Credit: Hitman Blue

Arts + Music | A la carte | Calendar of Events | City Paper Tickets

Blues by the Sea Festival

Head to Freshfields Village for the 20th annual Blues by the Sea, organized by lifetime blues fanatic and performer Gary Erwin aka Shrimp City Slim. Guests are encouraged to bring their own coolers, chairs and blankets, and the event will take place rain or shine under the tent on the Village Green. This year’s lineup includes Legends of Modern Chicago Blues, Mac Arnold, Hitman Blue and others.
April 19. The show starts at 3 p.m. Free. Freshfields Village. 165 Village Green Lane. Kiawah Island. kiawahisland.gov

Early morning bird walks

Join the Charleston Parks Conservancy and Holy City Birding for a walk through picturesque West Ashley Park to spot a variety of local birds. Guests will be guided by Charles Donnelly from Holy City Birding. He will teach participants about the diverse bird species of Charleston during a leisurely stroll. Walking distances vary depending on bird activity. Register online.
April 18. 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Free. West Ashley Park. 3601 Mary Ader Ave. West Ashley. charlestonparksconservancy.org

Sunday Brunch Farmers Market

Head to the Pour House on James Island for a 100% local market brimming with more than 40 local farmers and artisans, a deck bar, live music, good eats and all kinds of amazing area-made goods. Cap off your weekend by kicking back, enjoying the local tunes and stocking up on unique goodies. This farmers market is open year-round.
Sundays. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Free to attend. The Pour House. 1977 Maybank Highway. James Island. sundaybrunchfarmersmarket.com

Open mic night at The Whale

Ohm Radio is welcoming the community to an evening of live expression, connection and creativity at The Whale. This open mic night creates a space for poets, musicians, storytellers and more to share their voices or take it all in. With a room full of friendly faces and an open invitation, the night is designed to be as inclusive as it is inspiring. The
open mic night also coincides with National Poetry Month, offering an added nod to the power of words.
April 21. 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Free. The Whale. 1640 Meeting St. Downtown. ohmradio963.org

Checkout Challenge

Embark on an exciting shopping adventure with the Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry’s Checkout Challenge program. Designed for young explorers, this interactive experience transforms the museum’s grocery store exhibit into a bustling marketplace where children become savvy shoppers, learning valuable life skills while having a blast.
April 22 and April 24. 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Free with admission. Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry. 25 Ann St. Downtown. explorecml.org

Arts + Music

See solo exhibition made down South at the Gibbes

Butter Pecan: A Solo Show by Kolpeace is a visual exploration of the Black American experience by a South Carolina artist, exploring acts of survival, defiance and humanity. It runs through May 24 at the Gibbes Museum of Art, 135 Meeting St.
More: Gibbesmuseum.org

THEATRE

  • Through May 9, various times: PURE Theatre presents the world premiere of Brad Erickson’s The Ocean We Swim In, a new play set in the Lowcountry about ambition, art
    and survival. More: puretheatre.org

DANCE

  • April 17, 7:30 p.m.: The music of Leonard Cohen is realized in dance by Ballets Jazz Montréal in Dance Me. Charleston Gaillard Center,
    95 Calhoun St. More: gaillardcenter.org

MUSIC

A la carte

WHAT’S NEW

Tavern dining: Epic Hospitality, the group behind Charleston’s Mex 1 Coastal Cantina and Islander 71, is set to open Lou Lou’s Tavern on the Tracks this spring. Located at the Refinery, Lou Lou’s will be a music-driven tavern with a menu designed for sharing, focused on dinner and late night service. The bar will feature cocktails and wines on tap with local partnerships woven into the program.
More: louloustavern.com

Cookie crumbles: Insomnia Cookies has opened a North Charleston location at 8988 University Blvd. near Charleston Southern University. Open daily, this location marks the brand’s seventh store in South Carolina. Insomnia Cookies offers in-store, pickup and delivery options. Flavors include classic chocolate chunk, snickerdoodle and confetti deluxe as well as brookies, brownies and blondies. Vegan options are also available.
More: insomniacookies.com

Hotel expansion: The Indigo Road Hospitality Group will operate the forthcoming Haigler Hotel, a new boutique destination currently under construction in downtown Camden, S.C., as well as its signature restaurant. The hotel is slated to open in early 2027.
More: theindigoroad.com

WHAT’S HAPPENING

Brunch bunch: Spirited Brunch, a free and self-guided snack tour of downtown Charleston’s historic prayerful spaces, returns on May 3 from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Co-sponsored by the College of Charleston, the Preservation Society of Charleston, Charleston Interreligious Council and the Food Section, the event sees more than two dozen houses of worship open their doors to serve foods representative of faith traditions or local congregational customs. Spirited Brunch is open to all, without fee or preregistration.
More: thefoodsection.com

Street party: Gibbes on the Street returns for its 14th year at 8 p.m. April 25. Featuring top chefs, an open bar and live music, tickets are $175 for members and $200 for non-members. Restaurants participating this year include Anson, Bareo, Cane Pazzo, Merci, Palmira Barbecue and many others.
More: gibbesmuseum.org

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