The painting on our cover is 'Egret with the Blues' by Kris Peterson, one of 13 artists participating in the Pigeon Point Studio Art Walk, coming October 14th. For details, see our story starting on page 12.
L o w c o unt r yWeekly
September 27 – October 10, 2023
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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 2023 by P. Podd Press, 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.
My college friend Tommy, a portrait artist, often does small pieces he calls “studies” before painting a full-blown portrait. The “study” for the following essay languished on my blog for a couple of years before I finally fleshed it out and published it here . . . seven years ago.
Yes, after two-plus decades of columnizing, I occasionally recycle. But only if the column still feels relevant. Unfortunately, this one does. In spades. I have inserted a few editorial comments and updates, but the bones are the same.
It starts with a conversation at the Old Bull Tavern . . .
"We really love our son’s new girlfriend,” someone told me over happy hour drinks the other night. “She’s a great person. Really aware . . . Really conscious . . . "
“But is she nice?” I wondered silently, keeping the question in my head, like a nice girl.
You hear a lot of talk about consciousness these days. It’s all the rage. Though not one of the seven “cardinal” ones, it’s a highly prized virtue in contemporary society. I strive to cultivate it, myself.
When you hear people talking about “consciousness,” they’re typically referring to a heightened awareness of the wider world –environmental issues, human rights, the ethical treatment of animals, and other
genuinely important concerns. “Conscious” people, in particular, often claim a higher awareness of their connection with each other and all of humanity. You often hear them say things like “we’re all connected” and “we’re all one.” They post these statements on Facebook in pretty little boxes with floral trim.
But here’s something interesting I’ve noticed: In my travels through social media, I’ve discovered that hyper-conscious humans are often quite contemptuous of humans who aren’t. Much of the time, the super-conscious do not seem to feel “connected” or “one” with the sub-conscious at all.
Lately, the most proudly conscious among us can often be seen boasting that they’ve just “blocked” this friend or “unfollowed” that friend on Facebook. One particularly conscious fellow – middle-aged, like me – publicly shared that an old high school classmate had reached out to him with a friend request, and he’d responded with a message saying, “It’s great to hear from you, but if you’re supporting Donald Trump, let’s just save ourselves the trouble.” The classmate confessed to being a Republican, and a lukewarm Trump voter, so the connection fizzled instantly. Touching reunion, huh?
(Editorial note from 2023 – I’m aware that for most readers, the stakes are even higher today than they were seven years ago when I
first published this piece. But my general thesis stands. In fact, I believe our current “situation” is, in large part, a result of the dynamic I’m describing.)
Now, it’s election season and it’s ugly out there. I get that. All this blocking and unfollowing and unfriending is a natural response. But it occurs to me that it might also represent – ironically – a failure of consciousness.
Because here’s the proverbial “thing”: For some people (poets, prophets and artists, for instance), consciousness comes rather naturally. It’s almost like a gift – a God-given talent. For most everybody else, consciousness must be cultivated.
We come into this world kicking and screaming, red of face and utterly selfish, conscious of very little beyond our own gaping maw of creature-neediness. As we grow, we develop that outward gaze – that thing we call consciousness – to differing degrees at different paces. There are many reasons why some people never develop a high level of consciousness – or come to consciousness later than others – and those reasons are typically circumstantial, not intentional.
Sometimes, it’s a matter of under-privilege. Many people just don’t have the opportunity to travel outside their own limited, closed-off cultural spheres – literally or figuratively. Some spend all their time working mundane jobs just to get by, then fall into bed exhausted at night, only to start the whole thing over again in the morning. Some have little time or energy to read books and explore ideas; or they have nobody at home –or even in the neighborhood – encouraging them to do so. That kind of “unawareness” is eminently forgivable, it seems to me. Those people deserve mercy, not scorn. They need our friendship, not our “unfriending.”
Some people, on the other hand, are too privileged. They’ve had their lives dished up on a shiny silver serving tray; everything’s been too easy. They have never wanted or needed for anything and have not (yet) been blessed with the gift of suffering, which breeds compassion. They’re insensitive to the struggles of others because they’ve never struggled. Their lack of experience has rendered them ignorant. It’s a kind of ignorance that’s hard for the rest of us to forgive – but it’s ignorance, nevertheless. It’s a “not knowing,” and it’s not necessarily permanent.
Margaret EvansAnd then, there are those who are just . . . stuck. Stuck in “the way it’s always been” or “the way we’ve always done it” – frozen in place by all the flashing images and shrill voices and conflicting “truths” that come flying at the postmodern human from every direction, all the time, 24 hours a day. These people hunker down with their habits and their long-held opinions – some good, some not so good – because it feels safer and less confusing. Insecurity . . . confusion . . . stagnation. Have we never experienced these things? Have we no empathy?
Since I’m not a geneticist, I won’t even get into our differing DNA, but that would open up a whole ‘nother can of worms . . .
Bottom line: I don’t believe most people choose to be unconscious, unaware, unmindful, un-awakened.
They just are . . . until they aren’t anymore.
(Inserting a “fun fact” here, from the perspective of 2023: When I wrote this piece almost a decade ago, it seems I was not yet conscious, aware, or mindful of the now ubiquitous term “woke,” which would have come in quite handy.)
Unconsciousness is its own kind of prison – lonely, isolating, self-limiting. You never know what will unlock the door, releasing the unwitting inmate, but I’m pretty sure it won’t be contempt. Contempt never opened a pair of eyes, and it definitely never opened a heart. If we who fancy ourselves “conscious” can’t see that – and expand our seeing into loving – then maybe we’re not as conscious as we think.
There are so many humans hating other humans – in cyberspace and beyond – and hatred has never healed anybody. If consciousness is “knowing,” then shouldn’t we, The Conscious, be the ones who know better? If consciousness doesn’t breed loving kindness – if it doesn’t help free prisoners – I’m not sure it deserves its current status in the pantheon of virtues.
Maybe that’s why it didn’t make the Big Seven back in the day.
As a seasoned travel writer, I can zip through the most complex of museums in no time at all and – with the help of the Internet and an interview or two – create a story that can spark enough interest to entice travelers to add it to their itinerary. But a new museum in Charleston has me so captivated that my first two-hour visit left me filled with questions, emotionally drained, and looking forward to a return visit in the not-too-distant future.
On June 27th the International African American Museum (IAAM) opened on Wharfside Street at Gadsden’s Wharf, where more than 40 percent of all enslaved African Americans entered the U.S. According to museum president and CEO Tonya Matthews, the location is often referred to as the “Ground Zero of importation of enslaved people into the United States,” those Africans who were forced to the Americas through the inhumanity of the Middle Passage.
The fact that a remarkable amount of thought and care went into the planning of this gorgeous contemporary structure on such a highly charged historical site becomes obvious immediately. Its architecture was defined by lead designer, the late Henry N. Cobb, who stated, “As the place where thousands of Africans from diverse cultures first set foot in North America, Gadsden’s Wharf is not just the
right place to tell this story; it is hallowed ground. The special design challenge of the museum (was) to build on this site without occupying it.” Which incredibly, happened.
The largest African American-owned design firm in the nation, New York–based architectural firm Pei Cobb Freed & Partners, deliberately designed the 426-foot-long, 84-foot-wide single-story building to hover 13 feet above the ground, supported by 18 cylindrical pillars as a way of reconciling the trauma of the site’s deep ties to slavery. Most of the ground plane beneath the building remains open, representing the heart of the site’s collective memory. Actually, collective memory is the undercurrent of the entire museum. Architectural features direct visitors’ views to the Atlantic on the east and downtown Charleston on the west. The supporting columns are made of traditional oyster-shell tabby, also used as paving in portions of the landscape. On the east side of this open space, oriented to the harbor and ocean beyond, a shallow reflecting pool signifies the edge of Gadsden’s Wharf as it was at the beginning of the 19th century, at the peak of the slave trade.
Designed for LEED certification, the 150,000-square-foot museum is packed with six centuries of history. Transformative, empathetic storytelling, exceptional artifacts and exhibits combine with an impactful power of place to engage visitors
Writers, Far and Wide – Here’s a chance to get paid for writing! Sea Island Spirit Writers’ critique group is again sponsoring a short story contest open to all writers 18 years old and up. The word “alone” must appear in your story of 750 words or less. Your story could net you $100 for first place, $50 for second place, or $25 for third, and publication in Lowcountry Weekly
THE RULES ARE SIMPLE:
• Entry fee is $15 per story. Only one entry per person please.
• All entries must include your name, address, email address and phone number.
• Entries must be received by Friday, October 6, 2023.
• Entries cannot have been previously published. We want new, fresh fiction.
• Digital entries only please. Submit to editor@lcweekly.com by email with “Short Story Contest” in the subject line.
• Payment may be made either by check or credit card. To pay by credit card, call Lowcountry Weekly at 843-522-0418. To pay by check, make checks out to “Lowcountry Weekly” with “Short Story Contest” in the memo line. Mail to Lowcountry Weekly, 106 West Street Extension, Beaufort SC 29902.
• Winners will be published in the October 25th issue of Lowcountry Weekly.
with that history. Engagement would be my primary takeaway from the IAAM, the reason I spent so much time there without seeing everything, and the reason I’ll return. There’s simply so much to see, to read, to learn, to experience. So much I didn’t know about the African American journey.
Through beautifully presented, enormous photos, tribal art, contemporary fashion, interviews with local African American residents, and relics of protest and resistance, IAAM shines a bright light on how Africans and African Americans –by their diverse journeys, labor, resistance, and ingenuity – have shaped every aspect of our world. The museum boasts 12 permanent exhibits, nine galleries with arts and artifacts from struggles in America, and one 3,000-square-foot Special Exhibitions Gallery that features two or three exhibits per year and an ongoing series of digital exhibits published via the Google Arts & Cultural platforms. A permanent exhibit that’s a pure step into the African diaspora is a tiny praise house with a few pews. All of the music heard there is simple, heart-filling, emotional, and hopeful.
Though this facility isn’t a Smithsonian affiliate, in my humble opinion, it could be.
Outdoors, the beautifully landscaped African Ancestors Memorial Garden with elements of Lowcountry landscape allows a fresh air place to reflect on the significance of this historically sacred site, as it celebrates the arts, crafts, and labors of the culture. The same shallow pool is a metaphor for the Atlantic for the African diaspora, i.e. all those of African descent settled far from their ancestral homeland. Free to everyone, the garden is always open.
The question that arises for many who visit, as well as the raft of enthusiastic people that volunteer there, centers around whether the overall emotional effect of the museum is one of solemnity or of celebratory joy. From my own experience I’d say both. No question that many who come are overwhelmed with emotion and require time to process the amount of information presented. For folks who want or need to take a break, small “quiet rooms” are available for sitting, thinking, meditating, and/or simply being quiet to let one’s heart and brain settle. Chairs on an outdoor balcony facing the harbor and the Atlantic beyond provide another option to chill, stare at the water, and take in the experience.
WHOLLY HOLISTICS
by Katherine Tandy Brown
I can only imagine the impact that this amount of direct history, interspersed with an unbelievable amount of trauma, which –sadly – in many forms continues today, must have on African Americans. According to its terrific website, the museum stands as “one of the nation’s newest platforms for the disruption of institutionalized racism as it evolves today.”
One of IAAM’s best-used features and the best illustration of how this treasure of information tells the full African American story is its Center for Family History, a groundbreaking research center. Here community members can explore their roots in FamilySearch kiosks or schedule a virtual one-on-one session with a member of a team of remarkable researchers that trace genealogy through photos, marriage records, archival tools, and the largest collection of United States Colored Troop (USCT) records outside of the National Archives.
Sometimes even a lineage that arrived on a slave ship through this very South Carolina port may be uncovered.
Built next to the fascinating South Carolina Aquarium, the IAAM has a website (iaamuseum.org) chock-full of info . . . like the museum. Though there’s no designated parking, neighborhood spaces with meters are often available, and a parking garage is only a short walk away.
As a child of the 1960’s, I remember watching on our first TV the Civil Rights marches in Birmingham, being confused by and angry at the KKK in white sheets on the sidelines carrying ugly signs, and weeping when police dogs and firehoses were turned on the African American protesters who only wanted the right to live a peaceful life in a Democratic country. Hopefully, the IAAM will have the power to open minds and hearts to help create a nation where all can truly be free.
One of Beaufort’s most popular fall events returns on October 7, 2023, from 10:00 am until 3:00 pm. The Saint Peter’s Catholic Church Annual Fall Bazaar will once again provide friends and families with a delightful day of delectable food, mouthwatering libations, irresistible arts and crafts, enchanting auction items, and children’s games, activities, and petting zoo. Entrance to the bazaar is free and open to the public.
children access to a large slide, bounce house, football toss, soccer game, Fishers-of-Men fishing booth, face painting, popcorn, and entrance to the popular Beaufort Barnyard and Petting Zoo (from 10 AM until 2 PM).
The Silent Auction will feature new items and services donated by local businesses and individuals. New this year is an online auction that will include items such as a chartered full day fishing trip, a vacation rental on Harbor Island, the popular gourmet dinner with the pastor, and paintings.
Returning for its second year is the bazaar Craft Fair. Local artists and crafts people will display a wide variety of beautiful and novel items that make early Christmas shopping a breeze.
For the gardening enthusiast, the bazaar will also feature a plant sale.
The Saint Peter’s Catholic Church Annual Bazaar is a fund-raiser for Lowcountry Outreach, a ministry of Saint Peter’s parish. Lowcountry Outreach and the parish Service Committee work together to break down access barriers and find ways for area nonprofits to expand their reach. Housed in a building adjacent to the Saint Peter’s campus, Lowcountry Outreach has partnered with Good Neighbor Medical Clinic to provide rides to those who would be unable to keep their medical appointments. Lowcountry Outreach is now providing office space for Lowcountry Legal Volunteers which helps provide access to justice regardless of a client’s ability to pay.
As in years past, the bazaar will feature scrumptious international foods from several countries. For those desiring more sugary treats, the ever-popular Sweet Shoppe will provide cakes, pies, cookies, and other satisfying delicacies.
Beer and wine will be available for purchase. Cold soft drinks and water, sponsored by Habersham Land Company, will also keep participants hydrated.
All that food will require exercise to burn it off. The purchase of a wrist band will allow
Anatural pick for book clubs there is plenty to discuss in this thought-provoking, moving story of forgiveness, unexpected connection, and the myriad ways people protect those they love."
– Booklist
The nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center hosts an evening with novelist Terah Shelton Harris, author of One Summer in Savannah, on Friday, Oct. 6, at 5 pm, at the Conroy Center (601 Bladen St.). Books will be available for sale and signing in partnership with Beaufort Bookstore. Please register in advance at 843-379-7025.
forget. But when Sara's father falls ill, she's forced to return home and face the ghosts of her past. While caring for her father and running his bookstore, Sara is desperate to protect her curious, outgoing, genius daughter from the Wylers, the family of the man who assaulted her. Sara thinks she can succeed her attacker is in prison, his identical twin brother, Jacob, left town years ago, and their mother are all unaware Alana exists. But she soon learns that Jacob has also just returned to Savannah to piece together the fragments of his once-great family. And when their two worlds collide with the type of force Sara explores in her poetry and Jacob in his astrophysics they are drawn together in unexpected ways.
It's been eight years since Sara Lancaster left her home in Savannah, Georgia. Eight years since her daughter, Alana, came into this world, following a terrifying sexual assault that left deep emotional wounds Sara would do anything to
Terah Shelton Harris is a collection development librarian based in Alabama and a freelance writer. She has been published in Women’s Health, Natural Solutions, Every Day with Rachael Ray, Backpacker, Draft,and Women’s Adventure. One Summer in Savannah is her first novel. Learn more about the Pat Conroy Literary Center at www.patconroyliterarycenter.org
The nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center is honored to host a free public drop-in launch event for Donna Keel Armer’s The Red Starfish, Book #1 in the Cat Gabbiano Mystery Series. Join us on Saturday, October 7, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at 601 Bladen St., in downtown Beaufort. No advance registration required. Books will be available for sale and signing. Refreshments will be provided. The author will speak briefly at 5:45 p.m.
ABOUT THE RED
Kidnapped? Murdered? Or another publicity stunt?
A gorgeous film star and her priceless starfish necklace disappear. What do the indecipherable clues she leaves behind mean? Desperate to find her missing friend, Cat Gabbiano abandons her home and business in the South Carolina Lowcountry to fly across the ocean to Italy where she and her best friend spent magical childhood summers. Will Cat solve the mystery of her friend’s disappearance or will she become the next victim? Woven against the alluring Adriatic coastline of Puglia, The Red Starfish mixes a dangerous cocktail of power, corruption, passion, and the forever friendship of two captivating women.
"Born on the same day, two women forge a life-long friendship. When Cat gets Stella’s desperate phone call asking for help, she doesn’t hesitate to get on a plane from the Low Country of South Carolina to the Italian village of Castello del Mare. When she arrives and learns Stella is missing, she finds herself caught in a web of treachery, danger and deceit. Can she decipher the clues Stella left her? Is there anyone she can trust? The Red Starfish is a gripping and suspenseful
tale that will keep you guessing right to the end. Donna Keel Armer has crafted a superb mystery – and if you’ve been to Italy, you’ll delight in the descriptions of the food and the countryside. If you’ve never been, you’ll long to go."
– Sally Handley, author of the Holly & Ivy cozy mystery series
Donna Keel Armer is the author of Solo in Salento: A Memoir which has been translated into Italian as Un’americana in Salento. She recently completed a book tour of Southern Italy. She’s a photojournalist and has published essays for travel anthologies and in magazines featuring photographs and articles on travel, food and wine, home and garden and various other topics. When she’s on the road, she writes a private travelogue. Donna is a former board member of Friends of the Beaufort Library, a member of Sea Island Spirit Writers, and a docent at the Pat Conroy Literary Center. Donna and her husband Ray split their time between their forever home in the South Carolina Lowcountry and their beloved Italy.
Alisha Doud alisha@dcgilbert.com
Daun Schouten daun@dcgilbert.com
Laure Gallagher laure@dcgilbert.com
Ashley Hart ashley@dcgilbert.com
Joy McConnell joy@dcgilbert.com
Dawn Shipsey dawn@dcgilbert.com
Johanna Graham johanna@dcgilbert.com
Kathy Crowley kathy@dcgilbert.com
Kaitlyn Kintz reception@dcgilbert.com
Derek C. Gilbert derek@dcgilbert.com
Melissa R. Wicker melissa@dcgilbert.com
Sam Bailey
samuel@dcgilbert.com
While you were enjoying Lowcountry summertime delights USCB Chamber Music was hard at work putting together a concert season unlike any previously offered. Now in his third full season as Artistic Director, host, and pianist, Andrew Armstrong has raised audience expectations each year with new composers and works, new artists, new performances, and familiar favorites served with irrepressible, swashbuckling, can-do style. The repertoire, a mix of old and brand-new, reflects Andy's firm belief that committed, passionate performances elevate all types of music to high art. For the new season, he has assembled a stunning array of prize-winning young virtuosos and seasoned, praiseworthy artists. A brilliant performer with an audience-engaging personality, Andy will preside over the concerts with serious intent and a twinkle in his eye. He has never met a concert-goer he didn't like and is dedicated to making each concert a personal, unique, and unforgettable experience for each audience member.
The season opens on Sunday, November 12, with two returning artists, Tessa Lark, violin, and Alice Yoo, cello, joining Mr. Armstrong. The first half of the program is book-ended with brilliant, European show stoppers: Frédéric Chopin's Scherzo No. 3 in C-sharp minor, Op. 39 for solo piano and Pablo de Sarasate's devilishly difficult Carmen Fantasy, Op. 25 for violin and piano. Ms. Yoo will perform Max Bruch's rhapsodic declaration, Kol Nidrei, for cello and piano. Tessa and Alice will combine on two works, the first a classical pair of movements by Reinhold Glière from 8 Duets for Violin and Cello; the second a cheeky bluegrass romp, Wooden Soldier, by Tessa and her husband, bassist Michael Thurber. The second half is devoted to a brawny, multi-movement, late-Romantic work, Anton Arensky's Piano Trio in D minor
On December 10, the young Barbican String Quartet makes their Beaufort debut as part of their first-ever American tour. They have bounded into the chamber music world with first place wins in major string quartet and chamber music competitions, glowing reviews, and extensive festival and concert bookings. The concert begins with a “short evocative outdoor adventure,” She Fell for a Flyfisher, by the Artistic Director. The quartet then plays Henry Purcell's carefully-crafted Fantasia in Four Parts No. 8 in D minor, the
oldest work of the season (1680), and Benjamin Britten's eerily colored and virtuosic String Quartet No. 1. Mr. Armstrong joins the quartet to close the program with Anton Dvorak's Piano Quintet in A Major, Opus 81. Come hear the extraordinary Barbican String Quartet at the start of their career.
Price's semi-sacred, meditative Adoration and Gershwin's jazzy Prelude). They then combine on the dazzling and hyper-romantic final work: Ernst von Dohnányi's Sextet for Violin, Viola, Cello, Horn, Clarinet and Piano, Op. 37. The season concludes with a weekend of art and music-including our first-ever Youth Concert on Saturday afternoon, a high school art show at four, followed by our Sunday, (April 7) concert, and a Monday morning concert for area high school students. Sunday’s concert features composer and saxophonist Alison Shearer, the season's largest compliment of players, a spectacular array of sights and sounds, and the exciting world premiere of a new piece.
Two brilliant, prize-winning performers — Kevin Zhu, violin, and Jan Vogler, cello — will join Andy for the January 28, 2024 concert. Mr. Vogler opens the concert with a well-loved dance suite, J.S. Bach's Unaccompanied Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major, BWV 1007. Mr. Zhu will display his dazzling technique on a pair of blisteringly difficult études, Nos. 1 and 24 of Niccolò Paganini's 24 Caprices for Solo Violin, Op. 1. The music then jumps to the twentieth century for works of warmth and sauce: Henry Mancini's Moon River, arr. for cello and piano and George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue for solo piano, commemorating its 100th anniversary. The concert comes to a grand conclusion with a major work by one of the most popular and beloved classical composers, Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Piano Trio in A minor, Op 50 is a work of winning lyricism, passionate expressivity, and sumptuous color that deeply evokes Russian culture and character.
Each of the six artists on the March 3rd concert takes a turn in the soloist's spotlight:
Violinist Amy Schwartz Moretti, cellist Raphael Bell, and Andy Armstrong start the program with Sergei Rachmaninov's haunting Trio éléiaque No. 1 in G minor. Andy then accompanies French hornist RJ Kelly (Saint-Saëns gentle Romance, Op. 36 ), violist Gabriela Diaz (Rebecca Clarke's journey-through-a-dreamscape Morpheus), and clarinetist Alexander Fiterstein (Florence
Walda Wildman and Kathrine Wells have commissioned Ms. Shearer's original work in conjunction with a grant from the S. C. Arts Commission. In December Ms. Shearer will be presented artworks by talented regional high-school artists. She will then transform her impressions of selected pictures into music for an ensemble of alto saxophone, strings, and piano. This project, entitled The Sound of Art, gives voice to the visual art and brings great musicians together to showcase prize-winning local student artworks. Ms Shearer is an accomplished alto saxophonist, and in her hands the instrument will mimic the wordless-voice qualities of Sergei Rachmaninov's Vocalise, Op. 34, arr. for alto saxophone and piano. A talented flute doubler, Ms. Shearer will also perform Arthur Foote's A Night Piece for flute and strings and Cecile Chaminade's Capriccio, Op. 18 for Flute and Piano. Ernst von Dohnányi is represented with Serenade for String Trio, Opus 10, a multi-movement, Hungarian-inflected suite packed with musical riches. Ralph Vaughn Williams' creamy-thick, tuneful Piano Quintet in C minor closes the program. The four strings are violin (Abilgél Králik), viola (Joan DerHovesepian), cello (Ani Aznavoorian), and double bass (Maggie Cox). The bass on the bottom enriches the sound of the entire ensemble giving it an almost orchestral resonance.
Each of the five season concerts is a one-off mix of familiar staples and interesting, accessible music played with bravura and consummate musicianship. The 44th season is
the most ambitious of the Series and offers far more than the five-Sunday concerts: Friday, September 29, Mr. Armstrong presented his second, free pre-season, solo piano recital at Port Royal's St. Mark's Church; Friday, November 10, 5:00pm, the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute presents Bourbon, Bach and Bluegrass featuring Chamber Music Artists at USCB's Hilton Head campus; Saturday, April 6, 3:00pm, USCB Chamber Music, with a generous gift from Nancy and Howell Beach, offers its first-ever Youth Concert at the USCB Center for the Arts (free for youth) where the eight artists will discuss and perform classical works; Sunday, April 7, 4:00pm, one hour before the final concert, the works from the regional high-school art show competition will be displayed in the Art Center's gallery.
Experience the life-affirming communication provided by Andrew Armstrong and his amazing colleagues during what promises to be an outstanding season. There are three ways to enjoy the concerts: In-Person and virtually by Live-Stream and On-Demand. All virtual concerts are professionally produced, creating great viewing opportunities. On-Demand is accessible four days after the concert and available to view at your leisure for three weeks. For concert, event, or ticket information, go to www.uscbchambermusic. com or call 843-208-8246, Monday through Friday. All Sunday concerts are at 5:00pm at the USCB Center for the Arts, 801 Carteret Street in the downtown historic district.
Four civil rights veterans will return to Penn Center for a free public program, “Eyewitnesses to the Movement: The Low Country and the Civil Rights Movement,” Saturday, Sept. 30, 4-6 p.m., in Frissell Hall at Penn Center with a reception following. Admission is free.
“These veterans either trained at the Penn Center in interracial gatherings of students or were instrumental in civil rights in the Low Country,” said Dr. Bobby Donaldson, executive director of the Center for Civil Rights History and Research. “Between them, their rich memories of the Low Country and the Penn Center could fill books. This promises to be an historic afternoon.”
Panelists Dr. Millicent Brown and Oveta Glover were two of the first eleven students to desegregate Charleston public schools sixty years ago this month. Rodney Hurst trained at Penn Center for student direct action in Jacksonville, Fla., including the infamous “Ax Handle Saturday,” and Dr. Dan T. Carter attended Penn Center as a student activist at the University of South Carolina.
The program is part of “Justice for All,” a traveling exhibition that tells the story of South Carolina’s essential role in the American Civil Rights Movement. An open house at the exhibition will be held, 11am-2pm, before the “Eyewitnesses” program. Admission is free, and Civil Rights Center staff will be on hand. The open house will be the final opportunity to view the exhibition on display at the Reconstruction Era National Historical Park, 24 Penn Center Circle West, St. Helena Island.
“It’s been a privilege for Reconstruction Era National Historical Park to host the Justice for All exhibition here at Penn Center National Historic Landmark District,” said Chris Barr, chief of interpretation and public information officer at the Reconstruction Era National Historical Park. “This exhibition has served as a powerful reminder that the promises of 1863 were not yet 100 years old at the time of the student movement. It’s my hope that some of the thousands of visitors who have come through Darrah Hall during the exhibition will be inspired to carry on the work of ensuring that those promises don’t languish for another century.”
Oveta Glover, an elementary student, was one of the first eleven students to desegregate Charleston public schools in 1963. Her father, the Rev. Benjamin J. Glover, was pastor of Charleston’s Emanuel AME Church, an NAACP officer, and participant in landmark civil rights demonstrations in South Carolina. Ms. Glover currently serves as president of the Columbia branch of the NAACP.
Rodney L. Hurst, Sr., was named president of the Jacksonville (Fla.) NAACP Youth Council when he was 16 years old. In 1960, he helped lead sit-in demonstrations in the student movement. At one of the sit-ins, the Jacksonville students endured a horrific mass attack by White supremacists in what is known as “Ax Handle Saturday.” He participated in training at the Penn Center. An insurance professional, Mr. Hurst later served two four-year terms on the Jacksonville City Council.
Twelve local artists in Beaufort’s Pigeon Point neighborhood will be opening their studio spaces to the public on Saturday, October 14th, 10am to 2pm.
Maps for the self-guided art walk will be available at the entrance to Pigeon Point Park and at each location. In addition, each stop on the walk will be marked with a colorful sign. Parking is available at the park and along the street.
Dr. Millicent E. Brown was the title plaintiff in the federal lawsuit to desegregate Charleston public schools in 1963 and, later, a member of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, working in Atlanta and Jackson, Miss. A history professor and self-described activist-historian, Dr. Brown was part of a family deeply engaged in civil rights in the Low Country and the entire state. Her father, J. Arthur Brown, led efforts to desegregate public spaces, including parks and beaches, around the region as president of the Charleston branch and state NAACP conference.
Dr. Dan T. Carter, a native of Florence, South Carolina, was a civil rights activist as a student at the University of South Carolina in the early 1960s and visited the Penn Center as part of interracial student events. An acclaimed historian and professor at Emory University and USC, Dr. Carter has received eight major literary and academic awards for his books and an Emmy for his documentary on George Wallace.
Organized by the University of South Carolina’s Center for Civil Rights History and Research, the “Justice for All” exhibition uses oral history recordings, news film footage, photographs, postcards, newspapers and letters to highlight overlooked chapters in the history of the movement.
The “Justice for All” traveling exhibition was designed with groups and students in mind. Traveling trunks with materials and lesson plans for students are available on request. For information about traveling trunks or our other initiatives such as oral history interviews, please email the Center, sccivilrights@sc.edu
“Justice for All” has visited Columbia, Sumter, Orangeburg, Hartsville, and Spartanburg. After Beaufort, the traveling exhibition will visit Georgetown through December 2023.
The traveling exhibition is based on the 2019 archival exhibition “Justice for All” that the Center created collaboratively with South Carolina Humanities, University of South Carolina Libraries and the College of Arts and Sciences. The traveling version is supported with funding from the Williams Companies as part of a $1.5 million gift, and by South Carolina Humanities and Central Carolina Community Foundation.
Pigeon Point artist Kris Peterson is one of the event organizers. Though her mother was an artist, Kris just started painting about five years ago, following an inspiring beginner pastel class with local artist Beth Williams.
“Through the two years of Covid, I relied on an online art group instructed by Alain Picard,” says Peterson. “Honestly, painting kept me sane then and now. Or helped to, anyway.”
Peterson was inspired by the Freedman Arts District Tour last March. “I was sure the many artists in Pigeon Point could also effectively present a showcase of their work, using the other tour as a model,” she says. “While this is our first Art Walk, we have barely touched the number of talented artists in the area who may be interested in joining a future event. We decided to keep this year’s walk relatively small, and then evaluate its success to determine whether we promote a second year.”
Peterson’s Art Walk co-coordinator Anne Dickerson is a quilter with a long, colorful history with needle and thread.
“When I was about 10 years old, I made the crazy decision to start sewing my own clothes,” she says. “My mother turned me loose with her sewing machine and my clothing style became extremely unique. In retrospect, mildly embarrassing.”
“Years later, after sewing my ‘trousseau,’ I had three children in fairly rapid succession and needed to find a creative outlet that didn’t involve sitting at a sewing machine and quite so many pins,” Dickerson continues. “I gave up clothes making for quilt making, doing all the sewing by hand in the early days, and I’ve never looked back. I helped found the Charlotte Quilter’s Guild in the early 80’s and soon after switched to the more efficient process of machine piecing and quilting. Through all these years, fabrics have brought me continual excitement and inspiration – the endless array of colors and patterns! The creative process of designing and then the tactile, meditative energy of sewing pieces together to create something completely original. And ultimately, the heart-warming satisfaction of seeing children and grandchildren cuddled in quilts made specifically for them! I hope to continue to be a fabric hoarder and happy quilter for as long as the eyes and fingers are willing!”
During the Pigeon Point Studio Art Walk, a wide variety of art mediums and styles will be available to enjoy, along with items for purchase. In addition, most artists will share their workspace/studio and process with interested attendees.
Participating artists include: Helena Appleton (Unique Jewelry); Sandi Atkins (Felted Art); Kelly Carvalho (Handcrafted Signs); Pat Derrick (Quilted Items); Anne Dickerson (Quilts); Joan Furlong (Botanical Art + Photography); Susan McCarthy (Oil Painting); Lorri Motes (Stained Glass); Kris Peterson (Pastel Painting + Cards); Steve Weeks (Oil Painting); Martha Weeks (Novelist); Brenda Voorhees (Mixed Media).
On October 14, grab a few friends, and enjoy an artful autumn stroll through one of Beaufort’s most walkable neighborhoods. For info, email krispeterson811@gmail.com
Stained Glass Fish by Lorri Motes Spoonbill by Steve WeeksIt’s curious the things that turn us into home bodies. Vince and I used to go to the North Carolina mountains every August. We went to Myrtle Beach with our families at least once a year. And, we’d spend a night or two in Charleston or Savannah without an eye blink. These days, we have a beloved cat who’s pushing 17 years of age, a home with all kinds of alarms –including security and appliances, a newly sodded yard that needs to be watered at certain times of the day and a bunch of other business responsibilities. When we’re not working, we’re at home, and we’re happy to be here. It is my most fervent hope that one day, before we’re too old to enjoy it, Vince and I will be able to travel again. I especially miss trying new foods in different restaurants. In the meantime, we do love our abode. Our memories are here. Our photos are here. Our stuff is here. Thankfully, I’m a pretty decent cook so we like to eat here, too. This week’s recipes are some of my favorite go-to weeknight offerings. They all use few ingredients, are simple to prepare and are quite delicious. Dorothy was right. There’s no place like home.
1/8 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Mix all ingredients in a small jar with a tight-fitting lid. Shake to combine. Refrigerate any leftovers.
For the salad:
1 large head iceberg lettuce, cored, and cut into 6 wedges
6 ounces crumbled blue cheese
6 strips of bacon, cooked, drained, and crumbled
18 grape tomatoes, quartered Pickled red onion, optional Salt
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place chicken thighs in an 8x8-inch foil-lined baking dish. Season with salt and pepper. In a small mixing bowl, combine Dijon mustard, maple syrup and rice wine vinegar. Pour maple-mustard mixture over the chicken thighs, turning to coat well. Place the chicken, uncovered, in
preheated oven and bake for 45-50 minutes. Baste the tops of the chicken thighs with the
By Debbi Covington
1 teaspoon vanilla
For the cinnamon-sugar topping:
2 tablespoons cinnamon
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup melted butter
For the dipping sauce:
1 cup powdered sugar
¼ cup apple cider
A new spin on an old favorite! Crumbled blue cheese and champagne vinaigrette are a light and delicious exchange for the traditional heavy mayonnaise-style dressing.
For the pickled red onions:
1 large red onion
1 cup hot water
1 tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
Slice the onion into 1/8-inch thin slices. Stuff the onions into a Mason jar or glass container with a tight-fitting lid. In a separate bowl, whisk the hot water with the sugar and salt until dissolved. Stir in apple cider vinegar and peppercorns. Pour the pickling mixture over the sliced onions, cover tightly with a lid and allow to sit on the kitchen counter until completely cool. Transfer to refrigerator. Refrigerate for 12 hours before using. Makes 1/2 pint. Refrigerate leftovers. Will last in refrigerator for 7 to 10 days.
For the vinaigrette:
2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
1½ teaspoons Dijon mustard
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
Freshly ground black pepper
Place lettuce wedges on chilled salad plates and drizzle with the vinaigrette. Top with blue cheese, bacon, tomato pieces and pickled red onion. Serves 6.
Our new favorite chicken entrée!
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Salt and pepper, to taste
½ cup Dijon mustard
¼ cup maple syrup
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
Fresh rosemary
sauce halfway through. Let chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving. Drizzle with pan juices and garnish with fresh rosemary, if desired. Serves 3 to 4.
I’ve been making this potato recipe since my college days. It’s no-fail.
12-15 new potatoes, cut in half
1 package Italian dressing mix, dry
1 stick butter, melted Combine melted butter with dressing mix. Place potatoes in a casserole dish. Pour butter mixture over potatoes, tossing to coat well. Cover. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 45-50 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Serves 4 to 6.
You’re going to love this moist and delicious cake with a cinnamonsugar topping and a sweet apple cider dipping sauce.
For the cake:
1 (15.25-ounce) box yellow cake mix
1 cup apple cider, at room temperature
½ cup apple sauce
3 large eggs, at room temperature
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon brown sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a Bundt cake pan. In a large mixing bowl, beat the cake mix with apple cider, apple sauce, eggs, cinnamon, brown sugar and vanilla. Pour mixture into the prepared pan. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Remove cake from oven and allow it to cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes. While the cake is baking, mix cinnamon with sugar. When the cake has cooled, brush cake with melted butter and top with cinnamon-sugar mixture until evenly coated. Make an apple cider dipping sauce by mixing powdered sugar with ¼ cup apple cider or drizzle the glaze over the top of the cake. Serves 12.
Art League of Hilton Head Offers Creating Oil Paintings that Glow, October 18 -20, 2023 and Dawn to Dusk, Capturing Light in Oils, January 17-19, 2024.
Peggy Ellis, a gifted artist and teacher with a loyal following, returns in October and again in January, in two rare
opportunities where students will learn invaluable processes to improve the warmth and lighting in their paintings in her 3-day workshops “Creating Oil Paintings that Glow” and “Dawn to Dusk, Capturing Light in Oils.” Instruction will include step-by-step tips and techniques, including strong composition,
value studies and color harmony. All skill levels are welcome.
Ellis has a special ability to instruct beginners and more seasoned artists alike, a mix is almost preferred. “She is such a positive force in the workshop—truly the perfect teacher for people who don’t know where to start,” says one admirer. “I have personally taken four to five three-day classes from Peggy and come away from each class with a greater knowledge of painting,” says another.
“Creating Oil Paintings that Glow” will be held Wednesday to Friday, October 18-20, 9am to 4pm each day.
“Dawn to Dusk, Capturing Light in Oils” will be held Wednesday to Friday, January 17, 18, 19, 2024, 9am to 4pm each day.
The cost is $450, or $405 for Art League members per workshop. A supplies list will be provided; students are welcome to bring their own supplies or purchase a supply kit from the instructor. To register or for more information on either of these workshops, call 843-842-5738, email academy@artleaguehhi. org, or visit www.artleaguehhi.org
Art League Academy is located south-island at 106 Cordillo Parkway, Hilton Head Island, 843-842-5738.
In partnership with the South Carolina Writers Association, the Conroy Center's monthly Open Mic Night will be held at the Beaufort County Black Chamber of Commerce (711 Bladen St., Beaufort) on Thursday, October 12, from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. Our featured writer is Brooke McKinney, author of the debut poetry collection The Distance Between Birds. She will be joined by local writers in many genres reading from their individual works for 3-5 minutes each, culminating in the readings from the featured writers. This event is free and open to the public.
Writers interested in reading during open mic can sign up in advance by emailing contact@patconroyliterarycenter.org
Brooke McKinney is a poet and writer from South Georgia where she grew up on a farm and was raised by bulldogs. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in English from Valdosta State University and holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Hollins University. Brooke's work was a finalist in the Key West
Emerging Writer’s Contest and the World’s the Best Short-Short Story. Her nonfiction has received scholarships to the Sewanee Writers' Conference, Looking Glass Rock Writers' Conference, and Writers in Paradise. Her poetry collection, The Distance Between Birds, is forthcoming October 2023. She is the recipient of two Academy of American Poets Awards and most recently, her poetry was shortlisted for the Montreal International Poetry Prize. Her work has appeared or is forthcoming in The Florida Review, Copper Nickel, New South, Salt
Hill Journal, Potomac Review, The Southeast Review, Columbia Poetry Review, RHINO Poetry, Artemis, and Kestrel.
When did the word ‘gardener’ stop meaning a hired yard hand and become a respected title for someone who tends his/her own garden? I really don’t know, but I suspect that it happened when the average work day stopped being 12 hours, and the weekend became two days. During the industrial revolution and before, ‘leisure time,’ as such, didn’t exist.
I don’t like to think of gardening as a hobby, although it fits the definition of “something done during leisure time for pleasure.” Hobby seems too frivolous a definition for something which is so enriching and fulfilling for us and for so many creatures.
I decided to do some research about gardening and was surprised at the statistics I turned up. I guess there are polls about everything (those darn robo-calls!).
While the number of older gardeners (those 45 and older) is holding at about 45% of the 77% of American householders who garden, the younger ones are gaining fast. Although the many surveys done recently define their classifications differently, it’s clear that the youngsters are becoming more involved.
As I have mentioned in previous columns, gardens are not natural occurrences. They are man-made: usually containing varieties of plants not normally found together in nature. Some even contain statues of little gnomes. Just sayin’.
Today’s gardeners face many more challenges than did our predecessors. They just cleared the land and planted. Today, we worry about fertilizer and chemical run-off polluting our waterways, pesticides killing our pollinators, and wasting nature’s most precious resource, water. We worry about climate change and monocultures. Gardens constantly modify the ecology they occupy. They tend to modify the gardener, too. I sit on my hands at meetings to hide my fingernails, and I can never wear sleeveless dresses to parties.
We’ve heard of the “Well-Tempered Clavier” (thank you, Mr. Bach) and I think we should aim for the ‘Well-Tempered Garden’; tempered, in this case, meaning a process or activity properly regulated, controlled or moderated.
Gardening begins with the gardener. The gardener chooses every element in the garden. Ideally, we should aim for a completely organic garden, but practically, this represents a lot of work and expense for the average gardener.
This is where the well- tempered garden comes in. This means we shouldn’t head for the box stores for a chemical solution to every challenge. Chemicals shouldn’t be the first choice, but a well-balanced and responsible use of the fertilizers and chemicals available is acceptable for the modern gardener.
Down here in the Lowcountry, we don’t have soil. We have plain old dirt. Mostly sand. We didn’t have the millennia of decomposing forest and prairie detritus which enriched the fertile soil of other areas. Here, soil enrichment is down to the gardener and it’s an ongoing chore.
It mystifies me that in the fall, I see bags and bags of leaves left curbside to be hauled away. I have been known to pull over and confiscate a couple of bags for myself. These bags of leaves are like money in the bank. If they are in plastic bags, you need do no more than add a handful of fertilizer and a few swishes of the water hose, and seal tightly to put out of sight for a few months. This is known as aerobic composting; that is, oxygen-free composting. No need to turn the pile or add water or pay attention to the ratio of browns and green. All you need to add is time.
Sure, you can buy all kinds of composters (usually made of plastic, which seems to me a kind of ecological oxymoron), but they aren’t really necessary. If you’re of a mind, you can build simple containers of chicken wire, or wire fencing, but even that isn’t necessary. Just an out of the way place, ideally near a water source, can be a compost pile.
There are all kinds of formulas for what a compost pile should consist of, but it’s easier to
state what it shouldn’t have: kitchen scraps that contain bones, meat, oil or dairy, or animal feces. Just about any other organic matter is fine –grass clippings, leaves, human and animal hair, wood ashes, worn
If you have a garden bed which has been so overcome with weeds you can barely see the plants that you put there, sometimes the only effective solution is to dig up the plants you want to save and put them temporarily in pots or a “nursery” bed and solarize the soil for several weeks (cover the entire area with at least 3 mil sheets of plastic and fasten it down). This works best if you’re in direct sunlight so that the temperature under the plastic gets hot enough to destroy the weed seed embryos.
By Sandra Educate
For shady areas, just cover the entire area with overlapping cardboard or at least 6 layers of newspaper and wet down thoroughly. Their purpose is to block light which will kill all existing vegetation and prevent seed germination. Cover with 3 or 4 inches of topsoil mixed with compost, and after a couple of weeks or so, re-place your plants. You should be able to dig through the wet cardboard or newspaper easily It’s your garden. Like virtue, being a responsible gardener is its own reward.
Sandra Educate is active in the local Master Gardeners Association and the Beaufort Garden Club, and she produces the annual Lunch and Learn series at the Port Royal Farmers Market. She loves strange and unusual plants and hates weeds. Sandra won’t give away her age, but takes her inspiration from Thomas Jefferson, who said, "though an old man, I am but a young gardener."
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.
BEAUFORT COUNTY LIBRARY ONGOING
PROGRAMS & CLASSES Knitting/Crochet Club
1st Tuesdays @ 2:30; Line Dance Class 1st & 3rd Thursdays @ 3:30; Basic Computer Skills Class Wednesdays @ 9; Hoopla Class 2nd Mondays @ 10 and 4th Wednesdays @ 4; Escape Quest Games daily during library hours; Dungeon & Dragons Teen Club Mondays @ 4; Teen Art Club 1st & 3rd Tuesdays @ 4; Teen Anime Club 2nd & 4th Tuesdays @ 4; Teen Gaming Club 1st & 3rd Wednesdays @ 4
FRIDAY SOCIAL DANCES The Hilton Head Carolina Shag Club hosts Friday dances from 6-9:30 pm at Dolphin Head Golf Club, 59 High Bluff Rd, Hilton Head Plantation. Open to the public. Shag, ballroom, swing, country, or line. Singles welcome. Cash bar and light dinners available. $5 floor fee. HHICSC also teaches beginner Shag lessons Tuesday nights. www. hiltonheadshagclub.com , or www.facebook. com/HHICSC
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 is offering morning, afternoon and evening classes for children and adults. Pottery dates and parties available as well. Classes are on going. Beginner or advanced welcome. mcsweeneyclaystudio.com or call 843-694-2049.
LOWCOUNTRY SHAGGERS Mondays at the Moose Lodge, 350 Broad River Blvd. 6-9pm. Carolina Shag
Lessons with Tommy & Sheri O'Brien and others. Occasional Ballroom and once a month Line Dance is taught. Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced lessons. Beginner classes in Jan., Mar, May, and Sep. Open dancing after lessons. Visit www.lowcountryshaggers.com or lowcountryshaggers@aol.com
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
MAYE RIVER QUILTERS meets 1st Saturday of Every Month, at Palmetto Electric Cooperative, 1 Cooperative Way, Hardeeville. Members meet at 9:30am for social exchange. The meeting starts at 10 am. We welcome new members. Please call 843-707-6034.
EVERY 2ND TUESDAY, SHARING HEARTS SUPPORT GROUP Tell your 10-minute story of a life lesson or healing message using your own song, poetry, reading, art or verbal storytelling. Come away with an uplifting sense of support and connections or to just listen. To register leave voice mail with name, and phone number at 843-5256115 or email reneesutton@healthierhealing.com. Notification will be done of any location change. Free. 2201 Boundary St. #208, Beaufort.
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 843-473-3939 or smilliken@carishealthcare.com
SPIRITUAL COMMUNITY: Non-denominational meditation, silent prayer and healing group forming. All welcome. No previous meditation experience needed. Call Michael 843-489-8525
HABITAT RESTORE NEEDS VOLUNTEERS We're looking for volunteers for cashiers, sales floor associates, donation processing, donor data entry, and donor ambassadors. Interested? Go to lowcountryhabitat.org/volunteer or call 843-525-0055.
KARAOKE AT THE MOOSE Sing with us Thursday evenings at The Moose Lodge, 350 Broad River Blvd. 7:30-10:30pm. Brought to you by #top6entertainment Mardi & Dennis Topcik. The Moose is a family friendly place and Thursdays are also Pizza Night!
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED for Calhoun Station Thrift Store in Bluffton. All funds generated are returned to other nonprofits in the community. Store is open Wed & Sat 10am to 1pm and located at 77 Pritchard St. Volunteers can stop by store or contact Cate Taylor, 843-310-0594 or catetaylor@frontier.com
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED for HELP of Beaufort, 1810 Ribaut Road. 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 are 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—Travel to the 1800's and the Spanish American War. From 10am to 2pm Fridays and Saturdays from 10am to 4pm at the Fort Fremont History Center at the
Fort Fremont Preserve, 1124 Land's End Road, St. Helena Island is open. Docent-led tours are every Saturday at 11:00 am and 1:00 pm. Visitors to Fort Fremont can learn about the fort's history by reading interpretive panels, taking a self-guided tour with a smart phone, visiting the history center exhibit hall, or attending a docent-led tour of the property. The Preserve is open to the public Monday through Sunday from dawn to dusk. For more Information visit www.forttremont.org or contact Passive Parks manager Stefanie Nagid at snagid@bcgov.net
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 visit us on Facebook - USCGA Beaufort.
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 www.beauforttoastmastersclub.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
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED for a few hours each week at St. Francis Thrift Shop. Open Tuesday thru Saturday. Call 843-689-6563 or come in to speak with Mr. Hal. Definitely shop.
COMMUNITY ACUPUNCTURE Safe & effective centuries old healing system treats and prevents many health-related conditions. Experience individualized treatment in a peaceful group setting. Sliding scale fee. Beaufort Acupuncture, 12 Fairfield Rd, 5B, Lady’s Island. For info and to schedule: (843) 694-0050 or www.BeaufortAcupuncture.com
SECOND HELPINGS seeking Day Captains and other volunteers to crew our trucks distributing food to local charities. Flexible schedule at your convenience. Email officeadmin@secondhelpingslc.org
AGAPE HOSPICE seeks volunteers to spend time bringing joy to our patients and families during a difficult time. Activities include playing music, baking, arts and crafts, pet therapy, manicures, listening to stories, holding hands, etc. Provide companionship to the elderly who often feel lonely and unappreciated. Contact Ashlee Powers at 843592-8453 or apowers@agapehospice.com
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED for HELP of Beaufort. Come join the team providing food, mobile meals, clothing and emergency financial assistance to those in need in our community. Open Mon-Fri 9:30-12:30. 2 Ice House Rd., Beaufort. Call or email Jennifer 843-524-1223 or info@helpofbeaufort.org
TIDEWATER 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., Thursdays, 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, 843-689-3616 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.
ALZHEIMER’S FAMILY SERVICES OF GREATER BEAUFORT, Support Groups: Caregiver - Weds., 12:30pm, Senior Services of Beaufort, 1408 Paris Ave., Port Royal; Living with Alzheimer's - for those in very early stages - Mondays 1pm, Parsons Parlor, Carteret Street Methodist Church, 408 Carteret, Beaufort. Respite Programs: Social Day Program- 10am-1:45pm $40 Day Fee, Mon. at Cornerstone Christian Church, 2301 First Blvd., Beaufort, Weds. & Friday at Carteret Street Methodist Church, 408 Carteret St., Beaufort; In Home - Respite Aides available for 2 hr. minimum, $12$24. Early Memory Loss: Maintain Your Brain - 2nd & 4th Thursday, 10-11:30am, $10/person, $15 couple, Carteret Street Methodist Church, 408 Carteret St., Beaufort; Memory Screenings available call 843-5219190, free; Purple Haven Project - Educate local establishment staff to better interact with a person with Alzheimer's call 843-521-9190.
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 843815-6616 (Bluffton); 843-681-6655 (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 needs items to ANYONE in need. Open Tues & Fri 11:30am-1pm at 114 Beach City Rd., Hilton Head. Donations of food and funds needed. For info: Rev. Dr. Nannette Pierson at 843715-3583 or email 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 10am-4:30pm and 8am on Family Graduation Days. Closed all Federal Holidays. Info at parrisislandmuseum.org or 843-228-2166.
MEDICAL SERVICES OF AMERICA SEEKS VOLUN-
TEERS - Volunteers needed for companionship or skills like yard work, music, and crafts to patients and their families or assist in the office with admin tasks. Volunteers needed in Beaufort, Hampton, and Jasper counties. For info contact 843-322-0063.
CHRIST CENTERED RECOVERY MEETINGS At Shell Point Baptist Church Saturdays for “Celebrate Recovery”, addressing life’s problems and looking to scripture for solutions. Meal at 6pm; Praise and Worship 6:30pm; Small Groups at 7:15pm. 871 Parris Island Gateway, Beaufort. Info at 843-592-1046.
The award-winning coastal town of Habersham’s idyllic village center, the Habersham Marketplace, will present the 13th Annual Habersham Harvest Festival celebrating the bounty of the fall season this October 13-15, 2023. This favorite Lowcountry lively street festival features a vintage fair theme with family activities, celebrated local food purveyors, and artisan vendors set against the backdrop of timeless southern architecture on Market Street. The Habersham Harvest Festival is now a three-day event that begins with a Friday evening Carnival for rides, live music and food on Oct. 13 starting at 4pm. The full festival continues Saturday, Oct. 14 from 10am to 6pm and Sunday, Oct. 15 from 10am to 6pm.
We invite you to bring the whole family after school on Friday and take advantage of the Friday only all-you-can-ride bracelet
offering for $25. Then, join us again on Saturday or Sunday and spend your day browsing artisan vendors, food trucks and restaurants, free and ticketed activities for kids of all ages including the ever-popular 47-ft Ferris wheel, live bands, a petting zoo, horse and carriage rides, vintage carnival rides, contests, face painting, hayrides, the a reading garden for kids of all ages, and more!
Free admission with food, drink, ride tickets, and art and crafts available for purchase; select activities may include nominal entry fees. Learn more about participation or sponsorship at www.habershamharvestfestival.com
The Harvest Festival is hosted in Habersham Marketplace. Habersham Marketplace is located at 13 Market Street in Habersham just off of Joe Frazier Road via Broad River Blvd. in Beaufort, SC. For more information, visit www.habershammarketplace.com
The Bank and Island Legacy Fund present the Lowcountry Fish and Grits Music Festival on Saturday, October 7, from Noon – 6pm, in association with BurnBush Entertainment, Hilton Head MLK Committee for Justice and the Gullah Geechee Heritage Corridor. Featuring live music, arts and crafts vendors, and food trucks, the event will take place at Lowcountry Celebration Park on Hilton Head Island.
Sandbox Children’s Museum. Performances by recording artists Latrese Bush, Votte Hall, Gwen Yvette, Angela Bonaparte, Latin percussionist Frankie Quinones, the Gullah Geechee Ring Shouters and more. Numerous local artisans and food trucks will be featured throughout the park. Parking and shuttle from USCB Hilton Head campus available through Gullah Heritage Tours. The Holiday Inn Express (2 Tanglewood Drive, Hilton
The festival will bring awareness to the diverse Gullah Geechee culture and its connection to the vast African diaspora. By bringing together a mix of international and local musical talent, unique crafts, and indigenous cuisine (not easily accessible outside of the Lowcountry), the festival provides a unique cultural experience. This kid-friendly event has access from the adjacent Adventure Playground and The
Head), is offering an exclusive Fish and Grits room rate that includes two festival tickets per room. Call (843) 842-6662 ask for group rate FGM and book your room today! A portion of festival proceeds will be donated to the Hilton Head MLK Committee for Justice. It's also sponsored by Native Island Business and Community Affairs Association. For more info, visit www.fishandgrits musicfest.com
- iLLA ZiLLA. 9/27 Midnight North, 9/28 Karina Rykman; Guerilla Toss, 9/29 Steeln' Peaches - Allman Bros. tribute, 9/30 Lureto & Friends Zambi Jam, 10/4
Zach Nugent's Dead Set, 10/6 Da' Gullah Rootz & Jah Creation, 10/7 Pink Talking Fish, 10/8 Electric Six; The Surfrajettes, 10/9 Arcy Drive; hey, nothing; Hotel Hugo, 10/12 TreeHouse; Operation Irie ft. Monsoon, 10/13 The Beaches; The Thing, 10/15 Neighbor; OMIWIMO,. (843) 571-4343 or www.charlestonpourhouse.com
Windjammer, 1008 Ocean Blvd, Isle of Palms. 9/29
Getaway Bronco, 9/30 Departure - Journey tribute, 10/5
Tigirlily Gold, 10/6 Red Clay Stays; Meg McReeon, 10/7 Greg Keys & Co., 10/13 Travis Denning, 10/14 Nirvani; Foo 4 You. (843) 886-8596 or www.the-windjammer.com
Foolish Frog, 846 Sea Island Pkwy, St. Helena Island. (843) 838-9300. thefoolishfrog.com
Luther’s Rare & Well Done, 910 Bay Street. (843) 521-1888 or www.luthersrareandwelldone.com
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. Mondays-25% off Burgers! Tuesdays – 25% off Shrimp & Chips Baskets! Wednesdays-25% off Philly Cheese Steaks! Wednesdays, Friday & Saturday - Karaoke. (843) 379-7676 or Rosie's on Facebook
Saltus River Grill, 802 Bay St, Beaufort. (843) 379-3474 or www.saltusrivergrill.com
Big Bamboo, Coligny Plaza. (843) 686-3443 or www. bigbamboocafe.com
Captain Woody’s, 6 Target Rd., Hilton Head or 17 State of Mind St., Bluffton. 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; Thursdays - Lavon Stevens with Louise Spencer. 9/27 Lavon Stevens with Quiana Parler, 9/29 & 9/30 Noel Freidline & Maria Howell - a Jazz Celebration of Hall & Oates, 10/4 Bobby Ryder, 10/6 & 10/7 Justin Varnes' Jazz Legacy Project - Herbie Hancock: The Blue Note Years, 10/11 Lavon Stevens with Quiana Parler, 10/13 & 10;/14 Neal Caine Trio. (843) 842-8620 or www.TheJazzCorner.com
Omni Hilton Head Ocean Front in Palmetto Dunes. Buoy Bar - HH Prime - (843) 842-8000 or www. omnihotels.com
The Music Farm, 32 Ann Street, Charleston. 9/27 Circle Jerks; TSOL; Negative Approach, 9/28 Jimmy Eat World; The Pauses, 9/29 The War & Treaty, 9/30 Terror Reid, 10/1 Poolside, 10/5 Queens of Soul & Hip Hop, 10/6 Tesseract; Intervals; Alluvial, 10/8 Baba Commandant & the Mandingo Band, 10/9 Unearth; Revocation; Entheos; High Command, 10/11 Black Hallows Tour, 10/12 Deer Tick; Country Westerns, 10/13 Jawny; Adan Diaz, 10/14 DEHD; Sarah Grace White, 10/15 Common Kings. (843) 408-1599 or www.musicfarm.com
The Pour House, 1977 Maybank Hwy, Charleston. Sundays - The Motown Throwdown, Mondays - Slim & Friends; Tuesdays - Fusion Jonez, Wednesdays - Grateful Dead Wednesday with The Reckoning; Thursdays
Editors Note: Events listed here may be subject to postponement or cancellation. Please check for further information.
9/29 – 10/1, The Sound of Music, performed by the Beaufort Theatre Company at USCB Center for the Arts, 805 Carteret St., Beaufort. Fri & Sat at 7:30 pm, Sun at 3 pm. $30 for adults, $25 for seniors and military, and $15 for students. www.uscbcenterforthearts.com
Now – 10/29, Clue, the murder mystery comedy, at the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, 14 Shelter Cover Lane, Hilton Head Island. For tickets, call 843-842-2787
Now – 9/29, Below the Surface at Art League Gallery. Acrylic and charcoal paintings of underwater environments by Judy Blahut. Inside Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, 14 Shelter Cove Lane, Hilton Head Island, 843-681-5060.
Now – 10/1, Of Water: Aquascapes, Photography by Jean Macaluso at The Society of Bluffton Artists Gallery, in Old Town Bluffton, corner of Church and Calhoun. www.sobagallery.com
Now – 10/31, Seasons of Life by Wyn Foland at the Beaufort Art Association Gallery, 913 Bay Street, downtown Beaufort. www.beaufortartassociation.com
Now – 2/10/24, Anonymous Ancestors at Morris Center in Ridgeland. Artist Susan Lenz uses hundreds of anonymous vintage photographs, letters, and printed materials to form a societal family tree. www.morrisheritagecenter.org
Now – 3/24, Intimate Oceans: Coral in Contemporary Art at Coastal Discovery Museum on Hilton Head. 70 Honey Horn Dr., Hilton Head. 843-689-6767. www.coastaldiscovery.org
10/3 – 11/3, Tangled Up in Hues, featuring the work of Pat McGreevey at Art League of Hilton Head Gallery. Reception Wed, 10/11, 5-7pm. Demo Fri, 10/13, 11am-12pm. Free and open to the public. Located mid-island inside Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, 14 Shelter Cove Lane, Hilton Head, 843-681-5060.
10/13 – 12/18, Super-Natural, an exhibit of artwork by Susanna Glattly and Gary Geboy at USCB Center for the Arts, 805 Carteret St, Beaufort. Opening reception Thur 10/19 from 5:30 – 7pm. www.uscbcenterforthearts.com
Sat 10/14, Pigeon Point Studio Art Walk. Twelve local artists – and their work – at 9nine different locations in the walking neighborhood of Pigeon Point in Beaufort. Maps for the self-guided art walk available at the entrance to Pigeon Point Park and at each location. 10am – 2pm. For more info, email krispeterson811@gmail.com
Sat 9/30, 7th Annual Book Club Convention hosted by the Pat Conroy Literary Center at the Culinary Institute of the South at the Technical College of the Lowcountry in Bluffton, SC. For a full schedule of events, visit www.patconroyliterarycenter.org Register in advance at https://lowcountrybookclubconvention2023.eventbrite.com
Fri 10/6, Terah Shelton Harris evening at the Pat Conroy Literary Center, 601 Bladen St, Beaufort. The author of One Summer in Savannah will be speaking at 5 pm. Books will be available for sale and signing in partnership with Beaufort Bookstore. Please register in advance at 843-379-7025.
Sat 10/7, Donna Keel Armer launchs her new novel The Red Starfish, Book #1 in the Cat Gabbiano Mystery Series, at the Pat Conroy Literary Center (601 Bladen St, Beaufort) 5 – 7pm. No advance registration required. Books will be available for sale and signing. Refreshments will be provided. The author will speak at 5:45 p.m.
Thur 10/12, Open Mic Night, featuring poet Brooke McKinney (The Distance Between Birds). Sponsored by the SC Writers Association and Pat Conroy Literary Center, the event will take place at the Beaufort County Black Chamber of Commerce (711 Bladen St., Beaufort) from 6 – 7:30pm. McKinney will be joined by local writers in many genres reading from their individual works for 3-5 minutes each. This event is free and open to the public. Writers wishing to read during open mic can sign up in advance by emailing contact@patconroyliterarycenter.org
10/26 – 10/29, 8th Annual Pat Conroy Literary Festival, featuring discussions, writer workshops, a poetry reading, screening of The Lords of Discipline, and a musical performance by the Beaufort Mass Choir. For more info or tickets, visit www.patconroyliteraryfestival.org
Fri 9/29, Andrew Armstrong piano concert at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 1004 11th Street, Port Royal. Starting at 5 pm, this concert by the world class pianist is free and open to the public. www. stmarksc.org
Sun 10/22, 2nd Annual Community Sing featuring the Chancel Choirs from Carteret Street Methodist, Tabernacle Baptist and Dr. Marlena Smalls and the Hallelujah Singers. 3pm at Carteret Street United Methodist Church, 408 Carteret Street. Open to the Public, Donations will be accepted.
Sat 9/30, Eyewitnesses to the Movement: The Low Country and the Civil Rights Movement. Four civil rights veterans return to Penn Center from 4-6 p.m., in Frissell Hall. A reception follows. Admission is free. The program is part of “Justice for All,” a traveling exhibition by the Center for Civil Rights History and Research at the University of South Carolina that tells the story of South Carolina’s essential role in the American Civil Rights Movement. An open house will be held, 11am –2pm, before the program and will be the final opportunity to view the exhibition on display at Darrah Hall. Admission to the exhibition is also free. For more info, contact Chris Barr, christopher_ barr@nps.gov, (843) 441-3156 or Nathan Betcher, nathan_betcher@nps.gov, (843) 592-0370 at the Park; or Rebekah Turnmire, of the Civil Rights Center, turnmire@email.sc.edu, (276) 768-8760.
Sat 10/7, St. Peter’s Catholic Church Annual Fall Bazaar, 10am – 3pm. with a Delectable food, mouthwatering libations, irresistible arts and crafts, enchanting auction items, and children’s games, activities, and petting zoo. Entrance to the bazaar is free and open to the public.
Sat 10/7, Lowcountry Fish and Grits Music Festival, Noon – 6pm at Celebration Park on Hilton Head. Featuring live music, arts and crafts vendors, and food trucks, all in celebration of Gullah-Geechee Culture. For more info, visit www.fishandgritsmusicfest.com
10/13 – 15, 13th Annual Habersham Harvest Festival. Featuring a vintage fair theme with family activities, local food purveyors, and artisan vendors.. The Habersham Harvest Festival is now a three-day event that begins with a Friday evening Carnival for rides, live music and food on 10/13 starting at 4pm. The full festival continues Sat 10/14 from 10am to 6pm, and Sun, 10/15 from 10am – 6pm. For more info, visit www.habershamharvestfestival.com
Sat 10/14, Carteret Street United Methodist Church Annual Fall Bazaar, 8am – 2pm. Silent Auction, Jewelry, Good Junque, Book Booth, Handicrafts, Tools and Outdoor items, Plant Booth, Fresh Baked Goods Booth, Frozen Foods Booth and Concessions. 408 Carteret Street, Beaufort
10/21 – 10/22, Fall Festival of Houses and Gardens, sponsored by the Historic Beaufort Foundation. For a full schedule of events, and to purchase tickets, visit www.historicbeaufort.org
First Saturday of the Month, Teddy Bear Picnic Read-Aloud at Port Royal Farmers Market. DAYLO students and other volunteers will read to young children between 9am and noon. Children are encouraged to bring their favorite stuffed animal.
Tuesdays, Tours of Hunting Island sponsored by Friends of Hunting Island Keeper Ted and his team. For info call the Nature Center at 843-8387437. Tours free are and park entry fees apply.
Third Thursday, TECHconnect is a monthly networking event for professionals working in and around technology. Come and join on the for the conversation at BASEcamp 500 Carteret 5:307:30pm. 843-470-3506. www.beaufortdigital.com
Thursdays, History Tours of Fort Mitchell by the Heritage Library, 10am. $12/Adult $7/Child. 843-686-6560
Ongoing, Beaufort Tree Walk by the Lady’s Island Garden Club through the historic Old Point enjoying some unique and noteworthy trees. Takes about an hour and is a little over a mile, starting at the corner of Craven & Carteret Streets and ending in Waterfront Park. Booklets with a map and info about each tree available FREE at the Visitors Center in the historic Arsenal on Craven Street.
