The Charleston Wine + Food Festival is calling for the removal of the John C. Calhoun monument, saying in a statement that they will cease all future events in Marion Square until it is removed. The annual festival will also ban the use of plantations as venues moving forward.
[content-1] Multiple groups including the National Action Network and the Charleston chapter of the NAACP called for the removal of the statue at a press conference Tuesday morning. The Calhoun monument was first erected in 1887.
Marion Square is home to W+F's culinary village each year, acting as a home base for the event. This year, W+F had a $19.9 million measured economic impact on the Charleston economy.
In a press release, W+F wrote, "The organization not only plans to boycott use of Marion Square, but together, with support of its Board of Directors, plans to take action to work with community leaders, local nonprofits, and lawmakers to see it removed."
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