June is almost here. The mimosas have started blooming with their unique peachy-pink feather flowers. The magnolias, honeysuckles, and star jasmine are still blooming.

And it’s another busy weekend out on the Sea Islands and around Charleston. Yes, Spoleto is happening Downtown and few other spots, but out here its farmers markets,

FRIDAY (THE 30th)

 For the Terrace Theater’s newest offerings, scroll down to ALL WEEKEND LONG.

9am: On Wadmalaw, Ambrose Family Farm still has a few strawberries. But the onions and squash blossoms are bountiful now, and we’re very close to blueberry time. Click the link to see the freshest picks, check out their booth at the Downtown Farmers Market on Saturday (and Sunday mornings during Spoleto), or call 843.559.0988 if you want to go to the farm and pick something up.

10am: **Hey Parents** On Edisto, the Serpentarium is open until 4pm. This is an indoor zoo dedicated to all the Lowcountry’s cold-blooded natives like snakes, alligators, and turtles. Demonstrations allow kids to “pet” these creatures safely as they held by trained handlers.

11am: On Johns (Main Road heading to Savannah Highway), the Main Road Farmers Market, brought to you by Charleston Petal Pushers, is open until 6pm. They are having a plant sale (bedding, hanging, tropicals) right now to make way for all the peaches, tomatoes, and other produce on the way as we speak. MRFM’s regular inventory includes fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, frozen prepared food (like yummy Bertolini pasta and pasta dishes), natural compost fertilizer, muscadine wreaths, tropical plants, local grits, local honey, Amish jams, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and homemade boiled peanuts. Please bring cash or check to make purchases. I had the privilege to talk to the owners Chris DeStefano and Lindsay Dickson recently, and the story appeared in a recent West Of Newspaper.

4pm: On James, Charleston Pour House, it’s Jimmy Landry and Friends on the deck. This is a free show. Check out the Lot’s new deck menu!

6pm: On Johns, at Freshfields Village, it’s the Groove Train band, playing 1960s-1990s feel good party music until 9pm. Bring beach chairs, blankets, and bugspray. If it rains this event will likely not happen. Carolina Clay Gallery, just across the green with all those cute frog sculptures, has a wine tasting and meet the artists session every Friday starting at 6 as well.

6pm: On Folly, at Loggerheads, country singer-songwriter Cliff Cody is playing.

8pm: On Johns, at Seanachai, Cane Creek band is playing. This bar doesn’t serve food, but you can order Southern General food from your barstool. The General also has two happy hours: one you might expect from 4-7pm, and a second one at 10.

9:30pm: On James, at the Charleston Pour House, Jeff Austin with friends Eric Thorin and Ross Martin is playing. Austin is a former member of the Yonder Mountain String Band. Show is $17 in advance, $20 at the door. Doors open at 8:30pm. See website for tickets and more information. Check out the Lot’s new deck menu!

10pm: On Folly, at Loggerheads, the Copious Jones band is playing.

SATURDAY (the 31st)

9am: On Wadmalaw, Ambrose Family Farm still has a few strawberries. But the onions and squash blossoms are bountiful now, and we’re very close to blueberry time. Click the link to see the freshest picks, check out their booth at the Downtown Farmers Market on Saturday (and Sunday mornings during Spoleto), or call 843.559.0988 if you want to go to the farm and pick something up.

9am: On Johns (Main Road heading to Savannah Highway), the Main Road Farmers Market brought to you by Charleston Petal Pushers is open until 6pm. Fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, frozen pasta and pasta meals, Amish roll butter, amish bacon, natural compost fertilizer, Dirt in a Sock (for small gardens), wreaths, bedding plants, tropical plants, local grits, local honey, Amish jams, and homemade boiled peanuts are just some of the goodies you will find here. I had the privilege to talk to owners Chris DeStefano and Lindsay Dickson recently, here’s the link.

10am: **Hey Parents!**On James Island, Splash Zone at the James Island County Park is open today until 6pm. General admission is $20, Seniors 60 and up $9.99, under 48″ $14.99 a person, children 2 and under free. If you anticipate multiple visits all summer long, check out the splash pass. [NOTE: the 48″ height is required for several large slides, see the splash pass link for details.] In North Charleston, at Wannamaker County Park, Whirlin’ Waters is open today until 6pm, and in Mount Pleasant, at Palmetto Islands County Park, Splash Island is open today until 6pm.

10am: On Johns, The Homegrown Johns Island Farmers Market is held near the Main and Maybank intersection next to Dr. Anthony Ross’ Island Chiropractic. It has 40+ vendors, including local farms, artisans, and specialty food products. There are also food trucks and live music. This weekend, Charleston Bees and Honey’s Larry Sexton is making a beekeeping presentation at 12 noon. To learn more about beekeeping in Charleston, touch base with Charleston Area Beekeepers Association, or CABA.

10am: On Folly, at the Community Center, the Folly Beach Arts and Crafts Guild is holding a sale and silent auction for Surfers Healing until 2pm.

10am: **Hey Parents**On Edisto, the Serpentarium is open until 4pm. This is an indoor zoo dedicated to all the Lowcountry’s cold-blooded natives like snakes, alligators, and turtles. Demonstrations allow kids to “pet” these creatures safely as they held by trained handlers.

12pm: On Wadmalaw, at Irvin-House Vineyards, it’s Winestock, benefitting Crisis Ministries. Admission is $5 for adults. Wear your best hippie gear for a chance to win prizes. Enjoy live music. Bring beachchairs and blankets, but please no coolers. Food and drink will be available for purchase on site.

1pm: In North Charleston, at Holy City Brewing, there’s a Food Truck Rodeo benefitting Charleston Birth Place.

4pm: On James, at the Charleston Pour House, Jefferson Coker Band is playing. This show is free. Check out the Lot’s new deck menu!

4pm: On Edisto, at the bookstore, native author Cassandra King is signing her new book The Same Sweet Girls Guide to Life and bringing some moonrise cocktails mentioned in her previous work.

6pm: On Folly, at Loggerheads, country singer-songwriter Cliff Cody is playing.

8pm: On Johns, at Seanachai, Flatt City are playing. This bar doesn’t serve food, but you can order Southern General food from your barstool. The General also has two happy hours: one you might expect from 4-7 pm, and a second one at 10.

8pm: On Folly, at the Grill and Island Bar, it’s Bill Johnson.

10pm: On James, at the Charleston Pour House, it’s Orgone band with the Jonathan Scales Fourchestra. Show is $10 in advance, $13 at the door. Doors open at 9. See website for tickets and more information. Check out the Lot’s new deck menu!

10pm: On Folly, at Loggerheads, the Shutterdogs band is playing.

10pm: On James, the Bohemian Bull has Campbell Brown Band playing. PS-Don’t forget, the Bohemian Bull serves food late into the evening.

10pm: On Folly, at Surf Bar, Outervention is playing.

SUNDAY (the 1st)

Today the Charleston County Public Library kicks off its 2014 summer reading programs for all ages. Fizz Boom Read is for babies through age 11, Spark a Reaction is for teens, and Reading Wave and Book On Downtown are for adults 18 and up. Click the links for details. Please sign up at any location or online.

8-11am: On James, the Coastal Cyclists will be cycling from James, to Kiawah and back, about 40 miles total. Please drive and pass carefully.

10am: **Hey Parents!**On James Island, Splash Zone at the James Island County Park is open today until 6pm. General admission is $20, Seniors 60 and up $9.99, under 48″ $14.99 a person, children 2 and under free. If you anticipate multiple visits all summer long, check out the splash pass. [NOTE: the 48″ height is required for several large slides, see the splash pass link for details.] In North Charleston, at Wannamaker County Park, Whirlin’ Waters is open today until 6pm, and in Mount Pleasant, at Palmetto Islands County Park, Splash Island is open today until 6pm.

11am: On James, the Sunday Brunch Farmers Market features food trucks, local farmers, and local vendors. Live music is also on site. Now open until 2pm.

3pm: On Folly, at Loggerheads, Yellowknife is playing.

4pm: On James, at the Charleston Pour House, it’s Sunday Phunday with Runaway Gin playing Phish covers on the deck. This show is free. Check out the Lot’s new deck menu! There is no later act scheduled at this time. 

4pm: Downtown, on the corner of Calhoun and Concord, the Preservation Society is holding a ceremony for Esau Jenkins’ bus before it’s sent off to the Smithsonian as a piece of civil rights history. A historic marker was placed in front of the Progressive Club on Johns Island last year.

6pm: On Folly, at Loggerheads, One Kool Blow are playing.

10pm: On Folly, at Surf Bar, it’s the Bottom Feeder band.

ALL WEEKEND LONG

On James, at the Terrace Theater, the following film opens today: The comedy western A Million Ways to Die in the West (**sorry no trailer at that link**) (Liam Neeson, Charlize Theron, and film creator Seth MacFarlane).

Belle is autobiographical of account of Dido Elizabeth Belle who worked to end slavery in England (Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Emily Watson, Matthew Goode), The Immigrant a drama about a Polish immigrant sold into prostitution (Marion Cotillard, Joaquin Phoenix), and Chef  about a chef who leaves his glamorous restaurant post in search of something new (Robert Downey Jr., Jon Favreau). Click titles for the trailers.

For a bite to eat before or after, Zia Taqueria, Crust WoodFired Pizza (check out my interview here), and How Art Thou Café are just steps away. If you take a quick sprint across the street, you’ll find Charleston’s best indie music spot, The Pour House, and its excellent farm to table restaurant, The Lot.

If spring tends to aggravate your allergies, don’t forget the tissues, allergy meds, and eye drops. For dawn and dusk hours, bring bug spray as the “no-see-ums”  (a.k.a sand flies, midgies) are already back and spring rains (like we had just this week) mean the mosquitos aren’t far behind.

As always, whatever you get into, have fun and please be safe. If I see other happenings I will update this post.

For events coming up this week and future weekends, watch for Monday’s post!