Technically this weekend is the beginning of fall, but there’s a very summer-like festival going on this weekend, and it celebrates all things sea & sand. And the weather looks to be just right for such a beach-themed event. It’s the 2018 incarnation of one of Folly’s biggest fests - the Sea & Sand Festival. It’s traditionally been held in the spring. They’ve switched things up this time to celebrate the end of the summer season/peak time. This time around, it’s going on tonight through Sunday, September 21-23rd. They describe it as being the most family-friendly of all the Folly events, perfect for all ages. It’s been entertaining families for quite some time now. 28 years, to be exact. As usual, it looks to be a lot of Folly fun. It kicks off tonight with the Miss Sea & Sand Fest Pageant, open to females 4 years and up and males 7 years and under. Judging is based on evening wear, hobbies, awards, volunteer activities and love for Folly Beach. It takes place at Folly River Park starting at 7:00 p.m. Here are the categories:
- Tiny Miss (ages 4-5),
- Little Miss (6-9),
- Junior Teen (10-13),
- Teen (14-17),
- Junior Miss (18-20),
- Miss (21-25),
- Miss (26+, single),
- Misses (any age, married) and a
- Little Mister category for males 7 and under,
- Additional awards - Donnie E. Wilkinson Spirit Award and Overall Miss Photogenic Award.
Saturday is the main event, the big Street Festival on Center Street from 10:00 a.m. till 4:00 p.m. Get set for approximately 70 food, art and craft vendors, silent auction, live music, plenty of food, bungee trampoline, jump castles, face painting, carnival games, etc. There are several special sections for the kids, including inflatables, arts & crafts and Sea & Sand Side Show Kids Area. There will be live music all day, on two different stages. Performers include headliner Occasional Milkshake (with Mark Bryan of Hootie and the Blowfish, Hank Futch from the Blue Dogs, and Cravin’ Melon’s Gary Greene). Other acts are Wylder Funk Band, Ros Bonghi (reggae), and The Secrets (funk). It all sounds very danceable.
Sea & Sand Sunday Funday
Sunday has a couple fun events. First is the Volleyball Competition kicking off at 9 a.m. Then at 1:00 it’s the Sandcastle Competition. They take place on the beach in front of The Tides, where they’ll also have live music during and after the competition. It’s always for a good cause, benefiting Folly Beach Parks and Rec. If you are in one of our Isle of Palms vacation rentals, it’s worth the drive to check it out. Experience firsthand how the Folly vibe is a bit different from the one on the IOP. On the way there, you can also stop along the way in downtown Charleston. Read details and admission info here. Or find out more on their Facebook page.
2019 Bridge Run has officially been postered
Time to mark your calendars for one of the biggest weekends of the year. The 2019 Cooper River Bridge Run will be taking place Saturday, April 6th. Word to the wise: if you are planning to run or walk the CRBR, better make plans early. It’s one of the busiest times of the year. This will be the 42nd running of the race, which is the third largest 10K in the United States. The official Bridge Run poster has been chosen. It’s a colorful and cheerful image with Impressionistic roots, by artist and local D. Scott Stevenson. He has quite an impressive resume, having done design work for L.L. Bean, REI, Major League Baseball, UCLA and Princeton. He has been involved in exhibits at the Smithsonian, Air & Space Museum, Metropolitan Opera, and the National Zoo & Aquarium. Here’s more on the unveiling. Here’s the official website, where you can get all the details and register for the race. So check out Sea & Sand, and it's not too early to get set for the 2019 Bridge Run. Call us soon if you'd like to book a place at the beach. All best, Lowcountry Lisa your Isle of Palms vacation blogger