Ah, margarita. So here you are in luxury house on Isle of Palms, kicking back on the deck overlooking the ocean. You’re relaxing in a lounge chair with a good book, working on your tan. The only thing missing is a liquid libation on the table next to you. Have no fear, there’s a festival for that! Get set for the 3rd annual Charleston Margarita Festival, going on tonight. It takes place at Brittlebank Park downtown, an easy drive from the Isle of Palms.
Deets on the Margarita Festival
Admission ($45 general, $55 early) allows you to taste from among 20 different margaritas, whipped up by some of Charleston’s best. Think: Mex 1 Coastal Cantina, SOL Southwest Kitchen, Tattooed Senorita Cantina, Yo Bo Cantina Fresca and Stems & Skins. There will be plenty of other food and drinks available from the likes of Roti Rolls, Smoky Oak Taproom, The Shelter and Rebel Taqueria. Also dance to great Latin music by DJ Luigi and Bryan the DJ – salsa, merengue, bachata, reggaeton – plus Top 40 and more. They’ll be checking IDs at the door, and you must be 21 or over to enter. So better leave the kiddos at home. The Charleston Margarita Festival is a rain or shine event and goes on from 7:00 – 10:00 p.m. tonight – Friday, August 3rd. Word to the wise: call an Uber or Lyft back home to your beach house.
Surf Filmfest
If you feel like staying indoors this evening, you might want to check out a fun evening at Charleston Music Hall. It’s the second annual surf film fest, entitled, “Surf in the City: A Night of Surf Films.” Doors open at 7:00 and the films start at 8:00. This is what’s on tap, according to the Post & Courier:
“Outer,” from teenage filmmaker Logan Marshall, is a look at surfing along the Outer Banks of North Carolina, starring the islands’ hometown heroes, teen pro Bo Raynor and former pro Jesse Hines.
“Rum Punch,” from Imperial Motion, is a short film and salute to summer, with lots of shredding and a vintage vibe to it.
“Find Refuge in the Sea,” from James Tull and the Salty Crew, is a surfing and fishing film that follows the fellas on “a wild search for waves and fish” down the Baja Coast.
“Scoring Skeleton Bay,” from Brett Barley, documents the fulfillment of a dream to surf the legendary Skeleton Bay, “the world’s longest barreling left point” break in Namibia in South Africa.
“Arctic January,” from Jonathan Stromberg, follows Danish surfer Oliver Hartkopp on his “strike mission” to a remote area of Norway in the middle of a winter storm after the Polar Night period, when there’s only around three hours of sunlight each day.
Like I mentioned a couple blogs ago, the surf scene is really happenin’ near Charleston. This is a great chance to experience the surf life, even if the weather’s rainy outside. Admission is just $10. Here’s more.
Remember to shop tax free this weekend
As I covered in that last blog, be sure to take advantage of tax-free shopping this weekend. Basically, from now through midnight Sunday, you’ll pay no sales tax on several basic items. Examples are clothes, shoes, school supplies, computers and printers, linens, purses, and much more. The list is immense. The savings really adds up, since by shopping this weekend in the state of South Carolina, you’ll be saving 9%. That’s 6% state tax plus 3% county tax near Charleston. Here’s more from Live 5 News. This is a helpful link to the official SC Department of Revenue document on what is and is not covered for tax-free purchase this weekend. So sip a margarita or two (or fifteen), see some surfing, and save some $. And remember, when you are looking for a beach house near Charleston, be sure to call Exclusive Properties. We’ll put you in the perfect one. All best, Lowcountry Lisa your Isle of Palms vacation blogger