Pawleys Island Festival Delivers Art, Food, Drink and Music

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Found on the Grand Strand’s southern end, Pawleys Island has long been drawing visitors to its picturesque coastline for leisure and relaxation. In fact, as one of the East Coast’s oldest resort areas, its tenure as a seaside retreat dates back to the 1700s. And each fall for the past 28 years, the town has welcomed guests for its largest annual event — a weeks-long celebration known as the Pawleys Island Festival of Music & Art.

With a range of events covering over two full weeks, the Pawleys Island Festival of Music & Art offers treats for guests’ eyes, ears and taste buds. Consider these festival highlights that you and your vacation crew won’t want to miss:

Pawleys Island Wine & Food Gala: Set for Thursday, October 3, 2019, this elegant 20th annual gathering is the culinary highlight of the festival and serves as its kickoff event. Featuring samples of 100-plus wines from renowned vineyards worldwide, eight of the area’s top chefs preparing delicious hors d’oeuvres, a three-hour dessert tasting and a silent auction, the Wine & Food Gala gets the festivities rolling in style at The Reserve Golf Club of Pawleys Island.

Concerts: The music takes center stage starting on October 4, with a festival lineup designed to cover a range of musical tastes. The performance schedule includes:

– Decades Rewind, October 4: Taking an exciting musical trip through the top hits of the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s with this high-energy, theatrical concert experience.

– Blood, Sweat & Tears, October 5: This Canadian-American jazz-rock ensemble is known for blending brass instruments with rock sounds to create hits like “You’ve Made Me So Very Happy” and “Spinning Wheel.”

– We’ve Only Just Begun: Carpenters Remembered, October 10: Growing up on a Saskatchewan farm, Berting Brett was always told she sounded like Karen Carpenter. Today, after studying opera and musical theatre then touring the world in show bands, she recreates some of the Carpenters’ classics with a full backing band.

– Next Generation Leahy, October 11: This family affair that includes three generations of Leahy musicians accompanies its Celtic-based music with an entertaining routine of French-Canadian step dancing.

– Pablo Cruise, October 12: Blending honest, down-to-Earth vocals with elegant, infectious grooves, this pop/rock band from San Francisco is best known for hits like “Love Will Find a Way” and “Watcha Gonna Do.”

– Marshall Tucker Band, October 13: This Southern rock pioneer hailing from South Carolina blends elements of blues, country and jazz to create a sounds made famous by hits like “Can’t You See” and “Heard It in a Love Song.”

– Lords of 52nd Street, October 17: Known as New York’s favorite band and made up of the musicians who backed legend Billy Joel from 1976 to 1981, this rock band has sold more than 150 million records, and its live shows include a collection of the Billy Joel hits its members helped create.

– Shades of Bublé, October 18: This three-man tribute to the music of Michael Bublé delivers the famed artist’s swinging standards and pop hits — such as “Feeling Good,” “Moondance,” “Come Fly With Me” and “Everything” — with exciting harmonies and smooth choreography.

– Soultown, October 19 (tabled event): This high-energy act delivers amazing renditions of classic Soul hits from the likes of Smokey Robinson, Ray Charles, Marvin Gaye and The Four Tops, all with authentic costuming and smooth choreography.

For more information on the 2019 Pawleys Island Festival of Music & Art, visit the event’s web page. To get the latest news and updates regarding the festival, keep an eye on the event’s Facebook page.

Book your October visit to Ocean Reef Resort today — and get ready to have tons of fun at the Pawleys Island Festival of Music & Art. When the day is done, head home to the comfortable accommodations and wide-ranging amenities found at the resort — and rest up for another day of adventure on the Grand Strand.