Arts journalism graduate students from Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications joined the City Paper during the 2023 Spoleto Festival USA and Piccolo Spoleto seasons to attend and cover the festivals’ events. During their two-plus weeks in town, they penned more than 50 stories and experienced many of the people, places and things Charleston has to offer. Here are some of their reactions to the Holy City.
Experiencing Spoleto and Piccolo Spoleto
Having grown up in South Carolina, I knew what to expect from Charleston in terms of the weather, food and Southern hospitality, but attending Spoleto Festival USA was a first for me. With so many great programs and artists in town this year, I planned to take advantage of as many classical music experiences as I could. From the Spoleto orchestra programs to the 11-part chamber music series, there was never a concert that fell short of my expectations. I’m glad to have enjoyed such exciting music, like Stravinsky’s “The Rite of Spring” and Stephen Prutsman’s original scoring of Buster Keaton’s 1925 silent film, Seven Chances, with my friends and colleagues. —Piper Starnes
Though I had the opportunity to see many exceptional Spoleto Festival USA shows during my stay in Charleston, the highlight of my trip was being immersed in the local community that gathers for Piccolo Spoleto events. One Saturday, I woke early, smothered myself in sticky sunscreen and drove to Isle of Palms to report on the 34th annual sandcastle competition. While documenting these sandcastles — which ranged from pop-culture mentions to mermaid sand art — I was able to connect with local attendees and spirited competitors who traveled for the annual event. —Natalie Rieth
I’m originally from Birmingham, and after a couple years up north in Syracuse, it was a delight to be in Charleston for the length of the festival. The food was great, the people were friendly and the city was beautiful. I’ve been primarily a writer for my career up to this point, but I chose a great place to expand into photography. My images of the Holy City will be at the top of my portfolio for several years to come. —Desi Gillespie
Somewhat “Southern hospitality”
The first thing I noticed about Charleston was how nice and hospitable the people are. Charlestonians always seem to have a smile on their faces, at least from the ones I’ve interacted with in the past three weeks. I have always heard about “Southern hospitality,” but never quite experienced it firsthand until this trip. People aren’t always the nicest in California (where I’m from) or Syracuse (where I’ve lived for the past year). So you could imagine how surprised I was to see how kind everyone is here. —Tania Ortiz
The city is beautiful, and the dogs here are all wonderful. The people could use some work, however. I always hear people from the southern parts of America talk about their supposed politeness and “Southern hospitality,” but after these past few weeks, I’m beginning to think this is some mass delusion. Please stop spitting at people for being trans. I feel like that’s a good start. It would be wonderful if you could let me pee in peace, venue staff. —C.M. McCambridge
As a Texan currently living in New York, I found in Charleston all the Southern charm I love and miss about my home. Everyone is helpful, kind and willing to lend a helping hand. While it might be anxiety-inducing to attend a show or go to a restaurant by yourself, in Charleston, you’d best believe you’re going to make friends wherever you go. Another thing that made Charleston a wonderful stay was the food. From Kolaches and brisket to fried chicken and Gullah Geechee cuisine, there’s almost too much food to choose. While I did spend a pretty penny going to as many restaurants as I could, every place was definitely worth the cost. —Timia Cobb
Cocktails and cuisine
Charleston and its surrounding areas have some great food options, but one that stands out was my experience at Saltwater Cowboys. I arrived around 5 p.m. on a Friday to a packed parking lot, but that didn’t stop the quick seating and service I received. With outside seating overlooking the water, I was able to enjoy a dolphin sighting while singing along to the country songs the DJ was playing. That, along with the Deep Trouble Limeade cocktails and Bang Bang Shrimp, added to my love for the South, especially South Carolina. —Cassandra Abel
Four things that I love are peach-flavored foods/drinks, books, chairs that swing and/or rock and dogs. Charleston has plenty of all four. I loved sampling the powdered-sugar-coated cookies at Byrds, and bought quite a few of the peach ones. I frequented Blue Bicycle Books and met some great local authors at a Piccolo event. My favorite spot to relax was on a swinging bench at Joe Riley Waterfront Park. Lastly, I saw (and petted) a lot of very cute dogs. —Joyelle Ronan
Charleston has a bunch of spots for people to have an alcoholic drink with their friends and family members over the age of 21. One of the best cocktails I have had on this trip is the Gin and Other Myths cocktail at Victor’s Seafood and Steak. This drink is one of the Spoleto Sips cocktails, inspired by “Gravity and Other Myths.” The Hat Trick Gin mixed with St. Germain, simple syrup, blackberries, lemon juice and basil make this cocktail a refreshing sip for people trying to stay cool in the Charleston heat. —Jeremy Lynch
As a New Englander, I was in search of the best seafood in Charleston. While there are endless options, I think I’ve come to a conclusion. I was expecting to find my favorite dish by the beach, but after searching for almost a month, I found (in my opinion) the tastiest seafood downtown. All the 167 locations have my heart. I’m still dreaming about the lobster roll at 167 Sushi. Even 167 Bar, which focuses on drinks rather than food, has the best crab roll I’ve ever tried. —Maddie Rhodes
A great end to the school year
Charleston is a beautiful place, and I’m glad this opportunity was open to both the MND (magazine, news and digital journalism) and arts journalism graduate students. The food was great, the performances were great, and I especially enjoyed the weather here. From winning trivia on our first night at BrewLab Charleston to sitting comfortably on the beach every other day, I think we made the most of our time here. I’ll miss all the kind strangers and their sweet dogs too. —Aiyana Hardy
Piper Starnes, Natalie Rieth, Desi Gillespie, CM McCambridge, Joyelle Ronan and Jeremy Lynch are arts journalism graduate students at Syracuse University. Aiyana Hardy, Timia Cobb, Tania Ortiz, Cassandra Abel and Maddie Rhodes are magazine, news and digital journalism graduate students.
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