It’s another busy weekend on the Sea Islands.

Charleston Restaurant Week continues through Sunday the 19th. Many restaurants are participating all over town. Menus have three price points: 3 for $20, 3 for $30, and 3 for $40. Participating Sea Islands restaurants include: Angel Oak Restaurant, Tomasso, La Tabella, Cherrywood BBQ and Ale House, Gilligan’s on Main Rd., J. Paulz James Island, How Art Thou Café, Red’s Icehouse Bohicket, Jasmine Porch at The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort, the Atlantic Room at the Ocean Course, The Ocean Room at the Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort, Fat Hen, Rosebank Farms Cafe, and Sweeney’s.

FRIDAY (the 17th)

On James, the Charleston Pour House has a show on the deck and a mainstage show. The Deck show is the Steel Rollers. It’s free, and it starts at 4pm, The mainstage show Archnemesis + Trick Money + Blkmrkt. It’s starts at 9pm, it’s $12 in advance and $15 at the door. Want to sample some ear candy from any Pour House upcoming show? Click the CPH link to hear samples from upcoming artists’ work.

On James, the Coen Bros. latest, “Inside Llewyn Davis” (John Goodman, Carey Mulligan, Justin Timberlake, F. Murray Abraham, Oscar Isaac) opens at the Terrace Theater today. Other films showing include August:Osage County, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, the Golden Globe Winning American Hustle, and Nebraska. For showtimes, click the Terrace link.

On James, at the Brickhouse Kitchen and Bar, it’s the Swamp Gypsies starting at 8pm.

On James, at the Bohemian Bull, Calhoun’s Calling is playing 10pm-1am. Bohemian Bull serves its food late into the evening.

On Johns, at Seanachai, The Green Levels start at 8pm. Don’t forget, not only does Seanachai have a wide array of regular and seasonal craft beers, but you can order delicious Southern General craft sandwiches and other delicious eats from your barstool.

At the Southern General, there’s two happy hours: one you might expect 4-7pm, the second one starts at 10pm.

SATURDAY (the 18th)

On Johns, the second Johns Island Farmers Market is being held near the Main and Maybank intersection. It starts at 10am. Last week had at least 30 vendors.

On James, the Charleston Pour House has Blu Bop, a Bela Fleck & Flecktones tribute band, starting at 9pmon the mainstage. It’s $10 in advance, $12 at the door.Click the CPH link to hear samples from upcoming artists’ work.

On James, at the Brickhouse Kitchen and Bar, it’s Big Daddy Cade and Boogie Chillun’ starting at 8pm.

On James, at the Bohemian Bull, Whiskey Diablo is playing 10pm-1am. Bohemian Bull serves its food late into the evening.

On Johns, at Seanachai, J.A.N.E. starts playing at 8pm.

SUNDAY (the 19th)

Cup Fine Coffee & Roasters will host a coffee lecture and tasting at their Roastery on Fleming Road from 2-4:30pm. I had the privilege of talking to the owners, Robbie and Esther Dietrich for a recent media story.

On James, the Charleston Pour House has a show on the deck and a mainstage show. The Deck show starts at 4pm, it’s Runaway Gin, a Phish cover band. The deck show is free. The mainstage show is McLovin w/ BYOG. The show starts at 9pm, with a $5 cover. Click the CPH link to hear samples from upcoming artists’ work.

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

ALL WEEKEND LONG AND BEYOND

The Tides at Folly Beach recently remodeled their building, reopening just in time for Restaurant Week. If you haven’t stopped by to see the upgrades, check them out.

The Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade is happening Monday, January 20, at 11am, on King Street in Downtown Charleston. To participate in the parade, you must register first. A full roster of MLK related activities starts next weekend, and runs into the following week. See this link for details.

About a month from now (Feb 15th), A Dee Norton Benefit Celebrity Golf Tournament is happening at the Ocean Course at Kiawah. Bill Murray, Willie Robertson, and Coach Steve Spurrier are just three of the celebs on board. See link for details.

I have to say, though it’s not beach season, Winter is hardly dull and boring in the Charleston area. It’s a festival season and oyster season. There’s a comedy festival underway Downtown right now. February means the Southeastern Wildlife Expo, Charleston Film Festival (at the Terrace), remnants of the former Lowcountry Blues Bash.

By March, the flowers–white Bradford pears, azaleas in all shades of white, pink, and red, pink cherries, pink redbuds will be putting on a gorgeous show all their own.

In March, festivals include some Mardi Gras celebrations on/around the 1st, then the Charleston Wine and Food Festival, Charleston Fashion Week, and St. Paddy’s pub crawls.

April means the Bridge Run, Flowertown up in Summerville, and the first 2014 game for Riverdogs baseball.

Before we know it, it will be Spoleto time at the end of May. The magnolias and Star jasmine will be blooming.

At the end of May, Memorial Day Weekend, means the unofficial start of summer. It sure goes by fast when it’s preceded by this much fun.