Sponsored Fall Decorations on East Montague to Benefit Needy Families

The Olde North Charleston Merchants Association and the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department are collaborating once again to decorate the Olde Village section of East Montague Avenue with decorative grapevine wreaths for Fall. Schools, community groups, churches, businesses and individuals are invited to participate in this third annual beautification effort by sponsoring a wreath. Proceeds from wreath sponsorships will go toward the City of North Charleston’s Christmas Charity benefiting needy families.

Wreath sponsors may purchase a 24” grapevine wreath with two sided orange ribbon for $25 and personalize it with decorations of their choosing, or purchase a pre-decorated wreath for $50. Past participants have the option of redecorating last year’s wreath for $15. Wreaths with sponsor signage will be displayed on light poles lining the Olde Village section of East Montague Avenue throughout October and November.

Sponsorship commitments should be made by 5:00pm on Friday, September 20, 2013, and wreaths must be decorated and ready to hang by Tuesday, October 1. To sponsor a wreath or for more information contact the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department at (843) 740-5854 or culturalarts@northcharleston.org.

Half-Moon Outfitters and City partner in mural competition - seeking submissions

Half-Moon Outfitters is partnering with the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department to host a public mural competition. Lowcountry visual artists age 18 and up are invited to submit proposals for a public art piece to be installed on the exterior of Half-Moon Outfitters’ new building addition, the Half-Moon Annex, located on the corner of East Montague and Jenkins Avenues in the Olde Village area of North Charleston. Up to three artists will be selected. Selected artists will be given a materials stipend to create an 8’x8’ mural and have an opportunity to compete for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place prizes. Deadline for proposals is 5:00pm on Friday, April 19.

To apply, artists must provide sketches of the proposed mural, a written description of the piece including information on medium, inspiration, and execution methods, a resume, and contact information. Application materials should be submitted by the deadline to City of North Charleston Arts Coordinator, AnneTrabue W. Nelson, via email, post, or hand-delivery to: 

Email:

anelson@northcharleston.org 

Post: 

City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department 

PO Box 190016
North Charleston, SC 29419-9016

Hand-delivery: 

Cultural Arts Dept. Office
North Charleston City Hall, 2nd Floor
2500 City Hall Lane
North Charleston, SC 29406 

There is no theme for the mural competition; however, mural concepts must be family-friendly and appropriate for public display. Half-Moon Outfitters will furnish an 8’x8’ wooden panel and a $100 materials stipend for each selected artist. Any additional materials expenses must be covered by the artist. Artists will be notified of selections by Friday, April 26. Murals must be complete and ready for installation by Tuesday, May 7. A free public reception will be held in honor of the mural artists during the 2013 North Charleston Arts Festival Art Walk on Wednesday, May 8, from 5:00-8:00pm. During the event, the public will be invited to vote on their favorite mural. Results of the vote will determine 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place prizes, which are Half-Moon Outfitters gift cards in the amounts of $300, $200, and $100, respectively. 

For more information about the Half-Moon Outfitters public mural competition, contact AnneTrabue W. Nelson at 843-740-5852 or anelson@northcharleston.org. For more information about Half-Moon Outfitters, visit www.halfmoonoutfitters.com. To learn more about other programs and artist opportunities offered by the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department, visit http://bit.ly/culturalarts. 

About Half-Moon Outfitters 

Half-Moon Outfitters, founded in 1993 and based in Charleston, SC, features clothing and gear for adventure and travel. Offering lines that include Patagonia, The North Face, Chaco, Black Diamond and Mountain Hardwear, experienced staff members guide customers through equipment selection with safety, comfort and fun in mind. Half-Moon employees share a love of the outdoors with a commitment to the environment. Half-Moon Outfitters has eight stores in South Carolina and Georgia and also a Web-based store. For more information, visit www.halfmoonoutfitters.com.

St. Paddy's Day Block Party & Parade - March 16

Come join the biggest St. Patrick’s Day celebration in the Lowcountry on Saturday, March 16th in the Olde Village of North Charleston (located on East Montague Avenue near Park Circle). The 10th Annual “St. Paddy’s Day Block Party & Parade” is from 12 PM – 8 PM and promises fun for the entire family. The Block Party location is East Montague Avenue between Virginia Avenue and Jenkins Avenue.

The celebration will feature live music across three stages, bagpipe music, a mechanical bull, food vendors & trucks, corned beef and cabbage, Irish trivia, a Kid’s Zone with jump castles, face painting, local artisans, and much more. 

Live music line-up includes: Karl Byrne, Customs Four & Friends, The V-Tones, Folkgrass, Sean Austin Leonard, Michael Wolk, Don Merckle & The Blacksmiths, The Three Dudes, Maya Morill, Lizzy Pitch and WADATA. 

This year’s party will kick off with a parade starting at Park Place East (adjacent to East Montague Avenue and across from Park Circle Community Center) at 12 PM. The parade route will go down East Montague Avenue to the block party location near Virginia Avenue. The parade Grand Marshalls will be Madra Rua Irish Pub owners, Robert Spencer and Stephen O’Connor, who recently celebrated the 10th anniversary of the pub’s opening. North Charleston's Mayor Keith Summey, the North Charleston High School band and many other local groups will also participate in the parade. 

East Montague Avenue will close from Park Place East to O’Hear Avenue at 11:30 AM and stay closed for the duration of the parade. East Montague will close between Virginia Avenue and Jenkins Avenue at 9:30 AM for set up and remain closed for the duration of the block party. 

The party, parade and parking are free to the public. 

The 10th Annual St. Paddy’s Day Block Party and Parade is sponsored by the Madra Rua Irish Pub, The City of North Charleston, Southern Eagle Distributors, Guinness, Cork Neighborhood Bistro, DIG in the Park, EVO Pizza & Bakery, Cheerwine, The Sparrow, The Barbecue Joint, The Mill, Fratello’s, The Idle Hour, Richard’s Coffee and More and Park Pizza.

Photos from last year's event

Backporch Storytellers set the scene for Halloween at North Charleston Ghost Walk

Get into the Halloween spirit with spooky tales and creepy legends appropriate for all ages at the North Charleston Ghost Walk on Saturday, October 27. The Olde Village section of East Montague Avenue in North Charleston will host up to eight storytelling stations featuring lively presentations of local folklore and traditional ghost stories by the talented members of the Backporch Storytellers of Charleston.

This exclusive one night only event will take place from 6:00-8:00pm. Groups will begin their haunted adventure at The Meeting Place, located at 1077 East Montague Avenue. Guests may visit any number of storytelling stations, with the full tour lasting approximately one and a half hours. Stations are located both indoors and outside. Participants are encouraged to add to the Halloween fun by attending in costume.

Tickets are available for purchase on the night of the event and cost $4 for adults and $1 for children 12 and under. A special rate of $6 is being offered for groups consisting of one adult and three children. All proceeds from ticket sales will go towards the City’s Christmas Charity benefiting needy families. Homemade treats and hot chocolate will be available for purchase.

About the Backporch Storytellers
The Backporch Storytellers is a non-profit organization created in 1987 to serve as a storytelling support group for adult storytellers and listeners and a resource for people interested in oral literature. The mission of the group is to preserve and perpetuate the ancient art of Storytelling and to preserve the multi-cultural stories of the Old South, which includes Sea Island and Gullah tales and stories. Several members are listed on the Artist in Residence in Education roster for the South Carolina Arts Commission. For more information, visit backporchstorytellers.com.

The North Charleston Ghost Walk is sponsored by the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department. For more details about the event, or for information about other programs and services offered by the department, visit http://bit.ly/culturalarts, call 843-740-5854 or email culturalarts@northcharleston.org.

North Charleston’s Farmers Market opens Thursday

The North Charleston Farmers Market will open Thursday, April 19, 2012 from 2:00 pm to 7:00 pm in its new location at 1055 East Montague Avenue in the Olde Village of North Charleston off of Park Circle. The market will be open every Thursday until mid-October.

Join and Share the Facebook event

The City of North Charleston’s annual Farmers Market includes a number of local farmers and growers selling local produce, free-range poultry & beef, and locally caught seafood. Local vendors will be on hand offering arts and crafts, and even gourmet dog treats. 

Each week the City’s Cultural Arts Department features a performance or artist to showcase. Musical performances on the 1st, 3rd, and 5th Thursday of each month and art demonstrations on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of each month. 

On April 19, Michael Wolk will be featured, playing live acoustic music from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm.

St. Paddy's Day Block Party & Parade

Saturday, March 17th in North Charleston on East Montague from 12:00 noon - 8:00 pm

Join the biggest St. Patrick’s Day street party in the Lowcountry on Saturday, March 17th in the Olde Village of North Charleston (located on East Montague Avenue near Park Circle). The 9th Annual “St. Paddy’s Day Block Party & Parade” is from 12:00 noon – 8:00 pm and promises fun for the entire family.
The celebration includes two stages with live music, jump castles, the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department family stage, face painting, bagpipe music, a mechanical bull, the Carolina Studios Mobile Studio, food vendors, corned beef and cabbage, a DJ, Irish trivia, and  much more.

Live music line-up includes:  WADATA, MOONLIGHT ALE, FOLKGRASS TRIO, KARL BYRNE, WHISKEY DIABLO, THE THREE DUDES, LIZZY PITCH, SEAN and AUSTIN LEONARD.

This year’s party will kick off with a parade starting at Park Place East (adjacent to East Montague Avenue and across from Park Circle Community Center) at 12 PM. The parade route will go down East Montague Avenue to the block party location near Virginia Avenue. The parade Grand Marshall will be city of North Charleston Council Member Todd Olds. North Charleston's Mayor Keith Summey will also participate in the parade.

East Montague Avenue will close from Park Place East to O’Hear Avenue at 11:30 am and stay closed for the duration of the parade.  East Montague will close between Virginia Avenue and  Jenkins Avenue at 10:00 am and stay closed for the duration of the block party.

The party, parade and parking are free to the public.

The 9th Annual St. Paddy’s Day Block Party and Parade is sponsored by the Madra Rua Irish Pub, Pearlstine Distributors, Cork Neighborhood Bistro, DIG in the Park, EVO Pizza, Cheerwine, The Sparrow, The Barbecue Joint and Guinness.

Olde Village of North Charleston to host Ghost Walk

Flick user Loren Javier

Get into the Halloween spirit with spooky tales and creepy legends appropriate for all ages at the North Charleston Ghost Walk on Saturday, October 29, 2011 from 6:00pm - 8:00pm. The Olde Village along East Montague Avenue in North Charleston will host eight storytelling stations featuring lively presentations of local folklore and traditional ghost stories by the talented members of the Backporch Storytellers of Charleston.

Groups will begin their haunted adventure at The Meeting Place, located at 1077 East Montague Avenue. Guests may visit any number of storytelling stations, with the full tour lasting approximately one and a half hours. Stations are located both indoors and outside. Participants are encouraged to add to the Halloween fun by attending in costume.

Tickets are available for purchase on the night of the event, $4 for adults and $1 for children 12 and under. A special rate of $6 is being offered for groups consisting of one adult and three children. All proceeds from the event will benefits the City’s Christmas Fund benefiting needy families.

About the Backporch Storytellers
The Backporch Storytellers is a non-profit organization created in 1987 to serve as a storytelling support group for adult storytellers and listeners and a resource for people interested in oral literature. The mission of the group is to preserve and perpetuate the ancient art of Storytelling and to preserve the multi-cultural stories of the Old South, which includes Sea Island and Gullah tales and stories. Several members are listed on the Artist in Residence in Education roster for the South Carolina Arts Commission. For more information, visit backporchstorytellers.com.

The North Charleston Ghost Walk is sponsored by the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department. For more details about the event, or for information about other programs and services offered by the department, call (843) 740-5854 or email culturalarts@northcharleston.org.

North Charleston Arts Festival presents Annual Street Dance

Evening of music & dance to take place May 6 in Olde Village Area

The Olde Village section of East Montague Avenue in North Charleston will be transformed into a dance floor on Friday, May 6, 2011, for the North Charleston Arts Festival’s annual Olde Village and Reggae Street Dances. East Montague Avenue will be closed to traffic from O’Hear Avenue to Chateau Avenue beginning at 5:00pm and the event will take place from 6:30-10:00pm. Admission and parking are free.

Boogie down to a variety of tunes from pop, rock, R&B, jazz, and beach played by the five members of Congdon & Co. from 6:30-8:00pm. The group has shared the stage with nationally known acts such as Gary U.S. Bonds, The Drifters, The Coasters, and Eddie Floyd. The night will roll on from dance floor tunes to island vibes from 8:30-10:00pm with Da' Gullah Rootz bringing Gullah and Geechee styles together in an original mix. For the last seven years, the group has seamlessly intermingled ska, rub-a-dub, lovers rock, toasting, and dancehall flavors into the most original reggae "riddems" in music today. Enjoy a lively performance of Afro-Latino dances by Buen Aché Dance Co. during the break between street dance bands from 8:00-8:30pm.

For more information about the Street Dances or any other 2011 North Charleston Arts Festival events, contact the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department office at 843-740-5854 or visit www.northcharleston.org.

North Charleston Arts Festival presents Annual Art Walk

Evening of Art & Music to take place May 4 in Olde Village Area

 

Take a stroll in the Olde Village area of East Montague Avenue through businesses, pubs, studios, and salons to see works by local artists during the North Charleston Arts Festival Art Walk on Wednesday, May 4, 2011. Admission and parking are free.

Original art, fine crafts, and photography, ranging from traditional to contemporary, will be displayed in the common areas of participating businesses from 5:00-8:00 pm. Exhibiting artists include Arianne King Comer, Caroline Echols, Sara Evers, Karen Gaag, Philip Hyman, Lori Starnes Isom, Keller Lee, Michele Levani, Drew Pederson, Nicole Rath, Sylivia Shorter, and students from the Charleston County School of the Arts.

Enjoy live music by Lime and the Coconuts (ukulele/swing/folk) and Lane Gregory (bluegrass/folk/Americana) throughout the evening. Command Performance Productions and Karen DeLoach will host a screening of original short films by Lowcountry student filmmakers from 6:00-7:00pm at the Olde Village Community Building, located at 4820 Jenkins Avenue. Second Sundays at Seven, a writers’ and actors’ workshop, will take place from 5:00-7:00pm at South of Broadway Theater, located at 1080 East Montague Avenue. In addition, artists participating in the annual Art & Fine Craft Co-Op Gallery at the Meeting Place, 1077 East Montague Avenue, will host a public reception during the Art Walk. Other attractions include face painting and live artist demonstrations. It’s an evening of art and culture for the whole family!

For more information about the Art Walk or any other 2011 North Charleston Arts Festival events, contact the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department office at (843) 740-5854 or visit www.northcharleston.org.

Charleston County announces recycling pilot program in North Charleston

Charleston County’s Environmental Management Department and the City of North Charleston held a joint press conference on Wednesday, Dec. 8 at the East Montague Business District in North Charleston.

The event marks the start of Charleston County’s Commercial Recycling Pilot Program, which is designed to engage business participation and gather data on commercial recycling within strategic areas of the County. The program is expected to run for several months.

“Although the pilot program is currently free of charge to participating businesses, an analysis of the data will provide a framework for developing a comprehensive commercial recycling program in the future, as well as determine any potential collection fees,” said Nancy Carter, Charleston County Environmental Management Department’s Community Representative.

Materials that will be recycled for the pilot program are cardboard, mixed paper and commingled products (plastics #1-7, glass containers and aluminum and steel cans). All materials will be processed at the County’s recycling center located at 13 Romney Street in downtown Charleston.

The East Montague Business District represents a variety of businesses that include restaurants and bars, professional offices, financial institutions and retailers.

“Because of its variety and high level of interest in recycling, it was identified as a model area to initiate the Commercial Recycling Pilot Program,” said Charleston County Council Chairman Teddie E. Pryor, Sr.

For more information on the Commercial Recycling Pilot Program, contact the Charleston County Environmental Management Department at (843) 720-7111 or visit http://www.charlestoncounty.org.