June in Charleston
I hope all of you enjoyed your Memorial Weekend. It’s the unofficial beginning to summer in the Lowcountry. School children of all ages are counting the hours til they are free of homework for at least a few weeks. Adults are thrilled at the thought of no school traffic in the morning.
June is a big month as families plan vacations and some down time. It’s also a month when we honor our country and those who serve it. Following Memorial Day, we remember D Day on the 6th, Flag Day on the 14th, leading us up to Independence Day on the 4th of July. Don’t forget dad on Father’s Day the 19th. Celebrate the longest day of the year on the 21st, the Summer Solstice.
Remember that National Doughnut Day is always the first Friday in June, this year following National Bubba Day on the 2nd. I’ll keep track at my blog at www.TheLowcountryToday.com . I’d hate for you to miss a reason to get a good doughnut!!
We got plenty of pats on the back this month. Style, a Baltimore magazine sent a correspondent here to find as many good eats in a weekend as possible. Maryland now has a meal by meal guide of the town.
Smithsonian devoted 17 pages and the cover to the Beginning of the Civil War 150 years ago. The Wine Enthusiast showcased a city with a “crop of wine-centric bars and cutting edge restaurants.”
Southern Living highlighted 5 great finds at the Farmers Market (which is superb this year). Plus they had an article about Chef Craig Deihl of Cypress and the SC Black Guinea Hogs, reportedly some of the world’s best pork.
High end Saveur magazine praised our soul food cafes thriving away from the tourist-trodden track. They raise the humble lima bean or sivva bean as it has always been know here to its rightful spot on a culinary pedestal.
In keeping with the food theme, you can enjoy, The Real Taste of Gullah, an evening at the Mt P Visitors Center on the 3rd. A sweetgrass fashion show and speaker Jonathon Green add to the fun.
Following on the 4th is the Sweetgrass Cultural Festival from 10-8 at the Mt Pleasant Waterfront Park. The event will feature unique handmade arts, paintings, live performances and documentaries. Enjoy gospel songs and praise dance, storytelling demonstrations and the Adande African Dancers and Drummers.
While everyone knows that Spoleto and Piccolo Spoleto are in town this month with hundreds of options, there are some interesting offerings to complement them. The Charleston Library Society will welcome six speakers. The 2nd will have cartoonist Bunny Hoest and author Jay Parini; the 3rd, theatre critic Ed Wilson and economic writer Alfred Malabre; and wrapping things up on the 4th, journalist and author Joshua Kendall and author and raconteur Pat Conroy.
Also on the 4th, a one act debut of The Ordeal of Edgar Allan Poe as a rehearsed stage reading, 2 pm at the Footlight Players. It will be followed by a discussion by Poe scholars.
If you start to wilt during your Spoleto ramblings, stop at St Matthews Lutheran Church through the 5h for a spot of Afternoon Tea perfectly located across from Marion Square.
The Charleston Museum will celebrate Worldwide Knit in Public Day with special lessons, a curator’s tour of the knit and crochet collection and knitting social in the courtyard on the 11th.
Outdoor movies in the “cool” of the evening have become a big hit in the Lowcountry. Freshfields Village is offering a family movie each Wednesday during June, as is the Mt Pleasant Pier on the 22nd and 24th. Both venues are free.
Scouts are being honored at the 10th Annual Scouts Day at Whirling Waters Adventure Park on the 18th. Have fun and earn a water safety merit badge.
Carifest– Caribbean Carnival 2011 will take place the 16th-18th downtown. Among other events you may want to celebrate Carnival Day at the 3pm Street Parade starting on King St. at the Visitors Center and ending at the Grand Finale at Brittlebank Park.
Here’s another historical footnote to the month of June. With all of the festivals and entertainment, don’t miss Carolina Day celebrated on June 28th. It honors the American victory at the Battle of Sullivan’s Island, June 28, 1776. Col. William Moultrie commanded Ft. Sullivan when, despite being outnumbered, he and the Second South Carolina Regiment repelled assaults by the Royal Navy and the British Army. The first Carolina Day was celebrated in 1777.
A procession will form at Washington Park on Broad Street next to City Hall and proceed to White Point Gardens at 11 am where a wreath will be laid. The Charleston Community Band will perform and Douglas Bostick will speak.
We live in a vital and exciting area. It’s only to be expected that others will find us and bring jobs and opportunity to our area. In fact, New Geography has upped the placement of Charleston, North Charleston and Summerville to 8th from 25th last year in their study, Best Cities for Job Growth. They looked at current, trending and past job growth rates as far back as 1999 in mid-sized cities.
The Port is showing similar signs of a strengthening economy. Container volume is up 10%. Breakbulk (non-container including BMW) volume in Chas. and Georgetown is up 40% over the previous year.
Michelin has partnered with the School of Business at the College of Charleston for a new project. The College will develop a North American Logistics Professional Development online course for Michelin employees.
We’ve all heard the lament that with all of the development of farmland, how will we feed our nation? The EPA has funded Clemson and the City of Charleston to come up with an answer. Exploring vertical farming in dense urban areas may hold the key. The feasibility study will use an existing site and solar and wind power with computerized environmental controls.
What would job growth be without the best in health care for our families? MUSC Children’s Hospital was just been ranked 17th nationally by US News and World Report for Cardiology and Heart Surgery. They are one of only a handful of SE facilities to offer Pediatric ICU. Congratulations to all the nurses and doctors there.
The month opens with some runs to tell you about. The 4th will see 3: there’s the Green and Lean 5K at 8am at Brittlebank Park and the Floppin’ Flounder 5K held by the Charleston Running Club on Sullivan’s Island also at 8am. Catch your breath and head over to the 11th Annual ALS H.O.P.E. 5K Run and Walk on the Beach, 5:30 pm, at Isle of Palms.
The 6th-9th are the dates for the Sertoma Football camp this year.
The Bulldog Breakaway Twilight Series #3 5K begins and ends at Willson Track on campus at 6:30pm on the 9th. Series#4 will be held on the 23rd.
The Run for the Nine– a Memorial 5K for the Charleston Firefighters will be held at Joe Riley Stadium on the 11th at 8am.
Get off the Pavement and onto the trails at Wannamaker Park during the Summer Fun Trails 5K Series on the 15th at 6:30pm.
If you want sun and sand, head to Folly Beach for the Wahine (Wah-hee’-nee) all female surf contest on the 18th and 19th at the Washout.
The Sprint Triathlon will be held at James Island County Park on the 19th. And finally, the Lowcountry Race for Logan will be held at the Ponds in Summerville on the 25th at 8 am.
Celebrate National Fishing Week at the Youth Fishing Rodeo at Sewee Center near Awendaw. It’s free, but you have to sign up and it’s limited to 85 anglers, ages 6-16. Fish in Sewee pond, design a Fish Art t-shirt from 8-noon on the 11th.
On the 4th, it’s time for the Mt Pleasant Pier Fishing Tournament. Ages 3 and older, if you can hold a rod, you can compete in the Cooper River Challenge. Prizes for the largest game fish, it all ends at 4pm.
The Folly Pier Fishing Tournament will answer the challenge from 6am-4pm on the 18th. Sewee Pond will be open 9am-6pm for fishing on the 18th also. It’s a great way to spend a day with Dad the day before Father’s Day.
Enjoy June in the Lowcountry.
Lilla
Filed under: Around Town, Lowcountry Lifestyle on May 29th, 2011 | No Comments »