle and his privateers left Jamaica and set course for St Augustine to loot the silver ingots held in the royal coffers at St. Augustine.

At the encampment at the Fountain of Youth Archeological Park on Magnolia Drive, visitors can relive history. Take an up-close look at authentic 17th century arms, equipment and food at the encampment.
(The camp is set up Friday thru Sunday)

Then, on Saturday March 6, the buccaneers will gather and proceed to the Plaza de la Constitucion in downtown historic district of St Augustine. At 5 p.m. they will attack Spanish soldiers and St. Augustine citizens. Townspeople and soldiers will flee up St. George Street to the Redoubt at Orange and Cordova Streets in the Historic St Augustine.

For more information, please call 904.534.6168 or visit the website

The Beauty of Nature at Goodyear Cottage, Jekyll Island

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Painter, Jo Elliott and bird sculptor Chuck Robertson are inspired by nature and devoted to capture its beauty. These talented artists will be showcasing their inspired works in an upcoming exhibit sponsored by the Jekyll Island Arts Association in the Gallery of Goodyear Cottage in Jekyll Island’s Historic District.

Coastal Georgia Is Inspiration
Painter, Jo Elliott has been interested in art as long as she can remember. At an early age, she accompanied her father as he conducted drawing and painting classes at the local art guild in Greenville, Ohio. She admits, “I am fortunate to have this very talented artist and teacher in my family.” Jo’s Dad continues to encourage her to ‘paint rich’ and to tell a story with each paintings. With her children grown and having retired from the insurance industry a few years ago, Jo feels fortunate to be able to devote more time to her love of art. Living on the Georgia coast provides an endless source of creative material for her watercolor and acrylic landscapes. Around every corner Jo feels is an interesting scene to capture, whether it is a shrimp boat heading out, an egret keeping watch over a tidal creek, or the way light and shadows define a sand dune.

Chuck Robertson
Art by Chuck Robertson

It’s All About Birds
A large part of bird sculptor, Chuck Robertson’s life has been about birds since 1981. It was at this time that he decided to find something more personally satisfying in his life. Stumbling into an art show Chuck was captivated by sculptures of birds. He had spent much of his life outdoors as a kid and had always enjoyed creating things with his hands. Chuck was mesmerized by the idea of bird sculpture and has made this his profession and life’s work since carving his very first bird. Chuck’s work consists of very realistic and detailed sculptures of birds. His goal is to capture a moment in nature and to bring that excitement into his sculpture and ultimately to the viewer.

Opening day of the Elliott-Robertson Exhibit will be October 1st and it will continue thru November 1st. The artists’ reception will be held on Sunday, October 4th from 1 – 3 PM. Admission is always free at Goodyear’s Gallery and shop where regular hours are Monday – Friday, Noon until 4 PM and weekends 10 AM until 4 PM. For more information please call 635-3092.

Jo Elliot painting

St Vincent’s Tour & Tea in Savannah 2009

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St. Vincent’s Academy will once again host the popular St Vincent’s Tour & Tea in Savannah on Saturday October 17, 2009. This is a popular self-guided tour of the original 1845 Convent building and eight private homes in the historic district.

This year’s tour of homes promises to be a look inside nine beautiful homes in Savannah’s Historic District. Some of the residences reflect their 19th century origin in architectural style, interiors and furnishings, while others offer an exciting contemporary approach to Savannah downtown living.

The centerpiece of the fall tour of homes is the elegant tea which will be served on the grounds of the Convent. Academy students will serve tea with delicious homemade confections and traditional tea sandwiches.

St. Vincent’s has enjoyed an enduring relationship with St. Joseph’s since 1875, when the Sisters of Mercy established St. Joseph’s Hospital in downtown Savannah. Proceeds from the Tour & Tea benefit the preservation and restoration of the historic Convent.

Discover why native this annual event has been called “the best tour in Savannah.”

Saturday, October 17, 2009 only

Tour Hours: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Tickets on sale now!
Tickets: $40 per person (includes Tea at the Convent) plus handling charge for online and phone orders. Buy your tickets early and save $5.00! Tickets purchased by October 7 are just $35.

1. Purchase tickets online until noon on Friday, October 16.
2. Call (912) 819-7880 until noon on Friday, October 16 to purchase tickets by phone.
3. Purchase tickets at any of the following Savannah businesses. Click here for a link to the list.
4. Purchase tickets on the day of the tour: On October 17, go to the tour ticket office (Walsh Hall at St. Vincent’s, located at the corner of Lincoln and Harris Streets in downtown Savannah) between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Cash, check and credit cards will be accepted.
For more information, visit the website.

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