The babies of 2009

Happy New Year!

While most of us are glad to see 2008 go away, a new year holds great promise, especially in the Lowcountry.

Every year, we are blessed with mild year-round temperatures and an array of playgrounds, both terrestrial and aquatic, as well as events to get us outside and in the fresh air. Take, for example, the polar bear plunges today on Sullivan's Island and Folly Beach.

While many annual events are virtually the same year-in and year-out, we never seem to rest on our laurels. Creative, active and energetic people among us always are cooking up new things to do to keep life fresh and build a healthy community. This year is going to be no different.

Here's a list of new events to anticipate:

1. Charleston Stiletto Stampede

This one falls along the lines of the polar bear plunges.

Skirt! magazine ad representative Abby Simon was in Europe with her husband, Marshall Simon, last summer when she saw a race featuring women in high heels and decided that we needed one.

She took the idea to Julian Smith, Cooper River Bridge Run race director and director of corporate development for the Medical University of South Carolina Children's Hospital. Smith loved the idea and was gung-ho for it being a fundraiser for the hospital. Marshall Simon, owner of Gwynn's in Mount Pleasant, also backed it with the title sponsorship.

Thus was conceived the Charleston Stiletto Stampede, a 100-yard dash in high heels (3-inch minimum) for both females and males, to be held March 21 on Houston Northcutt Boulevard in Mount Pleasant.

Think this will be just fun and games? No way. The prize package is too big. The winner gets $5,000, a $5,000 gift certificate to Gwynn's and a year of pedicures from

Stella Nova spa. And running the fastest isn't the only way to score. Charleston magazine is presenting $1,000 to the person with the best costume.

This is one event that, if you opt not to participate, may be worth getting friends together to grab a coffee and watch.

See www.stilettostampede.com.

2. Mount Pleasant's waterfront park

It won't be an annual event, but it's not every day, or every year, that a town in the Lowcountry opens a major park that will be a recreational asset to the entire community for generations to come.

The Mount Pleasant Memorial Waterfront Park, on 20 acres at the foot of the Cooper River bridge, will include the state's longest public pier, which measures 1,250 feet long, along with a memorial to veterans, the Sweetgrass Cultural Arts Pavilion and Mount Pleasant Visitor Center.

Mount Pleasant plans to inaugurate the park with a three-day celebration either the Fourth of July or Labor Day weekend. Plans are still in the works, but part of the festivities will include fireworks, dancing on the pier and a carnival.

"They (special-event organizers) are planning to go all-out to celebrate it," says Martine Wolfe-Miller, public information officer for Mount Pleasant.

Visit www.townofmountpleasant.com.

3. Solstice & Equinox Celebration Flotillas.

The Ocean Sailing Academy, headquartered at Charleston Harbor Marina, is coordinating sunset flotillas of sailboats in celebration of the spring and fall equinoxes and summer and winter solstices this year.

The dates of the 2-3 hour sailing flotillas will be March 20, June 21, Sept. 22 and Dec. 21. Details to be announced soon on www.OSAsailing.com.

4. Oblique Magazine Fitness Expo

John Di Giovanni, editor of Oblique Magazine, has been wanting to put on a fitness festival for nearly a year, and it's coming to fruition April 25.

The inaugural Oblique Magazine Fitness Expo, a fundraiser for Louie's Kids, a nonprofit helping underprivileged obese and overweight children, will feature a five-hour stationary cycling marathon with 100 fly-wheel stationary bikes, kettlebell clinics and boot camps, double Dutch jump roping demonstrations by two dozen local teams, organized kayak paddles to the event, participation in Les Mills Body Flow and Body Jam classes as well as Tae Bo class led by local favorite James Pushia and a tug-of-war between police and firefighters.

Di Giovanni is not only stoked about the events but the location, Riverfront Park in North Charleston.

"It's a gorgeous park that I think a lot of people still don't know about," says Di Giovanni.

Check out www.obliquefitnessexpo.sc or www.oblique.sc.

5. Southern Spring Picnic

Legare Farms on Johns Island continues to think of ways for people to reconnect with local farms and foods.

The latest idea is a Southern Spring Picnic, to be held May 8 at Legare farms playground/picnic area. The picnic will be reminiscent of the lawn parties that were hosted by Southern farm families in the 1930's and 40's. Women will be encouraged to wear summer hats. Participants will play croquet, toss horseshoes and run sack races.

And the food? It will be Legare Farms' meat and produce whenever possible. The picnic is being held before some of local produce is available in order to beat the Charleston heat. Vegetables will be bartered from farms with like-minded growing practices located to the South.

The menu will include hamburgers, beef sausages, pork ribs, corn on the cob, potato salad, sliced tomatoes and cucumbers, ice cold sweet tea and homemade ice cream.

Everyone is encouraged to bring their musical instruments and jam with Ricky Rio. Call 559-0788 or e-mail legarefarms@bellsouth.net.

6. Charleston Waterkeeper Benefit Sail

In another event organized by the Ocean Sailing Academy, the group will throw a sailing party to benefit the new Charleston Waterkeeper, a nonprofit, grassroots, environmental watchdog organization focused on battling pollution and contamination of Charleston Harbor and its rivers and tributaries.

The event will include an exploration of the harbor and getting to know the waterkeeper, Cyrus Buffum. The event will be free, but participants are encouraged to give donations.

The event will be held sometime in March. www.OSAsailing.com

7. Stand-up paddleboarding contest

All right, this isn't quite the inaugural one, but the first stand-up paddleboarding contest in the state of South Carolina, held Nov. 1, snuck up on everyone in 2008. It wasn't announced until Oct. 11.

This year, we have advance warning. So get thee to a paddleboard, or paddleboarding lesson, and get ready for this year's contest, which is part of the Charleston Watersport Outfitters Surf Expo and Joe Hiller Classic on Oct. 10-11 on the Isle of Palms.

Longtime surfer Dave Clifford, owner of CWO, is bullish on stand-up paddleboarding and thinks it's here to stay. While details aren't out yet, keep your eyes on www.charlestonwatersport.com for more in coming months.

8. Wholly Cow Ice Cream & Coffee (Bike) Ride

Organized bike ride events are few and far between in the Lowcountry, but a new one is set for March 22 in Ravenel.

The Wholly Cow Ice Cream & Coffee Ride is part of a yearlong celebration of the 25th anniversary of Wholly Cow, which specializes in ice creams with wholesome ingredients and coffees that are fairly traded and organically grown. The company has called the Lowcountry home for 15 years.

Laurie Kramer, president of Wholly Cow/Island Coffee, worked with local bike event organizer Charles Fox to put on the event, which will start at Bulow Landing off Davidson Road in Ravenel. The event will include 60- and 100-mile bike rides that conclude with a tour (with samples) of the ice cream and roasting plant.

"If it goes well, there's no reason it can't be an annual event," says Kramer.

Money raised from the event will benefit Charleston Moves and Louie's Kids.

Search for the event at www.active.com.

9. Monster Dash & Goblin Gallop

While time will tell if this is an inaugural or one-time thing, this Halloween-themed event will take advantage of the enthusiasm Charleston adults (and children) have for dressing in costume.

The inaugural Monster Dash & Goblin Gallop, also a fundraiser for Louie's Kids, is in the works for Oct. 24 on Sullivan's Island. A few specific locations are to be announced.

The dash is a 5K, and the gallop is a series of short races for children. The event is the idea of Nicole Hitte, a runner and graduate student in The Citadel's health, exercise and sport science department.

Do you have a new, or different, event involving being outdoors or being active, send it to David Quick at 937-5516 or dquick@postandcourier.com.