Coastal Companion

Your ultimate guide to the coast

Reggae Nights with De Lions of Jah in Charleston

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It’s time again to enjoy summer in Wannamaker County Park with the annual Reggae Nights. The first concert of the season takes place on Saturday, May 9th. Gates open at 7:30 pm and the concert begins at 8:30 pm.

Bring your whole gang, your own blanket or chair, and your best mood. Spend an evening in the park enjoying an outdoor concert.

Charleston County Park & Recreation Commission will play host to
De Lions Of Jah at its first concert of this summer’s reggae series. The concert, held at Wannamaker County Park, will be on Saturday, May 9 with gates opening at 7:30pm and music beginning at 8:30pm.

Bring your chair or blanket, kick back, and celebrate summer with an outdoor old school reggae concert with a new attitude.

Tickets can be purchased at the gate. $8 for adults (13 and up) or 5 Greenbax; children 12 and under are free. Annual Gold Passes will be honored. Food, beverage, and souvenirs will be available for purchase.

For more information visit www.ccprc.com/reggae or call (843)-795-4FUN (4386).

De Lions at the Conch House

Jacksonville Jazz Festival 2009

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Come downtown for the 2009 Jacksonville Jazz Festival on May 21-24, 2009. The event will feature renowned jazz performances in the heart of downtown Jacksonville on Laura Street. The whole downtown area will turn into a colorful, vibrant street festival. Besides music, you can enjoy the Heart Art Show & Sale, Wine Down Tasting Experience, jazz exhibits, children’s educational activities and much more.

Other highlights of the festival includes the Jacksonville Jazz Piano Competition, the ‘Round Midnight Jazz Jam and Sunday Jazz Brunches.
The 2009 Art in the Heart of Downtown art show and sale
This event features work of prize-winning artists and master craftspeople from around the country. Festival goers can enjoy both live jazz music while browsing art from talented artists

Wine Down Tasting Experience
May 22-24
Hemming Plaza – in the heart of downtown Jacksonville

Now festival goers can also participate in The Wine Down Tasting Experience. Tickets to the wine tasting can be purchased downtown. You’ll receive a souvenir wine glass and eight samplings of featured wines. Winery representatives will also be on-hand to discuss the intricacies of various

May Art Walk
Wednesday, May 6, 5 – 8 p.m.
Laura St. between MOCA Jacksonville and the Main Library

Don’t forget that you can meet and great and get your own poster signed by this year’s Jazz Festival poster artist Tom Farrell at the May Art Walk. Jacksonville Jazz Festival posters will be for sale, plus festival information and giveaways.

Jazz

Jacksonville: Report from Butterfly Festival

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We had a great time at the Butterfly Festival. There was so much to see, so many cute animals, and some not so cute, and a whole bunch of kids joined the fun.

Take a look at this little video from the Butterfly Festival to see what the excitement at Tree Hill Nature Center was all about.

Shrimp Festival – Fernandina, Amelia Island

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Fernandina has one of the best shrimp festivals on the coast. This year it’s the 46th Anniversary and it is said that this year’s event will be even bigger and better.

Fernandina Shrimp Festival is held the first weekend in May in the Historic downtown Centre Street business district in Fernandina Beach on Amelia Island, Florida.
But you don’t have to wait for the weekend. The celebration kicks off already on Thursday with an exciting Pirate Parade. This year’s Parade Theme is: “Home Grown Shrimp, the Pick of the Litter”.

At this festival you can find lots and lots of delicious shrimp. There’s also Fine Arts & Crafts, Antiques & Collectibles, Kids Korner and Live Entertainment from two stages!The festival takes place May 1st – 3rd. For more details about the Fernandina Shrimp Festival on Amelia Island, click here.
Fernandina Shrimp Festival, Amelia Island, Florida

Sand Art Festival 2009 – on the beach at Tybee Island, Georgia

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Summer is almost here! There are many ways to enjoy the beach, and here is one. Come to the Sand Arts Festival. This competition can be a great inspiration to all sandcastle builders on the coast. Lots of SCAD students participate – so the creative sandcastles are well worth a trip. Bring your whole gang to Tybee Island for a day on the beach.

On Friday, May 8, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., the Sand Arts Festival will feature competitions in sand castle design, sand sculpture, sand relief and wind sculpture on Tybee Island, Ga. Contestants may work individually or in teams. Entries in the sand castle, sand sculpture and sand relief competitions are judged for creativity of concept and design, as well as excellence of craft and detail. Entries in the wind sculpture competition are evaluated according to structural development, surface decoration and ability to fly. SCAD faculty members judge all competitions.

Alyssa Couturier (B.F.A., fashion, 2008) and senior painting student Jesse Herndon won first place in the Gray’s Reef Sea Creature Contest with their “Octopus” creation.
Image courtesy of SCAD