Jason Layne

Nearly 2,000 people braved the rain to experience last week’s Kulture Klash 3 in North Charleston.

Kulture Klash was unlike any other art event I've been to in Charleston. Having lived in San Francisco and Detroit, I was amazed at how, for one night, I felt as if I was in a big city. A big city where the outfits were outrageous, the cover fee was expensive and public transportation was provided to and from the event.

At 9 p.m., I went to the bus depot on John Street where I assumed the bus pickup was. The flier was vague at best; it said the shuttle picked up on John Street. I found the bus across Meeting Street, in the parking lot of the Charleston Museum.

There were 10 people on the bus, one of them was Alice Hoang, 25, who lives downtown but doesn't have a car. It was her second time going to Kulture Klash.

"I didn't want to worry about how ... to get home," she said.

Ryan Staus, 24, also rode the bus. When I asked him why he was going to the event, he said, "I read about Kulture Klash last year and thought it would be cool to go to this year. And I heard there would be beer all night long."

When I asked if the bus influenced his decision to come to the event, he said, "No, but it made it easier."

Thankfully, the rain stopped as the show started. The temperature was 50 degrees Saturday night and a good part of the art show took place outside: the mobile skate park, live graffiti art, the DJ, dance floor, beer and food.

Inside were trapeze artists and what seemed to be hundreds of mixed-media art pieces ranging from sculpture to skateboard art as well as paintings, drawings, photography and recording studio space to be inspired by.

After paying for the $10 roundtrip shuttle and $10 entry ticket, I bought a $20 all-you-can-drink wristband, which is still cheaper than a night out in most big cities.

Unfortunately, the wine ran out before the event did. The wait time for the Magic Hat beer averaged anywhere from 5-20 minutes with a rival wait in line for the bathroom.

It seemed everyone got to know each other very well while waiting in line.

That's where I met Glynnis Appleton, 30. She talked about how great it was, moving from Seattle to Charleston and still getting to have a big-city experience by attending the show. She heard about the event because a friend of hers had artwork at the show.

Kulture Klash gave many unknown artists a chance to gain exposure to hundreds of people who may not have otherwise seen their work.

"(Kulture Klash) is off the ... hook ... the art is great. This is a great scene for Charleston to continue and grow," said Farah Vonesh.

Overall, the night was a success. The shuttle bus picked us up, and my friends and I made it home safe after a wild night out in the city in our little town.