Carolina Day could be bigger and better
I love living here.
There are times I think about moving to another part of the world, but Charleston and the Carolinas — both North and South — are home. We have it so good. A nice pace of life. Mild winters. Barring some rural pockets, decent economies. Mostly pristine mountains and sea. Wonderful traditions, people, culture and history.
We really need to set aside one day and celebrate it all. That day should be Carolina Day, June 28.
Carolina Day commemorates the Battle of Sullivan's Island in 1776 when South Carolina military forces triumphed over the British Navy. The local celebration, revived within the past 20 years, remains limited to some rather routine events in Charleston: a parade in downtown Charleston and re-enactor events on Sullivan's Island. (See Carolina Day listing on this page.)
Two years ago, University of South Carolina history professor and prolific author Dr. Walter Edgar proposed making Carolina Day a state holiday in a column that appeared in The Greenville News. Google "Carolina Day" and "Walter Edgar" to read it.
Edgar pointed to Massachusetts' state holiday, Patriots Day, which commemorates the Battles of Lexington and Concord, as a public recognition of the role that Massachusetts played in the founding of our nation. According to Edgar, the Battle of Sullivan's Island may have been even more significant than the "skirmishes in Massachusetts."
Many say that the Battle of Sullivan's Island was a major confidence booster for our Founding Fathers and the Colonies in the days leading up to the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
I echo Edgar's call that Carolina Day should be a state holiday, granted that may just mean another day off for government workers and bankers. Where I may differ from Edgar is making it more than about history, just like Patriots Day.
The Massachusetts holiday originally was held April 19, but in 1969, the state changed it to the third Monday in April. Patriots Day festivities include the running of the Boston Marathon and a guaranteed home stand by the Boston Red Sox. History meshes with vacation and recreation. It's a perfect mix that benefits all involved.
Granted, Carolina Day should be first and foremost about the battle for freedom and the date should remain June 28, which means it occasionally will fall in the middle of the week, but also on Fridays or Mondays for three-day weekends. But another reason for broadening its scope is because Carolina Day's patriotic nature is trumped by the Fourth of July's parades and fireworks shows.
Carolina Day has so much potential. In just 10 minutes, my imagination conjured up Carolina Day festivals, food and activities. A coastal version of a festival can include food of the Carolinas (pork barbecue, shrimp and grits, she-crab soup, boiled peanuts, etc.) and activities such as half-rubber tournaments, sand-castle-building and shagging contests, road races, bike rides or races, and outdoor music concerts. (Bring back the Carolina Chocolate Drops, who performed at the Spoleto Festival.)
The holiday is key to helping to broaden the awareness of Carolina Day, especially beyond Charleston, and to spur special events that don't necessarily involve men and women dressed up in Revolutionary War outfits, firing cannons or guns or breaking out the seersucker and hats for a parade downtown.
Reach David Quick at dquick@postandcourier.com.
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