My First SEWE Experience

I have lived in Charleston for going on six years. Every year I tell myself I am going to go to SEWE, and every year prior I have missed out due to one thing or the other. This year, my weekend was completely free. I knew this was my year to check out SEWE.

My SEWE experience started on Friday, where I had the opportunity to check out Jeff Foxworthy at the Gaillard Center. This was my first time at the Galliard, and it lived up to its expectation. The facility and theater was beautiful.

Most people probably know Jeff Foxworthy as a comedian, famous for his line, “You Might Be a Redneck if…”. He also appeared on the Blue Collar Comedy Tour alongside Larry the Cable Guy, Ron White, and Bill Engvall. Additionally, he hosted the game show, “Are You Smarter than a 5^th Grader?”.

What most people do not know about Jeff is that he is actually a very talented artist. Jeff shared his art, inspired by outdoor life and real life, with the large audience at the Gaillard. He hosted a Question and Answer session where audience members asked him a variety of questions relating to his art work, his work within the comedy field, as well as, a couple personal questions.

Jeff showcased each of his drawings and sketches with his classic humor attached. My favorite piece was a sketch called “Fried Chicken”, in which, he drew a chicken smoking a joint. It was quite comical. I couldn’t tell you the last time I’ve laughed so hard as I did at Jeff’s show. It wasn’t just another boring Q&A session. With every answer, he added his little touch of “redneck” humor.

After the Q&A session, I headed over to the Marketplace at the Gaillard. There were so many talented artisans there. It was almost overwhelming. This is a great place to find local and semi-local gifts for loved ones. I didn’t realize there would be so many artisans. Next year, I’ll plan ahead and come ready to buy.

On Saturday, I headed out to see the infamous “Dock Dogs” at Brittlebank Park. We headed out early, hoping to avoid the huge crowds. Brittlebank Park was the perfect setting for the “Dock Dogs” portion of SEWE. We roamed around the grounds, checking out all the vendors, before settling in to watch the dog docks.

I didn’t realize that the dock dogs were amateurs and professionals a like. I was amazed at how far some of these dogs could jump, but also thought it was quite funny when the dogs refused to jump. There was plenty of opportunity to grab food and a drink while watching the events. We grabbed a sandwich from Home Team while we were there.

After, watching the dogs for a while, we called it a day at Brittlebank. I headed over to the Blind Tiger for their SEWE Oyster Roast. The Oyster Roast was completely free to the public (which is a very rare thing to find in Charleston). It was All You Can Eat. I thought the oysters may run out, but they kept coming for hours. I got there early, which I was thankful for because it got crowded fast. It was the perfect setting for an oyster roast with their massive outdoor patio.

Overall, my first SEWE experience lived up to the hype. The only thing I wish I had the opportunity to do, but didn’t was go check out the sites at Marion Square. I guess that gives me a reason to attend next year’s events!