Azaleas, Sweet Tea, and the Largest Festival in the Southeast--Summerville, South Carolina

Summerville has been 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 official 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. With that being said, pine trees and azaleas are a perfect collaboration because azaleas grow well in its shadows.

The varieties of azaleas are as bounteous as its blooms thanks to hybridizing, or crossbreeding. They are native to North America, so it is likely they greeted our arriving ancestors in some form. All North American species are deciduous, 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 dispute 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.

The azaleas that helped make Summerville famous are most likely the non-native variety. These originated in China and Japan, and made their way to the U.S. via England, France, and Germany. According to azalea historian Fred Galle in the United States, Azalea Indica (specifically speaking about the group of plants called Southern Indicas) got its name because when it was discovered, Asia was known as the East Indies. The first hybrids were planted in Charleston, South Carolina.

John Grimke Drayton imported the Azalea Indica from Philadelphia--where they were grown only in greenhouses by a nurseryman who also had a branch nursery in Charleston--and introduced them into the estate gardens of his rice plantation on the Ashley River. Marie Clinton Hastie wrote about the beginnings of her grandfather's garden, "it was somewhere in the mid 1840s that the Azalea Indica was introduced to Magnolia." His garden was the first in America to plant azaleas outdoors.

Thanks to the generosity of George Segelken, a pioneer in azalea propagation, Summerville became the place to see these uncommon plants in all their abundant glory in 1935. People came from all over to view the lush beauty of the town's Azalea Park. Segelken named the salmon pink colored azalea "Pride of Summerville." The park is the predominant venue of the Flowertown Festival.

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 on the promotion of arts and crafts. More than 200 craft artisans and vendors are given the opportunity to showcase their creative wares throughout Azalea Park. The Taste is another feature that offers festivalgoers a chance to sample appetizers, main courses, and desserts from local restaurants. For the young ones, there will be a Children's Jubilee/Kid's Fest, for the adults, a Saturday farmer's market. Admission is free and parking is free. The Robert Pratt Band will be sending musical vibes through the town's historic district.

The current festival was predated by a previous one 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 1600s. 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 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 was not just for the air, they also came for the southern charm and beauty.

Spring is a great time to experience Summerville's southern beauty, charm, and community pride. It is the season to celebrate the Flowertown Festival in The Birthplace of Sweet Tea beginning on April 1st, and this is no April fools. Speaking of sweet tea, allegedly, in 2003 as an April Fool’s joke, the Georgia House introduced a bill making it a "...misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature" to sell iced tea in a restaurant that did not also offer sweet iced tea on the menu. The bill never went to a vote. You can not accuse the Georgia House of lacking in humor. South Carolina adopted sweet tea as the state's Official Hospitality Beverage in 1995.

Of course, you cannot have sweet tea without a tealeaf, and Summerville owns the bragging rights for a particular variety. With French explorer and botanist Andre Michaux's planting of Oolong tea on the Middleton Barony in 1795, South Carolina was the only colony in America producing tea plants at that time. Later, Dr. Charles Shepard founded the Pinehurst Tea Plantation in Summerville in 1888, where he made tea growing a profitable reality. While Oolong tea could be your choice in making sweet tea, any kind can be used, though black tea is always a classic.

Well, that is Summerville—azaleas, sweet tea, and the biggest festival in the Southeast. While visiting for the Flowertown Festival, grab a glass of the best sweet tea at Sweetwater One Twenty Three. When you see me walking around town, be sure to say, "Hey." I am always interested in making new acquaintances.

A Beautiful Charleston Landmark With an Illustrious History and Lots of Good Events on Tap

This Charleston landmark originally seated nearly 2000 people. It was the largest of its kind in South Carolina to open to the public at the time. Its first showing was a silent film starring Norma Shearer. The South Carolina premiere of Gone with the Wind appeared at this venue, with members of the original cast in attendance, including Charleston native Alicia Rhett, who played India Wilkes in the film. It closed in 1975, not long after a showing of Sound of Music, and then purchased by the College of Charleston. Originally named the Gloria, it reopened in 1990 as the Sottile Theatre.

The Gloria was designed as a smaller version of the great movie palaces of the era and was lauded for the grandeur of its architecture and design. However, the theater's eye-catching wall paintings stole the show and became a source of mystery. Italian artists from New York executed their work on canvas, but the actual artists' names were left unmentioned. 

When the College of Charleston purchased the theater, acoustic tiles covered its walls. During renovations in 2011, the workers removed the tiles and discovered the two large-scale murals hiding beneath the tiles. Apparently, the College was unaware the famous murals were underneath. The south mural had to be removed temporarily due to severe damage. The north mural remained on display, despite having suffered damage and deterioration. Much of the restoration work would involve remediation of the many spots of tar used to attach the acoustic tiles to both murals decades ago. Renovations included the preservation of the theatre's illuminated blue dome and twinkling stars and restoring the south mural to its original location. The most recent large-scale renovation was completed in 2020.

The College of Charleston's historic Sottile Theatre serves as a performance and event venue for the College and the community, including operas, plays, musicals, ballets, concerts, and receptions and conferences. In addition to the 785-seat theatre, the facility offers several lobby areas, an outdoor balcony terrace, and a garden for reception venues.

My partner and I attended the Grande Serenata, a concert of operatic hits by the Charleston Opera Theater. It would be my first operatic concert, aside from an introductory hour-long opera performance we attended at the Charleston Library Society on King Street.

All performances were sung in a foreign language, so if you do not speak those languages, it is not about the words but the power with which they are sung and the music played by the accompanying orchestra. The high level of pitch the woman singers reach is almost glass-shattering, and there were a few of those moments. A screen above the stage displayed the translation, but you could tell what was going on by the body language and facial expressions, and you would miss that if you looked away. One segment was performed in English to honor the Irish festival celebrated that day.

The orchestra was superb. I am not an opera aficionado, so I will just say the featured singers were operatic. Two College of Charleston Artists in Residence, Abigail Erin Oldstrom and Halis Runk, were highlighted in a duet. The stage lighting was captivating and set the mood for each set. The theater was impressive and the seating was comfortable with plenty of leg room.

Grande Serenata was a suggested black-tie event but not required. It felt good to dress to impress, and I pulled out all the guns with a blue-black feather bow tie and brown Steve Madden shoes. I am for experiencing everything, so I can say I did it. So, I did the opera, and frankly, I enjoyed it. I just might do it again. The best part is I shared it with a special friend, and you can not beat that. The evening began with a dinner at Fast and French, making it a complete and satisfying outing. Hey, it's Charleston. So much to offer, so much to do.

The College of Charleston Sottille Theatre is a beautiful venue with an illustrious history and lots of good entertainment on schedule. Sophisticate yourself and check it out.

Upcoming events.

44 George St, Charleston, SC

Sold Out Folly Pier Fest Celebrated the Opening of the Famous Folly Beach Pier--A Long-time Lowcountry Landmark

Like everything in this world, it aged. In one form or another, it has been around since the 1930s. It enjoyed many a good times during its long existence. However, day-to-day environmental stresses had weakened its bones, not to leave unmentioned the powerful calamities that pummeled it during those years. The old gent was finally forced to retire in 2020 but experienced a rejuvenation at the same time. Then on March 11, 2023, a party was held to celebrate its return to full physical glory. Locals know it as the Folly Beach Pier, but it is formally known as the Edwin S. Taylor Folly Beach Fishing Pier. The party was the Folly Pier Fest. It was a grand occasion.

According to the City of Folly, in the 1930s, the Pier, Atlantic Pavilion, Boardwalk, and Ocean Hotel were completed. The original Folly Pier was 120 feet wide and 97 feet long and was a green and white structure built with palmetto tree logs. In 1937, 15,000 people celebrated the 4th of July on the Folly Beach Pier. The pier drew famous entertainers and bands through its years, including Jerry Lee Lewis, The Drifters, and The Coasters.

In 1960, after a fire at the nearby Ocean Front Hotel, the pier and pavilion area reopened as the Ocean Plaza with amusement rides, shops, 1,700 feet of boardwalk, a roller-skating rink, and concessions. In January 1977, the pier burned, and arson was the suspected cause of the fire. The Folly Beach Pier and tackle shop was built in 1995 and opened on July 4. It reached its end due to deterioration in the wood pilings caused by marine borers. Reconstruction began in October 2020 to erect the new 25 feet wide, 1,049 feet long, 22 feet high pier with a 7,500-square-foot diamond-shaped platform at the end, which opened on December 26, 2022.

The Folly Pier Fest sold out. The pier's only eating establishment, Pier 101 Restaurant and Bar, was packed, as were many of the restaurants in this popular Lowcountry island beach town. Ticket holders were treated to a variety of amenities as they made their way toward the end of the pier. Stilted entertainers weaved their way through the crowd. Local musicians played tunes for tips at various locations, along with a trapezist on a ring.

At the end, the Dave Landeo Band rocked the 7,500-square-foot diamond-shaped platform. It was a family affair as children of all ages and brave adults danced and spun to the encouragement of Dave Landeo and his fellow musicians, who tossed t-shirts and tambourines to onlookers while playing tunes like Sweet Caroline and Brandy mixed in a three-hour set of popular rock songs. A beautiful sunset and a colorful display of lights from the Tides hotel reflecting off the calm Atlantic surf were an added treat. It was a night of pure fun.

The Folly Beach Pier is open daily for your enjoyment from 8 am to sunset throughout the year. The gift shop is open from 8 am to 30 minutes before sunset. Daily fishing is available from the pier, and rod rentals and bait can be rented for a fee. Two pier locations were slightly widened to 33 feet and covered, allowing additional space for fishing. There is a public parking lot at the pier for a fee, or if space allows, on-street parking is available free of charge and is first come, first serve.

Photographs by Anne-Merle Bryant

101 E. Arctic Ave.

Folly Beach, SC

Help! I think My Characters Are Trying to Kill Me--A Hilariously Bring the House Down, Feel-good Time

I have walked past its door quite a few times on my treks through the French Quarter just a few steps from Market Street. On those occasions, I would unmistakably hear the waves of laughter emanating out its entrance as the sound spilled onto the sidewalk of Church Street. As I curiously looked in, I saw a very intimate space with a mock stage, bar seating, booths along the walls, cocktail tables spread throughout, whodunit games hanging near the entrance, and pictures of well-known theatrical sleuths lining the walls. I finally decided it was time for me--and this is a fitting word to use in this situation--to investigate.

The name of this small Mom and Pop establishment is the Black Fedora Comedy Mystery Theatre. The owners are Darryl and Sherry Wade, entrepreneurs from Atlanta who spent two decades producing live entertainment for corporate audiences. After working more than a decade in the Lowcountry with other talented and funny people, many of whom have performed in the area's community theaters, they established the Black Fedora Theatre with a mission to share the theatrical spirit of humor, playfulness, and joy with their paying patrons. Help! I Think My Characters Are Trying To Kill Me was the name of the show we attended at 8 pm, which opened for the first time that evening. The first showing was at 5 pm.

We were greeted at the door and escorted to our table by one of the evening's performers who explained in detail what we were about to experience, shown a game card where we would compete with the other guests in identifying the sleuths hanging on the walls, and given an explanation as to what was available in the way of food and drinks--appetizers, homemade desserts, beer, wine, teas, and sodas. Another one of the performers handed out printed sheets containing dialogue to eager volunteers in the audience.

The premise: A playwright(Chad Estel) with severe writer's block must finish a murder mystery script with the audience already seated before him, else face the wrath of the Director. As he writes, his characters, Igor(John Brian), Della Demarco(Maddie Casto), the Zombies, and the Evil Queen(Suzanne Robinson Muoio), come to life to solve the crime, but the playwright soon begins to suspect that his own creations are out to kill him...as they begin to fear it is he who is out for them.

Then, the show began, and the laughs were non-stop. Most of the time, audience volunteers were on queue, but some were not, but that aspect of informality only added to the hilarity as the actors prompted for a response. All the performers knew their lines well and skillfully engaged the audience volunteers. The character I volunteered to read was the Mad Doc, and I got coaxed into being one of the Zombies. I had a blast interacting with Igor, the character who we thought stole the show, but I am not saying the other performers did not because they were all superb in their own way.

The shows are approximately two hours long, with no foul language or anything crude. The ticket is $27.00 and is well worth the price. There are other shows offered throughout the week, but Help! I think My Characters Are Trying to Kill Me is one show you do not want to miss. It was a hilariously bring the house down, feel-good time.

164 Church Street, Charleston, SC, 843-937-6453

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