CONCERT MUSIC — Glowing with the flow
Wade in the Water
Sun. April 9
5 p.m.
$10
Second Presbyterian Church
342 Meeting St.
www.csogospel.com

The Charleston Symphony Orchestra Gospel Choir, recently seen on ETV in the documentary When We All Get To Heaven, will raise their voices in unison on Palm Sunday for Wade in the Water, their fifth annual spring presentation. Through video and song, including historic tunes like “Down by the Riverside,” “Take Me to the Water,” and “On Jordan’s Stormy Banks,” the CSO Gospel Choir will chronicle the African-American baptismal experience in America. The production is based on the gospel spiritual of the same name that Harriet Tubman sang as a warning to runaway slaves who were being pursued by dogs, urging them to abandon the path and move into the water to wash away the scent. The emotionally moving performance ought to be stirring for music lovers, historians, and gospel fans of all ages, races, and backgrounds, and what better time than Easter to join together to celebrate a fresh start?
SUNDAY

SPORTS — Put me in, Coach
Charleston RiverDogs
Thurs. April 6, 7:05 p.m.
Fri. April 7, 8:05 p.m.
Sat. April 8, 7:05 p.m.
Sun. April 9, 4:05 p.m.
$4-8
Joseph P. Riley Jr. Stadium
360 Fishburne St.
577-DOGS (3647)
www.riverdogs.com

Ah, spring. It’s time once again for the crack of the bat, the roar of the crowd, the wafting smell of gourmet ballpark food and spilled beer, and all sorts of zany theme nights — that’s right, folks, the Charleston RiverDogs are back in action! This year, the RiverDogs celebrate their 10th year of playing at the Joe and their second as a New York Yankees affiliate, and as always, owner Mike Veeck and his team have dreamed up some of the country’s most creative promotions. Fans can look forward to Saturday giveaways (harmonicas, black Yankees caps, “bobble bridge” replicas of the new Ravenel bridge, and many more) and theme nights such as Karaoke Night, Bingo Night, Back Seat Drivers Night, I Need More (Eddie) Money Night, and the annual Kindness Beats Blindness Night, which will be Bill Murray Bobblehead Night, offering spectators a chance to take home a little replica of Murray, America’s finest comedic actor (and a RiverDogs co-owner). Kick off the season right this weekend with Charlie and the rest of the RiverDogs clan — and if you get a hot dog, remember to watch out for green — it’s not mold, it’s money; in the “Look, My Hot Dog is Green” promotion, hot dogs could be double-wrapped with anywhere from $2-100!
THURS-SUN

SPORTS/FASHION — Anyone for alligator?
Family Circle Cup Kickoff
Mon. April 10
1:30-8 p.m.
Free
Lower King Street
856-7900
www.familycirclecup.com

The Family Circle Cup is serving up some style with the Lacoste spring fashion show, which will take place on the closed-to-traffic King Street from 6-6:30 p.m. on a runway set up in front of the Lacoste boutique at 248 King St. ESPN Commentator and former ATP Tour player Luke Jensen will host the event. In addition to emceeing, Jensen and several Sony Ericsson WTA Tour players will hold a historic live tennis demonstration on King Street before the fashion show begins. If the allure of Lacoste’s latest spring fashions or the chance to rub elbows with Mayor Joe Riley don’t attract you, maybe local models recruited from The College of Charleston and Charleston Southern University will. Lower King Street will be closed to traffic from 1:30-8 p.m. to accommodate the party. Of course, all this hullabaloo is just a warm-up for the Family Circle Cup, held April 8-16 at the Family Circle Tennis Center, which attracts over 90,000 fans and scores of the world’s best female tennis players to Daniel Island each year. For more information, a full schedule, and ticket prices call (800) 677-2293 or check out www.familycirclecup.com.
MONDAY

SPORTS — Digging in the dirt
Oozeball 2006
Sat. April 8
9:30 a.m.
Free for spectators
Grimball Road fields
James Island
(803) 924-7547
http://www.cofc.edu/~saa/ooze.html

College of Charleston students and alumni love to roll around in the mud. The seventh annual Oozeball Tournament will be held on the hand-muddied fields off of Grimball Road on James Island, just past the new James Island Elementary School. Oozeball is a messy, loud, and overwhelmingly fun blend of coed volleyball and mud wrestling. Perhaps the lack of a CofC football team has led to the growing popularity of this unique sport, as the CofC’s oozeball competition is the largest mud-volleyball tournament in the nation, with numerous volleyball courts filled with 12 inches of mud and an oodle of competing teams. Although it’s too late to sign your team up to play, the Oozeball 2006 fun doesn’t stop with the volleyball courts — there will also be plenty of mud-wrestling, a best team costume contest, vendors, and music, all hosted by the CofC Student Alumni Associates, who will donate any extra money raised at the tournament toward the Student Leadership Scholarship they sponsor.
SATURDAY

SPORTS — Life is but a dream
Berkeley Blueways Paddlefest
Sat. April 8
10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Free
Old Santee Canal Park
900 Stony Landing Road
719-4146
www.berkeleyblueways.com

Charleston’s innumerable waterways provide anyone with a boat and a paddle the opportunity to observe the incredible variety of plants, animals, and breathtaking views the Lowcountry has to offer. To that end, Berkeley County Blueways kicks off their new paddling trail program with a day full of fly fishing demonstrations, paddle gear exhibits, educational programs featuring some of Charleston’s coolest wildlife creatures, and activities for river rats of all ages and skill levels. Paddlefest attendees can also sign up for one of the many guided tours to be held on Sunday, including a chance to get first crack at paddling through the swamp at Cypress Gardens. Kayaks are welcomed at this event, and canoes will be available for rent for a nominal fee, so if you’ve got some friends in from out of town this weekend, forget the smelly horses and cobblestone streets and head out to Berkeley County to show them a slice of Charleston’s natural beauty. (P.S. It’s early enough that the mosquitoes aren’t out in full force yet!)
SATURDAY

FAMILY AND KIDS — An eggs-cellent learning adventure
Week of the Young Child
Through April 8
Various times, locations, and events
www.tuw.org/WOYC.htm

Each year, Trident United Way sponsors this week of special events aimed at getting children and parents to spend some quality time together. There are story programs at all the Charleston County Public Library locations (805-6893, www.ccpl.org), interactive animal programs at the S.C. Aquarium (720-1990, www.scaquarium.org), family literacy carnivals at elementary schools across the tricounty area (832-5541), a book giveaway at Dorchester First Steps (873-3507), and daily fun learning experiences at the Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry (853-8962). The bow on the Week of the Young Child package is the Giant Egg-Conscious Egg Hunt and finale, on Fri. April 7 from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. at the Felix C. Davis Community Center (4800 Park Circle), with treats and special prizes awarded after the egg hunt, a parade with the Easter bunny, jump castles, and Hobey Ford’s “Animalia” puppet show. Parents, please bring a basket or bag for each child who wants to participate.
THROUGH SATURDAY


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