March 22-April 21, 2012

Experience the intimate charm and elegance found only beyond Charleston’s private garden gates and historic thresholds during Historic Charleston Foundation’s 65th 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 provide a rare opportunity for guests to go inside the private houses and gardens of some of America’s most beautiful historic residences, dating to the 18th century.

Charleston has been renowned for three centuries as “a city set in a garden.” The Festival is set during the peak of the city’s blooming season, and tours feature seven to ten properties each day in one of eleven neighborhoods, dating from the American colonial period, through the antebellum and Victorian eras, to early 20th century. Beautiful architecture and lush gardens are woven throughout the historic neighborhoods of Charleston, which has consistently been named among the ten most courteous and friendly cities in America.

Exciting special events are planned throughout the Festival. On Friday, April 6, and Sunday April 15, from 4:30-7 pm, the Festival Plantation Picnic and Oyster Roast gives guests the opportunity to experience the unique culinary pleasures of the Carolina Lowcounty at Drayton Hall Plantation. Tickets are $45 for adults and $20 for ages 6-12 and include steamed oysters and other Southern Cuisine. Reservations are required.

The Luncheon Lecture Series features entertaining and informative speakers daily along with a light lunch. Luncheons are held at the historic Capt. James Missroon House at 40 East Bay St. Tickets are $45 and reservations are required. All luncheons begin at 11:30 am and end at 1:30 pm.

Cruise the Charleston Harbor on the “Spirit of Carolina” with historian Ian McDonald on April 3, 17 and 20. Cruises are $45 for adults and $20 for ages 6-12. Cruises depart from the Fountain Walk behind the S.C. Aquarium and include hors d’oeuvres, a wine or beer ticket and soft drinks. Reservations are required and passengers must be ready to board at 1:15 pm as the boat leaves promptly at 1:30 pm.

Special musical concerts are among the most popular special events. On Wednesday, March 26, “Beethoven on Church Street” will be held at the First Baptist Church; “Old Time Bluegrass” will be offered on April 4 and 16 at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, and “Doin’ the Charleston: Jazz in the French Quarter,” will conclude the concert series on April 18. Concert tickets are $25.

For more information and tickets, call 843-722-3405 or visit www.historiccharleston.org.

March 23-25

Inspired by the rich historical, architectural and cultural heritage of Charleston, the Charleston International Antiques Show has established itself as a premier destination for antique collectors and admirers alike.

Exhibitors will showcase a spectrum of period furnishings, decorative pieces and fine art from the late 17th to 20th centuries, including vintage jewelry, oriental rugs, ceramics, architectural elements, garden furniture, porcelains, needlework and silver.

This year’s event will be held Memminger Auditorium at 56 Beaufain St. Tickets to

the show or its special events may be purchased by calling 843-722-3405 or visiting www.historiccharleston.org.

The 2012 Cooper River Bridge Run will be held on Saturday, March 31, at 8 am. This is the 35th year for the 10K run/walk. A local tradition that stretches back to 1978, this 10K race draws more than 30,000 participants every year. The race promotes continuous physical activity and a healthy lifestyle through education and opportunity.

This year’s poster artist is Greg Rawls, who has been creating kiln-formed (fused) glass for the past twelve years. Rawls has lived in Charleston for 20 years and is currently pursuing his glass art full time.

Get fit and have fun at this year’s Cooper River Bridge Run. The Finish Festival at Marion Square promises food, entertainment and fun for everyone. For more information, or to register, visit www.bridgerun.com, or call 843-856-1949.

Secluded passageways beckon the traveler through Charleston’s historic district, giving the visitor a sense of timeless wonder. Exploring hidden byways, one can envision the past here like few other places. Even in the 1930s, after postwar ravages of nature and man had left her in pieces before another time would see her rebirth and rebloom, science fiction writer HP Lovecraft called Charleston “The most utterly fascinating city I have ever seen!”

Tucked away just off Market Street, running between Cumberland and Queen Streets in the beautiful French Quarter, lies Philadelphia Alley, ca. 1766. Originally named “Cow Alley” – presumably for the livestock that once lived here – this picturesque path adjoined Kinloch Court. In 1810 William Johnson gave it the name of “Philadelphia Alley”. Opinions vary as to the reasons why this name change came about; some say it was due to the citizens of Philadelphia helping Charleston rebuild after a fire. Others say it was because Johnson had been imprisoned in Philadelphia during the Revolutionary War, and named it in honor of the connections he had made there. Whatever the story, locals have a more colorful name for this elegantly landscaped thoroughfare. Today, most Charlestonians simply call the cobblestone passage “Dueler’s Alley.”

By sword or pistol, dueling was considered a gentleman’s way of settling disputes of honor. It began in the Middle Ages and was imported from Europe with American colonization. By the time of the late Colonial and Revolutionary periods, dueling was all the rage in America, culminating with the most famous duel of all in Weehawken, New Jersey, when Aaron Burr killed Alexander Hamilton in a duel on July 11, 1804. Soon outlawed, it remained popular in the South until well past the 1840s, often held on sandbars in rivers where jurisdiction was unclear.

Dueling was considered a way to avoid vendettas and ongoing family rivalries. Until pistols were invented, swords were used, with a set of rules agreed upon in advance. By 1777, an official Code Duello was implemented in Ireland. It was later adapted to the American South in 1838 by former South Carolina governor John Lyde Wilson, though Wilson denied ever having read the Irish version. The Code Duello listed many types of grievances and how they should be handled, in terms of apology and explanation. The document also allotted a certain amount of “blows” could be delivered, such as Rule 4:

When the lie direct is the first offense, the aggressor must either beg pardon in express terms; exchange two shots previous to apology; or three shots followed up by explanation; or fire on till a severe hit be received by one party or the other.

Rule 10 also allows the sport and execution of dueling acceptable in lieu of protecting another’s honor. The direct insult of women was considered particularly heinous:

Any insult to a lady under a gentleman’s care or protection to be considered as, by one degree, a greater offense than if given to the gentleman personally, and to be regulated accordingly.

Fighting to “first blood” was considered unmanly and cowardly, though very few were fought “to the death”. Instead, most duels were fought until one of the parties was too weak to continue, or the physician halted the fight, choosing and naming the obvious victor. All too often, a duelist would succumb to his wounds long after the fight had ended, just as a young doctor did in Charleston in 1786.

A year earlier, youthful and handsome Dr. Joseph Ladd came to Charleston from Rhode Island, stepping off his carriage at twilight. Whistling to stave off the dark he collected his personal belongings from the stagecoach and began to walk towards the glow of the city, hoping to secure lodging at a boarding house before searching for more permanent residence the next day. Obviously a newcomer, Dr. Ladd’s whistling attracted several thieves. The thugs circled around the frightened traveler, roughing him up as they sought to steal his money.

Dr. Ladd was rescued by a ne’er do well named Ralph Isaacs. The two men became friends, but the social differences between them were great. Ralph began to resent Dr. Ladd’s standing in the community, felt the young doctor snubbed him in public instead of acknowledging Ralph openly. “The Whistling Doctor,” as Ladd had become known as by his tell-tale whistling on the sidewalk, seemed to be no friend of Ralph’s. Then came the last straw – the beautiful actress Mary Robinson, known as “Perdita’” had turned away Ralph Isaac’s affections for those of Dr. Ladd. Ralph wrote a scathing editorial to the Charleston Gazette, implying the illicit character of the lady, and naming Dr. Joseph Ladd “as blasted a scoundrel as ever disgraced humanity.”

Fearing he would be labeled cowardly and that his reputation would suffer, Dr. Ladd challenged Ralph Isaacs to a duel. If not for himself, then he must defend the honor of Perdita, the young doctor reasoned. Steeling his resolve, he whistled on his way to meet his rival with pistols at dawn.

They pair of duelists met in the misty morning light of Philadelphia Alley. Intending on letting the challenge blow over, Dr. Ladd fired his pistol into the air, a way to save face. Ralph Isaacs meant to fire into Dr. Ladd’s leg, intending only on a slight wound to embarrass the doctor, but the pistol ball fired erratically and struck Dr. Ladd in the stomach. The physician was taken by gurney to his boarding house on Church Street. He died of the wound ten days later.

It is said that Philadelphia Alley still carries the sounds of pistol shots, the smell of gunsmoke, and the eloquent trill of Dr. Joseph Ladd’s whistling on his way into the alleyway that fateful morning. Ghostly visions of ladies in gowns appear on photographs, as do shadows and violet fire. Some experience time loops. Considered to be the most haunted lane in Charleston, there are rumors of over thirty recorded deaths. Stroll down Dueler’s Alley…and end up in the past!

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 February and March.

These Gullah programs range from craft demonstrations such as quilting, cast-net making, indigo-dyeing and sweetgrass basket sewing to cooking, African drumming and story-telling, folk-tales, spirituals and other musical performances.

Charles Pinckney National Historic Site, located at 1254 Long Point Road in Mount Pleasant, is open daily from 9 am to 5 pm. For more information, call 843-881-5516 or visit www.nps.gov/chpi.

Now in its 46th 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 the public March 15 through April 15. Tickets are $20 at the door and $15 before March 15, and may be purchased at www.csolinc.org. The house will be open 10 am to 4 pm, Mon.-Sat., and 1-4 pm on Sundays, except Easter. For more info, call 843-723-0020.

Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays in February and March 2012

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 Saturday beginning February 3 through March 25. These special guided tours will begin at 11 am and last approximately an hour and a half. Advance reservations are required.

For more information, call Middleton Place at 843-556-6020 or visit the website at www.middletonplace.org.

February 17-19, 2012

Now in its 30th 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, Dustin Van Welchel, SEWE will host approximately 100 artists and over 500 exhibitors from across the country and around the world. A 3-day celebration of nature that has earned a reputation for excellence, SEWE now hosts the world’s foremost experts in wildlife and nature art, as well as conservation research and environmental education. 

From the elegant black-tie preview gala to a birds of prey flight demo, this year’s event is packed with exciting events, including the amazing Jack Hanna who will appear at the Galliard Auditorium. Brittlebank Park will again host the popular Dock Dogs competition and Fly Fishing demonstration.

Tickets start at $10 per day, and children 10 and under are free. SEWE provides free shuttle service between venues during show hours with a ticket or badge. For more information, visit www.sewe.com or call 843-723-1748.

Thank you for choosing Historic Charleston as your vacation destination. Long walks, with stops along the way in area shops and restaurants, are the perfect pastime during our mild winter days. Be sure to notice the beautiful blooming plants and shrubs along the way. Winter is not drab in the Lowcountry!

When the sun sets, there are any number of options for live entertainment – check our calendar pages and read “Spotlight on the Arts” for suggestions Whatever you decide to do, tuck this copy of Charleston Gateway in your bag for easy reference along the way!

Whether this is your first visit or an annual tradition, Charleston is the perfect spot for a relaxing vacation. Please enjoy our history, delicious food and unique attractions. And, thank you for visiting our city and we hope to see you again soon! Please visit us on the web, www.charlestongateway.com, and find us on Facebook for insider tips and exclusives!

Let The Hat Ladies start your holiday weekend by wishing you a “Hatpy Easter!” Have your cameras ready to capture their annual stroll down historic Meeting Street between Broad and White Point Gardens, reflecting the grace and tradition that is Charleston, beginning between 11-11:30 am on Saturday April, 7. For more info, visit www.hatladies.org.

The Hat Ladies suggest you enjoy the rest of the day shopping on King Street and admiring the holiday decorations in the windows. The next day attend services at one of Charleston’s historic churches followed by Easter brunch at one of the many fine Charleston restaurants.

The 2012 Family Circle Cup will be held March 31-April 8 at the Family Circle Tennis Center on Daniel Island. Every spring, the City of Charleston and Daniel Island serve as a backdrop to one of the richest and most traditional events in women’s professional tennis. The Family Circle Cup, one of twenty Premier Events on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour, has a roster of past champions that include some of the biggest names in the history of women’s tennis including Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, Tracy Austin, Steffi Graf, Gabriela Sabatini, Martina Hingis, Jennifer Capriati, Venus Williams, Justine Henin, and Serena Williams.

As one of the hottest tickets in professional sports, the Family Circle Cup is more than just a tennis tournament it’s a festival with some world-class tennis thrown in. During the week, fans are entertained with a variety of activities aimed at making their week on Daniel Island a memorable one. It’s an action packed nine days filled with high-level tennis and a host of other activities that have been created for all age groups from children to senior citizens. For tickets or more information, call 843-856-7900 or visit www.familycirclecup.com.

Live performance is as much a part of the Charleston experience as sweet grass baskets and benne seed cookies. The first building in America constructed specifically for live theatrical performance was the Historic Dock Street Theatre. The theatre opened on February 12, 1736, with a performance of The Recruiting Officer. Fiona, the first opera performed in America, also took place at the Historic Dock Street Theatre. The original building probably burned in the Great Fire of 1740, but the present Dock Street Theatre at 135 Church St., was renovated and reopened in 2010.

Charleston Stage Company is currently in residence at the Dock Street Theatre and will be performing through the winter 2012 season. In January, the family will love Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, a musical based on the book by Judith Viorst. February and March bring Avenue Q, the musical, a hilarious look at the misadventures of Princeton, a recent college graduate, and the adult comedy, Inga Binga. For times and ticket information, contact the box office at 843-577-5967 or visit www.charlestonstage.com.

Pure Theatre, a small, professional theater group producing the works of contemporary playwrights, is located on King St and was established in 2007. The award-winning troupe has been playing to packed houses ever since. A Beheading in Spokane will be performed January 6 through February 4. For ticket information, call 843-723-4444 or visit www.puretheatre.org.

Get ready to laugh when you visit Theatre 99, “Charleston’s Home for Improv Comedy.” Located at 280 Meeting Street, shows are every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday night. Improv group, “The Have Nots!” opened Theatre 99 in 2009 after receiving rave reviews for performances throughout the city. Today, the company has about 50 performers, and visitors laugh to improv, sketch and stand-up comedy. Most shows are PG-13 and not suitable for children. For ticket information, call 843-853-6687 or visit www.theatre99.com.

North Charleston is home to the only theater in South Carolina and one of only 75 in the nation belonging to the League of Resident Theatres. A theatre with this designation is eligible to receive a Tony Award and to partner with national and internationally renowned theatres and Broadway Production Houses. Find South of Broadway Theatre on 1080 E. Montague St., in the trendy Park Circle district of North Charleston. For a schedule of shows this season, visit www.southofbroadway.com or call 843-745-0317.

The League of Charleston Theatres was formed in the summer of 2005 to support and advocate the theatre industry in Charleston. Their website, www.theatrecharleston.com, lists performance schedules for many area theatres and is a great resource for finding what’s playing during your visit.

The Gaillard Municipal Auditorium, located downtown, on Calhoun Street, was built in 1968 by the City of Charleston and is host to a wide range of performances throughout the year. The theatre has a full stage, orchestra pit and seats 2,726. Performances this season include several by the Charleston Symphony Orchestra, whose rich cultural heritage began in 1819 with thirty musicians who performed for family and friends. In 1936, the first performance by the present-day Charleston Symphony Orchestra was held at the Hibernian Hall. During their first season, the Charleston Symphony Orchestra provided the music for The Recruiting Officer, the opening night performance at the then-newly renovated Dock Street Theatre. DuBose Heyward of Porgy and Bess, also a Charleston native, composed a prologue especially for this opening night concert. For concert schedules, visit www.charlestonsymphony.com or call 843-723-7528.

Live music of all genres can be found throughout the city. The Music Farm, located at 32 Ann St., hosts a wide variety of bands and is a favorite of the city’s college students. Other live music hot spots include The Plex at 2390 Aviation Ave. and The Pour House at 1977 Maybank Ave. For more information about the live music scene, visit www.charlestoncocktail.com.

Live performance abounds in the Holy City and there’s something for every taste. When the sun goes down in Charleston, the fun is just beginning!

Gorgeous, handcrafted quilts, vendors and a silent auction are sure to please at A Celebration of Quilts on March 2-3 at the Gaillard Auditorium. More than 250 quilts and quilted items will be on display from local and regional artists. Quilts to be exhibited will include antique quilts, bed-size quilts, wall quilts and wearable art. The show will run from 10 am to 6 pm daily. Admission will be $7 daily or $10 for both days.

A silent auction of quilts and quilt-related items will be held to benefit The Dee Norton Lowcountry Children’s Center. For more info, visit www.charlestonquiltguild.com.

March 30-April 1

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 opens each day, with samples from some of best food the Lowcountry has to offer. Festival hours are 9 am-5 pm Friday and Saturday and 9 am-4 pm on Sunday.

For more information, visit www.summervilleymca.org or call 843-871-9622.

March 23 & 24, 2012

Experience the beauty and splendor of spring in Charleston on The Garden Club of Charleston’s 77th Annual House and Garden Tours. These two walking tours of private homes and gardens will be held on consecutive days, March 23 and 24, from 2-5 pm, in the downtown historic district.

This year’s tours will include some of Charleston’s finest homes and gardens with floral arrangements by members of The Garden Club of Charleston featured at each home. The tours are self-guided with at least six stops each day and refreshments will be available.

Tickets are $40 for each day or $70 for both days. Group Rates are also available. Advance tickets may be purchased online at www.thegardenclubofcharleston.org or by calling 843-724-9349. Founded in Charleston in 1922 and federated in 1932, The Garden Club of Charleston is one of the oldest and largest garden clubs in America.

The Old Slave Mart Museum, located on one of Charleston’s few remaining cobblestone streets, is the only known extant building used as a slave auction gallery in South Carolina. Once part of a complex of buildings, the Slave Mart building is the only structure to remain. 

Located at 6 Chalmers Street, visitors will learn the story of Charleston’s role as an urban slave-trading center during the domestic slave trade. While many Americans are familiar with the trans-Atlantic slave trade between the 15th and early 19th centuries, many are not aware that the United States constitution, ratified in 1780, contained a provision that led to a ban on the importation of African slaves after 1808, 53 years before the Civil War. It was this vacuum in the increasing demand for labor that the domestic slave trade, in part, filled.

This interstate trade was a hugely profitable economy organized by local and regional slave traders and dealers within the United States who, between 1789 and 1861, forcibly relocated approximately one million American-born slaves from the upper South to the lower South. During that same period, over two million African-American slaves were sold in local, interstate and state-ordered sales combined. The Old Slave Mart Museum focuses on the history of this particular building and site and the slave sales that occurred there.

The Old Slave Mart was once part of a complex of buildings known as Ryan’s Mart that occupied the land between Chalmers and Queen Streets. The complex consisted of a yard enclosed by a brick wall and contained three additional buildings: a four-story brick building partially containing a “barracoon” or slave jail, a kitchen, and a “dead house” or morgue. The Slave Mart building is the only structure remaining from this complex.

Slave auctions at the Old Slave Mart ended in November 1863, and the property changed hands many times after the Civil War, and between 1938 and 1987 the building, which by then had come to be known locally as “The Old Slave Mart,” housed a museum featuring African American and later, African arts and crafts.

The Old Slave Mart Museum’s permanent exhibition is divided into two main areas. In the orientation area, visitors will be provided with an introduction to the domestic slave trade within the greater historical context of slavery in the United States as well an overview of the trans-Atlantic slave trade. An architectural side-bar tells the story of the building, using visual and archival documentation of the site’s changing footprint and function over time.

The orientation area also explains the systems as well as the mechanics of domestic slave trade operations and the major social, political, and economic impact that trade had on American antebellum society. Exhibit elements explain how the trade became a force for modernizing South Carolina; how it strengthened Charleston’s financial, social and political networks within the state; and how it extended the city’s influence throughout the upper South, the lower South and the emerging West.

In the main exhibit area visitors will also get a closer look at the daily process of slave sales at Ryan’s Mart from the perspectives of a number of its historically documented buyers, traders and enslaved African Americans. This section explains this antebellum slave market’s role within Charleston’s larger, but concentrated, slave-trading district.

The Old Slave Mart Museum’s permanent exhibit also speaks to the stories, the contributions and the legacies of those who shaped the outcome of the domestic slave trade. Various narratives are presented in different media (personal letters, oral histories, documents, audio, video and artifacts) to provide visitors a sense of the “real people” who passed through Ryan’s Mart, where they lived and how visitors can find their various legacies today. A final element in this section directs visitors to other sites in the Lowcountry where they can follow up on these stories and see the contributions of individuals whose stories are found at the Old Slave Mart Museum.

In its upstairs gallery, the Old Slave Mart Museum features a portion of Lest We Forget: The Triumph Over Slavery, an enlightening exhibition that offers an inspiring look at the cultural, political, economic and social practices enslaved Africans developed while enduring the dehumanizing conditions of slavery. The exhibit features eighteen of the original thirty-one full-color panels that reflect the experience of slavery through topics including slave labor and slave systems in the Americas, the struggle against slavery and its abolition, and the triumph over slavery.

The Old Slave Mart Museum is open from 9 am to 5 pm, Monday through Saturday. For more information, call (843) 724-3746.

The Greater Charleston Restaurant Association will be hosting the 29th annual Lowcountry Oyster Festival on Sunday, January 29, 2012. Located on the 700+ acre grounds of historic Boone Hall Plantation in Mount Pleasant, this fund-raising event is orchestrated by a volunteer staff with proceeds benefiting the Ronald McDonald House, Hollings Cancer Center and the Charleston Science Materials Resource Center.

The Lowcountry Oyster Festival is the world’s largest oyster festival and has been named one of the “top 20 events in the southeast” by Southeastern Tourism Society. Highlights include the legendary “Oyster Shucking” and “Oyster Eating” Contests, live music from the stage, a selection of domestic and imported beers, a Kids Corner complete with pony rides and jump castles and a “Food Court” showcasing a variety of local favorite restaurants to satisfy everyone’s taste.

The Lowcountry Oyster festival will take place on Sunday, January 29 from 10:30 am-5 pm. Tickets are $12 in advance and $15 the day of the event, with no fee for children under 10. In an effort to improve the flow of traffic around the event site, everyone is encouraged to do their part and carpool. Advance tickets may be purchased online at www.charlestonrestaurantassociation.com and at all local Visitor Centers.

March 1-4, 2012

Food and wine connoisseurs can enlighten both their palates and senses during the BB&T Charleston Wine + Food Festival that runs March 1-4, 2012. The Festival is shaking it up this year by adding many new events and revamping past favorites.

On Friday March 2, a new and exciting event, Soul Food Shuffle, will offer an intimate group of 20 a soulful ride through Charleston’s legendary Gullah establishments including Bertha’s, Martha Lou’s and more. Exclusively found in the Lowcountry, attendees can get a true taste of Gullah off the beaten path.

The Culinary Village in Marion Square will be completely expanded and redeveloped. Over 90 food, wine and spirit stations – serving samples of products from across the country – are blended together at this Festival hot spot. The perimeter tents feature an enhanced Celebrity Kitchen, a high-profile book signing area, an exciting new space – the Palmetto Cheese Culinary Hub – showcasing specialized food talks and hands-on demos, the Thermador Cooking Competitions, the official Festival merchandise boutique, live entertainment and much more. A special ticket will be offered for entry to strictly the perimeter tents.

Round off the Festival weekend with a less than lazy Sunday afternoon filled with the BBQ, Blue + Brew. Vote for your favorite local and national pitmaster while sipping ice cold beer and listening to a little Lowcountry bluegrass. For more information, call 843-722-5547, or email info@charlestonfoodandwine.com. To purchase tickets, visit www.charlestonfoodandwine.com.

October 27 – November 5
Coastal Carolina Fairgrounds

Take the short drive to Ladson, only minutes from Charleston, and find fun for the entire family. Entertainment will include not only thrilling rides for all ages, but an explosive mixture of nightly fireworks displays and nationally and internationally known performers. For more info, call 843-572-3161 or visit www.coastalcarolinafair.org.

Take a walk to the top of Magnolia Plantation & Gardens 40 foot high Wildlife Observation Tower for a bird’s eye view of the marshes, rivers and beautiful landscape. The refurbished tower is now open and has three different levels that overlook the far side of the Camellia Garden near the Ashley River. Admission to the Observation Tower is free with basic admission. For more information or tickets, call 843-571-1266 or visit www.magnoliaplantation.com.