The Flowertown Festival 2012 In Summerville Is Underway-Eddie Bush And Lots Of Fun

I stepped out onto the hot pavement of S. Main. The unusually hot, spring sun was performing its magic. I looked ahead down the main strip of the festival and as far as I could see was a mass of fellow festival goers. The smell of carnival food carried on the warm breeze curled around me. In close proximity to my position was a vendor cooking up an assortment of french fries, which included butterfly fries. Although I am not a fan of carnival food, I do like fries and the temptation was strong. I resisted, for the moment, and pressed forward.

Immediately, I was confronted by a gantlet of vendors attempting to hand me their cards, one on the right, next the left. In my mind I had a flash-back of a scene from a Dirty Harry movie called coincidentally "The Gauntlet", but spelled differently, and began to sympathize with how he must have felt as he was confronted with the hail of bullets showering down on his bus. I survived the onslaught, but one vendor did manage to get his card into my pocket.

spin-the-wheel

Next, a young man called out to me and tried to persuade me to putt a ball into a hole for a chance to win a Kindle Fire. The catch was you had to do it blindfold, and then if you were successful, your name would be put into a drawing. I politely gave the excuse, "Not at the moment. Maybe when I come back around." And so, this is the way it was on down the line. Win a dream vacation, win a gift card, spin-the-wheel, more food, more vendors. Yep, it's the Flowertown Festival in Summerville and if you were expecting something different, you're in the wrong place because that is what it is all about. People showcasing their businesses, their arts and crafts, food, live entertainment, and all in the name of fun.

joggling boards

take a seat.

live entertainment

My main objective today was to locate the Flowertown Players booth managed by Christine Eliason. Christine was the director of the Players most recent play "Wait Until Dark". The play was both entertaining and engaging, and a success. The Flowertown Players have a small stage set up next to their tables where brief scenes from popular plays will be acted out. Today, I was present to view a scene of a women's version of "The Odd Couple" acted out by Stephanie Crowley and Leslie Vicary. Stephanie was all fired up for the skit. Be sure to stop by for a look-see and pick up one of the brochures highlighting their season ahead and the plays they will be performing.

Stephanie Crowley and Leslie Vicary

One of the highlights in the way of live entertainment Saturday will be Summerville's own Chelsea Summers. She will take the stage at 11:00am in Azalea Park near the Cuthbert Center. Chelsea is generally seen around Summerville performing at local venues including the Icehouse Restaurant, Single Smile Café, Firewater Grille and Madra Rua Irish Pub. She recently won a contest for a gig in Winston-Salem, N.C at Ziggy's where she opened for Parachute.

Chelsea at Ziggy's

Sunday's highlight needs no introductions. He is well known around Summerville and just about everywhere else. He once played the guitar with his teeth. He performs, writes, and teaches. He formed a trio with Chris Roberts and Royal Reed called One Flew South. He plays with a group called the Mayhem. Eddie Bush is his name and he will perform 1:30-2:30pm. Don't miss it.

Charleston's Own Unique Story Of Its Rise From Rags To Riches

Charleston's charismatic character has been molded over a long and illustrious history dating all the way back to the 1600's. Having now stated this obvious and unremarkable revelation on my part, there is nothing further I could add to what already has been eloquently set down on paper by pen or more consistent with the times, the keyboard, about Charleston's historic preeminence. The well thought out words and phrases may be arranged in different patterns styled by the unique point of view of its author and tinted with a hint of imagination to give it textual color, but the facts are inescapably the same. Since the Holy City's inception, it has survived a revolution, a civil war, great fires, a record setting earthquake, and several hurricanes. Hurricane Hugo, in 1989, is the most memorable of the catastrophes and without a doubt the most recent indelibly branded on the psyche of its highly faithful residents.

Charleston Hotel 1901

Before Hugo made its imprint on the landscape of Charleston, the city was grappling with a more perverse threat to its continuity, an insidious evil you will not read about in any great detail, and with the influx of so many people not of Charlestonian decent, quite unknown. An adversary that threatened to voraciously consume the wood, stone and iron structures of Charleston's eminent past. It was a blight common to most cities called urban decay and indifference. This is Charleston's uncelebrated story of its rise from rags to riches.

In 1979 an Atlanta magazine described a Charleston unknown to us today. At that time, they wrote an article of an unflattering truth about Charleston's present ever-popular Historic District. It stated, "Downtown Charleston, in many ways, epitomizes the decaying American city." "We were dying," said a store owner on King Street by the name of Mariana Hay. "It was just a big blight. Downtown was really kind of a no-man's land." The new mayor of Charleston, Joe Riley, agreed with these conclusions and likened the downtown area to a poisoned ecosystem. The demolition of the 120-year-old Charleston Hotel on Meeting Street epitomized the city's decay. Downtown commerce was looking like the Ashley River in Summerville at low tide. Empty storefronts were common and pedestrian traffic was deficient for a thriving market. Property values on King Street headed south like today's Northerners.

Charleston Place

Then, plans were set in motion to reverse the city's progression into a kind of Black Death. Charleston Place was conceived. In the beginning it faced opposition, but the planners persevered. A huge, sandy lot where a JCPenney's once stood was the chosen location for the groundbreaking. The centerpiece of the project would be a four star hotel with 440 guest rooms and suites with a rooftop pool. It now houses Charleston Spa, the Mobile Four-Star restaurant Charleston Grill, and an exclusive collection of world-famous stores located on the ground floor called the Shops of Charleston. There was no stopping the city's ascension from there. Charleston's "gold bug" was found. The restoration sparked by Charleston Place set the city ablaze and the fires of transformation moved quickly from building to building like the Great Fire of 1838.

Since my arrival in 2005, the growth has continued. At that time, there were only two bridges crossing the Cooper River with a view of the bay and skyline, one called the Silas Pearman Bridge and the other named the John P. Grace Memorial Bridge. They were two majestic icons that were feeling their age. I remember the first time I drove over the narrow bridges with both hands on the steering wheel accompanied by the uncomfortable feeling of possibly going over the edge. The old bridges eventually came down section by section and were replaced by the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge. This year, March 31st, the new Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge will be covered with a sea of humanity in the 10k Cooper River Bridge Run starting at 8:00am. Taylor Hicks, Season 5 winner of American Idol, and his full band will perform on the Main Stage at the Finish Line.

1939 Riviera Theater on King Street now a Conference Center

Today, the old cobblestoned streets and waterfront walkways are filled with conversation and the clip-clop of horses' hooves. The Old Market is packed with souvenir-collecting tourists and the launching point for all the highly sought after horse-drawn carriage tours. The French Quarter is filled with camera carrying amateur and professional photographers alike looking to get the perfect shot. King Street is no longer a silent, faceless collection of once-upon-a-time stores, but now prime shopping real estate for an imaginative, thriving boutique. World-class luxurious accommodations touting the famous southern hospitality are plentiful. The finest dining establishments in the country with world renowned chefs featuring their own unique take on the famous Lowcountry cuisine are ready to serve you. Beautiful old plantations, antebellum homes, museums, sandy beaches, theaters, a thriving night life, and festivals year round will satisfy the most diverse of travelers.

Busy King Street today

Like I stated earlier, what else can I say that hasn't been already said, except the following parting words. The Holy City welcomes an estimated 4 million people every year. Charleston has been named the top American travel destination by the readers of Conde Nast Traveler. Travel and Leisure Magazine named Charleston "America's Sexiest City". Southern Living Magazine named Charleston "the most polite and hospitable city in America." It was also named the city with "the most attractive people". So, don't just read about the queen of cities, come and see for yourself. It is truly a story of rags to riches.

Chalmers Street is the longest surviving cobblestone street

Summerville Showcases Its Southern Charm And Beauty At The Annual Flowertown Festival

House on Central Ave

Summerville presently is shimmering in a sea of magnificent multitudinous masses of magenta. It is the annual azalea bloom putting on its best dress for the upcoming Flowertown Festival hosted in Summerville's Azalea Park. The flowers are the offical doorkeepers of spring greeting all to the celebration of warmer days. Drive anywhere on the streets in the town's historic district between Central Ave. and S. Main and you will be convinced Summerville is rightfully crowned the "Flower Town in the Pines".

Rightfully the "Flower Town in the Pines" because Summerville is also famous for its pine trees, but unfortunately the pollen bloom that rains down from its branches when the weather warms is not enthusiastically embraced with happy celebration like the azaleas. Having said that, pine trees and azaleas are a perfect collaboration because azaleas grow well in its shadows.

House on Central Ave

The varieties of azaleas are as bounteous as its blooms thanks to hybridizing, crossbreeding. They are native to North America, so it is likely they greeted our arriving ancestors in some form. All North American species are decidious, meaning they drop their leaves. The evergreen varieties come from Japan where they can be hundreds of years old. The plants and blooms are mildly toxic, but I can personally despute this assumption as not likely to be a deterrent to consumption. When I lived in northeastern Ohio years ago, I planted extensive rock gardens and plant mounds on my property. I attempted to incorporate azaleas into my scheme, but was unsuccessful. It seemed the branches were a favorite delicacy of deer, who ate the plants down to a stub before having a chance to pop a bud.

Azalea bloom in Summerville

The Flowertown Festival ranks as one of the largest festivals in the Southeast with an origin that goes back to 1972. The three-day festival also carries the well deserved distinction as one of the Top 20 events in the Southeast by the Southeast Tourism Society. One of the main features of this family-oriented festival centers around the promotion of arts and crafts. More than 200 craft artisans and vendors will be given the opportunity to showcase their creative wares throughout Azalea Park. The Taste is another feature that offers festival goers a chance to sample appetizers, main courses and desserts from local restaurants. A Children’s Jubilee located at the corner of 6th Street and S. Main Street will be set up with activities and rides to entertain your little ones. There will also be plenty of live entertainment. Admission is free and parking is free.

Old building at the Woodlands Inn

The current festival was predated by a previous festival in 1941 when Summerville celebrated the first Azalea Festival, a four-day event that included dances, concerts, a parade and a formal ball. The festival promoted local business and celebrated the town's community pride, a pride as old as the trees. Summerville's rich history dates all the way back to the late 1600's. In those early days, coastal residents sought refuge from the heat and mosquitoes among the cooler pines of Summerville. One of the trees redeeming features was the turpentine scent it emitted, and even doctors considered it to be a cure for a variety of respiratory ailments. Many came all the way from Europe for the pine air and its believed benefits, but it wasn't just for the air, they also came for the southern beauty and charm.

Come and experience Summerville's southern beauty, charm, and community pride. Come and celebrate the Flowertown Festival March 30th to April 1st, and this is no April fools. While you are there, be sure to check out the Flowertown Players booth. Big things are going on at the little theater near the corner of S. Main and E. Richardson. When you see me, be sure to say, "Hey." I am always interested in making new acquaitances. Times Friday and Saturday are 9:00am-5:00pm and Sunday 9:00am-4:00pm.

Charleston's Festival of Houses And Gardens-See the History, Touch The History

I have one overwhelming impulse. Well, one that I will readily admit to and believe to be quite innocent, but at times can be distracting. Upon entering an establishment for the first time, I irresistably begin to check out its distintive architecture and the craftmanship employed in its creation. This impulse is driven by many years of exposure to the contruction trades and time spent as a finish trim carpenter on the Isle of Palms and Mt. Pleasant. Couple this with a passion for working with everything that grows green and explodes into an array of colors and you have the required ingredients of an individual who would be the perfect candidate for Charleston's yearly Festival of Houses and Gardens. The festival has been a yearly event, now in its 65th year.

Charleston's landmarks and beautiful homes are collectively some of the more obvious reasons why visitors and residents are drawn to this number one destination in the country known for its historic charisma. A walk through the Holy City gives you a glimpse into a past you otherwise could only read about in books or see in old photographs and well preserved art. Charleston contains an unbelievable amount of history. A history you can personally touch and visually experience. A history that goes all the way back to the early days of tall ships and horse drawn carriages. So, here are a few reasons visitors and residents are drawn to this charming Southern city by the Atlantic Ocean.

Pink House

The oldest standing tavern building in the South can be found at 17 Chalmers Street in the French Quarter, an area that was originally within the walled part of old Charles Towne. The old tavern was built in the mid 1690's. It was constructed from Bermuda stone, a West Indian coral stone with a natural pink cast to it. Thus, it became known as the Pink House. Another unique feature of the tavern is the tiled roof made from terra cotta tile of an ancient vintage. The little tavern has been extremely versatile surviving both an earthquake and hurricane virtually unscathed while buildings around it crumbled. In its inception, the groggerie served seamen whiskey, wenches, and wittles. Today, it is an art gallery.

The oldest estate garden in the Western Hemisphere is just outside Charleston at famed Magnolia Plantation and Gardens. The plantation hosts a number of spectacular horticultural treasures. Some sections are more than 325 years old, making them the oldest unrestored gardens in America. The original main house, which was built before the Revolutionary War, still remains.

terra cotta tiled roof

Down the road from Magnolia Place is Drayton Hall, the oldest preserved plantation house open to the public in the country. The house was built between 1738 and 1742 and considered one of the finest examples of Georgian-Palladian architecture in the United States. Drayton Hall will be host to this years Festival Plantation Picnic on Friday, April 6 and  Sunday, April 15, 4:30-7 p.m. You can purchase tickets here.

The William Rett House located on Hasell Street just off Meeting was finished in 1716. It is considered the oldest house in Charleston and part of the old sugar plantation acquired by William Rett. It has been restored and is now privately owned. The buildings on the plantation surround a beautiful, formal, English garden featuring a beautiful pond. There is a gate house and a carriage house that can be rented. William Rett is best known for his capture of the infamous Stede Bonnet, the  "gentleman pirate", but the more notorious Blackbeard eluded his capture.

The Calhoun Mansion, built in 1876, is the largest residence in Charleston and considered one of the greatest antebellum homes on the eastern seaboard. Some of its more striking features are a stairwell that reaches to a 75 foot domed ceiling and a music room with a 45 foot covered glass skylight. It also boast some beautiful gardens.

Calhoun Mansion

The Festival of Houses and Gardens, March 22 to April 21, offers guests a rare opportunity to wander the private residential interiors and gardens of more than one hundred distinctive and historic downtown homes. Scheduled house tours will take you into areas like Ansonborough, the peninsula's first neighborhood established in 1745. Although much of Ansonborough was destroyed by a fire in 1838, it was rebuilt with houses owned by some of Charleston's oldest family names. The House and Garden tours will feature 7 to 10 properties each day in one of 11 different neighborhoods. Purchase tickets here.

Other events are The Glorious Garden tours, Morning History Walks, and Luncheon Lecture Series. If you like pirate stories, don't miss the "The Notorious Exploits of Three Female Pirates" lecture at the James Missroon House at 40 East Bay Street Monday, April 9. Purchase tickets here. Concerts, wine tasting, and harbor cruises are also a part of the festival.

On top of all this, the festival takes place during Charleston's spring peak blooming season. Native varieties flowering include dogwood, redbud, and fringe trees, as well as azalea, yellow jessamine, and bignonia. Come and join the culture and fun that makes Charleston number one.

"Wait Until Dark" Now Showing At The James F. Dean Theatre In Summerville Is Entertaining-Don't Miss It

The marquee lights flashed brilliantly, illuminating the way on Euclid Avenue to the big swinging doors underneath. Everyone was dressed to the hilt, suit and tie and evening gowns. "Your tickets please," was the greeting from the white-shirted attendants upon entering. The surroundings inside were lush and the architecture lavish. The colors were royal with an abundance of red accented with flecks of gold. The predominant marble gave the huge foyer the feel of antiquity. There was no mistaking the reason you were there, the signs were everywhere. The atmosphere was heavy with excitement. The anticipation for what was to come elevated the senses. "May I show you to your seat," the usher courteously requested. The seating area was alive with the loud talk of families and couples until the lights were dimmed and the curtain rose. It was showtime at the Playhouse Square in Cleveland, OH and I loved a good show.

Today, I live in Summerville, a beautiful, historic town near Charleston. It is a far cry from Cleveland, some 722 miles. I have now lived here for over six years and because of my interest in live stage performances, have always been curious about what goes on at the little theater on the corner of South Main Street and East Richardson Ave. called the James F. Dean Theatre. The event was the monthly Third Thursday in Summerville and my main objective was to satisfy that curiosity, aroused specifically by the fact the play "Wait Until Dark" was being advertised.

The James F. Dean Theatre was originally a movie house converted to accommodate live stage performances. The theater marquee is modest and the entrance a single door. Inside, the decor is simple. There are no lush reds with flecks of gold or marble pillars. I was greeted by a young man by the name of Cody Smith, from whom I requested permission to take some pictures. We briefly conversed about the theater, which gravitated into a discussion about the upcoming play. I brought up the old movie, which in its climax contained one of the top 100 scariest movie moments. I wondered how the performers would duplicate that famous scene. Cody graciously offered me comp tickets for the opening night on March 2nd to see for myself.

cast members

Opening night finally arrived. The front door attendant and ushers were all volunteers and local residents. In fact, the front door attendant was my neighbor. The ticket holders were for the most part dressed casually, no suit and tie, but the excitement and anticipation that filled the theater was notably present. The stage and props were well placed and appropriate for the setting, a basement apartment where a blind woman by the name of Susy Hendrix(Tiffany Eliason) lived along with her husband, Sam(Robert Carroll). The lights dimmed and the two small-time con artists, Talman(Chad Estel) and Carlino(Robert Vincelli), entered the apartment to find out they are in for more than they bargained for and relunctantly become partnered with a cold-blooded killer, Harry Roat(Cody Smith), who was looking for a cloth doll.

Cody, Tiffany, Chad, and Katie

In my humble opinion, I was thoroughly entertained, and satisfied the director(Christine Eliason) and the cast pulled off the dramatic conclusion. Tiffany, in her first large role, did a very good job simulating a blind woman and projecting the emotional state of the original character. I was pleasantly pleased at the performance of 12 year old Katie Batton, who played the part of Gloria, an upstairs neighbor. Gloria had somewhat of a bratty personality and Katie looked the part. I don't want to give away any of the details, but there was that one scene where alot of things were being thrown around by an insolent Gloria. Now, we come to the sinister Harry Roat played by Cody Smith. For me, the sunglasses and the long switchblade did the trick. Not just any sunglasses, but the Harry Roat type of sunglasses. The cool, calculating killer he was. Cody's mannerisms were expressive and he wielded the knife in an intimidating way. Tiffany and Cody succeeded in gradually raising the suspense for the final, climactic scene involving the refrigerator. Sorry, you will have to purchase a ticket for the rest. It is worth an evening out. Everything seemed to flow smoothly for a live stage performance. Other cast members were Deacon Gerald and Kelsey Palmer. Hats off to Christine and Ernie Eliason.

Christine and Ernie Eliason

The Flowertown Players are an acting group in a small theater with a big heart. They feature local talent and invite all with an interest in the performing arts to join them. I look forward to future interactions with the James F. Dean Theatre.