The 4th of July is right around the corner ! Time to reflect what this means for us, and time to celebrate and gather with friends and family.   Wherever you reside or visit in the Charleston area, there will be a fireworks celebration to enjoy: City of North Charleston 4th of July Festival– The City of North Charleston hosts an amazing 4th of July Festival at the Riverfront Park. The festival runs from 3 pm until 9:45 pm and will have food, drinks, and live music !  Summerville: Red, White, and Blue on the Green– This amazing celebration start at 5:30pm  at Gahagan Park . There will be music and food and lots of things to do.  Mount Pleasant 4th of July Blast at Patriots Point– A very popular spot for the Charleston 4th of July event ! One can see it from Patriot Point in front of the Yorktown, or down at the marina or at Mount Pleasant Memorial Park, all great spots to enjoy the fireworks, music and food.  Middleton Place–  No trip trip to Charleston is complete without visiting a plantation especially on the 4rh of July. The 4th is celebrated with a look into the past with one of our locals who signed the Declaration of Independence, Arthur Middleton. Enjoy his home, land, and all of the wonderful historical significance of this time. Downtown Charleston Sea Stars and Stripes– The Aquarium also offers a fun Independence Day celebration. One can go to a special event starting at 7pm and watch the fireworks from the steps overlooking the Cooper River. Folly Beach, at the edge of the Atlantic, has an amazing fireworks event planned at the Pier and has music and food trucks lined up for everyone to enjoy. There are numerous celebrations and opportunities to enjoy this special day, maybe even on a Harbor Cruise  or at the beaches of one of the Islands !! Would it not be nice to enjoy it next time from the porch or balcony of your own place !? Please visit my website at www.DefinitelyCharleston.com to search for your place in paradise, or contact me at  call me:843-345-2625 or send me a note at mail to:uappleby@gmail.com  

 MOJA  FESTIVAL  Charleston SC   Sept. 29 - Oct 10, 2016  The year 2016 marks Charleston’s 33rd annual MOJA Arts Festival: A Celebration of African-American and Caribbean Arts. Selected as one of the Southeast Tourism Society’s Top 20 Events for many years, the MOJA Arts Festival has an exciting line-up of events with a rich variety of traditional favorites.  Nearly half of MOJA’s events are admission-free, and the remainder are offered at  modest ticket prices. The MOJA Arts Festival is a multi-disciplinary festival produced and directed by the City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the MOJA Planning Committee, a community arts and cultural group, and the MOJA Advisory Board, a group of civic leaders who assist with fundraising and advocacy. Moja, a Swahili word meaning “One,” is the appropriate name for this festival celebration of harmony among all people in our community. The Festival highlights the many African-American and Caribbean contributions to western and world cultures. MOJA’s wide range of events includes visual arts, classical music, dance, gospel, jazz, poetry, R&B music, storytelling, theater, children’s activities, traditional crafts, ethnic food, and much, much more. In addition to its myriad arts presentations, MOJA also includes an active and busy educational outreach component of workshops in the public schools and senior outreach in senior citizen homes. Want to find out more about this festival, check out their website at MOJA.com and come to our beautiful diverse city and stay a while. Moving here or looking for a 2nd home !?  Please check in with me! Ute Lisa Appleby, Realtor AGENTOWNED REALTY CO., Mt Pleasant SCReal Estate/Leasing/Property Managementcell:    843.345.2625      efax:  843.725.6501 www.DefinitelyCharleston.com        www.agentownedrealty.com