What to do March 6-13

Cocktail candle making class

Mercantile and Mash is joining forces with Pup Country, a local small business that specializes in realistic sculptural food and plant candles, for a unique class next weekend. Guests will get their own vintage vessel to create a cocktail candle with soy wax and fragrance oil. Your candle will be ready to take home by the end of the class. Just be sure to bring an apron or an old T-shirt in case you spill wax.
March 14. 6 p.m. $65/person. Mercantile and Mash. 701 East Bay St. Downtown. mercandmash.com

Charleston Black Expo

The annual Black Expo is taking over the Charleston Area Convention Center in North Charleston this weekend for a day filled with enriching talks, cultural exhibitions and a showcase of Black business excellence. Visit to network, shop with local vendors and be inspired to do more in the community. Go online for a full list of vendors and chefs.
March 8. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. $15/general admission; $40/VIP pass. Charleston Area Convention Center. Coliseum Drive. North Charleston. blackexposouth.com/charlestonsc

Octonauts at the Aquarium

Calling all Octonauts! The S.C. Aquarium is welcoming the stars of The Octonauts to meet fans and fellow explorers from Friday through Sunday. Join the team for fun-filled days of aquatic glee with special dive shows, a scavenger hunt for a prize as well as the opportunity to meet and take a picture with Captain Barnacles and Kwazii. Go online for a full schedule of meet and greet time slots. Capacity is limited, so arrive early.
March 7 through March 9. Event times vary. Ticket prices vary by day. S.C. Aquarium.
100 Aquarium Wharf. Downtown. scaquarium.org

Colonial indigo dying workshop

Visit historic Middleton Place in West Ashley this weekend for a drop-in indigo dying workshop and program. Learn more about the indigo plant and the labor it took to grow, harvest and process it, as well as the importance of indigo and what it was used for throughout the Lowcountry’s history. Guests will hand-dye their own square of fabric to take home.
March 8. Noon to 2 p.m. Free with general admission. Middleton Place. 4300 Ashley River Road. West Ashley. middletonplace.org

Fossil Fridays at Charleston Museum

Unravel the mysteries of the past with Fossil Fridays at the Charleston Museum, hosted by curator of natural history Matthew Gibson. A great opportunity for families of history lovers and dinosaur addicts, this weekly event lets you get hands-on experience with different fossils found in the Lowcountry and elsewhere. Gibson will also share what projects he is currently working on and help you identify your own fossil finds.
Every Friday. 3:30-4:30 p.m. Free for members; free with museum admission. Charleston Museum. 360 Meeting St. Downtown. charlestonmuseum.org

Arts, etc.

Celebrate Mardi Gras, jazz at the Gaillard

Channel the spirit of New Orleans via Jazz at Lincoln Center Presents concert, coming to the Gaillard Center March 10 at 7:30 p.m. Led by acclaimed pianist Luther S. Allison and featuring the vocals of Quiana Lynell and Milton Suggs, backed by an all-star band, this concert celebrates the New Orleans Songbook, a collection of timeless tunes from legendary composers that define the Crescent City — the historic epicenter of jazz. Expect to hear everything from the pioneering sounds of Jelly Roll Morton and Louis Armstrong to the distinctive stylings of Ellis Marsalis and James Black. More: gaillardcenter.org/events.

Peek inside inspiring interiors from France

The Charleston Library Society and Drayton Hall welcome interior designer Timothy Corrigan March 21 at 10:30 a.m. to share his latest book, At Home in France, ahead of the opening of The Charleston Show, where he will host as the honorary chair for the weekend. Corrigan’s in-depth discussion will cover everything from his own French domiciles — a dazzling Parisian apartment, along with a new countryside château — as well as decorating ideas and advice on topics such as antiquing and hanging art. More: charlestonlibrarysociety.org.

A la carte

A new Morrison Drive ramen restaurant, JINYA Ramen Bar, recently launched its latest seasonal chef’s specials, available now through May 31. Crafted by vice president and executive corporate chef Kazuya Takebe, these dishes include Birria Ramen, which fuses Mexican and Japanese cuisine and a chicken salad. It is served with diced red onion, cucumber and crispy wonton chips. Learn more at jinyaramenbar.com.

Speaking of salads — chef Jason Stanhope has whipped up a special new one at Lowland. The Chicory Caesar is Stanhope’s wintery take on a Caesar salad, made with gem lettuce, Treviso (a slightly bitter leafy green), house-made Caesar dressing and pecorino cheese. Check out the full menu at lowlandcharleston.com.

MOMO Crowfield recently announced its grand opening at the Crowfield Golf Club. This is the second MOMO location (the first is located at North Charleston’s Riverfront Park) from chef/owner Justin Moore and his wife and co-owner Iryna Moore. The golf course and restaurant are public spaces, so anyone can stop by the new spot. Diners can look forward to lunch, dinner, Sunday brunch and a full patio bar with snacks and sandwiches for the golf course. Learn more at momocrowfield.com.