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Friday Five // August 21st, 2020

It’s time once again for the Friday Five, our weekly roundup of five fun things to do in the Charleston area over the weekend. Even though we’re still practicing social/physical distancing, there’s still a lot of fun to be had in the Lowcountry. Learn about a 300-year-old Charleston tradition, catch a drive-in movie, attend a dinosaur tea party, and more. As always, no matter what you choose to do, the staff and agents at Johnson & Wilson Real Estate Company hope you have a safe and happy weekend!

Indigo Reef Brewing Company is hosting a Sweetgrass Basket Making event this Saturday from 10am until noon. Join in to learn about the 300-year history behind Charleston’s traditional sweetgrass baskets and learn how to make your own. Jennifaye Singleton of Geechee Handmade Sweetgrass Baskets will teach you all about this fine art as well as Gullah Geechee history. This two-hour class costs $50 and includes all the materials you need to make your own basket, as well as your first beer, wine, or cider.

Skip & Sully, a members-only indoor playground and parents’ social club in Mt. Pleasant, is hosting a Tea-Rex Tea Party this Saturday from 11am until noon. Bring your little ones to do the dinosaur stomp, make dino fossils, and enjoy dinosaur-themed snacks at a beautifully decorated tea party table. This event has limited seating of eight children due to social distancing procedures. Advance ticket purchase is required at a cost of $10 for members and $20 for non-members. Playtime at the indoor playground before and after the event is included in this experience.

Join the Harbour Club at WestEdge Saturday evening for Tiki Night: A Night in the Islands. From 5pm until 9pm, enjoy a complimentary welcome glass of Harbour Punch and live music performed by local steel drummer and vocalist Seitu Solomon Steelpan and husband-and-wife duo Octopus Ink. Craft bartenders will serve up tiki-themed libations at the cash bar, and curated delicious island-inspired dishes will be available as well. Come prepared for a great time of dancing, imbibing, and mingling. Sanitation standards will be upheld, and the Harbour Club asks that everyone maintain social distancing during the event.

Head to Patriots Point on Saturday night to experience the Holy City Drive-In, the only waterfront movie experience in the country. Experience past blockbuster hits, cold beverages, and snacks with the beautiful Charleston Harbor and skyline serving as an inspiring backdrop. This Saturday, bring the entire family and enjoy a showing of what is arguably one of the greatest movies of all time, The Wizard of Oz. In-vehicle and lawn tickets are available, but act fast before the showing sells out! Advance tickets can be purchased at the link above.

Salty Feet Run Club is hosting a 1,000 Miles Across America Fundraiser Run beginning this Sunday. The upcoming school year will be challenging, to say the least, so Salty Feet Run Club wants to help you empower children and get them active with this family-focused virtual 5K. Participants of all ages will run a total of three miles from August 22nd to August 30th to receive a t-shirt, dog tag, and special prizes. Register your family at the link above ($25 for the first participant, $15 for each subsequent participant); join the event’s Facebook Group to participate in challenges and win prizes for your kiddos; receive your care package in the mail complete with t-shirt, dog tag medal, and special prizes; run your 5K; and log your miles. If participants run a collective 1,000 miles during the race period, $1,000 will be donated to The Childhood Cancer Project. So get your running shoes on and get the whole family out there!

Friday Five // August 14th, 2020

It’s the weekend again and time for another edition of the Friday Five, our weekly roundup of five fun (and socially distant!) things to do in the Charleston area. Have a swimmingly good time with Shark Week, snag a free comic book, enjoy some quality entertainment from the comfort of your couch, and more. No matter what you choose to do, the staff and agents at Johnson & Wilson Real Estate Company wish you a very safe and happy weekend!

This weekend marks the end of Shark Week at the South Carolina Aquarium, but there’s still time to join in the fun this Saturday! Swim on in for a “JAWesome” time to celebrate and learn more about these misunderstood ocean predators. Participate in a shark-themed scavenger hunt, learn all about sharks through pop-up programming, and more. All Shark Week activities are included with admission or membership. Please remember that cloth masks or face coverings are required for all aquarium guests ages three and up.

The Summerville Farmers Market is back and under operation with COVID-19 safety measures and social distancing guidelines in place. The market will run every Saturday from 8am until 1pm in the First Citizens Bank parking lot behind Town Hall. Masks/face coverings and social distancing are required for all shoppers and will be enforced. Please limit the number of shoppers in your group, follow one-way directional signs, and keep transactions cash-free. You might also think about pre-ordering goods by contacting vendors directly ahead of time. Some of the weekly vendors include Gruber Farms, Freemans Produce, Big Daddy’s Pork Skins, Low Country Olive Oil, Pep Rolls, James Brown Boiled Peanuts, Southern Naturals, The Seafood Lady, Three Oaks Farm, Sharon’s Sweetgrass, and so much more!

Head to Captain’s Comics and Toys this weekend for Free Comic Book Day “Lite”. There will be sales and specials on almost everything in the store, a sidewalk sale and Big Tent Deals, and everyone who stops by will receive one FREE comic! Specials include 50% off back issue comics, 25% off recent comic wall, 10% off kids’ section, $1 special stock, 25% off graphic novels, and more. Note that social distancing, capacity limits, and wearing of masks/face coverings will be strictly enforced.

On Saturday evening at 6pm, Curiouser Entertainment presents a Facebook Live Princess Party! Join some favorite princess friends live on Facebook as they read stories, answer questions, sing songs, and more. This is a free, recurring event with no membership or ticket required. This week’s storytelling and singing friend is Alice from Alice in Wonderland. Follow Curiouser Entertainment on Facebook for more information.

Join the North Charleston POPS! Brass Quintet for a FREE live-streamed concert this Saturday evening at 7pm. The POPS! Brass Quintet will perform an hour-long concert live from the stage of the North Charleston Performing Arts Center, streamed directly to your favorite device via the North Charleston Coliseum Facebook page. Hosted by Maestro Nick Palmer, the concert will include hits like the Beatles’ “When I’m 64,” Stevie Wonder’s “Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing,” a medley from Frozen, and some good ol’ USA fare to round out the evening. So grab some takeout, pour your fancy drink of choice, get cozy, and enjoy an amazing free concert from the comfort of your own home.

Friday Five - Social Distancing Edition // July 31st, 2020

TGIF—it’s time for another social distancing edition of the Friday Five! Even though most events are postponed for the time being, there are still several fun things to do in the Charleston area this weekend. Be a part of releasing 144,000 ladybugs into a beautiful garden setting; go on a ghost hunt through downtown Charleston; enjoy a special sensory hour at South Carolina’s largest indoor trampoline park, and more! No matter what you choose to do, the staff and agents at Johnson & Wilson Real Estate Company wish you a very safe and happy weekend!

Take a walk on the spooky side Friday night with Stories in the Cemetery—An Interactive Ghost Hunting Experience by Charleston Cavalier Tours. Join local author Nicholas McGirr on this one-of-a-kind walking tour of haunted downtown Charleston. You’ll use real paranormal tools of the trade, including an EMF meter, spirit box, grid pens, thermal imaging camera, and more. This is a 90-minute walking tour on the cobblestone streets of Charleston, so make sure you’re dressed for comfort. Space is limited due to social distancing measures. For details of physical distancing, masks, and other COVID-19 guidelines, visit the Charleston Cavalier Tours website linked above.

Enjoy an amazing culinary tour of Charleston on Friday or Saturday evening with the Historic Charleston Supper Club. Transport yourself via your taste buds in this unique tour through time—the only tour where you never even have to leave your seat! Delight in a four-course meal in an opulent French Quarter dining room in an old warehouse building dating back to 1805. Each course will cover a different period of Charleston’s history with food authentic to the times. The entire meal will be narrated by licensed Charleston City tour guides, who will give you not only a literal, but also a metaphorical taste of Charleston’s history. Learn about domestic life, the walled city of Charlestowne, the Revolution, slavery, and the Civil War. Dinners are currently limited to a maximum of eight guests. Visit the link above for more details and to book tickets!

On Saturday morning at 10am, the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor Commission and the Charleston County Public Library present Gullah Geechee Storytime with Storyteller Anita Singleton-Prather. Known to schoolchildren across the Corridor as “Aunt Pearlie Sue,” a character based on her grandmother, Mrs. Prather regales audiences with Gullah-flavored folktales. During this streaming event, Aunt Pearlie Sue will share the tale of the “Three Lee’ Pigs.” An acclaimed master storyteller and singer, Mrs. Prather is the founder and artistic director of the musical performance group the Gullah Kinfolk. She has performed at many festivals, including the Beaufort Gullah Festival, Spoleto USA International Arts Festival, and San Francisco Festival of the Sea, just to name a few. You can join in this streaming storytime via the Charleston County Public Library’s Facebook page.

Join Magnolia Plantation & Gardens this Saturday from 9am until 1pm for the 7th Annual Ladybug Release. Due to physical distancing efforts, this year’s Ladybug Release will be a little more scaled down with new procedures. Just like in past years, the event will feature exhibitors, nature displays, environmental organizations, and the famous Volkswagen Beetle that resembles a giant ladybug. Attendees will choose their ladybugs at the ticket kiosk upon arrival, then scatter throughout the gardens to release their ladybugs in the perfect spot. Come dressed in your favorite ladybug costume and compete for a prize in the costume contest at 11:30am. Garden admission ($20 for adults, $10 for children ages 6 through 12) is required to participate. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

This Sunday is Sensory Jump at Flight Fit n’ Fun, formerly Velocity Air Sports, on Rivers Avenue in North Charleston. Sensory Jump hour is reserved on the first and third Sunday of each month for jumpers who prefer a quieter, more private environment. With over 40,000 square feet of fun, Flight is the largest trampoline park and largest ninja obstacle course in South Carolina. One unpaid chaperon per paying jumper is permitted to gently interact with and assist the jumper in their care. Assisting chaperone must have a waiver on file and will be checked in upon arrival. Please visit the website linked above for more information on Flight’s COVID-19 guidelines.

Friday Five - Social Distancing Edition // July 17th, 2020

Thanks to the current global pandemic, the Friday Five has been on hold for a while, but we’re glad to say that we’re back and better than ever with the Friday Five - Social Distancing Edition! Each week we’ll put together a list of five fun events you can attend in the Charleston area while social distancing. These events may be virtual, or they may be in-person activities that support masking up and keeping six feet or more between you and others. With no further ado, let’s get down to this week’s five activities.

If you haven’t experienced the new Holy City Drive-In yet, head to Patriots Point this weekend for some of the absolute best socially-distanced fun available. Enjoy sunset views and blockbuster movies, both newer and classic, at 40 Patriots Point Road. Grab your in-vehicle or lawn tickets ahead of time, because they tend to sell out. Ticket prices are $8 for kids ages 10 and under, $10 for seniors (ages 60 and up) and military, and $12 for all other adults. See Dirty Dancing on Friday evening, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone on Saturday evening, and Monster’s Inc. on Sunday evening. Gates open at 7:30pm, and the movie begins after sunset.

Families will find a great excuse to get outdoors while enjoying interactive learning this Saturday at Drayton Hall. From 10am until noon, children ages five through twelve can participate in Drayton Hall Kids—Discover Natural History. In the early years of South Carolina’s history, European explorers journeyed to the area to learn about the people who lived here as well as geography, plants, and animals of the Carolina colony. Visit Drayton Hall to discover the journeys of these explorers, how they traveled, who they met, and what they learned. This experience is included in your admission to Drayton Hall.

For a virtual, at-home experience, try out Charleston Paint Party’s Virtual Paint Class on Saturday at 7pm. Join a professional artist for a step-by-step, online paint class on Zoom! No experience needed to enjoy this fun art class. BYOS (supplies), or combine your virtual class with a Pick-Up & Paint kit if you’re local. Expect the same lively fun as you would in an in-studio painting class from the comfort of your own home—maybe even in your pajamas! There are new events every week. This week’s theme is Rose Gold. Find the supply list for the class on the website.

If you’ve been missing live music, you’re in luck. In partnership with Ear For Music and Charleston City Paper, Firefly Distillery is proud to present the summer concert series, Safe Sounds at Firefly powered by REV Federal Credit Union. The ticketed series takes place each Saturday from 7pm until 10pm at The Field at Firefly’s new Park Circle location. This week, you can enjoy music from The Reckoning. DJ NattyHeavy will spin games prior to and between The Reckoning’s sets. Doors open at 5pm, and there will be food trucks, a beer truck, and Firefly cocktails (until 7pm). To promote safe social distancing, concert tickets can only be purchased in groups of four. Each four-pack of tickets will secure a spot in a 10’x10’ square separated on all sides from other squares by a distance of eight feet. This event is for ages 21 and up only. Bring your own blankets and chairs, but leave children, dogs, and outside food and drinks at home, please.

What better place to practice serenity and balance than on our beautiful beaches? Join Serenity Tree Yoga this Sunday at 9:30am for Beach Yoga. This class, naturally socially distanced and taught by the talented Melora, takes place at 6th block West Folly Beach. Bring a towel and/or yoga mat, plenty of water, and wear light clothing…or a bathing suit if you want to jump into the ocean afterwards! No need to register beforehand. Classes are open to all levels and are donation-based. Follow Serenity Tree Yoga on Facebook for schedules and any possible last-minute changes.

Friday Five // March 6th, 2020

It’s Friday once again, and you know what that means! It’s time for the Friday Five, our weekly roundup of five fun events happening in the Charleston area this weekend. Enjoy the very best in food and wine, bring the family dog (and maybe even the rest of the family) to a fun music festival, learn about Lowcountry STEM efforts and participate in hands-on activities, and more. As always, no matter what you choose to do, the staff and agents at Johnson & Wilson Real Estate Company hope you have a very safe and happy weekend!

The 15th installment of the Charleston Wine + Food Festival continues into this weekend after having begun this past Wednesday. You have three more delicious days to experience the gathering of top chefs, winemakers, authors, storytellers, artisans, and food enthusiasts from around the globe. This year’s festival features more than one hundred unique culinary experiences that will fill your belly and nourish your soul. Visit the heart of the festival, the Culinary Village in Marion Square, which opens Friday and continues through Sunday. An all-inclusive daily ticket gives you access to five hours of tasting, sipping, chef demos, live music, retail therapy, and more. Take part in Signature Events, which range in size, concept, and identity and allow guests to experience food and beverage in a non-traditional event atmosphere. Enjoy beverage workshops, excursions, brunches and lunches, signature dinner, and hands-on classes all weekend long. There’s so much to delight all the senses at the 2020 Charleston Wine + Food Festival!

Lowcountry Dog Magazine, Pet Supplies Plus, The Bridge 105.5, and 98 Rock come together this Saturday at Hanahan Amphitheater to bring you Woofstock 2020: A Lowcountry Dog Music Festival. Gates open at 11am for this family- and dog-friendly event, proceeds of which benefit eight shelters and rescues: Pet Helpers Adoption Shelter and Spay/Neuter Clinic, Dorchester PAWS, Berkeley Animal Center, Eunoia Rescue, Waters Edge Great Dane Rescue, Inc., Carolina Coonhound Rescue, Hallie Hill Animal Sanctuary, and Valiant: Animal Rescue + Relief. The music lineup includes such well-known acts as Drivin n Cryin, Ken & Drew from Sister Hazel, Lauren Morrow, Greg West, Gaslight Street, Emily Curtis, and more. Be sure to check out the vendor village and food trucks too! Tickets are $28 in advance and $40 at the gate. Kids’ tickets are $5 in advance or $10 at the gate. This is a rain or shine event. No coolers or outside food or drinks allowed. Chairs and blankets are welcomed and encouraged!

The City of Isle of Palms welcomes the spring season this Saturday afternoon with Isle of Palms Front Beach Fest, a free street festival featuring fun for the whole family. From noon until 4pm Saturday, kids of all ages will enjoy jump castles, a bungee trampoline, face painting, balloon artists, and other activities. The street will be lined with local arts and crafts vendors and local restaurants. Don’t miss these fun features along with live music, food trucks, a climbing wall, and street performers.

Head out to the Exchange Park in Ladson this Saturday for the 7th annual Charleston STEM Festival, an initiative of the Lowcountry STEM Collaborative, managed this year by the STEM Center at the Citadel. This exciting, free community event will take place from 10am until 3pm and will feature about 80 exhibitors providing hands-on activities, live performances, interactive demonstrations, and family-oriented STEM entertainment. The Charleston STEM Festival is a celebration of science, technology, engineering, and math in the Lowcountry. This year’s festival will be a highly visibile indoor/outdoor event that provides opportunities for engagement and exchange between children, teens, families, and local STEM professionals.

Take a walk (or a jog) on the wild side on Saturday morning during the Where the Wild Things Run 5K, sponsored by The Foot Store and ShineWater. Walkers, joggers, and runners are invited to explore their wild sides on the scenic nature trails at Caw Caw Interpretive Center. The center is managed for a variety of wildlife and a favorite habitat for rare wildlife, so there really is a good chance you’ll see a “wild thing” or two! This is a trail run, so the course will consist of occasional areas of uneven terrain and varies from hard-packed trails with roots to grass and boardwalks. Strollers are not recommended. Adults and kids alike are encouraged to take advantage of family-friendly yoga as well as readings from Maurice Sendak’s book, Where the Wild Things Are. Be sure to stick around after the race for the awards ceremony. To help preserve and protect the natural resources and interpretive trails, dogs are not permitted.