Featured Press Releases

Use this library of press releases written by the Charleston Area CVB media relations department to mine for story ideas, stay abreast of what is new in the destination and learn about the special events that take place throughout the year.

For additional story ideas, we invite you to visit our blog.

For Immediate Release, September 2010
What’s New for Fall 2010 in Charleston, South Carolina

• Culinary News
• New Packages, Tours, Attractions and Accommodations
• Airfare News
• Upcoming Events/On the Horizon
• Honors and Awards


CULINARY NEWS

• The Charleston area celebrates Restaurant Week with $20 and $30 three course menus at more than 50 participating restaurants. From the sophisticated presentation of The Ocean Room at The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Resort’s tilefish to the savory spanakopita of the family-owned Zeus Grill, participating restaurants range from elegant dining rooms to more casual establishments. The Charleston area is the only place outside of New York City to produce three consecutive James Beard Foundation award-winning chefs—come see what all the buzz is about. Tickets are not required; however, reservations are strongly advised. September 8 – 19, 2010; charlestonrestaurantweek.com.

• Firefly Distillery, creator of the wildly popular Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka, recently launched Sea Island Rums. The limited edition line includes Carolina Gold Rum and Java Rhum, a coffee and spice-infused elixir. The latter lends itself well to the Dark and Stormy recipe, a popular cocktail in Bermuda, Charleston’s island neighbor. seaislandrums.com

• On the heels of his James Beard Foundation Best Chef Southeast 2010 Award, Chef Sean Brock of McCrady’s will open a new restaurant in partnership with Neighborhood Dining Group this fall. With a focus on indigenous Lowcountry ingredients, Husk will offer refined interpretations of southern cuisine in a restored building on Queen Street. November 2010; mccradysrestaurant.com.

• The BB&T Charleston Wine + Food Festival recently launched a new website featuring the stellar roster of local and visiting chefs, classes, demonstrations, dinners and special culinary events slated for the 2011 festival. New events include a locavore luncheon featuring ingredients produced within 100-miles of the Charleston area, an Iron Chef-style competition featuring six former Top Chef contestants squaring off with indigenous ingredients, and a tour of South Carolina’s oldest brewery, Palmetto Brewery. Praised by Forbes Traveler as one of the top five food and wine festivals in the U.S., this is a “must attend” festival for the epicurean visitor. March 3- 6, 2011; charlestonwineandfood.com.

NEW PACKAGES, TOURS, ATTRACTIONS & ACCOMMODATIONS

• The Restoration on King’s Culinary Experience package brings the restaurant to your room with a sophisticated level of epicurean room service. Sixteen suites featuring exposed brick walls and original wood flooring blend classic character with contemporary style, while chef-grade kitchens allow for a unique in-room dining experience—a five-course dinner prepared in-suite by one of Charleston’s noted chefs. A cooking lesson at Charleston Cooks Center and a gourmet breakfast round out this special package. Positioned on the corner of one of Charleston's most famous streets, this beautifully restored boutique property combines the exemplary service and comfort of a hotel with the luxurious amenities of a fully furnished apartment. Rates from $419 per night; offer valid through October 31, 2010; restorationonking.com.

• Girls Gone Gourmet, offered by the Fulton Lane Inn, is a great way to walk, talk and taste your way through Charleston. Wake up to breakfast in bed. Stroll across the peninsula with a culinary walking tour that makes stops at local eateries, markets, bakeries and restaurants. Learn to prepare beloved local recipes with a contemporary twist during a two-hour cooking class with Chef Marc Collins of Circa 1886. Indulge in an old-fashioned gab session over cocktails at Bin 152, the hot neighborhood wine bar. Rates from $555 per night; offer valid through December 30, 2010; fultonlaneinn.com.

• Andrew Pinckney Inn’s Charleston Culinary Adventure gives visitors a behind-the-scenes look at the Lowcountry’s rich food heritage. The leisurely-paced two-hour Savor the Flavors walking tour visits culinary landmarks, where guests sample fare synonymous with the area, including benne wafers and grits. Drinking tea is a tradition-steeped ritual for Charlestonians, and a tour of the Charleston Tea Plantation, the nation’s only commercial tea farm, offers an organic look at the commodity that in part sparked the American Revolution. This package also includes dinner at one of Maverick Southern Kitchens’ three area restaurants, breakfast served on the inn’s rooftop terrace overlooking the historic City Market, freshly baked cookies at tea time and a gift basket with Charleston Tea and cheese straws. Rates from $435 per night; offer valid through October 31, 2010; andrewpinckneyinn.com.

• Reasons to road trip, outdoor adventures, romantic retreats, epicurean experiences and family fun are some of the package themes offered throughout the Charleston area. Pair your passion with a travel package and save money on your next trip to the destination. From time-sensitive deals to unique opportunities, the Charleston Area Convention and Visitors Bureau’s website is an up-to-date clearinghouse of travel package deals. Visit ExploreCharleston.com.


AIRFARE NEWS

• US Airways added additional nonstop service between Charleston International Airport and New York’s LaGuardia Airport.

• Southwest Airlines will begin service to the Charleston International Airport in spring 2011.

UPCOMING EVENTS

• The pageantry of the Charleston area’s African-American and Caribbean heritage takes center stage during the MOJA Arts Festival, a celebration of gospel, jazz, reggae, dance, poetry, storytelling, visual arts, crafts and more. September 23 - October 3, 2010; mojafestival.com.

• Take a peak inside some of the peninsula’s most handsome private residences during the 34th Preservation Society of Charleston Annual Fall Tour of Houses and Gardens, an intimate look at the distinctive architecture, history and culture of the city’s famed antebellum mansions. October 23 - November 24, 2010; preservationsociety.org.

• From fresh seafood to fresh off the farm, the Taste of Charleston is a sampler of prized Lowcountry fare. Hosted by the Greater Charleston Restaurant Association, this three-day culinary celebration culminates with a large family-friendly party at Boone Hall Plantation, where guests can watch as the world’s largest snow cone is prepared for Guinness Book of World Records officials. October 8-10, 2010; charlestonrestaurantassociation.com.

• One of only three PGA events offering a $1 million purse, the Nationwide Tour Championship at Daniel Island draws 20,000 spectators to the idyllic sea island located a short drive from downtown Charleston. Late October 2010; nationwidetourchampionship.com.

• GRAMMY®-winning guitarist Earl Klugh brings his renowned Weekend of Jazz to Kiawah Island Resort for three nights of headlining jazz superstars. November 11- 13, 2010; weekendofjazz.com.

• More than 60 national and local authors will participate in a free, festive and insightful day of readings, panels, children’s literary activities and storytelling during Capital Bookfest Charleston. November 6, 2010; capita2.bizland.com.

• 2012 PGA Championship ticket pre-sale begins November 15, 2010. The tournament will be played at Kiawah Island Resort’s famed Ocean Course August 9 – 12, 2012; pga2012.com


ON THE HORIZON

• The Lowcountry Oyster Festival, one of the Southeast Tourist Society’s Top 20 Tourist Attractions, lures thousands of bivalve lovers to Boone Hall Plantation. A tractor trailer full of the salty mollusks are hauled onto the grounds of this historic landmark, and the fragrant fog of oysters steamed in wet burlap hangs above the hungry crowd. January 31, 2011; charlestonrestaurantassociation.com.

• The call of the wild rings loud and true every year when the Southeastern Wildlife Exposition blows into town with 35,000+ attendees. February 18-20, 2011; sewe.com.

• Now in its sixth year, the BB&T Charleston Wine + Food Festival has hit its stride. A stellar roster of local and visiting chefs packs the weekend’s itinerary of classes, demonstrations, dinners and special culinary events. Authors, artisanal food purveyors and wine professionals round out the talented slate of vendors and presenters. For the epicurean visitor, this is a “must attend” festival. March 3- 6, 2011; charlestonwineandfood.com.

• The energy and innovation affiliated with fashion weeks hosted by large metropolitan cities is matched by Charleston Fashion Week’s five-night celebration of the catwalk. Live shows, special events and an “I’m here to be seen” scene turn the otherwise bucolic atmosphere of Marion Square on its ear. Most notable, however, is the emerging design competition, which draws talent from across the southeast. Of particular note is the Marysia Swim, the 2009 winner that was featured in Vogue magazine and picked up by Anthropolgie stores. March 22- 26, 2011; charlestonmag.com/fashionweek.

• Visitors and locals alike are invited to take a peak behind the garden gate during Historic Charleston Foundation’s 64th Annual Spring Festival of Houses and Gardens. More than 150 colonial and antebellum private residences open their doors to the public for this month-long showcase of stunning architecture, antique furnishings and beautifully sculptured gardens. March 17- April 16, 2011; historiccharleston.org.

• The sailors taking part in the epic solo circumnavigation known as Velux 5 Oceans race into Charleston’s historic harbor for the fifth port-o-call, the only United States stop on the race’s grueling itinerary. April 2011; velux5oceans.com.


HONORS AND AWARDS

• Charleston was named a 2010 Best Town in the August 2010 issue of Outside.

• The Charleston area was voted Best Romantic Getaway and Best One-tank Getaway by readers of Augusta Chronicle.

• Charleston appeared on Bicycle magazine’s list of America’s Top 50 Bike-Friendly Cities.

• The Food Network selected Hominy Grill's shrimp and grits as one of America's Best Top 10 Regional Classics. In addition to the quintessentially Lowcountry dish, the episode Commander's Palace in New Orleans (Best Gumbo); Kreuz Market in Lockhart, TX (Best Lone Star Brisket) and Boston's Neptune Oyster (Best Lobster Roll). The episode, hosted by Alton Brown, will air September 22.

• Coastal Living named the two-hour tour of Charleston’s historic harbor aboard the Schooner Pride, an 84-foot tall ship, one of the nation’s Top 10 Sunset Cruises.

[email protected]

Request a Visitors Guide

Where should we send your visitor guide?

*We will not sell or give away your personal information. Your privacy matters to us.

Would you like to receive e-mail updates about deals and events in Charleston?
May we send you offers from our partners?
Interests










Request a Digital Visitors Guide

contact_sendemail
udf_544













udf_659