August 2010

Savor the Last of Summer

When Labor Day rolls around, busy routines are sure to follow, so, there’s no time like the present to soak in the last of summertime fun and sunshine. You’ll find plenty of opportunities to do just that throughout the Carolinas.

Along the Carolina coast, nothing is more synonymous with summertime than the Shag. And we’re not talking carpeting here. The Carolina Shag is a six-count partner dance traced to the Big Band Era of the 1930s and 40s—much like the Jitterbug. And it’s danced today, still, to Carolina beach music, a genre that evolved from a variety of musical styles ranging from big band swing to rhythm and blues. So, brush the sand off your dancing shoes and head to the beach for one of these festive events.

The Charleston Beach Music and Shag Festival, August 28 and 29, 2010, features free dance instruction and live entertainment by some of the foremost beach music acts from throughout the ages: Sea Cruz, the Fabulous Shades, Jim Quick and Coastline and the Mighty Mighty Tams. It all takes place at JB Pivots Beach Club. Tickets and information are available at www.pivotsbeachclub.com/id17.html.

Just up the road apiece, you can check out the Beach Boogie and BBQ Festival in Myrtle Beach on September 3 and 4, 2010. The two-day event is located at Valor Park off Highway 17 at the site of the former Myrtle Beach Air Force Base. For an entertainment lineup and other information, go to www.sunfunfestival.com/beachboogiebbq/default.html.

You don’t have to be on the coast to get into the beach music groove; head to Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa’s annual Beach Music Bash. Here in Asheville, North Carolina you can enjoy the best of the beach in a picturesque and historic mountain setting. Built in 1913, the majestic resort has played host to notable guests throughout its history—from F. Scott Fitzgerald and Harry Houdini to Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. The Labor Day Beach Music weekend event features Shag lessons, plentiful seafood and live entertainment by legends such as The Fabulous Kays and The Embers. Lodging packages and event details are available at www.groveparkinn.com/Leisure/Happenings/Summer_1_1/Labor_Day_Beach_Music_Weekend/.

 

Just a short drive from Asheville, the quaint mountain town of Hendersonville, North Carolina comes to life over Labor Day weekend with its annual Apple Festival. Main Street bustles with arts and crafts vendors, live entertainment, kids’ activities and, of course, apples. It all culminates with a Labor Day King Apple Parade. Information is available at www.ncapplefestival.org.

 

And, of course, no summer would be complete without a visit to a state fair. The Upper South Carolina State Fair is as big as all outdoors: 10 days of festivity, from September 2 through 12, 2010. It all happens at the Greenville-Pickens Motor Speedway just outside of Greenville, South Carolina. Of course, there are rides, entertainment, games and food—but there’s also a rodeo and the ever-popular demolition derby! A complete schedule of events is available at www.upperscstatefair.com or on Facebook.com.

 

So, before you settle back into the every day routine that comes with fall, take a last opportunity to enjoy the best that summer has to offer: outdoor festivals and events, a concert or parade, funnel cakes and corndogs. Because throughout the Carolinas, fun in the sun is what summertime is all about.