CALENDAR: Photos come alive in museum’s new Living Color exhibit

Photo via the Charleston Museum.

Staff reports  |  The Charleston Museum will present The Lowcountry in Living Color: Making Historical Photographs Come to Life starting June 7 as the latest offering in its Lowcountry Image Gallery. 

“Over 90 percent of the photographs housed in the Museum’s archives are black and white,” according to a press release.  “And while many viewers find them historically charming, others find it difficult to see particular details within the image. By colorizing a black and white photograph, certain components otherwise overlooked, become visible.”

The Lowcountry Image Gallery is an exhibition gallery that showcases previously unseen photography and other works of art from the Museum archives. Comprising over 40,000 photographs and representing a variety of themes, subjects and locations from around the Charleston area, this collection provides a glimpse into Lowcountry life from the dawn of the photography era to the present. 

• The exhibition will run from June 7 through Oct. 31.  Buy tickets. 

Also on the calendar:

Mepkin Abbey concert: 4 p.m., May 31, Mepkin Abbey, Berkeley County.  The monastery today will present its annual Memorial Day Concert in honor of Abbot Francis Kline. A trio of performers — Yuriy Bekker on violin, Nataila Khoma on cello and Volodymyr Vynnytsky on piano — will play music of Rachmaninoff.  More information and tickets ($35) are online. (Tickets are limited and may be sold out.)

Spoleto season is underway.  Charleston’s Spoleto Festival USA and Piccolo Spoleto Festival are ongoing through June 13 with performances and events all over town.  You can find the printed 16-page Piccolo Spoleto 2021 guide in the Charleston City Paper and at venues around town.  But because this season’s free events are being continuously updated, you might want to also check at charlestonarts.org to get the most updated information on events.  Piccolo is a companion celebration to Spoleto Festival USA, which also starts May 28 and ends June 13. 

Weekend beach bus.  The Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority is operating a new Beach Reach Shuttle with hourly weekend service to provide a new connection between Mount Pleasant and Isle of Palms.  Landside Beach Reach parking is located along Market Center Boulevard in Mount Pleasant Towne Centre. The on-island Beach Reach stop is located at 9th Avenue and Ocean Boulevard, adjacent to public beach access.  Open through Sept. 6 from 9:15 a.m. through final departure from Isle of Palms at 5:35 p.m. Cost: $2 each way.

Waterparks to open daily.  Splash Zone at James Island County Park will be open daily starting June 5 through mid-August, when it will return to weekends only until Labor Day. Splash Island  at Mount Pleasant Palmetto Islands County Park and Whirlin’ Waters Adventure Waterpark in the North Charleston Wannamaker County Park will be open weekends only until June 18, when they will open daily until mid-August.  Both will then open on weekends through Labor Day.

Safe Sounds: Firefly Distillery, North Charleston.  Head over to citypapertickets.com to secure a spot. Tickets are available now.  Doors open 6 p.m. for shows that begin an hour later. (Editor’s note: City Paper Tickets, which is run by sister publication Charleston City Paper, is operating ticketing for Safe Sounds.) Check out some of the shows that are on the way: 

• June 5: Motown Throwdown
• June 12: Night Moves with Taylor Hicks – A Tribute To Bob Seger

Johns Island concerts:  June 5 and July 10,  Johns Island County Park.  The reggae sounds of Mystic vibrations on June 5 and the Motown sounds of The Legacy on July 10.  For each show, gates open at 6 p.m. with music beginning at 7 p.m.  Shows end by 9:30 p.m. Tickets are available for $60 per 10×10 square, not per person. Squares are limited to four people max.  Guests must arrive together, as each vehicle must have a ticket for entry. Squares will be available on a first-come, first-served basis upon arrival.  Each show will also offer food vendors; no outside food, alcohol or coolers will be permitted.  Alcohol will be available for purchase. Patrons are encouraged to bring chairs, blankets, tables, etc. to be used at their space. Masks are required, except when eating.

Ongoing

The Lawn Party exhibition: Through Sept. 19, Charleston Museum, Meeting Street, Charleston.  The Charleston Museum is pleased to present The Lawn Party: From Satin to Seersucker, the latest offering in its Historic Textiles Gallery. In an “unprecedented” era when large gatherings have been discouraged and fashion has trended towards leisurewear, this exhibition is a celebration of getting dressed up for an outdoor party. Bringing a hint of glamour to a trying time, the garments on display were selected with the grand idea of “after” in mind. This is a perfect opportunity to come see what to wear for your next outdoor event as we head toward the new “normal.” 

Holy City Farmers Market:  4 p.m. to 7 p.m., every Wednesday, Holy City Brewing, North Charleston. vendors rotate weekly to provide shoppers with a tiny but mighty shopping experience. vendors will be selling a range of products from specialty foods, home and body care to arts and crafts. More info.

Birds of Prey flight demonstrations: 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Thursdays and Saturdays, Center for Birds of Prey, 4719 Highway 17. Awendaw.  The center has reopened its doors to visitors after closing due to the COvID-19 pandemic, inviting people to once again come and explore the world of raptors through an outdoor program and flight demonstration. Tickets: . $20/adult; $15/children age 3-17. 

Sunday Brunch Farmers Market: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., every Sunday, Charleston Pour House, 1977 Maybank Highway, James Island. While the market is discouraging people from spending too much time hanging out during the market, everyone is invited to shop their local vendors. More info.

Bird-watching at Caw Caw. Every Wednesday and Saturday — particularly through the end of February — you can see a plethora of birds at Caw Caw Interpretive Center in Ravenel as they make their way through the Lowcountry.  The two-hour regular walks, which start at 8:30 a.m., are through distinct habitats that allow participants to view and discuss a variety of birds, butterflies, and other organisms. Registration is not required. Participants are encouraged to bring their own binoculars.  A paid chaperone is required for participants ages 15 and under. Max. 10 participants.   Fee: $9; free for Gold Pass holders.  Open to all ages.  More: Caw Caw Interpretive Center. 

• If you have any online events, drop us a line (editor@charlestoncurrents.com) and make sure to put “Online event” in the subject line.  Similarly, if you’ve got cool ideas for stuff to do while in isolation at home, send them our way.

CHARLESTON HISTORY

• ORDER NOW:  Copies of our new book, 350 Facts About Charleston, are in Lowcountry-area bookstores now, but if you can’t swing by, you can order a copy online today.