LowcountryBizSC: It’s warm outside, and Edisto’s ready for an early spring
The Edisto Island and Edisto Beach communities are in early bloom and ready, set with activities on this otherwise quiet coastal island destination in the revered South Carolina Lowcountry.
To get into the swing of spring, the Edisto Island Historical Preservation Society’s History Harvest Festival will be held March 10 at the New First Missionary Baptist Church from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Live music, including gospel performances, plus children’s games and a hot dog lunch will fill the day. Residents of Edisto will be given the opportunity to have their family’s historic treasured photos and documents scanned and preserved. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, see www.edistomuseum.org.
That same day, March 10, the Second Annual Green Boat Macapalooza will be held at 1 p.m. Anyone with an unusual or one of a kind macaroni and cheese recipe is encouraged to enter the cook-off. The entry fee is $20, and prizes will be awarded. Everyone in attendance will have the chance to sample all entries – 10 tastes for $10. This novel and tasty mac-off will be held at the Green Boat Discount Liquor parking lot. Visit https://www.facebook.com/greenboatdiscountliquor/ or call 843-631-5100 for more information.
The iconic “On Golden Pond,” presented by the Edisto Art Guild Players, will begin March 15 at 6:30 p.m. with the annual dinner theater. Other performances will be held March 16 and 17 at 7:30 p.m. and March 18 at 3:00 p.m. Tickets are $15 in advance and $18 at the door. This event will be held at the Edisto Civic Center located at 42 Station Court, Edisto Island. For more information, visit www.edistoartguild.com.
On March 17, residents and guests are invited to lace up their running shoes and get stepping in the Seventh Annual Edisto Beach Road Race,sponsored by the Edisto Chamber of Commerce. The 5K and 1 Mile Run/Walk will start at 8:30 a.m. and will route along Big Bay Creek and beach side streets. For registration information, visit www.runsignup.com. Early registration is recommended.
Immediately following the race, a Fundraising Festival will be held at Bay Creek Park at 3706 Dockside Rd. The festival will kick off at 11:00 a.m.with the announcement of the morning’s race winners. Other festivities for the day include a live band, food, arts, and crafts vendors, and St. Patrick’s Day themed fun. All proceeds will benefit Edisto United. Visit www.edistochamber.com for additional information.
On March 31, local and talented artisans will display their creations at the Edisto Art Guild’s Spring Arts and Crafts Show and Sale. Scheduled from10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., the event will take place at the Edistonian General Store, located at 406 Highway 174 on Edisto Island. For more information, visit www.edistoartguild.com.
April brings the return of the very popular Arts and Crafts Market. Located at Bay Creek Park at 3706 Docksite Rd, the market showcases local artisans with a wide variety of items for sale. The market will be open every Wednesday through October, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. For more information, call 843-869-2505 or visit www.townofedistobeach.com.
On April 21, golfers are invited to come out for a worthy cause. Hosted by the Plantation Course at Edisto, the Chickenman Memorial Golf Tournament is a fundraiser benefitting the Leland Vaughn Baseball Scholarship at Presbyterian College. The tournament is open to the public. For more information, call 843-869-8111 or email chickenmanmemorial@gmail.com.
May brings the return of the popular Edisto Day Bazaar. The annual event, which is always held on the first Saturday in May, will take place this year on May 5, from 10 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Edisto Lions Club, 2907 Myrtle Street. This fun-filled day attracts all ages and features an arts and crafts fair, white elephant sale, boutique, gently-used household items, baked goods, and a café with a variety of tasty morsels.
May will also usher in a new event on Edisto. The First Annual Edisto Island Classic Stand-up Paddleboard & Kayak Race will take place on May 12 at Edisto Watersports and Tackle, located at 3731 Docksite Road. Awards will be presented at Dockside Restaurant following the race. Those interested may register at www.paddleguru.com/races/EdistoIslandClassic2018.
Set in a rare, sparsely-developed corner of the world, Edisto, with its vast green spaces, ancient live oaks, wide open marsh views, and quiet, pristine beach, offers a coastal island experience uncommon today among Eastern seaboard communities. Visitors and residents arrive under a live oak canopy via Highway 174, designated by the U.S. Department of Transportation as a National Scenic Byway. Here, there’s a slower pace of life, coupled with a broad range of year-round recreational activities, all set in the Lowcountry of South Carolina. This is the coastal island destination that is said to offer its own “state of mind…any time, any season.” For more information, please call the Edisto Chamber of Commerce at 843-869-3867 or 1-888-333-2781or visit www.edistochamber.com.
