Events Calendar

Professional barbecue teams, musicians and lucky bystanders will assemble at the Annual Southern National BBQ Championship & Bluegrass Festival at Boone Hall Plantation and Gardens in Mount Pleasant on August 31st. Chompin’, stompin’ and generally having a good time aside, this is a serious competition that attracts barbecue experts from all over the country. Cooking teams compete for prizes in Professional, Amateur and Tailgating categories, while festival attendees enjoy free samples of barbecue (while they last) and can purchase full plates from onsite vendors. Kids’ activities keep the little ones happy and the location is a lovely setting for a summer afternoon. Ticket prices are: $20.00 for adults, $7.50 for children 6-12 years, and free for children under 5 years. Parking is free. For a complete festival schedule visit boonehallplantation.com or call 843-884-4371, ext. 221.

Boone Hall Plantation & Gardens, the historic site of the festival, is worth visiting on its own merits as an example of living history. The spectacular approach to the main house, lined with dramatic live oaks and draping moss, has been featured in blockbuster films such as The Patriot and The Notebook. The house and grounds have been open to the public for tours since 1956, and a variety of crops have been grown for 320 years. A thoroughly modern market down the road sells the peaches, strawberries, tomatoes, pumpkins and other produce that are popular today. Bluegrass music has been enjoying a surge in popularity in recent years with movies like the Cohen Brothers’ ‘O Brother Where Art Thou and artists like Alison Kraus and Vince Gill introducing that “high lonesome sound” to millions of new fans.

Family-friendly events and activities, Scottish-style, will be the highlight of the Scottish Games and Highland Gathering on September 20, 2008. The event will be held from 9:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m. at historic Boone Hall Plantation in Mt. Pleasant. Tickets at the gate are $15 for adults, $5 for children and free for kids 5 years old and under. The houses and grounds of Boone Hall Plantation can also be explored. Attendees will enjoy bagpipe bands, drumming, fiddling, highland dancing, Olympic-style competitions and kids’ games. There will be a genealogy and clan tent and plenty of Scottish merchandise and food. A Border Collie Demo will feature examples of the energetic dog known for its intelligence and skill as a sheep herder.

In a nod to their original incarnation centuries ago, modern Scottish Highland Games revolve around athletic and sports competitions. Heavy athletic events (the weightiness of the objects being tossed or thrown makes the name an obvious choice) like the caber toss and 56 lb. weight toss are impressive demonstrations of strength and skill. Some consider the other activities and entertainment at these events to be simply icing on the cake, but what tasty icing it has proven to be as the thousands who attend the Charleston event each year can attest to. Over 25 bagpipe bands, Celtic rock bands and the sounds of laughter and merriment can be heard echoing across Boone Hall’s scenic marshlands and through the live oaks draped with moss, as people of all ages and from all backgrounds enjoy some Scottish spirit on a beautiful September day.

Boone Hall Plantation & Gardens is one of America’s oldest working plantations and has been open to the public since 1956. A variety of crops are grown on site and some of the most popular are for sale at a large indoor market down the street. The grounds have been used as a scenic landmark in popular A-list movies like The Patriot and The Notebook, so don’t be surprised if the locale seems familiar.