May we invite you to…

You know what they say… April showers bring May happy hours. 🍻 With Cinco de Mayo, the Kentucky Derby, + (my personal favorite) Fleet Week all occurring in May, it’s a wonder we get anything done.

That being said, who are we to put the kibosh on time-honored traditions? In the Lowcountry, May brings more than just flowers– it brings a plethora of Greek food, speedy sailors, + a little piece of Italy.

May we recommend the below events to be the cornerstones of your social calendar this month:

1️⃣ North Charleston Arts Fest | May 2-6 | times + locations vary by performance | free- $25 | Hosted by the City of North Charleston’s Cultural Arts Department, the 36th annual North Charleston Arts Fest highlights more than 100 national, regional and local artists + performers in the areas of dance, music, theatre, visual arts, media arts, and literature. Over 30,000 residents + visitors throughout the Southeast attend each year, with the fest being selected as a Top 20 Event by the Southeast Tourism Society for 2018. // Click here for this year’s program. 🎨

2️⃣ Greek Festival | May 11-13 | Fri. 5-10 p.m., Sat. 11 a.m.- 10 p.m., + Sun 12-6 p.m. | The Greek Orthodox Church of the Holy Trinity | 30 Race St. | $5 general admission, $3 for seniors + students, free for kids 12 + under (entrance does not include price of food) | Charleston’s oldest + third largest festival is celebrating its 48th year. Be Greek for the weekend with wine tastings, live music, dance performances, + guided tours of the church which was built in 1911. You’ll be our hero if you try all the gyros. 🥙

3️⃣ Charleston Beer Garden | May 19 | 12-7 p.m. | The Grove at Patriots Point | 40 Patriots Point Rd., Mt. Pleasant | $15 for designated drivers, $25 general admission | 30 Carolina breweries (15 from right here in CHS) will be pouring more than 60 different styles of beer at the 7th annual Charleston Beer Garden. The Dubplates will headline the event + Yelp will be on-site hosting the 2018 beer games which include cornhole, pony hops, KanJam, a keg toss, hooptitude, + more. Proceeds benefit Lowcountry AIDS Services in its work helping people living with HIV/AIDS in the greater Charleston area as well as its community outreach, education + prevention programs. Let’s get it hoppin’. 🍺

4️⃣ The Atlantic Cup | May 22-26 | boats will be docked through Saturday | City Marina | 17 Lockwood Dr. | free, specialty events may incur a fee | America’s only dedicated Class 40 sailing race, the Atlantic Cup showcases some of the top Class 40 sailors in the U.S. + world as they compete in the 3-leg event (the combined overall winner of the three legs takes the crown). The first leg starts in Charleston, making a 642-nautical mile run north to New York. The boats will be docked at the City Marina for individuals to check out the fleet and bid farewell before the race sets sail Saturday at noon. Beyond catching a glimpse of the incredible ships, participate in Kids Day to meet + greet the sailors and learn the importance of recycling to protect our oceans, or attend the Skipper Party at Fuel to cheers to the future victors. ⛵

5️⃣ Spoleto | May 25- June 10 | times, location, + price dependent on performance | The 42nd annual Spoleto Festival spans 17 days, bringing renowned artists as well as emerging performers in opera, theater, dance; and chamber, symphonic, choral, + jazz music to the Lowcountry. Founded in 1977 by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Gian Carlo Menotti, Christopher Keene, + other artfully-minded individuals, Spoleto was developed to be the American counterpart of the Festival of Two Worlds in Spoleto, Italy (hence the name). // In-person ticket sales open today at The Gaillard Center + are available daily from 9 a.m.- 5 p.m. 🎭

If you need more inspiration to get out there– be on the lookout for our PlanAhead + Weekender buttons in the newsletters– they will help you set up your week + weekend with everything that is going on here in the Holy City.

Remember to keep us in the loop of what you’re up to this month by using the #CHStoday hashtag.

– Nicole