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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250501T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250501T183000
DTSTAMP:20260507T060924
CREATED:20260427T134530Z
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SUMMARY:An Evening with Eat It & Like It Host Jesse Blanco\, Author of Charleston Food Crawls
DESCRIPTION:The nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center will host an evening of with Eat It and Like It co-founder and host Jesse Blanco\, author of Charleston Food Crawls on Thursday\, May 1\, at 5:00 p.m.\, at the Conroy Center (601 Bladen St.\, Beaufort). Free and open to the public. Books will be available for sale and signing. Seating is limited: please call to reserve in advance: 843-379-7025. \nAbout Jesse Blanco and Charleston Food Crawls\nCharleston Food Crawls is an exciting culinary tour through the largest city in South Carolina. Taste the city’s culinary history through its top-notch neighborhood restaurants and bars. Hit the Upper Peninsula for a day of breweries and barbeque galore. Just in town for the weekend? Take a stroll through King Street for quick bites and crafty sips. Experience where southern comfort food and zesty libations collide and dig into Charleston one dish at a time. \nJesse Blanco is\, without question\, one of Savannah’s most recognizable personalities. His laid-back style and ability to connect with viewers and readers remain his calling card following a 24-year career in television news. During his 5 years as primary news anchor at the local FOX affiliate\, Jesse always found creative ways to connect with his audience. That talent extended to his weekly column in the Savannah Morning News\, which very quickly became one of the paper’s most popular features from 2012 to 2018. \nIn 2010\, Jesse and his business partner created a blog and later a television show dedicated to the underappreciated side of Savannah’s food scene. Four years later\, Savannah’s food scene exploded and Eat It and Like It found itself sitting in the front row to witness it all. Since 2014 he’s been the Savannah area’s only full-time food writer. Jesse is now the author of author of Savannah Food Crawls and Charleston Food Crawls.  \nJesse was born in California but calls Miami his hometown. Having been raised in a very large Cuban-American family where the genetic makeup consists of food\, music\, dancing\, laughing\, and friendship. Throw in an insatiable desire to travel and explore and you get someone who is only happy learning or trying new things. Jesse is married with one child.
URL:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/calendar/an-evening-with-eat-it-like-it-host-jesse-blanco-author-of-charleston-food-crawls/
LOCATION:601 Bladen Street\, Beaufort\, SC\, United States\, South Carolina 29902
CATEGORIES:Other
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250503T093000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250503T120000
DTSTAMP:20260507T060924
CREATED:20260427T134530Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260507T094521Z
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SUMMARY:Monthly Teddy Bear Picnic Read-Aloud with DAYLO
DESCRIPTION:On the first Saturday of every month\, you can join the student volunteers of DAYLO: Diversity Awareness Youth Literacy Organization for a Teddy Bear Picnic read-aloud at the Port Royal Farmers Market (1615 Ribaut Rd.). In collaboration with the nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center\, high school and college student volunteers from the Beaufort-based chapters of DAYLO gather at the gazebo in Naval Heritage Park from 9:30 a.m. to noon to read diverse\, inclusive picture books to children and their families\, inspiring a love of stories\, books\, reading\, and peer-to-peer mentoring.  \nCozy blankets\, a plethora of stuffed animals\, and some snacks help the students make a welcoming environment in this free community literacy program. Several times a year\, National Park Service Ranger Katherine Freeman also joins in for Read with a Ranger\, a literacy and art project thematically connected to the missions of DAYLO\, the Conroy Center\, and the Reconstruction Era National Historic Park.  \nDAYLO is a student-led diversity themed book club and community service group founded at Beaufort High School and now with chapters across South Carolina. Learn more at: https://linktr.ee/DAYLOBFT. \nThe Pat Conroy Literary Center is a nonprofit interpretive and learning center advancing the legacy of beloved\, bestselling writer\, educator\, and mentor Pat Conroy (1945-2016)\, author of The Water Is Wide\, The Great Santini\, The Prince of Tides\, and more. Learn more at: www.patconroyliterarycenter.org.
URL:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/calendar/monthly-teddy-bear-picnic-read-aloud-with-daylo-11/
LOCATION:Port Royal Farmers Market
CATEGORIES:Other
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250508T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250508T193000
DTSTAMP:20260507T060924
CREATED:20260427T134526Z
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SUMMARY:Virtual Open Mic Night -- Featuring James Alan Gill\, Author of Not Dark Yet
DESCRIPTION:The Pat Conroy Literary Center’s monthly Open Mic Night will be presented as a virtual event\, live-streamed to our Facebook page\, on Thursday\, May 8\, from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. Our featured presenter is fiction writer James Alan Gill\, author of the story collection Not Dark Yet. Open Mic will also feature short readings of 3 to 5 minutes each by other writers in many genres. \nInterested in reading as part of virtual Open Mic? Let us know at contact@patconroyliterarycenter.org. \nAbout Our Featured Author:\nJames Alan Gill was raised in a town with no stoplights by a family of coal miners\, then attended Southern Illinois University at Carbondale where he earned degrees in History and Creative Writing. His work has appeared in numerous publications\, including Colorado Review\, Crab Orchard Review\, The Common\, Sou’wester\, The Laurel Review\, Midwestern Gothic\, Fried Chicken and Coffee\, Atticus Review\, Book of Matches\, and Prime Number Magazine. He has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize and is a seven-time winner of the JD Supra Reader’s Choice Award for his writing in the legal technology industry. He currently lives with his wife\, Brittany\, in Minneapolis. \n“Not Dark Yet unfurls like a fantastic roll of film capturing the hidden pockets of wonder in the lives of the denizens of James Alan Gill’s Illinois town of Matin. People fall in and out of love\, race cars\, make friends\, make tracks\, as ordinary lives reveal the extraordinary\, all the while wrestling with the fundamental question\, Can you really live the life you want and still please the people who love you?”—Whitney Otto\, New York Times Bestselling Author of How to Make an American Quilt and Eight Girls Taking Pictures. \n“Gill writes\, with grace and humor and pain\, about small-town life. This evocative chronicle of plain lives in crisis belongs on the same shelf as the stories of Bobbie Ann Mason and Raymond Carver. Poignant and powerful.”—Benjamin Percy\, author of The Ninth Metal\, Red Moon\, and Thrill Me
URL:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/calendar/virtual-open-mic-night-featuring-james-alan-gill-author-of-not-dark-yet/
LOCATION:601 Bladen Street\, Beaufort\, SC\, United States\, South Carolina 29902
CATEGORIES:Other
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250517T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250517T190000
DTSTAMP:20260507T060924
CREATED:20260427T134526Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260507T094521Z
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SUMMARY:Beaufort Launch for Ahead of Her Time\, by Nancy Thode
DESCRIPTION:The nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center is proud to host the Beaufort launch event for Ahead of Her Time: The Trailblazing Life and Literary Legacy of Ann Head\, the highly anticipated new biography written by Head’s firstborn daughter Nancy Thode and published by Evening Post Books. This special event will be held in partnership with DAYLO: the Diversity Awareness Youth Literacy Organization and the Beaufort County Historical Society. \nJoin us on Saturday\, May 17\, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at 711 Bladen Street (BCBCC\, ground floor). Free and open to the public; advance registration is required by May 16 at https://aheadofhertimebeaufortlaunch.eventbrite.com \nAt 5:30 p.m.\, the launch event’s program will feature author Nancy Thode in conversation with Conroy Center executive director Jonathan Haupt and youth artivist Millie Bennett. The newest winner of the Ann Head Literary Prize for Short Story Fiction will also be recognized. A wine reception with catering by Magnolia Café will accompany the evening’s book signing\, with copies of Ahead of Her Time available for sale and signing\, with proceeds benefiting the nonprofit Conroy Center’s year-round educational mission. \nABOUT THE BOOK\nA blue blood and a bohemian\, author Ann Head was an essential voice of mid-century fiction\, known for challenging societal norms and amplifying women’s struggles in an era that often silenced them. Now\, for the first time\, her mysterious personal life is unveiled through the lens of her eldest daughter\, Nancy Thode. Through meticulous archival work and transcriptions of Head’s journals\, Thode offers an intimate portrait of a writer whose life and fiction were deeply intertwined – one who influenced a generation of writers\, including her student\, the acclaimed Pat Conroy\, who noted in his autobiography that “every time I sell a book\, I put a rose on her grave.” \nMore than just a biography\, this book is a celebration of Ann Head’s enduring legacy. Featuring a selection of her published stories\, it invites readers to experience her boundary-pushing prose firsthand. It also includes never-before-seen letters from a young Pat Conroy\, whose early poems and admiration for Head reveal her lasting impact on one of the South’s most celebrated literary voices. Perfect for longtime fans and new readers alike\, this book is essential reading for anyone drawn to revolutionary women\, literary history\, and the inescapable connection between life and art. \n“Ahead of Her Time\, a highly readable biography of prolific and successful writer Ann Head\, offers up a rich chronicle of experiences… This is a rare book you’ll want to share!”—Cassandra King\, winner of the 2025 Harper Lee Award and bestselling author of Tell Me A Story: My Life with Pat Conroy \n“Phenomenal is too small a word to fully capture what a gift this biography of Ann Head is for readers of women’s fiction\, aficionados of Lowcountry lore\, and devoted fans of Head’s beloved protégé Pat Conroy… Ahead of Her Time is destined to be read often\, shared widely\, and savored from the first page to the last.”—Jonathan Haupt\, co-editor of Our Prince of Scribes: Writers Remember Pat Conroy \n“Nancy Thode has written a poignant and important biography of her mother\, 20th century Beaufort author Ann Head. It is not only a portrait of a creative and beleaguered woman but also a revealing description of mid-twentieth century Beaufort….”—Larry Rowland\, Distinguished Professor Emeritus\, USC Beaufort \nABOUT THE AUTHOR\nA native of Beaufort\, Nancy Head Thode is a graduate of Ashley Hall School\, Towson State University\, and the University of Maryland School of Social Work. An early advocate for family mediation\, she was a founding board member of the Academy of Family Mediators and continues her work today as a practicing family psychotherapist. Later in life\, she discovered a passion for community theater\, starring in several productions and writing and producing one-woman shows. A strong believer in the power of fellowship\, she now chairs the Gatherings Committee at Christ Church Greenwich in Connecticut. \nIn 2020\, Nancy established the Ann Head Literary Award for Short Story Fiction at Beaufort High School\, where her mother\, Ann Head\, once taught and mentored a young Pat Conroy. The mother of two and grandmother of five\, Nancy currently divides her time between Stamford\, Connecticut\, and Fripp Island. Ahead of Her Time is her first book. \nABOUT THE INTERVIEWERS\nJonathan Haupt is the executive director of the nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center\, the past director of the University of South Carolina Press\, and co-editor of the anthology Our Prince of Scribes: Writers Remember Pat Conroy\, winner of 17 book awards. He is a frequent guest book reviewer for the Pulitzer Prize-winning Charleston Post and Courier\, a co-leader of the South Carolina chapter of Authors Against Book Bans\, and a co-mentor to the student leaders of DAYLO: Diversity Awareness Youth Literacy Organization. \nMillie Bennett is a past intern of the Pat Conroy Literary Center and a past president of the Beaufort High School chapter of DAYLO. She is one of the student advocates highlighted in the feature-length documentary film Banned Together. A rising junior in the College of Charleston\, Millie is majoring in studio arts and minoring in creative writing and Women’s and Gender Studies. She has also served a guest book reviewer for the Charleston Post and Courier and she provided editorial assistance for the stories by Ann Head reprinted in Ahead of Her Time.
URL:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/calendar/beaufort-launch-for-ahead-of-her-time-by-nancy-thode/
LOCATION:711 Bladen St\, Beaufort\, SC 29902-4968\, United States
CATEGORIES:Other
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250524T163000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250524T183000
DTSTAMP:20260507T060924
CREATED:20260427T134526Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260507T094519Z
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SUMMARY:Silent Book Club Beaufort
DESCRIPTION:Silent Book Club Beaufort\, a unique take on the traditional book club\, will hold its next meetup on Saturday\, May 24\, from 4:30 to 6:30PM at the nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center (601 Bladen St.). A relaxed and pressure-free space for readers of all types\, this community gathering invites book lovers to enjoy their current reads in a welcoming and peaceful atmosphere. \nSilent Book Club Beaufort is co-sponsored by the Conroy Center and the student book club DAYLO (Diversity Awareness Youth Literacy Organization)\, bringing together two organizations dedicated to fostering community connections and celebrating the love of literature. \nUnlike traditional book clubs\, Silent Book Club Beaufort has no assigned reading\, no deadlines\, and no discussions required. Whether you prefer ebooks\, audiobooks\, comic books\, textbooks\, or paperbacks\, readers are invited to bring their book of choice\, settle in\, and savor the joy of uninterrupted reading among like-minded individuals. \nSilent Book Club Beaufort also features a book swap: Leave a book\, take a book.  \nThe casual meetups provide an excellent opportunity to discover new book recommendations\, make friends\, and reconnect with the love of reading. Whether you’re a lifelong bookworm or just getting back into reading\, everyone is welcome.  \nSilent Book Club Beaufort is free to attend and proudly supports local businesses and organizations. Additional dates and locations will be announced via the SBCB Instagram page at www.instagram.com/silentbookclubbeaufort.
URL:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/calendar/silent-book-club-beaufort-10/
LOCATION:601 Bladen Street\, Beaufort\, SC\, United States\, South Carolina 29902
CATEGORIES:Other
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250531T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250531T153000
DTSTAMP:20260507T060924
CREATED:20260427T134525Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260507T094519Z
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SUMMARY:An Afternoon with Annelore Harrell\, Author of Et Cetera Y'All\, Volume 1
DESCRIPTION:The nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center will host an afternoon with Annelore Harrell\, author of Et Cetera Y’all\, Volume 1\, on Saturday\, May 31\, 2025\, at 2:00 p.m.\, at the Conroy Center (601 Bladen St.\, Beaufort). Free and open to the public. Books will be available for sale and signing. Seating is limited; please call in advance to reserve: 843-379-7025. \nAbout the Book And Author \n“Step into the enchanting world of Annelore Harrell and the coastal Lowcountry I love so dearly. With twenty-four years of remarkable newspaper columns\, this collection is a treasure chest of insight\, immersive experiences\, and wisdom. From past to present\, Annelore Harrell brings us on a journey to meet the forgotten heroes\, see the locales of her experience\, and encounter the allure of southern hospitality. A captivating storyteller with a keen and wise eye\, Annelore Harrell’s prose transports us to the soul of the south.”–Patti Callahan Henry\, bestselling author \nGet inspired by the extraordinary Annelore Harrell\, who brings her unique voice and vibrant storytelling to life in Et Cetera Y’all\, Volume 1. This delightful collection\, released in October 2024\, showcases her charming and insightful newspaper columns from her inaugural year. \nAnnelore Harrell’s journey is a tapestry woven with fascinating experiences and extraordinary accomplishments. Born in 1932 in Savannah\, Georgia\, Annelore began visiting Myrtle Island in Bluffton with her family in 1942\, joining the ranks of the “summer people” who traveled from Savannah. Despite bullying at school in 1937\, which led her to stop speaking her first language\, German\, Annelore’s resilience shone through. \nBy age 12\, Annelore was confidently driving a car\, a skill she still retains with a careful eye on the rearview mirror. Her remarkable journey continued with her presidency of the world’s largest Officer’s Wives Club at Ft. Bragg\, NC\, in 1970. In 1974\, she captivated audiences with her portrayal of Eleanor of Aquitaine in “Lion in Winter” in Stuttgart. \nTransitioning into real estate in the mid-to-late ’70s\, Annelore founded Annelore Harrell Realty\, further cementing her legacy. In 1981\, she moved to her retirement home on Myrtle Island\, but retirement was merely a new chapter for her.  \nIn the early ’80s\, she taught her daughter\, Tamela Pinckney\, and other young mothers the art of bridge. From 1995 to 1998\, Annelore hosted a weekly\, live\, one-hour show on the Bluffton Broadcasting Channel\, “BBC.” Her voice resonated with the community for nearly 25 years as a weekly columnist for the Bluffton newspaper\, Carolina Morning News\, later known as The Bluffton Today. Her outstanding work earned 1st Place in her category for Best Column from the SC Press Association. \nIn 2017\, Mayor Lisa Sulka celebrated Annelore’s contributions by recognizing her 1\,000th newspaper column and declaring June 23rd as “Lala Day\,” a nickname her grandchildren gave her. She was further honored in 2021 when she served as the Grand Marshal of the Bluffton Christmas Parade. \nAnnelore’s eclectic tastes in reading and music reflect her adventurous spirit. She enjoys various genres\, from rock and classical to blues\, bluegrass\, indie\, alternative\, R&B\, and Gregorian chants. Known for her unforgettable parties and fashion-forward style\, she was rocking men’s ties long before it became a trend. \nEven at 92 in 2025\, Annelore’s energy and zest for life continue to inspire. Kathy L. Murphy of Big Book Love (formerly Pulpwood Queens Book Club) honored her work by naming Et Cetera Y’all\, Volume 1\, the Bonus Book of the Month for December 2025.\nAnnelore Harrell’s story is a testament to living with passion\, resilience\, and an unquenchable thirst for adventure.
URL:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/calendar/an-afternoon-with-annelore-harrell-author-of-et-cetera-yall-volume-1/
LOCATION:601 Bladen Street\, Beaufort\, SC\, United States\, South Carolina 29902
CATEGORIES:Other
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