Victory Cup & Balloon Festival
The Victory Cup Hot Air Balloon Festival & Polo Match returns this weekend, featuring... wait for it... hot air balloons and polo. Mullet Hall at Johns Island County Park will host this time around and new this year is a Lobster Festival.
In addition to other activities, the Victory Cup will feature three polo matches on Saturday. Victory Cup/Provided
Friday night will include the hot air balloon “glow” and tethered rides, weather permitting of course. Food and beverage vendors will be on site, as well as a DJ and live music acts. Saturday will kick off with early morning hot air balloon inflation and tethered rides. The balloons will be taken off site until the late afternoon, when it all starts up again with rides, vendors, food and entertainment.
The balloon break is to make way for the polo matches, which will include the stomping of the divots (like in “Pretty Woman”) and the Best Dressed competition. There will be additional entertainment and food and beverage options, including adult beverages. VIP options, aka “upper tier experiences,” are available.
The Victory Cup will feature a Best Dressed fashion contest. Victory Cup/David Murrell/Provided
The Lobster Festival on Saturday, which includes access to the balloons and the polo, will feature fresh Maine lobster, oysters, mussels and clams (yum!), about half a dozen local musicians and bands, lawn games and kids' activities.
WHEN: 4-10 p.m. Nov. 22 (food 4-8 p.m.); 7-9 a.m. and 4-10 p.m. balloons Nov. 23 (food noon-8 p.m.); 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. polo matches Nov. 23
WHERE: Mullet Hall at Johns Island County Park, 2662 Mullet Hall Road
PRICE: $12-$55 (general admission and balloon rides; VIP separate); $15-$95 lobster fest; $15 parking
MORE INFO: victorycup.org/charleston
Mystery Science Theater 3000
The PAC will host "Mystery Science Theater 3000 Live" on Thursday. Provided
Crow, a movie-riffing robot, will be part of "Mystery Science Theater 3000 Live." Provided
Creator Joel Hodgson stars as Joel Robinson in "Mystery Science Theater 3000 Live: The Great Cheesy Movie Circus Tour." Gary Glover/Provided
“Mystery Science Theater 3000” is a series about a human and his robot sidekicks trapped aboard a satellite, whose captors force them to watch B-movies, during which man and machines make silly and wisecracking commentary throughout the film. The hilarious award-winning and 30-year-old cult classic series has been revived again with what creator Joel Hodgson says will be the final live tour, which will stop at the North Charleston Performing Arts Center on Thursday.
“Mystery Science Theater 3000 Live: The Great Cheesy Movie Circus Tour” will feature the red jumpsuit-ed Hodgson as Joel Robinson and the “movie-miffing robots,” Tom Servo, Crow and Gypsy. The selected film for our Lowcountry audience will be the 1986 gem, “No Retreat, No Surrender,” about a self-conscious teenager who becomes a martial arts master under the instruction of Bruce Lee’s ghost. It stars a “fresh-faced Jean-Claude van Damme as a brooding hit man and a Bruce Lee look-a-like, who looks nothing like Bruce Lee.”
WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Nov. 21
WHERE: North Charleston Performing Arts Center, 5001 Coliseum Drive
PRICE: $40-$75; $100 VIP option
MORE INFO: 843-529-5000, northcharlestoncoliseumpac.com
Pre-holidays holiday happenings
Mount Pleasant Towne Centre will light its 40-foot Christmas tree at its "Lights Up" event on Saturday. File/Jeff Nass/Provided
For those of you that like to start your winter holiday celebrations before the fall holiday has even happened, here are a few things to get you in the spirit before Thanksgiving.
Lights Up at Mount Pleasant Towne Centre on Saturday is the venue’s annual lighting of the 40-foot Christmas tree and laser light show. There will be performances from the East Cooper Baptist Church Choir & Orchestra, FAME Performing Arts and modern bluegrass band Gravel Road. Food and beverages will be available for purchase and the kiddos can get a little face painting or a balloon animal, or take a turn in the jump castle. A special visit from St. Nick is expected.
WHEN: 6-8 p.m. Nov. 23
WHERE: Mount Pleasant Towne Centre, 1218 Belk Drive
PRICE: Free admission
MORE INFO: 843-216-9900, bit.ly/2OBqdo7
The sixth annual Tinsel Trot Holiday Fun Run/Walk returns to Old Santee Canal Park on Saturday and families are encouraged to “run, walk, dash, dance or prance through the two-mile course” along the aforementioned Holiday Lights Driving Tour. Food will be available for purchase and proceeds will benefit local charities. There will be additional children’s activities and Santa Claus is expected. Costumes are encouraged.
WHEN: 5:30-8 p.m. Nov. 23
WHERE: Old Santee Canal Park, 900 Stony Landing Road, Moncks Corner
PRICE: $10 general; free for ages 5 and younger
MORE INFO: 843-899-4708, celebratetheseason.org
The Gaillard Center will host "Mannheim Steamroller Christmas" on Tuesday. Matt Christine Photography/Provided
“Mannheim Steamroller Christmas” is something that totally gets me in the holiday mood. The group is celebrating 35 years of that classic instrumental rock album with a nationwide tour. Mannheim Steamroller’s founder and creator Chip Davis has remastered the album and will present it live at the Gaillard Center on Tuesday, along with some multimedia special effects.
WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Nov. 26
WHERE: Gaillard Center, 95 Calhoun St., downtown Charleston
PRICE: $49.50-$89.50
MORE INFO: 843-242-3099, gaillardcenter.org
Get a head start on your holiday shopping at Saturday's "A Step Ahead: Christmas Festival." File/Provided
Wholly Neora will host A Step Ahead: Christmas Festival at Faith Assembly in Summerville on Saturday, featuring a little bit of everything, from Lowcountry vendors and small businesses, to food trucks and entertainment. There will be raffles and hourly giveaways, as well as a special visit from Kardea Brown from The Food Network. You can knock out some of the items on your gift-giving shopping list and a portion of the proceeds will support local single families during the holidays.
WHEN: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Nov. 23
WHERE: Faith Assembly of God, 337 Farmington Road, Summerville
PRICE: Free admission
MORE INFO: bit.ly/35f67G
The Charleston Southern University Choirs of the Horton School of Music will present the annual "Carols in the Round" showcase on Monday and Tuesday, featuring favorite Christmas carols and songs.
WHEN: 8 p.m. Nov. 25-26
WHERE: Second floor lobby, Science Building, 9200 University Blvd., North Charleston
PRICE: $10
MORE INFO: 843-863-7966, bit.ly/2r4oyPE
Occasional Milkshake
Occasional Milkshake will perform at Sunday's Mex 1 Sessions at the coastal cantina on Sullivan's Island. Provided
The Occasional Milkshake brings all the boys to the yard, and by that I mean Mark Bryan of Hootie & The Blowfish, Hank Futch of the Blue Dogs and Gary Greene of Cravin' Melon will be the special guest performers for Sunday's Mex 1 Sessions on Sullivan's Island. Occasional Milkshake is the name of the trio, referred to as their "passion project," and this Mex 1 Session, presented by Ear for Music, will benefit Carolina Studios, Bryan's nonprofit that provides local students with safe, career-focused initiatives through music, technology and media arts.
WHEN: 6 p.m. doors, 7 p.m. music Nov. 24
WHERE: Mex 1 Coastal Cantina, 2205 Middle St., Sullivan's Island
PRICE: $28
MORE INFO: 843-882-8172, bit.ly/2rZ7XNH
