Charleston Heritage Federation Fall Events
Charleston’s historic sites, museums and cultural organizations that comprise the Charleston Heritage Federation (CHF) are pleased to announce a number of exciting activities and events for fall 2021. From the Candlelight Tours at the Aiken Rhett House to art workshops at The Charleston Museum and champagne strolls on the picturesque grounds of Drayton Hall, guests can savor the season with a lineup of enriching offerings geared towards locals and visitors of all ages.
CHF’s Essential Charleston Passport is once again available for purchase online, offering guests a digital ticket to travel back in time and discover the city’s cultural mainstays by hopping between the old and historic districts. The passport includes admission to CHF’s five remarkable historic houses, the Charleston Museum and the foremost gallery of American art at the Gibbes Museum of Art. For an additional fee, guests can visit the country’s oldest landscaped gardens at Middleton Place and the oldest preserved plantation house at Drayton Hall.
Please see below for the latest CHF news, exhibits and events taking place in the Holy City this fall:
Fall Garden Strolls and Wine Tastings at Middleton Place
Wednesdays from September 15 – October 27, 2021
Sip and stroll a different garden location each week while sampling old and new world wines at Middleton Place.
Online ticket sales end at 3 pm on the day of the stroll. Tickets are also available at the event. $30/$25 members.
Landscape Walk Historic Landscape & Lenhardt Garden Walk of Drayton Hall
September 18, 2021, 10:00 – 11:30 a.m.
Manager of Horticultural Landscapes and Modern Facilities at Drayton Hall, Eric Becker, will host an outdoor in-person walking landscape tour of Drayton Hall on Saturday, Sept. 18, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. titled the Historic Landscape & Lenhardt Garden Walks of Drayton Hall. Eric Becker’s scholarship on the landscape features primary source documents and historic cartographic resources of Drayton Hall’s past make for a deep and enlightening tour of these impressive grounds.
Advance registration is required: $45/$40 member.
Music Series: Beatles Bach and Beer with Laura Ball at Charleston Library Society
September 21, 2021, 7:00 p.m.
Beatles and Bach returns for an evening of British Rock and Baroque hits at the Charleston Library Society. Guests are invited to this special chamber concert with fan favorite UNED!TED Rock and Bach Stars, hosted by Laura Ball. Ball is the music director at Holy Spirit Catholic Church, founder of the UNED!TED concert series, composer-in-residence and cofounder of Ballet Evolution, singer/songwriter, voice and piano instructor, arts advocate and theater nerd. $35/$25 members. To purchase tickets, visit https://bit.ly/3kaludZ.
Wine on the Piazza at the Edmondston-Alston House
September 23 & October 7, 4:30- 6:00 p.m.
Enjoy a self-guided tour of the Edmondston-Alston House followed by a glass of wine on the second-story piazza overlooking Charleston Harbor. A limited number of tickets available at www.middletonplace.org. RSVP required. $25/$20 members.
Rice and Slavery: The Connection That Made the Lowcountry at Middleton Place
September 25, 2021, 11:00am – 3:00 p.m.
The knowledge and expertise of enslaved Africans and African Americans made rice both an economic and cultural staple in the Lowcountry. Interpreters will be on hand to discuss the planting, cultivating, harvesting and processing of Carolina Gold Rice, as well as its impact on the 18th and 19th century in South Carolina. Included with general admission to Middleton Place, free for members.
The Art of Elizabeth O’Neill Verner at The Gibbes Museum of Art
September 26, 2021, 12:00-2:00 p.m.
Join the society for an exclusive viewing of artwork by renowned Charleston Renaissance artist Elizabeth O’Neill Verner. Working with the Verner family, the society is honored to offer the work of Verner for purchase, with a portion of the proceeds going to benefit the South Carolina Historical Society. Charleston historian Harlan Greene will provide a brief overview on Verner’s life and accomplishments. Guests can enjoy mimosas and refreshments, a private opportunity to tour the society’s museum in the historic Robert Mills’ Fireproof Building, and view these unique, signed pieces of art. Tickets are limited. $35/$25 members. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit: https://schistory.org/event/the-art-of-elizabeth-oneill- verner/
Candlelight Tours at Historic Aiken-Rhett House
Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, October 1-23, 2021, 6:00 p.m., 6:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
Experience the ambiance of this preserved-as-found antebellum house and its outbuildings including the kitchen house, the original slave quarters and the carriage block on a candlelight tour during the month of October. Built in 1820 by merchant John Robinson, the Aiken-Rhett House is nationally significant as one of the best-preserved townhouse complexes in the nation. Beginning with South Carolina Governor William Aiken, Jr. and his wife, Harriett, in the early 1800s, the complex remained in the Aiken family for over 140 years when it was sold to the Charleston Museum and opened as a museum in 1975. Candlelight Tours at the Aiken-Rhett House are offered from October 1st through October 23rd on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at. Tickets are $25 each. To purchase visit, https://bit.ly/3hyLM7T.
Sweetgrass Basket Weaving Workshop at the Charleston Museum
October 2, 2021, 9:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Come learn about an extraordinary craft that has been a staple of culture, art, and history in Charleston for centuries and join local artisan Sarah Edwards-Hammond for in-depth instruction on sweetgrass basketry, an integral part of the Lowcountry’s Gullah Geechee community since the 17th century. Edwards-Hammond comes from a long line of basket makers and has passed down the tradition to her family and others in the community. She will share a brief history on the artisanal craft of basket making and participants will then spend the remainder of the class making their own basket guided by Edwards-Hammond. All materials and instruction will be provided. Space is limited. Reservations are required and tickets are $105/$75 members. Register online or call 843.722.2996 ext. 224. For more information, visit https://bit.ly/398HUWK.
Let’s Get Dirty! Brick Making at Middleton Place
October 2, 2021, 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Using wooden molds, one of Middleton Place’s resident interpreters will make bricks using sand, water and clay. Those who are willing to get a little dirty are welcome to roll up their sleeves and try their hand at making a brick at Middleton Place. Included with general admission, free for members.
First Thursday Gullah Spirituals by Historic Charleston Foundation
October 7 & November 4, 2021, 5:30-6:30 p.m.
Clap your hands and stomp your feet during an exhilarating performance of Gullah spirituals and the music of the Sea Islands. The ancestors of the Gullah people brought a rich heritage of African cultural traditions to this country. That extraordinary musical inheritance is still part of the Lowcountry culture, and the Historic Charleston Foundation is delighted to share it and a bit of Gullah history with their guests. The historic Unitarian Church, c. 1817, provides an extraordinary backdrop for this moving event. Tickets are $40 each. To purchase, visit https://bit.ly/2XsGOmd.
Music Series: HALO at Charleston Library Society
October 7, 2021, 7:00 p.m.
Everyone should have the opportunity to access and appreciate live opera. Join the Charleston Library Society for an evening of beautiful and approachable opera with the Holy City Arts and Lyric Opera (HALO). HALO provides a comprehensive approach to exploring the world of opera with the goal of inviting everyone to experience the art form in a comfortable way. Whether an artist or an audience member, an opera novice or aficionado, there is a place for all at this event with HALO. $35/$25 members.
The Fall Tours and Master Series by the Preservation Society
October 7 – November 6, 2021
The Preservation Society of Charleston’s Fall Tours and Master Series offers guests rich and rare glimpses into a city defined by its historic architecture, intimate gardens and diverse cultural heritage. Now in its 45th year, the annual Fall Tours & Master Series serves as one of the Preservation Society’s signature educational events. The tours and master series will be interpreted by architects, historians, preservationists and local storytellers. Tours will take place Tuesdays-Saturdays between October 7 and November 6, 2021. With this year’s lineup of Fall Tours & Master Series events, the Preservation Society of Charleston hopes to spark interest in the city’s rich and storied past, shine a light on the pressing issues relevant to Charleston and showcase the remarkable architecture, gardens, and neighborhoods in and around the city. Tickets for tours are limited and advance reservation is recommended. For more information on Fall Tours & Master Series programs and to reserve your spot, visit bit.ly/2021falltours or call 843.405.1050.
Conversations with a Curator: Fur & Frost with Curator of Historic Textiles Virginia Theerman at the Charleston Museum
October 8, 2021, 10:30 a.m.
Charleston may be known for its balmy gentle winters but sitting by the fireside would not have been quite enough to keep 19th century residents toasty. Join Curator of Historic Textiles Virginia Theerman in the Historic Textiles Gallery for a tour of the new exhibit, Fur & Frost: Carolina Winters to explore historic fashions for winter and learn why wool and fur dominated the pre-synthetics fashion industry. Conversations with a Curator allows visitors a chance for an in-depth look at an object or exhibit in the Museum galleries, ask questions and spark conversations. The Charleston Museum’s collections are both extraordinary and diverse and each curator-led talk and tour allows participants to immerse themselves in a different aspect of Charleston’s rich history. Conversations with a Curator and Curator Talk programs are typically held on the second Friday of each month. All Conversations with a Curator programs are open to the public, free for members and free with admission. For more information, visit https://bit.ly/398HUWK.
Candlelight Tours of Drayton Hall
October 9, November 27, December 3, 4, 10, 11, 17, 18, 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Create a very special historic memory this year in Charleston with a candlelight tour of Charleston’s Drayton Hall, c. 1738. After the tour, guests are invited to enjoy a warm seasonal beverage (non-alcoholic) as they stroll back toward the Visitors Center and visit The Shop at Drayton Hall. Advance registration is required: $45/$40 members
Romare Bearden: Abstraction at The Gibbes Museum of Art
October 15, 2021 – January 9, 2022
With some 55 paintings, works on paper and collages, Romare Bearden: Abstraction is the first exhibition to fully
examine and contextualize the artist’s significant body of abstract work. Recognized as one of the most creative and original visual artists of the 20th century, Romare Bearden’s prolific and distinguished career spanned nearly 50 years. This exhibition also includes pieces created before and after his most direct engagement with abstraction, among these, the figurative collages for which he is most well-known. The exhibition emphasizes the importance of abstraction in the artist’s oeuvre, its significant contribution to the overall Bearden narrative and marks the artist’s place within the New York avant-garde of the 1950s-60s. This exhibition is organized by the American Federation of the Arts in collaboration with The Neuberger Museum of Art, Purchase College and SUNY. For more information, visit https://bit.ly/3yyuddN.
Discovery Day: Pluff Mud Party @ The Dill Sanctuary at the Charleston Museum
October 19, 2021, 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Say yes to the mess and let early learners play with mud and use it to create art projects. Discovery Day is a new
program designed for young learners ages two to five to explore the museum, historic houses and Dill Sanctuary with a parent or guardian. Program fee includes admission for one child and one adult. Reservations are required. $15/$10 members. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Register online or call 843.722.2996 ext. 236. For more information, visit https://bit.ly/398HUWK.
Art in the Barn Annual Fundraiser at Middleton Place
October 22, 2021, 6:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Join Middleton Place for a special evening under the stars in the stableyards with a night of food, drinks, live music a silent auction and art sale. Help Middleton Place reach the $10,000 goal to upgrade the paddocks for the animals. Event tickets include dinner from the Smoker Trailer featuring BBQ, Chicken and sides (vegetarian option) plus two drink tickets for beer, wine or tea. $50/$45 members
Buxton Books Presents Patti Callahan at the Charleston Library Society
October 22, 2021, 6:00 p.m.
Buxton Books is hosting the publication event for Patti Callahan’s newest novel, Once Upon a Wardrobe at the Charleston Library Society. Gather in the main reading room to hear Callahan discuss her creative journey of writing a novel about C.S. Lewis’ life and works. Tickets include a signed copy of the novel, a wine reception and a special surprise gift from Patti. Tickets are $40 each. To purchase, visit https://bit.ly/3llKU7L.
Taste the State: South Carolina’s Signature Foods, Recipes, and Their Stories by Historic Charleston Foundation
October 27, 2021, 2-4 p.m.
Come meet Kevin Mitchell, co-author with David S. Shields of Taste the State: South Carolina’s Signature Foods,
Recipes, and Their Stories, at a book signing on Wednesday, October 27, 2021, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. at Shop Historic Charleston, 108 Meeting Street. In Taste the State, Kevin Mitchell and David S. Shields present surprising stories and engaging profiles of 82 of South Carolina’s most distinctive ingredients, such as Carolina Gold rice, Sea Island White Flint corn, and the cone-shaped Charleston Wakefield cabbage, and signature dishes, such as shrimp and grits, chicken bog, okra soup, Frogmore stew, and crab rice. These portraits, illustrated with original photographs and historical drawings, provide origin stories, tales of kitchen creativity and agricultural innovation throughout the Palmetto State. This event is free and open to the public.
Prosecco on the Portico of Drayton Hall
October 30, 2021, 3:00 – 4:30 p.m.
Guests are invited to attend the delightful outdoor Charleston food and wine event of 2021: Prosecco on the Portico of Drayton Hall. On select dates throughout 2021, guests will be welcomed to historic Drayton Hall, c.1738 and Conde Nast Traveler’s Best Place to See In South Carolina, to enjoy an audio tour of the main house then prosecco overlooking Charleston’s most beautiful estate landscape. Advance registration is required: $35/ $30 member.
A Winter Wonderland in Color: Snow Scenes in Charleston on view in the Lowcountry Image Gallery
November 1, 2021 – March 27, 2022, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Explore A Winter Wonderland in Color: Snow Scenes in Charleston on view in the Lowcountry Image Gallery until March 27, 2022. Free for Members and free with admission to The Charleston Museum. For more information, visit https://bit.ly/398HUWK.
Gibbes Museum of Art’s Distinguished Lecture Series featuring Steve Locke
November 3, 2021, 6:00 p.m.
Contemporary artist and vanguard of public art and memorials, Steve Locke will be the keynote speaker at the Gibbes Museum of Art’s annual Distinguished Lecture Series at the College of Charleston’s Sottile Theatre on Nov. 3. Over the course of his artistic journey, Locke has discovered a passion for public art and monuments, inviting the viewer to interpret these structures and think critically about Americans shared history. Locke’s visit to Charleston will follow a year of renewed reckoning with racial injustice and protests in downtown Charleston following the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer and the removal of the John C. Calhoun statue from Marion Square. Locke’s lecture will shed light on the limited ways in which society thinks about the function and figural content of a monument or memorial and will dive into his career of creating art in response to violence against Black people. Tickets are now on sale. For more information, visit https://bit.ly/3jwGLhs.
USO Days at the Joseph Maniagult House
November 8-14, 2021, 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
This Veteran’s Day week explore the military history of the Joseph Manigault House during USO Days. Throughout WWII, this site was used as a United Service Organizations (USO) post, Red Cross training facility, and dormitory. While at the Joseph Manigault House with the support of hundreds of volunteers, service members attended dinners and parties, played games and wrote to their families during wartime. As part of the event, enjoy badminton and horseshoes in the garden, much like the visiting service members would have during WWII. Explore special exhibits and tours featuring images, letters, and clothing from the 1940s. ALL Veterans and active duty military will be admitted free on November 11th to all three Museum sites. For more information, visit https://bit.ly/398HUWK.
2021 Luncheon Featuring Ken Fulk by Historic Charleston Foundation
November 12, 2021, 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Ken Fulk is a design impresario and a creator of experiences large and small. He is renowned for his layered interiors, high-concept brand identities and unforgettable parties. The Virginia-born designer has spent the last 25 years developing a business by elevating the daily lives of his clients, not only designing their homes, jets, restaurants and hotels but also creative directing birthdays, weddings, dinners, anniversaries and family getaways. Leading a team of 75 architects, designers, branding and event specialists in both San Francisco and New York, Fulk has gained notoriety as a global stylemaker. Fulk has been named to Architectural Digest’s AD 100, Elle Decor’s A-List and was nominated for a James Beard Award for Best Designed Restaurant. His latest endeavor is the restoration of National Historic Landmark Saint Joseph’s Arts Society & Foundation, a community and a non-profit in San Francisco dedicated to supporting artists and bringing art to the forefront of people’s daily lives. To purchase tickets, visit https://bit.ly/3A6wXAJ.
Family Fun Event: Victory! at the Charleston Museum
November 13, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Create a victory garden, play a food rationing game, and learn more about WWII with activities for the whole family. Enjoy games in the garden and special tours of the Joseph Manigault House as part of the Charleston Museum’s Veteran’s Day celebration – USO Days. During WWII this site was used as a USO post, Red Cross training facility, and dormitory. While at the Joseph Manigault House, soldiers attended dinners, parties, played games and wrote to their families during wartime. The Charleston Museum offers special Saturday programs dedicated to providing an educational and exciting experience for the whole family. Join the Charleston Museum each month for a different themed event including presentations and craft projects for children of all ages. For more information, visit www.charlestonmuseum.org.
Music Series: Admiral Radio at Charleston Library Society
November 16, 2021, 7:00 p.m.
Charleston Library Society is hosting an evening of live, captivating music with married couple Coty Hoover & Becca Smith, who make up the incredible Folk-Americana duo, Admiral Radio. They pride themselves on creating music that people can “gather ‘round to.” $35/$25 members. To purchase tickets, visit https://bit.ly/3lB5Nf7.
For images of Charleston Heritage Federation properties, visit https://spaces.hightail.com/space/yKXIJ9IZNk .
About Charleston Heritage Federation
Charleston Heritage Federation is the united voice of numerous historic landmarks, museums, plantations and houses in the Charleston area. A mission-driven organization focused on educating, preserving and telling the authentic story through experiences, Charleston Heritage Federation prides itself on capturing the essence of the city’s rich history while fostering a deeper understanding of the Lowcountry. Members of Charleston Heritage Federation include Avery Research Center for African American History & Culture, Charleston Library Society, The Charleston Museum, Drayton Hall, Gibbes Museum of Art, Historic Charleston Foundation, Middleton Place Foundation, Preservation Society of Charleston and South Carolina Historical Society. For more information, visit www.charlestoncvb.com/heritage-federation/ .
About the Charleston Area Convention & Visitors Bureau
The mission of the Charleston Area Convention & Visitors Bureau is to unify and lead the local travel industry in marketing the Charleston area as an individual, meeting, incentive and group destination to both the domestic and international markets. For more information, visit www.explorecharleston.com.
Featured Photo by Leonel Heisenberg on Unsplash
