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The 9th Annual First Day Festival is on Sunday, August 14th from 1 to 4 p.m. at Liberty Square at the SC Aquarium and the Maritime Center.
The First Day Festival is a celebration of education and generates excitement about the beginning of a new school year. There will be education exhibits, school supplies, healthy foods, celebrity chef demonstrations, recreation activities, entertainment, free boat rides, a misting station and more! The festival is free to attend.
The importance of healthy eating is one focus area of the festival. Over the past nine years, parents and children have been introduced to healthy food options at the festival. This year, at the “Healthy Foods 4 U” site, healthy food samples and nutritional information will be given to attendees. Also, throughout the day, local celebrity chefs will demonstrate healthy cooking. The participating chefs are Alluette Jones, from Alluette’s Café, Drew Hedlund, from Fleet Landing and Burke High School Culinary showcasing their Confetti Soup.
Attendees can park for a flat rate of $1 at the SC Aquarium and Gaillard Garages. Shuttle bus service will be provided from the Gaillard Garage to Liberty Square. The SC Aquarium and Fort Sumter Museum will be open and giving tours while the festival is in progress.
Attendees are asked to bring non-perishable food items to donate to the Lowcountry Food Bank.
Mayor Joseph P. Riley, Jr. said, “The First Day Festival is a wonderful way to show our children that school, especially the first day, is important and that we support them as they begin a new year of learning. When parents and the community come together to support and encourage our students, we create an environment where our children are excited and eager to learn.”
The first day of school for Charleston County schools is Tuesday, August 16th. Parents are encouraged to attend the first day of school with their children. City employees who have children in school will be given two hours off to take their children to school on the first day.
