Rooted Culture

June 2011
Written By: 
Dennis Herbert

21 years of embracing music and art on the Waccamaw Neck

As summer days dwindle and evenings bring a chill, the Pawleys Island Festival of Music & Art helps bid farewell to an aging solstice with a celebration of vibrant culture and art. Since the beginning in ’91, the festival continues to grow, establishing itself as a premier showcase of Lowcountry convention. And now, in its 21st year, the festival will be hosted at a venue that shares the values of aesthetic taste and refinement—the beautiful Brookgreen Gardens.

Featuring a range of musical acts, this year’s festival is sure to please. With performances by Spyro Gyra, Kickin Grass Band, the Hit Men, and several more, all genre bases will be covered from jazz to high-energy dance music. No matter your taste, the ambiance of the garden combined with great tunes will make evenings at Brookgreen memorable and lasting.

For those seeking visual arts, an array of events from contemporary indie films to traditional gallery art is on tap. The Tara Theater at the Litchfield Beach & Golf Resort will host several films that cover subjects ranging from preserving an island and culture in Saving Sandy Island, to following a blues icon in Nothing to Prove: Mac Arnold’s Return to the Blues. Two other films will spotlight artists. Uncommon Folk features six self-taught South Carolina artists, and They Came to Play chronicles the International Piano Competition for Outstanding Amateurs.

If the silver screen isn’t for you, try the gallery crawl stopping at five locations from Murrells Inlet to Pawleys or the Chalk Walk for wholesome family fun. Other events include a Wearable Art Luncheon and the Wine Gala, where those in attendance will sample wines from more than 80 renowned wineries.