Fun fact: The City of Charleston has been hosting the First Day Festival since 2003.
Courtesy of the City of Charleston
Sharpen your pencils — it’s time to shine. Students across the Lowcountry will soon return to the classroom, and the City of Charleston is helping them get ready at the annual First Day Festival.
On Sunday, August 10, from 1 to 4 p.m., thousands of students and their families will head to the Charleston Gaillard Center and Liberty Square for the free, family-friendly event featuring school supplies, community resources, activities, and free admission to the SC Aquarium during festival hours.
Until the festival, donate supplies — find a drop-off location. Items will be packed into drawstring backpacks to be handed out at the event.
Events
Events
Monday, Aug. 4
Monday Morning Dance Party with Jacquie | 8-9 a.m. | Evolve Academy of Conscious Learning | Donations encouraged | Join us this morning dance party to kickstart your week with good vibes and great music.
Mobile Library | Monday, Aug. 4, Monday, Aug. 18 | 12-1 p.m. | The Overture, Daniel Island | Help your kiddos soak up the last bit of summer reading and visit the mobile library.
Tuesday, Aug. 5
Play Dayz | 10 a.m.-12 p.m. | Mt. Pleasant Towne Centre | Free | Kids are invited to enjoy activities, arts, crafts, and snacks — register to participate.
DIY Floral Birdhouses | 2-4 p.m. | OhMy! Creative Party Shop & Craft Studio, Summerville | $25 | Give your feathered friends a custom new home decked with paints, patterns, and your creative flair.
Wine Dinner with House of Brown | 5:30 p.m. | Lillian’s Petite Market and Eatery | $175 | Indulge in passed appetizers, curated small plates, and a seasonal main course, each thoughtfully paired with selections from House of Brown.
This fall, comedian Jeff Dunham and his supporting puppets will make a stop in the Lowcountry. His Artificial Intelligence tour will be at the North Charleston Coliseum on Friday, Nov. 21, at 7 p.m. Tickets are on sale now. (Holy City Sinner)
Civic
Cove Creek is filled with silt, making it shallow + difficult to travel from the Intracoastal Waterway to the Charleston Harbor at low tide. Leaders in Mount Pleasant are discussing dredging the creek to deepen the waterway. Join the conversation at the workshop meeting scheduled for today, Aug. 4, at 6 p.m. (The Post and Courier)
Number
$4.2 million. That’s how much Charleston County Council members agreed to increase the 2025-26 budget by, granting county employees a one-time $2,000 bonus. So what’s next? The measure has to be voted on one more time in a final reading at the Tuesday, Aug. 26, meeting. (Charleston City Paper)
Mansion Monday
Waterfront, historic, and situated on 1.5 acres with plenty of live oaks and magnolias — what more could you want in a Charleston home? This beautifully decorated 7,628-sqft Queen Street estate was built around 1750 and features a stunning grand entrance, an elevator, a sauna, and a pool + hot tub combo.
Kids
Calling all artists from Kindergarten to 12th grade to join the Charleston County Elections “I Voted!” Sticker Design Contest. Students have until Friday, Sept.12, to submit original artwork for a chance to have their design featured on stickers distributed during early voting this fall. (Holy City Sinner)
Number
10,752. That’s how many days there were between the release of “Happy Gilmore” back in 1996 and the recent long-awaited sequel. If you waited that long to hit up one of Charleston’s stellar golf courses, your short game probably needs some work.
Pets
Our tails are wagging — it’s officially August, which is National Dog Month. The best way to celebrate is by spending some quality time with your four-legged friends, and we recommend exploring one of these local, dog-friendly businesses.
Try This
Beyoncé ended her Cowboy Carter tour with a nostalgic surprise, reuniting Destiny’s Child to sing a medley of their greatest hits. While we couldn’t be there in Las Vegas when it happened, these karaoke joints around Charleston are a perfect way to sing along. (Variety)
Trending
Craving a snack? There’s a good chance you’ll reach for a bag of Doritos, because that’s the most popular snack in SC, according to research by HubScore. If you’re looking for a different flavor, we recommend stocking up on some Charleston-made snacks. (Cheapism)
Job
Are you the one we’re looking for? We’re on the hunt for a sales-driven leader to help us land significant brand partnerships at a national scale as a Sales Executive. From a competitive benefits package to 401k matching, we’re a pretty amazing company to work for. Join our team and apply today.
Try This
Love checklists and analytics? We’re hiring an Advertising Coordinator to help us shine a spotlight on our partners. We offer an amazing benefits package, including competitive 401K matching and more. Apply now and help us make mornings smarter (and snappier).
Eat
Craving s’mores but don’t have a campfire? This gooey, chocolatey mug cake brings the summer classic indoors — in just minutes.*
Dig into oysters from 167 Raw. | Photo by CHStoday
Tomorrow, Aug. 5, is National Oyster Day. Luckily,here in the Lowcountry, every day is a good day for enjoying oysters. If you’re looking for the best spots to enjoy them around town, you have a lot of options — here are our 20+ recommendations.
Downtown Chubby Fish | Whether you like crisp and clean or salty and sweet oysters, there’s something here for you. Pro tip: Arrive early for the best chance of snagging a table.
The Ordinary | The crispy oyster slider with cabbage, Fresno mayo, on a fresh-baked Hawaiian roll is anything but ordinary.
Waterfront Bowens Island Restaurant | Of course, this Lowcountry gem is on the list. We’ll be ordering the steamed oysters from this James Beard Award-winning spot.
Charleston Harbor Fish House | One fried shrimp and oyster platter, please. This meal comes with French fries and peach cole slaw
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The fun doesn’t have to end here. After reading the newsletter, head over to our games page. Games refresh with new challenges every day at 6 a.m. from crossword puzzle to Sudoku to themed word search.
💕 Pink birds in the Lowcountry — say what? That’s right, Roseate spoonbills migrate to the Lowcountry in late spring and stay for the summer. So basically, we’re saying everyone loves a Charleston vacay.
Fun fact: Their pink color comes from eating crustaceans, and you’ll find them hanging out in shallow marshes + creeks at low tide.
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