It’s spring in Charleston and everywhere you look, a riot of heavenly smelling blooms delight the senses. Spring is also packed with exciting and entertaining events. Take your time going through this issue of Charleston Gateway and choose your favorites. If you are visiting during Spoleto Festival USA, take advantage of the rich and varied [...]
May 3-11, 2013, Main Event May 4 & 5
The North Charleston Arts Festival is an annual nine-day event highlighting national, regional and local artists and performers. For 30 years, the festival has made quality arts programming affordable and accessible, attracting over 30,000 residents and visitors each year. The Main Event is held the first weekend in May at the North Charleston Performing Arts [...]
Powder Magazine will celebrate 300 years on April 20. Beginning at 11 am, the state’s oldest public building will host drum, fife and musket demonstrations and will unveil their new exhibit. The first 300 guests will enjoy birthday cake and receive a commemorative novelty. This event is free and open to the public. For more [...]
Here in the Lowcountry, one of our favorite cold beverages is sweet tea. It is served in nearly every restaurant, and if you visit the home of a local, you will mostly likely find a pitcher in the refrigerator. Today, the Charleston Tea Plantation, on Wadmalaw Island, is the only company to grow tea in [...]
May 24-June 9, 2013
For 17 days and nights each spring, Spoleto Festival USA fills Charleston’s historic theatres, churches and outdoor spaces with performances by renowned artists and emerging performers in disciplines ranging from opera, theater, music theater, dance, and chamber, symphonic, choral and jazz music, as well as the visual arts. The 37th Annual Festival will present one [...]
May 24-June 9, 2013
The combination of historic Charleston’s old European charm and the world-class Spoleto Festival USA. produces a unique and impacting synergy for all who come to experience this magnificent international multi-arts festival. But what really adds the ingredient of magic to the mix is Piccolo Spoleto, which provides access to the festival for every person, especially [...]
May 3, 2013
Charleston’s Historic French Quarter is home to roughly 30 galleries within walking distance of one another. Located within the original walled city and founded by the French Huguenots, the French Quarter has become a national arts destination. Four times a year, on the first Friday of March, May, October and December, the buzz of art [...]
For many years, the area around Shem Creek in Mount Pleasant has been known for its seafood restaurants and its night life, with some great views of the creek and the marsh. Now residents and visitors have two beautiful waterfront parts to enjoy: Mount Pleasant Memorial Waterfront Park and Shem Creek Park. Known as the [...]
Through April 20, 2013
Experience the intimate charm and elegance found only beyond Charleston’s private garden gates and historic thresholds during Historic Charleston Foundation’s 66th Annual Spring Festival of Houses & Gardens. Set amid the historic ambience of the city’s Old & Historic District, this series of award-winning tours showcases Charleston’s distinctive architecture, history, gardens and culture. These tours [...]
Circa 1738, Drayton Hall began with the purchase of an advertised 350-acre tract along the banks of the Ashley River amongst other prominent Carolinians and their plantations. Envisioned by the 23-year-old John Drayton (1715-1779), Drayton Hall served as his family’s home-seat, both a primary residence and management center for his vast plantation network spanning the [...]
On September 21, 1989, Hurricane Hugo roared through the Lowcountry with winds reaching 135 miles per hour and a 15 foot storm surge. After months of cleanup, a 30 foot, white boat was left stranded on the side of the road to Folly Beach, just past the Piggly Wiggly, wedged between the road and the [...]
The 2013 Family Circle Cup will be held March 30-April 7 at the Family Circle Tennis Center on Daniel Island. Every spring, the City of Charleston and Daniel Island serves as a backdrop to one of the richest and most traditional events in women’s professional tennis. Since 1973, the Family Circle Cup has been a [...]
March 21 – April 20, 2013 Experience the intimate charm and elegance found only beyond Charleston’s private garden gates and historic thresholds during Historic Charleston Foundation’s 66th Annual Spring Festival of Houses & Gardens. Set amid the historic ambience of the city’s Old & Historic District, this series of award-winning tours showcases Charleston’s distinctive architecture, [...]
The 2013 Cooper River Bridge Run will be held on Saturday, April 6 at 8 am. This is the 36th year for the 10K run/walk. A local tradition that stretches back to 1978, this 10K race draws close to 40,000 participants every year. The race promotes continuous physical activity and a healthy lifestyle through education [...]
Thank you for choosing Historic Charleston as your vacation destination. We are proud to have been named the #1 vacation destination in the world by Condé Naste Traveler. Their readers voted our city the best in the world! This time of year, long walks are the perfect way to enjoy a mild winter day. Our [...]
Exhibit at Gibbes Museum January 11 – May 12, 2013 As part of the forthcoming 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation and the 50th anniversary of desegregation in South Carolina public education, the Gibbes Museum of Art is showcasing an iconic collection of Civil Rights era photographs by acclaimed photographer James Karales. Engaged as a [...]
March 22 – 24, 2013 Inspired by the rich historical, architectural and cultural heritage of Charleston, the 10th Annual Charleston Antiques Show is a premier destination for collectors and enthusiasts who enjoy seeing and learning about incorporating antiques into modern-day decor. The Antiques Show is a showcase of English, European, and American period furnishings, decorative arts and [...]
April 5 & 6, 2013 Experience the beauty and splendor of spring in Charleston on The Garden Club of Charleston’s 78th Annual House and Garden Tours. These two walking tours of private homes and gardens will be held on consecutive days, April 5 and 6, from 2-5 pm, in the downtown historic district. This year’s tours will [...]
South Carolina was first settled in 1670 under the authority of eight landowners – the Lords Proprietors. As a private colony with no formal military presence, self-defense was a constant concern. By the 18th century the Proprietors had learned the difficulties of managing their colony from afar. They appointed governors to oversee the province from [...]
Now in its 47th year, the Charleston Symphony Designer Showhouse has become an annual tradition for locals and visitors alike. Each year, a different space is transformed by some of our area’s most talented designers, creating a stunning visual display. The Showhouse is held to benefit the Charleston Symphony Orchestra and will be open to [...]
For the second year in a row, the Holy City was named best in the United States, but this year Charleston was also named the number one tourist destination in the world! Receiving accolades from readers for friendliness, lodging, ambiance, culture, shopping and, of course, food, Charleston was called a “bucket list city” by one [...]
The Greater Charleston Restaurant Association will be hosting the 30th annual Lowcountry Oyster Festival on Sunday, January 27, 2013, from 10:20 am-5 pm. Located on the 700+ acre grounds of historic Boone Hall Plantation in Mount Pleasant, the Lowcountry Oyster Festival is the world’s largest oyster festival and has been named one of the “top [...]
April 5 – 7, 2013 Take the short drive to beautiful Summerville and enjoy the work of more than 200 artists and crafters from all over the country. Each day of the three-day event features live entertainment, a Children’s Jubilee and, of course, fabulous food! A Taste of Summerville opens one hour after the Festival [...]
Saturday, March 16, 2013 Whether you are of Irish decent/ancestry or no, plan to “don the green” and attend Charleston’s Annual St. Patrick’s Day Celebration on Saturday, March 16th, beginning at 8 am and continuing throughout the day. The festivities will include a St. Patrick’s Day Parade on King Street, an Irish flag-raising at Charleston [...]
“…been to a great entertainment given by the Governor of South Carolina, Mr. Akin and his lovely wife… Five hundred persons…were invited…the entertainment was one of the most beautiful I have been present at in this country.” – Fredricka Bremer, 1850 The Aiken-Rhett House museum, a property of Historic Charleston Foundation, survives uniquely intact with [...]
Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays in February and March Camellias, a southern landscape favorite, show off a blaze of color throughout the winter months. Middleton Place, America’s oldest landscaped gardens, offers visitors a chance to learn more about these spectacular flowers during the height of the blooming season with Camellia Walks, held every Tuesday, Thursday, and [...]
The Old Towne Carriage Company will have some very elegant passengers on Saturday, March 30th, between 11:00 and noon: The Hat Ladies and their families in their Easter finery. Catch them as their carriages wind their way around Market, Meeting, King, and East Bay, wishing everyone a “HaTpy” Easter. For more info, visit www.hatladies.org or [...]
February 28 – March 3, 2013 Food and wine connoisseurs can enlighten both their palates and senses during the BB&T Charleston Wine + Food Festival that runs February 28-March 3, 2013. Discover the distinctive flavors of the Lowcountry and uniquely Charleston experiences while interacting with and learning from the country’s best chefs, authors and beverage [...]
Something funny is going on in downtown Charleston and it doesn’t take Sherlock Holmes to deduce that if you love a good mystery…or need a good laugh…The Black Fedora Comedy Mystery Theatre & Shoppe is the solution. Three comic mysteries run most evenings and some mornings/matinees. Enjoy some laughs with friends or date night away [...]
Celebrate Gullah Heritage! 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 every Saturday at 2 pm during March 2013. The Gullah people of the Lowcountry preserve a culture rich in African elements. Programs range from craft demonstrations [...]
February 15 – 17, 2013 Now in its 31st year, the Southeastern Wildlife Exposition (SEWE) is the largest wildlife art and nature event in the nation, attracting 35,000-40,000 attendees annually. In addition to featured artist, Jay Kemp, SEWE will host approximately 100 artists and over 500 exhibitors from across the country and around the world. [...]
