.{ Reflections on the good life in coastal South Carolina }.
Lowcountry The Little Things 4
Don't lose sight of them
Short Story Contest 5 Read the winning stories
Meaningful, Literally 8
Reflections on Conroy Fest
Music, Music, Music 10
Seasonal concerts galore
Come Ye Thankful People 16 Thanksgiving recipes
Epic Adventure at USCB 20 How to Train Your Dragon, Jr.
Mistletoe Market's Back! 14 Holiday Gift Guide's inside
.{ Opinion, Arts, Culture, Lifestyle, Cuisine }. July 24–– November July 15, 2025 November 17, 2026
Weekly
Timely Technicians
cover notes The image on our cover by Amiri Farris is the official artwork for the 42nd Annual Heritage Days at Penn Center on St. Helena Island, happening November 12 - 14. For a full schedule of events and more information about Heritage Days, visit
Weekly
Lowcountry
www.penncenter.com
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November 4 – November 17, 2026 Publisher: Higgins Media Group, LLC Editor: Margaret Evans — Editor@LCWeekly Advertising Manager: Amanda Hanna — 843-343-8483 or Amanda@LCWeekly.com Advertising Sales: Jere Russo — 401-787-3280 or JereRusso@gmail.com Layout & Design: Margaret Evans Contributing Writers: Katherine Tandy Brown, Debbi Covington, Luke Frazier, Wendy Hilty, Jared Madison, Laura Lee Rose, and Sutty Suddeth What’s Happening Calendar: Staff – Editor@LCWeekly.com Letters to the Editor, comments or suggestions can be addressed to: Lowcountry Weekly 106 West Street Extension, Beaufort, SC 29902 Call: 843-683-5787 or Email: Editor@LCWeekly.com Lowcountry Weekly is published every other Wednesday and distributed throughout Beaufort County at various restaurants, retail locations, hotels and visitor’s centers. The entire contents of Lowcountry Weekly is copyrighted 2026 by Higgins Media Group, LLC. No part may be reproduced without permission from the publisher. The publisher assumes no responsibility for unsolicited material. A stamped, self-addressed envelope must accompany all submissions expected to be returned.
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Enchanting Holiday Designs to Inspire True Christmas Spirit!
November 17–December 31
Mon-Sat 10am-4pm, Sun 12-4pm and 90 minutes before every Arts Center performance Presented by Art League of Hilton Head Inside Arts Center of Coastal Carolina 14 Shelter Cove Lane, HHI www.ArtLeagueHHI.org 843.681.5060
Opening Reception:
Wednesday, November 18 • 5-7pm Enjoy refreshments and meet the artists • Free and open to the public
Walking tour of 6 exquisite homes in Islands of Beaufort, a private, waterfront community overlooking the marshes of Battery Creek - a hidden gem of the Lowcountry. Friday Candlelight Tour, November 20, 5:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Saturday, November 21, 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Sunday, November 22, 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Candlelight Tour Tickets: $115 (Fees included. Online purchases only. Limited tickets) Saturday/Sunday Tickets: $65 in advance - $70 day of the tour (Fees included) Tickets may be purchased online at www.beauforthomesfortheholidays.com at area businesses (cash or check only) starting in October: Sweet Bay, Sassafras on Carteret, The Kitchen, Dataw Island Pro Shop, Celadon Club, Markel’s (Bluffton), and Saint Peter’s Catholic Church office.
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.{ Opinion, Arts, Culture, Lifestyle, Cuisine }.
More coverage and content at LowcountryWeekly.com
Margaret Evans
4
RANTS & RAVES
Here's to the Little Things A few days ago, I had a meeting downtown at Superior Coffee. On my way home, on a whim, I stopped by Carteret Methodist and picked out a big orange pumpkin. And a couple of little white pumpkins. And a gourd. It was October 27th. I was lucky there were still pumpkins and gourds to be had… especially considering the Christmas decorations were already up on Bay Street. (It’s true! Skeletons and Santas have been shamelessly sharing our public spaces downtown. It’s unseemly!) So, yeah. I was a little late getting my pumpkins. But I took it as a win, because I don’t think I got any pumpkins at all last year. If I did, they’ve gone down the memory hole with so many other First Year of Grief recollections. (Either God, in His mercy, protects new grievers from complete despair by ensuring we forget two-thirds of everything that hap-
pens that year… or I have early onset dementia. I prefer to believe the former.) Anyway, I set my belated pumpkins and gourds in my front yard by my azalea bushes, with my old clay pots and urns – the ones I typically plant with Begonias but are now full of weeds because I guess I forgot this year – and they looked very pretty, and that made me smile. It’s cliché to say so, but it really is the little things. Have you been paying attention to the little things? It can be hard, especially when the holidays start racing toward us while we’re still trying to book a Ghost Tour. Throw in election season, and the little things can get lost under a mountain of campaign flyers, public meetings, and general ill will. But not for me. Not this year. As I write this, election season is at full fever pitch. By the time you read this, it will
be over. And I will probably feel exactly as I do at this moment. Because, for the first election season in my adult life – that I can remember, anyway – I simply zoned out. As hard as I tried, I just couldn’t pay it proper attention. I know this makes me a bad citizen, and I am not making excuses for myself. I dropped the ball, neglected my civic duty, and I’ll have no right to complain about anything that goes awry – in my community, my state, my country, or my world – from here on out. Oh, don’t get me wrong. I voted. I will always vote. But I didn’t study the candidates and issues as deeply as I should have. I didn’t get into enough Facebook arguments, didn’t post enough provocative memes, didn’t send enough cyber smoke signals to my tribe. This year, it all just washed over me like so much white noise. I promise to do better next election season. Maybe. For now, the little things are just about all I can handle. I’m not sure why, exactly. It’s been a year since I lost my husband, so I can’t keep playing the widow card. But y’all, the widow card just keeps playing me. Here’s what I mean. Here’s what can happen after a full stinking year of widowhood…
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You can spend a whole weekend, a long one – Thursday through Sunday – at the Pat Conroy Literary Festival. You can hobnob with big-time writers, swan around at parties like the cool girl at the senior prom (emphasis on ‘senior’), listen to panel discussions that set your mind on fire, connect with people who ignite your soul, even interview a famous actor on stage – Michael O’Keefe! – and have it go seamlessly. You can wear your funky velvet dress and your new boots and feel gloriously in your element. Like, you’ve got this. You’ve really got this. And then you wake up Monday morning and all you can do is sob. We're talking ugly, guttural sobs. Not because the festival’s over – you’re exhausted and it needs to be over – but because you had such a good time. Without your husband. Your husband is dead – dead – and you’re living again. And it feels wrong. Like the end of an era. A terrible era, but an era. And you’re not ready. That, my friends, is how the widow card plays you. Over and over again. It’s how the big things – the things that pick you up, engage you, and make your spirit soar – can also drop you hard. So I’m easing back into the big things. But it won’t be the same this time. Because I am not same. Because I’ve learned it’s the little things that sustain you. The last-minute pumpkin spree. The moment of whimsy. The kindness of a stranger at Publix. The changing light on the marsh in early morning. The humorous crow staring at you from a neighbor’s fence. The unexpected phone call from a friend. The big things are important. The big ideas, the big arguments, the big elections. They matter. Sometimes, they matter a lot. But when the life you’ve known and loved is utterly shattered by loss – when you have to rebuild it, piece by fragile piece, and you’re not entirely sure you can – it’s the little things that sustain you.
M a rg a re t Ev a n s i s t h e e d i t o r o f Lowcountry Weekly. She has been writi n g h e r a w a rd - w i n n i n g c o l u m n , Rants & Raves, for more than 25 years.
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12th Annual Short Story Contest Winners
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Lowcountry Weekly is pleased to bannounce the winners of the 12th -Annual Sea Island Spirit Writers Short Story Contest. This year, the participants were asked to include t -the word “silence” somewhere in their story of 750 words or less. As always, there were so many great stories, and we thank the Sea Island -Spirit Writers for their service as judges. Thanks, as well, to every-body who entered the contest, and congratulations to the winners! -Please enjoy the prize-winning stoories published below. (Honorable Mentions will appear on our website d at www.lcweekly.com, along with the winners.)
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First Place ($100) A Good Bet By Jayne Adams Second Place ($50) Low Tide by Bob Ferguson Third Place ($25) The Cement that Binds by Charles Mitchell Honorable Mention ($20) Seasons by Susan Willson Lightly Trodden by Rebecca Cartlidge My Lady Celeste by Robert Story
FIRST PLACE 'A Good Bet' By Jayne Adams They sat across from one another in the last window booth at the Rockaway Diner. She picked at a chipped gel fingernail and stared out at the highway. He rifled through his smartphone app for the day’s races, bypassing the track records and pedigrees of the horses. He didn’t know why he’d ever bothered with those useless stats. He always reverted to his habit of picking possible winners by their names anyway. If the name spoke to him, he put money on it. He won a little less than half the time––but when he did win, the odds usually paid better than if he’d tried to handicap the race. When he got the “magic” right, it was a good day. Judi heaved a sigh and shifted her weight. The silence between them grew. Willie scrolled through screens, emitting an occasional chuckle or groan, scribbling names on a paper napkin. So far he had: Tomorrow’s Promise, Yesterday’s Folly, and Nobody’s Home on his list for the first, second, and third races. He thought the first one sounded like good luck. The second name reminded him of a real blooper he’d made––he liked recalling some of his mistakes. They’d been fun. The last name just made him think of his favorite Paul Newman movie. Wait a minute! No! That was Nobody’s Fool. He scratched the third name. Judi cleared her throat and wound the paper cover from her straw around one finger. Willie paid no attention, intent upon finding a replacement horse for the third race. There it was: Chestnut Mane! He added that to his list and smiled as he thought of his first wife and her beautiful, long auburn hair. He still carried a bit of a torch for that one. Turning to the fourth race, he skimmed the horses’ names and stopped at My Old Mustang. “Yup, that’s the one,” he whispered to himself, “like my vintage fouron-the-floor, louvered hatchback. Went like
a bat outa hell…bet this horse runs like that too. I’m doublin’ down on this one.” He wrote the name on the napkin and put a star next to it. Judi raised a finger when the waitress came by, pointing to her empty glass. Willie continued to scroll down. The fifth race looked uninteresting, so he went on to the sixth, inhaling sharply as his eyes fell on the horse named Heaven For the Asking. “Oh, yeah, baby.” That name went below My Old Mustang. He thought for a minute and added a star next to that name too. Judi smiled at the waitress who brought the refill and sipped her second Diet Coke. Willie had a good feeling about the picks he’d made so far, and proceeded to the seventh. He went past Sir William (too pretentious), Pretty Frilly (bad pun), and Prancin’ Feet (when they named’em that, they hardly ever were). And then his eyes lit on Rolling in Clover. “Oh, that’s the one. No ifs, ands, or buts!” He marked it down for Race 7. Judi rose from the leatherette booth,
pulled her jacket around her growing stomach, and headed toward the restroom. Willie scrolled to the eighth race. It was a short program today, so this would be his final pick. He started to read through the names: Happy Meal (really?), Sarge’s Stripes (eh), Finally Home (had to be a loser), Lord Love-a-Duck (sounds like a Monty Python character), Sloppy Joe (definitely not). At that point, Willie paused to stare at the ceiling (he believed he gained clarity when he did this). When no inspiration came to him, he lowered his gaze and noticed that Judi’s soda sat half-finished on the table. Her paper placemat had been torn in half. A folded piece of it lay next to his plate. He opened it and read: Willie–– Thanks for meeting me. Doc says it’s a boy. I thought this would give us another chance. I think I better just go it alone. He looked around the diner, saw no sign of her, and returned to the racing program on his phone. “Eureka! There it is!” A gelding named Go it Alone was next on the screen in the eighth.
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12th Annual Short Story Contest Winners SECOND PLACE 'Low Tide' By Bob Ferguson Wade Pinckney had been polishing his Key West 203 FS since five that morning. She was twenty foot of pure Carolina, and by the time the Steins came down the dock, the Yamaha F150 on her transom shone like a church piano. “Mornin’, folks. Welcome to the Lowcountry.” “Nine hundred dollars,” Richard Stein said, instead of hello. “For this money, we should be hauling fish out of the water in droves. I want a bull red. I hear they fight like hell and eat even better.” “Yes, sir,” Wade said. “We’ll surely try.” “He read one article,” Ellen said. “Two articles.” They were still arguing about the articles when Wade cleared the no-wake zone. It did not stop. On the run to the first creek, they argued about the weather forecast. At the first spot, they argued about their son’s grades. At the second, about their son’s lack of physical fitness. Wade baited hooks. Wade untangled lines. Richard cast like a man hailing a cab. Every third throw landed in the rock reef, which rose higher and blacker from the water as the tide fell.
“It’s snagged,” Richard announced, as though filing a complaint. “Yes, sir.” Wade idled over, reached down past the barnacles, and worked it free. Again. Nothing bit. “Our neighbors bought a Tesla,” Ellen said to no one. “They won’t shut up about it.” “It’s a sensible car.” “It’s a smug car, Richard.” Wade moved the boat to his favorite oyster bar. Nothing. He moved to the deep bend at Coosaw where the reds stacked up on the falling tide. Nothing. The fish were there. Wade could feel them there, the way you can feel someone watching you from a porch. They simply had no interest in the Steins. Neither, it seemed, did anything else. A heron lifted off the mud flat and flew away without looking back. Dolphins surfaced, listened, and sank. “Eleven hundred a square foot,” Richard was saying. “For a nondescript box near us. Eleven hundred.” “It was nine hundred last spring.” “It was never nine hundred.” “You weren’t even there, Richard, you were in traffic.” “Everyone is always in traffic!” Wade stared at the horizon and wondered what the Lord had intended when He
made people this loud. They talked too loud. They said too much. They irritated every one of God’s creatures within a mile of the boat, Wade included. Then the rod in the stern holder, the one nobody was watching, bowed nearly to the water. The reel began to scream. “Mine!” Richard lunged. “It’s my turn!” “I paid for this!” “We paid for this!” Wade stepped between them, lifted the rod from its holder, and said one word, firmly and with conviction, the way his daddy used to say grace. “Silence.” They stared at him. He placed the rod in Richard’s hands. “Tip up, sir. Let him run.” Richard fought the fish for several minutes. Ellen fought Richard. “You’re reeling too fast. Now too slow. Your back, Richard. Think of your back.” The fish made three long runs toward the rocks. Three times Wade quietly guided the line clear. At last a great bronze shape rolled beside the boat, broad as a fence plank, a single black spot on its tail. Wade slid the net under it and grunted as he lifted. It was over thirty-six inches. A true bull red, a breeding female, maybe fifteen years old.
“We’re keeping it,” Richard said. “It’s too big to keep, anyone can see that.” “How would you know what anyone can see?” “With what gas costs now, we’re eating this fish.” “Don’t you start on gas prices and that fool in Washington...” “Which fool?” “All of them!” Wade knelt on his clean deck, one hand under the fish’s belly and the other at her tail, and held her in the water beside the boat. South Carolina’s limit stopped at twenty-three inches. Fish like this one belonged to the river. “Folks,” he said, and for the first time all day, there was no courtesy left in his voice. “Please. Silence.” This time, they heard him. The bull red breathed against his hands. The marsh ticked. Ellen’s mouth opened, and closed. Richard lowered himself onto the cooler. With one strong push of her tail, the fish was gone. On the way in, Wade turned on the stereo: Alison Krauss, “When You Say Nothing at All.” He kept his eyes on the channel markers. Nobody said a word the whole way to the dock.
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12th Annual Short Story Contest Winners THIRD PLACE 'The Cement That Binds' By Charles Mitchell
Sixty feet from the marsh grass at the river’s edge, the seven-foot section of chesthigh, old wall stood proudly, its weather-worn, colonial tabby cement surface revealing glistening oyster shells. The red-faced man growled. “What do I lose?” The seasoned foreman checked his paperwork. “Thirty-two square feet. About.” “My second grill? Unacceptable! Fix it!” The foreman replied bluntly. “It’s protected, as discussed.” “Nonsense. Tonight’s storm could easily hasten its demise. Fix it, or I’ll find another who will.” The red-faced man retreated to his idling car, visibly relieved when the air-conditioning hit his steaming face. Biting his tongue, the foreman turned to the bustle of activity at the oversized mansion being built near the end of Beaufort’s historic Bay Street. The wall waited. Movement then caught the foreman’s eye. He looked back. A small girl of seven or eight, blonde, in a pale but pretty dress, was standing near the old tabby wall. His voice showed surprise.
“Miss? How did you get past the fences?” Silence. “By those rocks? Along the river? They aren’t safe.” Silence. Before he could direct someone to escort her out, the girl answered in the most angelic voice the foreman had ever heard. “Mama says to respect our elders, sir, but he’s wrong. Shouldn’t hurt the church wall, sir.” The foreman was immediately struck by the child’s solemn reverence, surprising for one so young. “Not to worry, miss. I’m running the build. Nothing will happen.” Resting her right hand on the wall, the child then pointed her left hand at the departing car. She spoke, her deep, hazel-blue eyes boring into the foreman. “The bad man will use acid. Seen others do it, sir. Powerful. Bubbles and breaks up our walls. Many gone, sir, these long years.” The foreman was incredulous, first that the child would suspect the owner of crimes, and second that she understood the damage industrial acid would do to even the sturdiest, centuries-old tabby cement. “Miss, he’s not that foolish.” The girl’s eyes flashed, and, suddenly grabbing the foreman’s right hand, she held it against the wall. Like a blow to his chest, the foreman
saw, or thought he saw, the owner directing several men, with thick gloves and heavy buckets, swarming the wall in darkness. His head reeled. The girl dropped his hand. Shocked, the foreman studied the strange girl, her hand stroking the wall. He then shook his head, glanced at the receding car, and pulled out his phone. “Jim? Right, it’s me. Need a favor. Tonight. Two officers. A few days. Don’t worry. I’m paying overtime. Yes, Bay Street. Keep an eye on the old tabby wall, the one from that church fire. Way back. Thanks. Yes. I’ll meet them. Give Marie a hug.” The foreman put his phone away as the child spoke. “You are a good man, sir. My family thanks you and the sheriff. His great-grandpa was a fine man.” The girl sighed quietly, then turned away from the wall and walked slowly toward the river. “Miss. There’s no path. Please use the road.” The girl only smiled, weaving her way into the tall marsh reeds, which were swaying like a choir in the morning breeze. The foreman blinked several times, the hair on his neck pricking up. The girl was gone. Silence. The foreman slowly crossed himself, something he had not done in years. Then a distant voice reached out and pulled his
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mind from the river’s edge. “Boss?” “Yes?” “Priest is here.” “Priest?” “Didn’t you see the morning report?” “Sorry. Not yet. Owner was here.” “A grave. They missed one, boss.” “Grave?” “Yes, sir. Young girl, the stone says. Sad. Whole family lost in that church fire. No one knows why her grave wasn’t moved with the others back in the fifties when this stretch was redeveloped. River side of that thick stand of palmettos.” “Okay. Thanks.” Spotting the priest near the trees, far to the left of where the girl had vanished, the foreman, after giving the old tabby wall a gentle pat, made his way over. “Father, my apologies. Just heard you arrived. Thanks for coming.” The priest nodded. The foreman looked from the gravestone back to the wall. “Father, I know it’s been a while, but I’d like you to hear my confession later.” The priest smiled. The two men then stood together in peaceful silence, their eyes seeing far beyond the weathered stone to a young, ageless girl who loved her church and her old tabby wall.
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Meaningful, Literally
Photos by Amber Hewitt
By Luke Frazier There’s no shortage of places in Beaufort to enjoy water views and take in what legendary writer Pat Conroy famously described as, “The bold, fecund aroma of the tidal marsh, exquisite and sensual, the smell of the South in heat, a smell like new milk, semen, and spilled wine, all perfumed with sea water.” Yea, take a deep whiff of that descriptive gem. Anyway, one such place with that kind of visual and olfactory delight is downtown, in Stephen Elliott Park, that green space tucked away along the six hundred block of Bay Street. The view includes the Woods Memorial Bridge, aka the swing bridge, and across the water to Factory Creek and the Whitehall Boat Landing on Lady’s Island. During low tide there must be twenty-five yards of glimmery brownish green pluff mud extending from the wall separating the park from the Beaufort River, all of it deliciously stinking up the joint. On a recent early evening, about six hours past low tide, another smell competed with the mud, wafting from across the street at the stately Lewis Reeves Sams House, known popularly as The Prince of Tides House. It was the smell of excited book lovers gathering and releasing literary pheromones to signal the kickoff of the 2026 Pat Conroy Literary Festival. Billed as the VIP event to get the weekend of readings, screenings, hobnobbing, and book-loving started, it included local writers, special guests, deep pocket denizens, and representatives of the Conroy Literary Center. With a smile that lit up the room, Center Board Chair Sean Scapellato explained the stakes. “Events like this are really important [because] a lot of our programming is
Conroy Center Board Chair Sean Scapellato with writer Matthew Quick, left, and actor Michael O'Keefe, right, at The Prince of Tides House on opening night of the Pat Conroy Literary Festival.
meant to be in service of readers, writers, teachers, and students,” he said. “This is an event where we focus a little bit on the fundraising aspect and how we feed the machine to keep it working year in and year out.” Party-goers in turn were well fed themselves, with trays of mini crab cakes, fried oysters on crackers, and bacon wrapped asparagus circulating through the crowd. There were even pickled shrimp skewers made following Pat Conroy’s recipe. Liquid libations also flowed, though no service of perfumed sea water was detected. What was inescapably on display was a mad love of books, especially Conroy’s. One such display was provided by special guest Matthew Quick, the author of the bestselling novels The Silver Linings Playbook and The Good Luck of Right Now (among others) who lives on Lady’s Island. His focused gaze intensified as he confessed admiration for Conroy’s whole vibe. “I think he’s so unabashedly himself…he was an army brat, a basketball player, a wounded son,” Quick reflected. “And I just think he wears his heart on his sleeve. He is also a poet, too. Nobody paints the Lowcountry like he does… there’s just a goodness running through Pat’s work, you feel that there’s a human being really struggling to get it right.” Quick was fast to heap praise on the Festival and how the Conroy Center continually creates such a quality event. He particularly enjoys the writer-reader connections that are made possible. “When you look into someone’s eyes and you’re engaged with them on a human level and they tell you how your work has impacted them in a really profound way… you realize that you’re not alone, there’s oth-
er people out there that are having the same feelings, ideas, life experiences, and to me, that’s really edifying; it keeps me going.” Another special guest was the talented actor Michael O’Keefe, one of the stars of the movie adaptation of Conroy’s novel The Great Santini, who enjoyed a deep friendship with the writer over the years. He recalled a time when Conroy also relished the writer-reader connection. It was at a book signing event, and according to O’Keefe there must have been a thousand people waiting to get books signed. “And he never left his chair or lost energy,” O’Keefe marveled. “I’m sure that every single person who came in and got an autograph on their book felt like he was paying attention to them.” Similar to Quick, O’Keefe is stunned by Conroy’s writing and recognizes its impact on his life. “He wrote in a very powerful, poetic, meaningful way… especially for people like me,” O’Keefe said. “I feel such a debt to him because I was able to portray his alter ego in the movie. I owe him the kind of debt you can never fully repay, because had he not done what he did, I don’t even know if I’d have an acting career.” O’Keefe, who earned an Oscar nomination for the role of Ben Meechum, shared that it was very cathartic to say the things in the movie that he’d always wanted to say to his own father. Underlying all the smiley cocktail chatter, wonderful silent auction items, welcoming words, and subtle pitch for support of the Center was a foundational belief in the power of reading words on a page. Conroy Center Board Chair Scapellato is a book collector and was a longtime
friend of Conroy’s. He’s under no illusion about the existential threat posed to reading, but his eyes lit up as he declared residency on the optimistic side of the question. “I would like to think that even the younger generations have parents who read, and that maybe as a result of that, they will pick up the habit,” Scapellato reasoned. “I think it’ll always be a challenge, and I think it’s something we’ll always work on as an organization, but I don’t want to be cynical about it. I’d like to think that books matter and will continue to matter.” Scapellato believes that deep reading, sustained reading, offers a payoff you can’t get elsewhere. Actor Michael O’Keefe agrees, and he offered his own insight. “When you get with a book, you get comfortable with yourself. And one of the great things about novels is that the author is really collaborating with the reader, because it wouldn’t be a book without the reader there to read it,” O’Keefe offered solemnly before concluding with a smile: “It’s like a good bartender – they’ve made you a martini, and they don’t drink it. They serve it to you, so you get to take it all in and enjoy it.” But it was author Matthew Quick who brought a spiritual dimension that seemed to fit the event’s mood perfectly. “Reading can be a form of prayer,” Quick offered reverently. “I think people sitting together and reading is kind of a secular way to do that, and I think that reading is aspirational, too. We’re also trying to understand what makes us human, you know, so that we can put that into service, consciously and subconsciously, towards something greater than just us.” On this night, across the street from Conroy’s bold and fecund aroma there was a strong scent of connection, and a sense of unity. A crowd of exquisite and sensual individuals discussing books and words and Pat Conroy, turning a love of books into something greater than themselves.
Luke Frazier is a writer and award-winning media producer who transplanted to the Lowcountry in 2024. He runs NOW Communications and can be reached at nowandfuturecomms@gmail.com
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World-Class Pianist Coming to Fripp How can one musician’s performance sweep you off your feet and carry you into a different world, a world so beautiful you do not want the experience to end? Alexandre Dossin is one of those magicians. No matter whose compositions he extracts from the piano’s key board, he endows the music with wings that carry you up and away into a space of wonder. Whose compositions, you ask? Well, famous piano composers span many musical eras, from the early keyboard innovations of the Baroque period to modern minimalist and contemporary styles. You name the composers, Dossin has mastered their work: Bach, Beethoven, Liszt, Prokofiev, Rachmaninoff, Ravel, Schubert, etc. Dossin has recorded and released all of Mozart’s piano sonatas and the complete piano works of Pulitzer Prize-winning American composer George Walker, which include the world premiere of his composition Bauble. Just to mention two of Dossin’s many recordings. Dossin’s life story is amazing. He was seven years old when he performed in a university auditorium in his hometown of Porto Alegre in Brazil. Maybe it was the round of enthusiastic applause that inspired him to continue playing and to master the instrument to the point where he was invited to play and to teach all over the world. He spent nine years in Russia, immersed in the study of music and culture, and graduated from the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory. He earned a doctorate from the University of Texas in Austin. And he is now Professor of Piano and Chair of Keyboard at the University of Oregon School of Music and Dance. Wait, that is not all. He is also the Artistic Director and Co-Founder of the Oregon Piano Institute, Vice President of the American Liszt Society, the President of the Oregon Chapter of the American Liszt Society, and he is one of the recipients of the prestigious Faculty Fund for Excellence at the University of Oregon. While teaching and performing, both as a soloist and with famous symphony orchestras, Dossin has also been recording and participating in international piano competitions, such as the prestigious Van Cliburn competition. It is not surprising, is it, that he has won many prizes, in addition to the hand in marriage of his wife Maria, a fellow student at the Conservatory. He received the First Prize and the Special Prize at the 2003 Martha Argerich International Piano Competition in
By Margit Resch
Buenos Aires, Argentina. Other international awards include the Silver Medal and second Honorable Mention in the Maria Callas Grand Prix (Greece), and Third Prize and Special Prize in the Mozart International Piano Competition (Salzburg, Germany), in addition to several prizes in Brazil. Needless to say, Dossin’s performances have been praised in many publications. You can imagine what they wrote. When the University of Texas at Austin offered him a teaching assistantship, Dossin found himself drawn to pedagogy. Subsequently, as a professor, Dr. Dossin was surprised to find a harmonic relationship between teaching and performing: the profound understanding of piano-playing - required for teaching that art - led to richer performances, which charged his desire to share his learnings with his students, the next generation of musicians. It is also not surprising, is it, that his students’ evaluations of his teaching are nothing but accolades. Just one example: “Dr. Dossin is a passionate instructor, and his music enthusiasm is passed on during his lessons. The environment of his studio, among all his students is a musical world where people care for one another, and one helps the other to improve.” Come on Sunday, November 8, 5:00 pm, to the Fripp Community Centre. Alexandre Dossin will play for us popular works by Mozart, Beethoven, Lachmund, Walker, Villa-Lobos and Gershwin. It is not too late to become a member of Fripp Island Friends of Music (FIFOM), an organization that has been hosting internationally acclaimed musicians to perform on Fripp for 43 years. Membership gives you access to the next four season concerts, plus to the wonderful post-show reception, where you can chat with the musicians while enjoying delicious hors d’oeuvres prepared fresh by Harold’s Chef Services. We are grateful for the generous sponsorship of Bill’s Liquor and Fine Wines. Your sponsorship=membership helps fund both FIFOM’s great performances and its charitable Music-in-the-Schools mission. The basic FIFOM membership, only $100, has not changed. Tickets at the door are $30. Ready to join us? Text or call Rebecca Climer at (615) 594-1552 or email her at rebecca.climer@gmail.com; and go to frippfriendsofmusic.com for more information.
Alexandre Dossin
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Mary Green Chorale Presents 'We The People' Good News from the HH Choral Society
The Mary Green Chorale presents WE the PEOPLE on Sunday, November 15, 2026, 4 pm, at Lowcountry Presbyterian Church, 10 Simmonsville Road, Bluffton. The Chorale, under the direction of Mary Woodmansee Green, will present pieces for mixed, men’s and women’s chorus, solos and ensembles accompanied by pianist and organist Karen Ball and a 15-member brass and percussion ensemble. As always, the Chorale program will include engaging commentary throughout the evening. The Chorale’s musical tribute to the 250th Anniversary of the founding of the United States opens with a stunning a cappella arrangement of the Star-Spangled Banner followed by William Billings’ patriotic “Chester” sung during the American Revolutionary War. The centerpiece of the program is Randall Thompson’s “A Testament of Freedom” set to texts of Thomas Jefferson, accompanied by organ, brass and percussion. The stirring “Battle Hymn of the Republic” opens the second half, along with a Civil War Medley and the well-known “Ashokan Farewell.” Lush settings of “America the
Beautiful,” the Navy Hymn and “My Country ‘Tis of Thee” take us to John Philip Sousa’s “Stars & Stripes Forever” with audience joining the refrain with the Chorale as a 250th Tribute farewell. Tickets for the MGC WE the PEOPLE concert are $30 (open seating). Advance tickets are available at marygreenchoral. org, Burke’s Main Street Pharmacy in Hilton Head and Bluffton’s Markel’s Card & Gift Shop. Tickets will also be available at the door on the day of the concert (cash or check to “MGC”). For more information: marygreenchorale.org. The MARY GREEN CHORALE, directed by Mary Woodmansee Green, will present WE the PEOPLE on Sunday, November 15, 2026 at 4 pm at Lowcountry Presbyterian Church. Organist Karen Ball and a brass and percussion ensemble will accompany Patriotic choral gems…America the Beautiful, Battle Hymn, Stars & Stripes and more. Tickets, $30 (open seating), are available in advance at marygreenchoral. org or at the door the day of the concert (cash or check to “MGC”).
Experience Rhythms of the Lowcountry Experience the vibrant heartbeat of the Lowcountry in a unified musical celebration designed to bring all communities together. “Rhythms of the Lowcountry” weaves a dynamic tapestry of sound, blending the soulful power of Gullah gospel classics and the infectious energy of Latin-influenced songs with the unifying, familiar warmth of timeless American standards, jazz, pop and swing hits. Event Details: 6:30 PM, November 21st (Doors open at 5:00 PM) at Christ Lutheran
Church Hall, 829 Wm. Hilton Pkwy, Hilton Head Island. Tickets are $25 general admission, available at the door only (cash, credit, or check). Plenty of seating is available. For questions, or to reserve blocks for groups of six or more, call Terry Herron 843-271-9919 Hosted by Christ Lutheran Church in conjunction with the Gullah & Latino Advisory Council and supporting organizations a Fund of the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry. Donors, Sponsors or other Supporters are greatly appreciated.
The Hilton Head Choral Society (HHCS) Fall Pops Concert collected more than 100 books for Hilton Head Island’s SOUL2GIVE and raised $786 for the Beaufort County branch of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. On September 25—a date that numerically mirrors “9 to 5,” honoring Dolly Parton Day—the Choral Society held its Fall Pops Concert celebrating Dolly Parton and her legacy of service and literacy. “HHCS performed several of Parton’s iconic songs, including the programmed piece, a beautiful mashup of Parton’s ‘I Will Always Love You’ and ‘I Will Remember You’ by Sarah McLachlan,” said Marketing Director Janice Creech. “The untimely passing of Dolly gave us the opportunity to honor her memory with the addition of ‘Coat of Many Colors,’ sung by guest soloist Suade Anderson, as well as ‘9 to 5,’ another favorite featuring guest soloist Katie Rogers, that had the aud i e n c e s i n g i n g a l o n g. I t w a s awe-inspiring.” Inspired by her philanthropy, the organization collected and donated more than 100 books to SOUL2GIVE, a Beaufort County and Hilton Head Island-based organization dedicated to helping children who are abused, neglected, homeless, or living in poverty. Financial donations were also collected to benefit the Beaufort County branch of Parton’s Imagination Library. “We are thrilled to have received these donated books! SOUL2GIVE was the right repository for community donations for all the good they do for our community’s youth,” said Mona Huff, president of HHCS. In Beaufort County, more than 3,200 children under the age of five benefit from the free Imagination Library program, which costs the organization about $26 per child per year. HHCS audience members and local residents raised $786 to support
the program during the month of September. Creech elaborated, “Dolly inspired us to do good for our neighbors in her name. She leaves a legacy steeped in community service, and we were excited to add that element to our fall program. It feels good to give back—especially in the name of someone who did so much through her music and community-oriented business ventures.”
Now Seeking Singers for the HHCS Youth Choir Next in the season is the annual December concert, A Holiday Tapestry. The Choral Society is excited to announce a new Youth Choir for students in 3rd through 12th grades. Dr. Pam Kane, an enthusiastic and vibrant singer and organist, with a huge resume, will lead the community youth choir. Student recruitment is underway now. For more information, email youthchoir@hiltonheadchoralsociety.org. Tickets are on sale now at www.hiltonheadchoralsociety.org. For more information or assistance placing ticket orders, call 843-341-3818 or email tickets@hiltonheadchoralsociety.org. ABOUT THE HILTON HEAD CHORAL SOCIETY The Hilton Head Choral Society welcomes passionate singers who can match pitch and appreciate the joy of making music together. As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, the Choral Society relies on member dues to help cover musical expenses, while generous support from ticket sales, donors, advertisers, sponsors, and grants sustains its performances. Proudly affiliated with Chorus America, the Hilton Head Choral Society is committed to advancing the vibrant tradition of choral music nationwide.
Holiday Gallery of Gifts at Art League Art League of Hilton Head is making holiday shopping a little more artful this season with the return of its popular Gallery of Gifts, November 17 through December 31. The annual holiday showcase transforms Art League Gallery into a festive shopping destination, featuring an ever-changing selection of original artwork and handcrafted treasures by local member artists. From paintings, photography, and ceramics to handcrafted jewelry, ornaments, and whimsical holiday décor, Gallery of Gifts offers something for everyone on the holiday shopping list. Whether searching for a statement piece, a thoughtful stocking stuffer, or a little something to take home, visitors will discover gifts as distinctive as the artists who create them. “We love seeing the gallery take on a whole new personality during Gallery of Gifts,” says Kristen McIntosh, General Manager of Art League. “It’s a wonderful opportunity for people to discover the incredible talent we have right here in the Lowcountry. And there’s something espe-
Necklace by Lydiia Chojnacki
Earrings by Lydiia Chojnacki cially satisfying about finding a gift you know won’t be sitting on a shelf in every department store!” Gallery of Gifts will be on display November 17–December 31, 2026. The public is invited to celebrate the season and meet participating artists at an opening reception on Wednesday, November 18, from 5–7pm. The exhibit and reception are free and open to the public. Art League Gallery is located mid-island inside Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, 14 Shelter Cove Lane, Hilton Head Island, 843.681.5060.
Christmas Eve Joy Ride
Mini trees by Shanon Thomas Jordan Oyster shell jewelry holders by Alexandra Defrancesco
Double Parked on Bay Street
Santa Claus is Coming to Town
Uniquely Local Christmas Cards Before The Wise Men
Exclusive Cards by Mac Rogers
Only Found at Thibault Gallery • 815 Bay Street • Beaufort, SC • 843-379-4278 • www.ThibaultGallery.com
Best of Beaufort Art
HOLIDAY CHEER EVENTS Nov. 6 & 7
Dec. 4 4-7pm
Hilton Head Oyster Festival
Hilton Head Winter Wonderland
Benefits Carmines Family Recreation Scholarship Fund
Call 843-681-7273 for Ticket Information
Nov. 12 – Nov. 14 42nd Annual Penn Center Heritage Days
Shelter Cove Park – 39 Shelter Cove Lane Bounce Houses, Elf Parade, DJ, Family Fun! Call 843-681-7273 for more information
Dec 4-6
16 Penn Center Circle West, St. Helena Island Visit www.penncenter.com for Details
15th Annual Nativity Celebration
Nov. 16
First Presbyterian Church of Beaufort 1201 North Street
Fish anywhere in Beaufort County Weigh In At Shellring Ale Works,
Dec. 7 10am-3pm
Rods 'n' Reel-tors FishingTournament
Nov. 19-22 Mistletoe Market Tabby Place in downtown Beaufort Holiday gifts, artisan goods, festive activities, presented by Freedman Arts District
Nov. 20-22 24th Annual Beaufort Home for the Holidays Call 843-522-6503 for Ticket Information 25th Anniversary - Islands of Beaufort Benefits St. Peter's Catholic Church
Nov. 25 – Jan. 3 Art League of Hilton Head Gallery of Gifts
Art Center of Coastal Carolian Gifts, Jewelry & Artwork by Local Artists Call 843-681-5060 for more information
Nov. 26
10th Annual Touch-A-Truck Presented by Junior Service League of Beaufort 998 7th Street, Port Royal www.facebook.com/events/ /524340766623553/
Dec. 11 The Sounds of Christmas: A Jazz Celebration USCB Center for the Arts, Beaufort
Dec. 13 Annual Palmetto Bluff Buffalo Run https://runsignup.com/Race/SC/Bluffton/PalmettoBluff BuffaloRun10k30k50kUltra
Dec. 19 Wreaths Across America Beaufort National Cemetery 1601 Boundary Street
Habitat for Humanity Turkey Trot 5k 8 am, Hstoric Downtown Beaufort
Nov. 28 Small Business Saturday Shop Local! 10am-5pm Dec. 4 - 6 City of Beaufort Holiday Weekend Dec. 4 – Night on the Town – 6-9pm Downtown Beaufort Dec. 5– Gullah Taste of Christmas – 11am Lighted Boat Parade – 5:30pm Dec. 6 – Beaufort Christmas Parade – 3pm
Start your shopping early at the BAA All Member Show
Linda Tully Norma Deal Kick off the holiday season with Beaufort Art Association’s annual All Member Show. Start your shopping early or treat yourself to that special piece created by local artists from the Beaufort area. Join us on First Friday, November 6, for an opening reception celebrating “The Best of Beaufort Art.” Our November/December exhibit highlights art from our general members, many of whom are professional artists who support BAA but are not regular exhibiting artists in the Gallery. In addition to established artists, our general members include emerging artists in a variety of mediums and styles. BAA will also showcase new art from over 60 of our local exhibiting artists including 2-D paintings and photography and 3-D works of jewelry, pottery, metal, sculpture, stained glass, and wood.
Dec. 24 Annual HHI Jingle Jingle Bridge Run Crossings Park, Hilton Head, 8 am
Dec. 31 9pm New Year’s Eve Fireworks Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park
Jan. 1 15th Annual Pelican Plunge Hunting Island Lighthouse Complex
Armando Barajas
Over twenty years ago, BAA opened their first gallery on Port Republic Street, moving a few years later to the Elliott House on Bay Street. Today, BAA’s home is at 913 Bay Street in an expansive space that showcases some of the best art in the Lowcountry, with many types of art and artists represented and exhibits changing every two months. The non-profit organization strives to encourage, support, and provide opportunities for the artistic growth of its members. Looking ahead to the weekend before Thanksgiving, November 19-21, BAA will participate in the Mistletoe Market at Tabby Place. Original small art will include holiday and non-holiday works—from cards to wine stoppers, ceramics to jewelry and more—all perfect for gift giving and decorating. Don’t forget to mark your calendar for the upcoming open house and reception on First Friday, November 6 from 5-8:00 pm. Refreshments will be served and the community is invited. The exhibit begins on November 3 and runs through January 3. For more information, go to the BAA website at BeaufortArtAssociation.com or visit the Gallery at 913 Bay Street in downtown Beaufort.
Holiday Childcare Tips
Plan your strategy before the calendar fills
By Serra Deville The holidays bring parties, travel, visiting relatives and school breaks that stretch for days. For many families, they also bring a childcare scramble. In more than twenty years of placing nannies, I’ve seen that the families with the calmest holidays decide early and put things in writing. Start early. Holiday calendars fill quickly, both for families and for the nannies available to help. If you want extra help for the season, or a nanny starting in the new year, begin looking now rather than the week school lets out. A careful search takes time. Ask about holiday availability when you first talk with candidates, and be up front about dates. Write it down. Before the first day, put the schedule and expectations on paper: hours, duties, pay and time off. Holiday weeks are where misunderstandings happen. Is the day after Thanksgiving a workday? Is a day you’re traveling paid? Who covers the week between Christmas and New Year’s? Put the answers in writing so everyone starts from the same page. Because you hire and employ your nanny directly, these terms are yours to set, and clear ones make for a better working relationship Build a backup plan. Sick days, delayed flights and storm closures don’t check your
calendar. Anyone in the Lowcountry knows weather can close schools on short notice. Decide ahead of time what happens in each case, who you would call, and make sure your nanny knows the plan too. Plan around your household. One real advantage of a nanny is that care is built around your family, not a one-size-fits-all routine. Your children stay at home, on their own schedule, with one consistent person who knows them well. That makes it easier to handle irregular hours, a sick child, more than one child, or a house full of visiting relatives. Tell your nanny who is coming, what routines will change and what the week looks like. Choose carefully. Your nanny will be in your home with your children, so check references directly. Look for real experience with your children’s ages and current CPR and first-aid certification, and use a proper background screening. Even a hire that feels certain can fall through. Recently, a family had a nanny set to start the following week. Days before the start date, the candidate accepted another job and canceled. The parents suddenly had a gap in care. They called us, we began searching right away, and a high-quality nanny was in place with the start date moving only a little. Their experience is a good reminder to have a backup plan, and someone to call. A little planning now means more time to enjoy the season. Families can learn more at gadreamnannies.com/south-carolina.
Serra Deville is the Founder & Owner of Dream Nannies, a nanny and household placement agency founded in Georgia in 2003, with a team serving families across the Lowcountry.
Mistletoe & Magic
Mistletoe Market, back by popular demand
Holiday magic is returning to downtown Beaufort. The Freedman Arts District invites residents and visitors to celebrate Mistletoe Market, November 19–22, with a sparkling showcase of creativity, local businesses and the spirit of Christmas. The festivities begin Thursday, November 19, from 4–8 p.m. at the King Street Arts Center, 1407 King Street. Explore the center, connect with artists and enjoy the opening of Deck the Halls, a holiday exhibition pairing original artwork with the stories behind it. It’s an inspiring way to begin the season in a place where creativity brings people together.
On Friday and Saturday, November 20–21, the celebration moves to Tabby Place, 913 Port Republic Street, transformed into a winter wonderland filled with arts, crafts, downtown businesses, sweet treats, spirits, live music and more. The festivities continue Sunday, November 22, from 11 a.m.–3 p.m. Come for the shopping, stay for the music, and make time to savor the season with friends and neighbors. With The Beaufort Inn as Hallmark Sponsor, Mistletoe Market celebrates the generosity and community spirit that help Beaufort’s artists, entrepreneurs and small businesses thrive.
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LWS Hosts Veteran's Day Concerts
By Katherine Freeman
To all our nation’s veterans, the Lowcountry Wind Symphony thanks you and celebrates you – past, present and always. As a country, we celebrated our 250th birthday this year! We marked this historic milestone for our nation with fireworks, concerts, and special exhibits. And this November 11th we continue that celebration commemorating the incredible people who fought throughout those 250 years for our nation’s freedom with Veteran’s Day. The Lowcountry has an incredibly rich military history. Port Royal witnessed the training of the first African American soldiers to wear the Army Union uniform. Today Parris Island trains our phenomenal Marines. As most branches of our military celebrated their 250th birthdays in 2025 and 2026, the Lowcountry Wind Symphony (LWS) honors the men and women that fill the ranks of those military branches. LWS invites the public to their FREE concerts for their 11th annual Veteran’s Concerts honoring America’s finest heroes. Experience music that blends patriotism and tradition. The program features Purple Heart composed by David Shaffer, Band of Brothers composed by Michael Kamen, and patriotic classics including Chester, Nimrod, and marches by Karl L. King and Edwin Franko Goldman and more! Together, we will explore “What is Musically Possible!” LWS is a non-profit wind symphony, made up of some 70 amateur and professional volunteer brass, woodwind, and percussion players from the greater Beaufort and Bluffton area.
CONCERT INFORMATION: Saturday, November 7th, 2026 at 4:00 PM Beaufort High School, 84 Sea Island Parkway, Beaufort, SC 29907 Sunday, November 8th, 2026 at 3:00 PM Bluffton High School, 12 H.E. McCracken Cir, Bluffton, SC 29910 Wednesday, November 11th, 2026 at 7:00 PM Carolina Room, 100 Dataw Drive, Dataw Island, SC 29920 (DIC Members/Guests Only) Interested in joining LWS? Email contact@lowcountrywindsymphony.com Be sure to follow LWS on Facebook and Instagram
2026-2027 SEASON NOVEMBER 15 Genva Lewis | violin Emad Zolfaghari | viola Raphael Bell | cello Marguerite Cox | double bass Andrew Armstrong | piano
JANUARY 10 I-Jen Fang | percussion Orion Weiss | piano Andrew Armstrong | piano
FEBRUARY 7 Simone Porter | violin Andrew Armstrong | piano
MARCH 7 Sooyun Kim | flute Elizabeth Koch Tiscione | oboe Yoonah Kim | clarinet Harrison Hollingsworth | bassoon David Byrd-Marrow | French horn Andrew Armstrong | piano
APRIL 4 Nathan Meltzer | violin Brannon Cho | cello Andrew Armstrong | piano All concerts are Sundays at 5 pm | OnDemand viewing for 3 weeks
Enjoy the Music... from our Virtual Hall The Chamber Music season is sold out— but that doesn’t mean you have to miss out. Join our Virtual Hall, invite a friend, and watch each concert live. Plus, enjoy OnDemand access for three weeks after!
Go to USCBChamberMusic.com, scan the QR code, or call 843.208.8246
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Come Ye Thankful People 47th Annual Thanksgiving Service & Dinner
This Thanksgiving I’m doing something that I’ve been wanting to do for years! I’m volunteering to help serve the 47th Annual Thanksgiving Dinner at St. Helena’s Anglican Church. Everyone is invited and the event is free of charge. The day will begin with a Thanksgiving service at 10:30 a.m. at Old Grace Chapel AME Church, located at 502 Charles Street. Following the service, we’ll all walk over to enjoy a traditional Thanksgiving dinner from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in St. Helena’s Parish Hall at 507 Newcastle Street. The sit-down meal brings together hundreds of Beaufortonians and visitors each year. The menu features turkey, stuffing, green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, cranberry sauce, and an assortment of desserts. Most of the meal is prepared on site. Volunteers are recruited to prepare and donate the casseroles. The recipes and baking pans are provided by the church. Desserts are also needed. Home-baked pies are a favorite. In 2025, more than 750 meals were served. Whether continuing a family tradition, seeking fellowship, or simply looking for a place to share Thanksgiving, all are welcome. Please feel free to invite family, friends, neighbors, and anyone who might appreciate a place at the table. While everyone is encouraged to join the gathering at the parish hall, home-delivered meals are available for those who are homebound. To request a delivery or to learn more about volunteering your time and talents, contact the St. Helena’s Church office at (843) 522-1712. This week’s recipes feature the two casseroles that will be served on Thanksgiving Day as well as one of my all-time favorite receipts for coconut pie. Join us at St. Helena’s for Thanksgiving. It’s going to be a wonderful day!
Green Bean Casserole
Praline Sweet Potatoes
For the potatoes: 12 medium sweet potatoes 6 tablespoons milk 6 tablespoons salted butter 6 tablespoons brown sugar For the praline topping: 6 tablespoons salted butter, melted 2/3 cup brown sugar 1½ cups chopped pecans Peel the sweet potatoes and cut into large chunks. Place potatoes in a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook for about 25 minutes or until very tender. Drain and transfer potatoes to a large mixing bowl. Add milk, butter and brown sugar. Using a hand mixer; blend to desired consistency. Place mashed potatoes in a lightly greased casserole dish. In a small bowl, combine melted butter with brown sugar and chopped pecans. Sprinkle mixture evenly over mashed sweet potatoes. Bake, uncovered, in a preheated 350-degree oven for 30 minutes until potatoes are warmed through. Serves 12 to 14. Note: 12 medium sweet potatoes cooked and mashed equals approximately 6½-7 cups. 8 (15-ounce) cans or 3 (40-ounce) cans of sweet potatoes mashed may be substituted.
8 cups frozen cut green beans OR 4 (14.5-ounce) cans green beans, drained OR 8 cups fresh cut green beans, blanched in pot of boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes until crisp-tender 2 (10.5-ounce) cans condensed cream of mushroom soup ½ cup milk 2 teaspoons soy sauce 3 cups French fried onions divided Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add the frozen green beans and boil until crisp-tender, about 2 to 3 minutes. In a large bowl, combine green beans with soup, milk, soy sauce and 1 cup of French-fried onions. Transfer to a 4-quart baking dish. Bake uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes or bubbly. Remove from the oven and top with remaining onions. Return to the oven for an additional 10 to 15 minutes or until onions are crispy. Serves 12.
Coconut Custard Pie
1 unbaked 9-inch deep dish pie shell (storebought or homemade) 4 large eggs 1 cup sugar 1 cup whole milk 1 cup half-and-half 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ¼ teaspoon salt
By Debbi Covington
CELEBRATE
EVERYTHING!
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut 2 tablespoons melted butter Toasted coconut to garnish, optional Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, milk, half-and-half, vanilla extract and salt until smooth. Add coconut and melted butter. Mix until combined. Pour the custard mixture into the unbaked pie crust. Place the pie on a baking sheet and bake for 60 to 70 minutes or until center is set. The top should be golden brown. Cool on a baking rack. The custard will get firm as it cools. Chill before serving. Garnish with toasted coconut, if desired. Serves 6 to 8. The writer owns Catering by Debbi Covington and is the author of three cookbooks, Celebrate Beaufort, Celebrate Everything! and Dining Under the Carolina Moon. Debbi’s website address is www.cateringbydebbicovington.com. She may be reached at 843-525-0350 or by email at debbicovington@gmail.com.
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Horatio, Kobbly & Kem Welch Coming to Beaufort Kemagic Publishing Group is excited to invite you to the Family Reading Circle and book signing at the Beaufort Bookstore on Wednesday, November 18, 2026, from 3:30pm to 5:30pm. Local author, Kem Welch, and his wife, Barbara, will read selected stories for the kids from his newest books, and free coloring pages and character buttons will be given out. The author will happily personalize any books purchased during the event. Everyone is invited to explore the world of Horatio, the curious cat who not only learns to read, but also decides his destiny is to become a writer. Also, the kids will discover Kobbly, the little tyke who draws on his bedroom walls – until his mother finds out! What happens next changes Kobbly’s life forever… but what could it be? Join us in celebrating the adventures of these exciting children’s books and the emerging world of Kem Welch’s imagination!
About the Author: Kem Welch is a Southern boy, raised in the Charleston area. His mother gave warm love and support to his budding talent, and his father was a natural, captivating storyteller. Summers spent on his aunt and uncle’s farm influenced his love of nature and the value of quiet introspection when being creative. Writing and music have been passions since his youth, and he has performed in bands, as well as written and produced musical plays for the enjoyment of appreciative crowds. His background in television, commercial art, and video production helped him learn the art of succinct, entertaining storytelling, which became invaluable when he began his journey on the Chronicles of Horatio the Cat series and each of his following books. The Beaufort Bookstore is located at 2127 Boundary Street in Beaufort.
Children's Author/Illustrator Kem Welch
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Mother Nature Loses Her Poet Laureate For 35-plus years, freelance writing has earned me enough of a living that I’m still working behind that shingle and plan to continue until I go toes up. This particular pleasure has brought untold opportunities to my doorstep, including international travel, a broad world view, and the chance to meet a raft of fascinating people from whom I’ve learned lessons that continue to round out my life nicely. Thanks to a recent essay in the New York Times Review of Books, I became aware that one of the latter had left the earth in August at the age of 92. A fellow native Kentuckian, Wendell Berry was praised and grieved in this beautifully penned article by none other than brilliant writer and Pulitzer Prize winner, Barbara Kingsolver, who counted him among her most significant literary mentors. “I’ve felt Wendell Berry’s literary hand between my shoulder blades for such a majority of my life that…it’s a shock to wake up in a day without him in this world,” she wrote. The date of this “post mortem” is October 4, 2026, and is titled “Appraisal” by Kingsolver. If you’re interested in reading more about this legendary writer, Google this, because the article can be a great intro to begin your quest with pure reverence, as her words paint an idea of exactly what the
world has lost and why it grieves that loss. Especially now. For many years, Berry was so dedicated to spreading the word of the importance of sustainability and actively pursuing it himself in his writings and on his farm in Northern Kentucky that I assumed – foolishly, hoped – he’d somehow be “allowed” to inhabit this sphere for eons to come. This honorable man lived what he preached, using a horse for breaking ground to be planted and eschewing the latest technology by writing in longhand, which his wife, Tanya, typed and edited. He addressed this particular issue in one of his most preeminent essays, “Why I am not Going to Buy a Computer.” Read it and see if you might agree, especially on days that technology gets your goat. Another of Kingsolver’s observations speaks to one of his basic principles: “He saw danger in the conviction that new things are always better than old things.” Perhaps this example is naïve, but my Uncle Mac, a retired Navy Captain that taught high school chemistry and physics until he turned 80, crafted a sturdy, easy-tocarry toolbox out of wood from his farm for my 8th birthday. That collection of tools still serves me well to this day. I like to think Mr. Berry would approve!
As director of promotions at Lexington’s Joseph-Beth Booksellers, I had the honor of hosting several of his book launches and writing a story on him in an upscale, local magazine that focused on social events and topics of appeal to the area’s rich and famous. He agreed to the piece only because its readership was unlikely to have heard his focused views on sustainable farming, the health of rural communities, and race relations anywhere else. At the time, I’d no idea of the volume of his work, but for the three months prior to the interview – my first as a writer – I spent hours daily pouring over his essays, poems, and novels, devising questions that might allow readers to open their minds to his messages. All are worthy ones in my book. In an article on his appreciation of Berry in the October 2026 edition of Kentucky Monthly Magazine, accomplished Kentucky poet, writer, and state Poet Laureate (1999-2001) Richard Taylor has penned a wonderful, concise discourse on this beloved icon. Following is an excerpt. “Doing justice to Wendell Berry’s long and distinguished career is like trying to lasso a slippery fish in wide water,” Taylor begins. “Few would dispute that he is perhaps the most influential writer to emerge from Kentucky, not only as a literary artist but as a shaper of ideas that too many of us ignore – the health of the earth and the communities it supports, the history of agriculture and the impact of industrialization on rural communities, and the accompanying dissolution of our moral center…He often described himself as a poet and farmer, but his long career was much broader. Poet, essayist, novelist, social activist, and critic, he has been likened to a contemporary Henry David Thoreau.” Honors bestowed on Berry are far too numerous to mention here. But search them out and read in awe. Long before my beloved country and the world slid into their present state of turmoil, I began keeping up with the news – in particular, hard news – less and less, not to make any sort of statement in particular, but because I simply felt better when I focused on upbeat pronouncements, on my own life, and on things that brought joy to my heart. Growing up in a small, agrarian
WHOLLY HOLISTICS
by Katherine Tandy Brown
West Kentucky town, I was instilled with values that included using one’s God-given talents for good, helping those that needed it, and perhaps most of all, being a caring steward of the planet. In the last few years, I – and at least a chunk of social media – have been turning to Wendell Berry’s wise words more and more, finding a camaraderie and even a peace within them. One of his poems that has been my favorite since first hearing it is The Peace of Wild Things. Read it carefully, watch its movie in your mind, and allow yourself a measure of its magic.
“When despair for the world grows in me and I wake in the night at the least sound in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be, I go and lie down where the wood drake rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds. I come into the peace of wild things who do not tax their lives with forethought of grief. I come into the presence of still water. And I feel above me the day-blind stars waiting with their light. For a time I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.” All is not lost. Keep the faith.
Katherine Tandy Brown has traveled the world as a freelance writer for 25 years. She teaches memoir, travel writing and writing practice in USCB’s OLLI Continuing Ed program and in her downtown cottage. A certified writing coach, she is penning her first novel, One to Go: An Equine Thriller. ktandybrown@gmail.com or (859) 312-6706
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A Gardener's Fall Musings
Fall is probably my favorite time of year, and I have written so many articles about it. I was lucky enough to be born in October. My birthday was usually around the same time of year as the State Fair in Columbia where I grew up. If you haven’t been it should be on your bucket list. In case you don’t know Agriculture is big business in South Carolina, and the State Fair has it all. There is a lot of talent in our state and each year the best growers, bakers, artists and crafters, as well as farmers show off their products/produce. I love the animals, vegetables and flowers there to be judged and admired. Fall is an exciting time to be a gardener. Wildflowers and grasses are showing off on the roadsides and ditches. Butterflies and birds are on the move finding places to overwinter, stuffing calories from flowers, seeds, berries, and grasses. The days are getting shorter, signaling a color change from green to more muted colors. One exception is pignut hickory Carya glabra; the leaves stay on a while longer than other deciduous trees and turn a bright yellow. a For me fall is an optimistic time of year l – not too hot and not too cold. It’s the perd fect temperature to work in the garden g cleaning up, putting away, emptying soil e out of the spring and summer pots and 6 planting cool season herbs, like parsley and
Habitat Turkey Trot Returns By Laura Lee Rose
cilantro, vegetables such as leafy greens, spring onions and garlic. There are quite a few flowers that can take the cold here and still bloom in the spring. Pansies, snaps, Calendula, and Dianthus are just a few. Those chores that seemed impossible or ridiculous in the summer are now do-able if not downright pleasant. I’m such a nerd that I got excited today finding earthworms in my planters. Those guys/girls?? are making my soil better. We have incredible landscapes in our Lowcountry. When friends come to town or you just need to get out and move, my top recommendations for nature walks or rides in no particular order are Penn Center Museum and campus, Hunting Island, Savannah Wildlife Refuge, Newhall Preserve, Cypress Wetlands in Port Royal, Jarvis Park, Victoria Bluff. I just realized my list is endless. Gotta go plant some bulbs. Laura Lee Rose is a native of South Carolina and has lived in the Lowcountry for many years. Certified Nursery Professional and retired from the Clemson Extension Service, she taught Master Gardener classes and encouraged professional landscapers. A board member of the South Carolina Native Plant Society and President of the South Coast Chapter, Laura Lee encourages the use of native plant material and sustainable landscaping.
Start your Thanksgiving morning with a little exercise, a lot of fun, and a great cause! Habitat for Humanity of the Lowcountry invites runners, walkers, families, and visitors to participate in the 9th Annual Turkey Trot 5K on Thursday, November 26, 2026, in historic downtown Beaufort. This Thanksgiving tradition brings together more than 1,000 participants from across the Lowcountry and beyond for a morning of fun, fellowship, and giving back. Whether you’re a seasoned runner, a casual walker, or simply looking for a fun way to kick off the holiday with family and friends, the Turkey Trot offers something for everyone. The event features awards, a costume contest, and plenty of Thanksgiving spirit. Registration and check-in will take place from 7:00 to 7:30 a.m., with the race beginning at 8:00 a.m. Best of all, proceeds benefit Habitat for Humanity of the Lowcountry, helping local families in Beaufort and Jasper Counties build and maintain safe, affordable places to call home. Make the Turkey Trot part of your family’s Thanksgiving tradition while helping build stronger communities right here in the Lowcountry. Register today at: https://runsignup.com/Race/SC/Beaufort/LowCountryHabitatTurkeyTrot5K
Event Details What: 9th Annual Habitat for Humanity of the Lowcountry Turkey Trot 5K When: Thursday, November 26, 2026 Time: Registration 7:00–7:30 a.m. | Race starts at 8:00 a.m. Where: Historic Downtown Beaufort, South Carolina Who: Runners and walkers of all ages and abilities Benefiting: Habitat for Humanity of the Lowcountry
Can’t make it to the Turkey Trot this year? You can still make a difference! Support Habitat for Humanity of the Lowcountry’s mission to help local families build and maintain safe, affordable homes by making a donation at lowcountryhabitat. org/donate.
Tues - Sun: 11am-9pm
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Fire-Breathing Action, Epic Adventure Beaufort Children's Theatre presents 'How To Train Your Dragon, The Musical JR.' Beaufort Children’s Theatre brings fire-breathing action, epic adventure, and lots of laughs to the stage with DreamWorks Theatricals’ How To Train Your Dragon The Musical JR. The performances will take place on November 20 and 21 at 7:00 pm and November 22 at 3:00 pm at the USCB Center for the Arts in historic downtown Beaufort. Tickets are $24 for adults, $20 for seniors and military, and $16 for kids and students. To purchase tickets and for more information, visit uscbcenterforthearts.com. Based on the Academy Award–nominated animated hit, How To Train Your Dragon The Musical JR. is a Broadway Junior® musical that follows Hiccup, a young Viking who defies tradition by befriending one of his deadliest foes – a fiery dragon he calls Toothless. Together, these unlikely heroes fight against the odds as they fight to save both their worlds. The production features a cast of more than 70 aspiring young actors, ages 8 to 18, bringing this story to life with spectacular costumes, creative props, and lots of theatre magic. “The actors, costumes and props are fabulous, this is going to be an “over the top” fun production perfect for the entire family,” shared Bonnie Hargrove, USCB Center for the Arts Director and Producer of Beaufort Children’s Theatre. Audiences of all ages will enjoy this exciting adventure, so grab your tickets today at uscbcenterforthearts.com MEET THE CAST Recruits Hiccup- Jackson Hamilton Astrid- Annie Grace Wells Snotlout- Kayla Chao Ruffnut- Ainsley Backus Tuffnut- Sidda Leigh Brock Fishlegs- Maddi Welch Dane- Noah Cantrell Frostbite- Kareena Desai Lumi- Amaris Johnson Brita- Vivienne Gibbons Sungrass- Josephine Murray Tig- Genevieve Murray
Adult Vikings Stoick- Tag Cushman Gobber- David Barr Phlegma- Kaylyn Smith Burnthair- Jonah Perkins Hoarck- Caeden White Ark- Maribel Bruns Gudrum- Maurice Brown Frida- Katelyn Sansone Gertrud- Maddie Lewis Nore- Joshua Horry Darby- Adella Weatherford Viking Ensemble Anna Frances Schaefer, Magnolia Bustamante, Mallory Mann, Boyd Tatter, Benicia Vollono, Molly Ferguson, Tallon Jolly, Landry Pitt, Charlie Ann Strickland, Muriel Johnson, Darren Richardson, Camille Stanfield, Julia Simmons, Holland Harris, Blaire Saunders, Fallon Saunders, Renee Elise Reinthaler, Everett Johnston Dragons Toothless- Maeve Saunders Red Death- Maren Tillapaugh Gronkles Husky- Emma Brem Musky- Annie Marshall Lusky- Macie Ruth Magbee Deadly Nadders Blitz- Lily Kate Ferguson Izzy Chandler Norah Holroyde Amara Warnick Zipplebacks Farley and Charley- Lilly Grace Johnson Monstrous Nightmares Houdini- Katie Cechini Sweeney- Abigail Poole Butler Scarlett Brainerd Timberjacks Tuna- Betts White Luna- Sara Borders Bruna- Olive Florence Cora Sorrells Kaden Bryant
Dragon masks from the costume department Thunderdrums Belly- Evie Clavijo Jelly- Madeline Crosby Skrills Lash- Ava Borders Dash- Kara Denton Evelynn Denton Scauldron Sparky- Chandler Hamilton Marky- Ryan Sprietsma Magnolia Aikens Ellee Kozimbo Changewings Tuck- Millie DeGraffenried Huck- Khloie Cole Tripp Welch Lula Gower How To Train Your Dragon The Musical JR. was created through the DreamWorks Theatricals Emerging Writers Program. A collaboration between DreamWorks Theatricals, Music Theatre International, and NBC Universal, this stellar program was launched to identify new teams of book writers, composers, and lyricists with unique voices and points of view to develop musical adaptations of popular DreamWorks Animation titles intended for the Music Theatre International catalogue. The Emerging Writers team behind How To
Train Your Dragon The Musical JR. is Kate Thomas (book and lyrics) and Veronica Mansour (music and lyrics). How To Train Your Dragon The Musical JR. is presented through special arrangement with, and all authorized materials are supplied by, Music Theatre International, 423 West 55th Street, New York, NY 10019, 212-541-4684, mtishows.com.
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Classifieds TO RENT or OWN
ITALY: Tuscany townhouse for rent by the week in historic UNESCO village. Sleeps 4, large furnished garden, easy walk to shops and excellent restaurants. www.cozyholidayrentals.com or 401-862-2377. FURNISHED LUXURY APT In the heart of downtown Beaufort. 2BR, 2BA, W/D, Housewares. Please call 843-812-4229. FOR RENT ON FRIPP 371 Speckled Trout Rd, Charming coastal retreat! Enjoy serene water views, modern amenities, a fully equipped kitchen, spacious living, and quick access to fishing, beaches, and local dining. $3,500/mo. Call Diana Lopez at 276-685-1260. Relaxation awaits! BOAT FOR SALE: 2007 Boston Whaler 170 Montauk complete with galvanized trailer and full Sunbrella boat cover as well as console cover. Boat and trailer (new boat trailer tires and wheel bearings) in good shape. Has original 90 HP 4 stroke Mercury outboard in need of some extensive work. Butler Marine estimate $8k-$10k for repairs. Asking $7500 for all “as is” and happy to refer anyone interested to Butler to verify motor estimate. – Don, Lady’s Island, 843 271 8361
CLASSES & SEMINARS FREE HYPNOSIS/HYPNOTHERAPY INFORMATION session and guided group meditation workshop. This free session will focus on stress reduction and relaxation. Open to the public, every 3rd Monday of the Month, at 7 pm Eastern via Zoom. Bring a friend, learn more and RSVP for Zoom Link at www.guidepathhypnosis.com or contact Chris at chris.guidepath@gmail.com BEAUFORT COUNTY LIBRARY ONGOING PROGRAMS & CLASSES Stitch Happens, Mondays @ 1:30, Bluffton; Basic Computer Skills Class 1st & 3rd Fridays @ 11:30am, Lobeco; Dungeon & Dragons Teen Club Mondays @ 4; Teen Gaming Club 1st & 3rd Wednesdays @ 4. FRIDAY SOCIAL DANCES: The Hilton Head Carolina Shag Club hosts Friday dances from 6-9 pm at Christ Lutheran Church (HEINRICHS HALL) , 829 William Hilton Parkway, Hilton Head. The Shag dance is the state dance of South Carolina. If you know it, come dance with us. If you don’t know it, we’ll teach you!! We have regularly scheduled classes. $8 Cover fee. Bring your own Food and Beverage. DJ’s provide EXCELLENT music! We have many annual events and dance parties. Come have some fun!!! www.hiltonheadshagclub. com.≠ ART LEAGUE OF HH CLASSES & WORKSHOPS With over 25 local professional art educators, and guests from around the world, Art League of Hilton Head offers classes and workshops in all media for all levels of students. Visit www.artleaguehhi.org or email academy@artleaguehhi.org for more info. POTTERY CLASSES IN BEAUFORT McSweeney Clay Studio offers classes for children & adults. Pottery dates & parties too. Classes ongoing. Beginner or advanced welcome. mcsweeneyclaystudio.com or call 843-694-2049. LOWCOUNTRY SHAGGERS Mondays - Holiday Inn, 2225
Community Announcements & Classes are FREE Merchandise · Employment • Rental Property • FSBO Automobiles · Motorcycles • Boats • Pets $25 Up to 25 Words • $35 Up to 25 Words with a Photo
To place your ad call 843-986-9059 or email: Amanda@LCWeekly.com
Boundary St. 6-9pm. Shag Lessons with Tommy & Sheri O'Brien and others. Occasional Ballroom and once a month Line Dance. Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced lessons. Open dancing after lessons. Visit www.lowcountryshaggers.com or lowcountryshaggers@ aol.com
Want to grow better, not older? Haven’t heard of BEMER yet? Come for Q&A about how this longevity-enhancing medical device can enhance your health, fitness and overall well-being in just 8 minutes 2X/day. Offered by BEMER Specialist - Human & Equine, Elizabeth Bergmann. Text 410-212-1468 to get the Zoom link. Free.
WEDNESDAYS, BEAUFORT SHAG CLUB meets evenings at AMVETS, 1831 Ribaut Rd., Port Royal from 7-9pm, and the 2nd Sat. of the month 7-10pm. Free lessons to members Sep. to June. Visit The Beaufort Shag Club on Facebook.
CARIS HEALTHCARE: WE HONOR VETERANS Hospice Program. You a Vet with a little time to share with other Vets with limited time? The We Honor Veterans program seeks volunteers who are Vets to offer a listening ear for our Veteran patients. Volunteers also participate in our Pinning Ceremonies for Veteran patients. Contact 843473-3939 or smilliken@carishealthcare.com
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COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS
FREE VESSEL SAFETY CHECK by local members of the America's Boating Club of Beaufort. If your boat passes, you will receive a VSC decal to mount on your boat that will be visible to other boaters and maritime law enforcement personnel. Contact safety@beaufortboatingclub.com VOLUNTEERS NEEDED to staff The Lending Room, 954 Ribaut Rd across from Beaufort Memorial Hospital. Help us receive donations of gently used medical equipment and distribute them to those in need. We need to staff our showroom M-F 9:30-3:30 and Sat. AM. Shifts only 3 hours long. No experience is required but a familiarity with commonly used medical equipment helpful. Training will be provided. If you are looking for a rewarding volunteer job, learn about TLR and find volunteer application forms at lendingroombft.com or call Barbara at 314-660-4233. LOCO SCRIBBLERS 3:00 5:00 p.m. every 1st and 3rd Sunday of the month. Are you a scribbler (professional or hobby writer)? Check out our small, informal Beaufort area writers club. All skill and subject levels welcome: fiction, short stories, poetry, non-fiction, and memoirs. Free. Call or email for more info and meeting location in Port Royal: beaufdick@gmail.com or 843-322-0616. BRIDGE CLUB at the Beaufort Branch Library Wednesdays at 11am. Join a session for beginners new to the game, other sessions will provide some instruction and we will learn as we play. Join us if you want to learn a new game, practice your skills, or need more players. Call the Library at 843-255-6458 for more information. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED for military lounge at the Savanna/Hilton Head Airport operated by a cadre of volunteers. The former USO Lounge is now “Savanna Salutes,” and continues to provide a respite for travelling active duty, retired and reserve military, veterans and families. We need volunteers to keep the lounge open from 8 am to 9 pm, 7 days a week. There are 3 shifts each day, with 2 volunteers for each. Interested? Info and application forms are at the www.savannahsalutes. org or contact Tedd Sheyda at (843) 368-2341. or TSheyda@savannahsalutes.org The airport provides free parking. VETERANS FIRST THRIFT STORE is in need of volunteers. Summer hours are Thursday thru Saturday 10am-4pm. Volunteer hours are very flexible! Stop in the store at 612 Robert Smalls Parkway to fill out a volunteer application or call the store at 843-263-4218. Please consider helping this very worthwhile organization!!
SPIRITUAL COMMUNITY: Non-denominational meditation, silent prayer and healing group forming. All welcome. No meditation experience needed. 843-489-8525. HABITAT RESTORE NEEDS VOLUNTEERS We're looking for volunteers. Cashiers, sales floor associates and donation processing. Visit lowcountryhabitat.org/volunteer or call 843-525-0055. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED for Calhoun Station Thrift Store in Bluffton. All funds generated are returned to other nonprofits in the community. Open Wed & Sat 10am to 1pm at 77 Pritchard St. Volunteers can stop by or contact Cate Taylor, 843-310-0594 or catetaylor@frontier.com VOLUNTEERS NEEDED for HELP of Beaufort, 530 Charles St. Looking for committed volunteers for clothes sorting, pantry help, front desk help and Mobile Meals drivers. We are open M-F from 9:30-12:30, Mobile Meals delivers to home bound seniors 5 days/week, routes takes about 30-45 mins. Email Lori at helpbeaufort@gmail.com, or call 843-524-1223, or stop in and fill out an application. PORT ROYAL MUSEUM is open Thursday through Sunday at 1634 Paris Ave., from 10 - 3 or upon request. Free admission! Call 843-524-4333 or email historicportroyalfoundation@gmail.com to request a special opening. PARKINSON’S SUPPORT GROUP - First Thursday of the month at Beaufort Memorial LifeFit Wellness Center, from 1:30-2:45pm, 900 Ribaut Rd. Beaufort. We're individuals with Parkinson’s, care partners of those with Parkinson’s, and individuals or companies providing products or services for Parkinson’s patients. For more info: Rick Ostrander at pdawaresc@gmail.com or Facebook at Parkinson’s Support Group Of Beaufort SC Port Royal & Lady’s Island. TOUR HISTORIC FORT FREMONT – Running through July, the Fort Fremont History Center will expand operating hours to Thursdays from 1 to 4 pm, Fridays from 1 to 4 pm, Saturdays from 10 am to 4 pm, and Sundays from 1 to 4 pm. No admission fee. Docent-led tours are available by request. The Fort Fremont Preserve is open from dawn to dusk, Monday through Sunday. A self-guided walking tour is available for smartphones from the Apple or Google Play stores. For more information or to download the app, visit www.fortfremont.org
SECOND HELPINGS seeks volunteers to crew trucks in Bluffton and Beaufort to distribute food to local charities. Offering a flexible schedule at your convenience. Email officeadmin@secondhelpingslc.org
US COAST GUARD AUXILIARY, Flotilla 07-10-01, Port Royal Sound, a uniformed, all volunteer component of the U.S. Coast Guard. We conduct safety patrols, assist search & rescue, teach boat safety, conduct free vessel safety checks and other boating activities. Monthly meetings are open to all and held on the 2nd Tuesday of the month at the Port Royal Sound Foundation classroom at 7pm. For info call Flotilla Commander Pattie McGowan (706-633-6192) and on Facebook USCGA Beaufort.
BEMER LONGEVITY TECHNOLOGY 9a Wednesdays via Zoom. Seen the buzz on “life span VS health span”?
BEAUFORT TOASTMASTERS CLUB meets from 5:30 pm - 6:45 pm the first & third Tuesday, in the Beaufort
College Building, Rm. 103 (USC-Beaufort Campus), 801 Carteret Street, Beaufort. To learn more visit beauforttoastmastersclub.toastmastersclubs.org
FREE ACUPUNCTURE FOR VETERANS – Veterans, Active Duty, Transition. Their Families and First Responders are Eligible. First & Third Wednesday 4 6pm. Walk In Clinic. No Need to Pre-Register or Call. Nourishing Health Acupuncture and Herbs Clinic. 1214 Prince Street, Downtown Beaufort.
CRESCENT HOSPICE SUPPORT GROUP: Last Wed. and Thurs. of the month. Weds. 10-11am at Sun City; Thurs. 12-1pm Brookdale Hilton Head Ct., Hilton Head; for those who provide physical, emotional or practical support to a family member or friend. Jodi Johnson, LMSW. Bereavement Group: 5-6 pm., Fridays, 10 Buckingham Plantation Drive, Suite A, Bluffton; for those who have experienced a loss and would like support and info associated with grief and bereavement. Corrie VanDyke, LMSW or Marie James, MA. 843-757-9388.
INTERESTED IN HEALTHY EATING? Second Helpings, of Beaufort, Hampton, and Jasper counties, seeks committee members and chairperson for Healthy Food Program. Funding available to procure fresh produce and protein for the 60 food pantries and soup kitchens served by Second Helpings. Contact Exec. Dir. Lili Coleman, 843689-3616 or execdirector@secondhelpingslc.org
BORN TO READ working for early childhood literacy, needs volunteers to deliver books and materials to new mothers at Coastal Community Hosp., HH Hosp., and BMH. Visits are from 10am – noon. More info at borntoread.org or call 843-379-3350. THE LITERACY CENTER is seeking volunteers to tutor adults in reading, writing, math and ESL. Students hope to acquire skills to pursue life goals, support families, and contribute to our community. Daytime and evenings in Bluffton and HHI. Call 843-815-6616 (Bluffton); 843-6816655 (HHI). No teaching, tutoring or other language knowledge necessary. www.theliteracycenter.org
THE SANDALWOOD COMMUNITY FOOD PANTRY. Volunteer-based, non-profit provides groceries, clothing and basic items to ANYONE in need. Open Tuesdays 9am12pm at 114 Beach City Rd., Hilton Head. Donations of food and funds needed. For info: Rev. Dr. Nannette Pierson at 843-715-3583 or sandalwoodpantry@gmail.com
PARRIS ISLAND MUSEUM. The legacy of the Marine Corps and the history of the Port Royal region. Thousands of artifacts, images, and other materials illustrate the stories in exhibit galleries from Native American to modern Marines. FREE admission. Mon-Sat 10am4:30pm and 8am on Graduation Days. Closed Federal Holidays. Info at parrisislandmuseum.org or 843-228-2166.
CHRIST CENTERED RECOVERY MEETINGS At Praise Assembly Church Fridays for “Celebrate Recovery”, addressing life’s problems by looking to scripture. Meal at 6pm; Praise, Worship; Big Meeting. 6:30pm; Small Groups at 7pm. 800 Parris Island Gateway, Beaufort. Info at 205-475-3600 or 303-521-1891.
ALZHEIMER'S FAMILY SERVICES OF GREATER BEAUFORT, Support Groups: Caregiver - Friday, 12:30 p.m., Living with Alzheimer's - for those in very early stages - Mondays 1:00 p.m., Respite Programs: Social Day Program 10:00 a.m. - 1:45 p.m. $45 Day Fee, Tuesdays and Fridays. Meetings at Carteret Street Methodist Church, 408 Carteret St., Beaufort; In Home - Respite Aides available for 2 hr. minimum, $14-$27. Early Memory Loss: Maintain Your Brain 2nd and 4th Thursdays, 10-11:30 a.m., $10/person, $15/couple, Carteret Street Methodist Church, Beaufort; Memory Screenings available call 843-521-9190 or make an appointment, 1500 King St, Beaufort, free; Purple Haven Project Educate local establishment staff to better interact with a
The Pour House, 1977 Maybank Hwy, Charleston. For live music schedule, visit (843) 571-4343 or www.charlestonpourhouse.com Windjammer, 1008 Ocean Blvd, Isle of Palms. For live music schedule, call (843) 886-8596 or visit www.the-windjammer.com
Fri 11/6, Fabulous Forgeries at Atelier Off Bay. OTHER EVENTS Featuring original interpretations of iconic masterpieces, handpainted by local artists. Public reception during First Friday, from 5 - Sat 11/7, Coping with the Holidays Bereave8pm. 203 West St in downtown Beaufort. ment Support Event at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Beaufort, 1778 Sams Point 11/17 - 12/31, Gallery of Gifts at Art League Rd, Lady's Island. Open to all members of the Gallery. Opening Reception Wed 11/18, 5 - 7pm. community dealing with grief during the holi14 Shelter Cove Lane, Hilton Head. www. days. Facilitated by Bruce Page and Kay Ibarra. artleaguehhi.org For more information and to reserve your spot, call Bruce Page at 914-262-5396
BOOKS & WRITERS
BEAUFORT/PORT ROYAL Foolish Frog, 846 Sea Island Pkwy, St. Helena Island. (843) 838-9300. Foolish Frog on Facebook Luther’s Rare & Well Done, 910 Bay Street. (843) 521-1888 or Luther's on Facebook Q on Bay, 822 Bay St, Beaufort. (843) 524-7771 or www.qonbay.com Rosie O’Gradys Irish Pub, in Beaufort Town Center. Irish American Sports Pub & Eatery. C'mon down! Rock & Roll Lunch. Monday - 25% Off Burgers; Tuesday - 25% Off Fish & Chips. Wed, Fri & Sat Karaoke. (843) 379-7676 or Rosie's on Facebook Saltus River Grill, 802 Bay St, Beaufort. (843) 379-3474 or www.saltusrivergrill.com
BLUFFTON/HILTON HEAD Big Bamboo, Coligny Plaza. (843) 686-3443 or www.bigbamboocafe.com Captain Woody’s, 14 Executive Park Rd., Hilton Head, 843-785-2400; OR - 17 State of Mind St., Bluffton, . Tuesdays - Chris Jones, Wednesdays - Trivia. Thursdays - Jevon & Andy. www. captainwoodys.com The Jazz Corner, Village at Wexf1ord, Hilton Head. Sundays - Deas Guyz; Mondays - A Journey Through Jazz with The Martin Lesch Band; Tuesdays - Fat Tuesdays: A Swingin' Celebration of New Orleans and Beyond; Wednesdays -Quiana Parler w/Lavon Stevens Trio; Thursdays - Lavon Stevens with Louise Spencer. Check website for other dates. (843) 842-8620 or www.TheJazzCorner.com
OUT OF TOWN The Music Farm, 32 Ann Street, Charleston. For live music schedule, call (843) 853-2252 or www.musicfarm.com
Editors Note: Events listed here may be subject to postponement or cancellation. Please check for further information.
FILM/THEATER/DANCE 11/30, Monday Movies at USCB Center for the Arts in Beaufort. Screenings at 3pm and 7pm. Tickets at the door or online. Visit www.uscbcenterforthearts.com for more information and tickets.
11/12 - 11/14, 42nd Annual Heritage Days Celebration at Penn Center, featuring artists, authors, live music, food traditions, a film screen11/6 - 11/8, Fall Book Sale, sponsored by Friends ing and a community parade. For a full schedof the Beaufort Library. Fri, 11am - 8pm, Sat, 9am ule of events visit www.penncenter.com/ - 6pm, Sun 10am - 3pm. Waterfront Park Pavil- heritage-days ion, downtown Beaufort 11/19 - 11/22, Mistletoe Market in downtown Wed 11/18, Children's author Kem Welch Beaufort. 11/19, King Street Arts Center, 11/20(Horatio & Kobbly books) Family Reading Cir- 11/21, Tabby Place. Arts, crafts, small businesscle from 3:30 - 5:30 at the Beaufort Bookstore. es, music, food, entertainment. For more infor2127 Boundary St. www.thebeaufortbookstore. mation visit www.freedmanartsdistrict.org com 11/20 - 11/22, 25th Annual Beaufort Homes for the Holidays to benefit St. Peter's Catholic School. Walking tour of 6 exquisite homes in MUSIC Islands of Beaufort, decorated for the holidays. Candlelight tour on Fri from 5 - 7:30pm. Tours on Sat & Sun from 11am - 3pm. For tickets and 11/7, 11/8 & 11/11, Lowcountry Wind Symmore information, visit www.beauforthomesphony Salutes America's Veterans with confortheholidays.com certs at three locations – Beaufort High School (Sat at 4pm), Bluffton High School Thur 11/26, Habitat for Humanity 9th Annual (Sun at 3pm) and Dataw's Carolina Room Turkey Trot 5K in downtown Beaufort. For (Wed at 7pm) For more info visit www.lowmore information, visit www.lowcountryhabicountrywindsymphony.com tat.org Sun 11/8, Sea Island Chamber Singers perform Sacred Choral Music at St. John's Lutheran Church in Beaufort at 4pm. Rutter, Mendelssohn, and more. Donations appreciated.
Mondays, Mah Jongg! from Noon - 3pm at the St. Francis Center, 85 Mattis Dr., St. Helena Island. New players welcome. Teachers available. For more information, call Kathy at 843-721-3545.
Sun 11/8, Pianist Alexandre Dossin concert on Fripp Island. 5pm at the Fripp Island Community Centre. Reception to follow. $30 at the door. For more information visit www.frippfriendsofmusic.com
Tuesdays, Tours of Hunting Island sponsored by Friends of Hunting Island Keeper Ted and his team. For info call the Nature Center at 843838-7437. Tours free are and park entry fees apply.
Sun, 11/15, USCB Chamber Music 47th Season Opener, with creative director Andrew Armstrong at the helm. 5pm at USCB Center Now - 11/13, Finding the Rhythm of Nature: for the Arts. www.uscbchambermusic.com Art that Makes You Smile. Featuring the work of John K. Crum at the Art League Gallery. Sun 11/15, We The People, presented by the Opening reception Wed 10/21, 5-7 pm. 14 Shel- Mary Green Chorale at Lowcountry Presbyter Cove Lane, Hilton Head. www.artleaguehhi. terian Church in Bluffton at 4pm. For more org information visit www.marygreenchorale.org
Third Thursday, TECHconnect is a monthly networking event for professionals working in and around technology. Come join the conversation at BASEcamp 500 Carteret 5:30-7:30pm. 843-470-3506. www.beaufortdigital.com
11/2 - 12/23, SOBA Holiday Market, Society of Sat 11/21, Rhythms of the Lowcountry, a Bluffton Artists Gallery. Handmade holiday gifts. musical celebration mixing Gullah gospel, www.sobagallery.com Latin music, and American jazz standards. At Christ Lutheran Church on Hilton Head at 11/3 - 1/3, The Best of Beaufort Art: Beaufort 6:30 pm. For more information call Art Association All Member Show. Opening 843-271-9919. reception Fri 11/6, 5 - 8pm. 913 Bay Street, Beaufort. www.beaufortartassociation.com
Ongoing, Beaufort Tree Walk by the Lady’s Island Garden Club through the historic Old Point. Takes about an hour and is a little over a mile. Starts at the corner of Craven & Carteret Streets ending in Waterfront Park. Booklets with a map and tree info available FREE at the Visitors Center in the historic Arsenal on Craven St.
11/20 - 11/22, How to Train Your Dragon, The Musical JR. Performed by the Beaufort Children's Theatre at USCB Center for the Arts. Fri & Sat at 7pm, Sun at 3pm. For more information visit www. uscbcenterforthearts.com
GALLERIES/ART
Thursdays, History Tours of Fort Mitchell by Heritage Library, 10am. $12/Adult $7/Child. 843-686-6560.
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Obtain the Property Report required by Federal law and read it before signing anything. No Federal agency has judged the merits or value, if any, of this property. WARNING: THE CALIFORNIA BUREAU OF REAL ESTATE HAS NOT INSPECTED, EXAMINED, OR QUALIFIED THE OFFERINGS. Latitude Margaritaville Kentucky Registration Number R-201. For NY Residents: THE COMPLETE OFFERING TERMS FOR THE SALE OF LOTS IN LATITUDE MARGARITAVILLE AT HILTON HEAD ARE IN THE CPS-12 APPLICATION AVAILABLE FROM SPONSOR, MINTO LATITUDE HH, LLC. FILE NO. CP18-0021. THE COMPLETE OFFERING TERMS FOR THE SALE OF LOTS IN LATITUDE MARGARITAVILLE WATERSOUND ARE IN THE CPS-12 APPLICATION AVAILABLE FROM SPONSOR, LMWS, LLC. FILE NO. CP20-0062. Pennsylvania Registration Numbers OL001170 (Latitude Margaritaville at Hilton Head) and OL001182 (Latitude Margaritaville Watersound). Latitude Margaritaville at Hilton Head and Latitude Margaritaville Watersound are registered with the Massachusetts Board of Registration of Real Estate Brokers and Salesmen, 1000 Washington Street, Suite 710, Boston, MA 02118 and with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, 1700 G Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20552. This material shall not constitute a valid offer in any state where prior registration is required and has not been completed. Photographs are for illustrative purposes only and are merely representative of current development plans. Development plans, amenities, facilities, dimensions, specifications, prices and features depicted by artists renderings or otherwise described herein are approximate and subject to change without notice. ©Minto Communities, LLC 2026. All rights reserved. Content may not be reproduced, copied, altered, distributed, stored, or transferred in any form or by any means without express written permission. Latitude Margaritaville and the Latitude Margaritaville logo are trademarks of Margaritaville Enterprises, LLC and are used under license. Minto and the Minto logo are trademarks of Minto Communities, LLC and/or its affiliates. CGC 1519880/CGC 120919. 2026
820 Bay Street Beaufort, SC 29902
843.521.4200 $625,000
$675,000
PIGEON POINT | MLS 195793 3BDRM | 2.5B | 1855sqft | OLREA Amy McNeal 843.521.7932
CAT ISLAND | MLS 197321
3BDRM | 3.5B | 2320sqft | F.R.O.G. Bryan Gates 843.812.6494
$950,000
$1,550,000
DATAW ISLAND | MLS 198789
DISTANT ISLAND | MLS 195245
$169,000
4BDRM | 3.2+B | 2854qft Paige Walling 843.812.8470 Trudy Arthur 843.812.0967
.65 Acre Homesite | Private Deepwater Dock Panoramic Views Edward Dukes 843.812.5000
$599,900
$849,000
$759,000
MOSSY OAKS | MLS 197501
SOMERSET POINT | MLS 197099
LANDS END | MLS 195294
$975,000
$2,495,000
$265,000
$2,295,000
LADY'S ISLAND | MLS 198451
HISTORIC BEAUFORT | MLS 195300
HARBOR ISLAND | MLS 194737
FRIPP ISLAND | MLS 197851
3BDRM | 2B | 2484sqft | .54 Acre Julia O’Hara 201.456.8620
3BDRM | 3B | 2.19 Acres | Carriage House Robin Leverton 843.812.3344
5BDRM | 4.5B | 3353sqft | Pool Amy McNeal 843.521.7932
5BDRM | 5.5B | 3554sqft | Completely Restored Dawn Yerace 843.441.6518 Josh Yerace 843.941.9443
3BDRM | 2.5+B | 1810sqft Spacious Living Paige Walling 843.812.8470
1BDRM | 1.5B | 794sqft | Oceanview Bryan Gates 843.812.6494
CAT ISLAND | MLS 167842
.66 Acre Homesite | Marsh/Water Views Cul-de-sac Donna Duncan 843.597.3464
4BDRM | 3.5B | 2358sqft | Oceanfront Wayne Webb 843.812.5203
www.LowcountryRealEstate.com