🌴 Fireworks, Floats, and Family Time

Sponsored by

Happy July, Palmetto Parents!

Wishing you a fun, safe Fourth of July—and a solid night’s sleep for your kids, even if your neighbor lights a firework at 2am.

Summerville Fire & Rescue put together this great guide with reminders and tips about firework safety if you plan to light your own. And if you’d like to leave it to the pros, Summerville’s firework show takes place tonight at the Fireworks & Freedom Festival at Gahagan Park. The festival is from 5:30-9:30pm with fireworks happening at dusk. The festival includes food trucks, music, and a kid’s zone with lots of activities. Click here for details about parking and what to bring/not to bring.

TO DO

Edisto River Adventures

If you’re looking for a unique way to cool off and enjoy the outdoors this summer, Edisto River Adventures is a must-try. Located in nearby Ridgeville, SC, it’s the only outfitter offering tubing on the Edisto River—and it’s perfect for a day of laid-back family fun.

The experience is simple but memorable: you’ll float down a beautiful stretch of the Edisto, one of the longest free-flowing blackwater rivers in North America. The standard tubing trip takes about 2–3 hours, depending on water levels, and is suited for most ages (kids must be at least 5 and able to swim with a life jacket).

💦 What’s Included:

• Durable river tubes with backrests and cupholders

• Shuttle service to the launch point

• Life jackets and a safety briefing before you float

• Access to the Edisto Outpost with changing rooms, picnic tables, and beach access

The launch site is peaceful and shaded, and the outpost has space to relax, snack, and even play before or after your float. Some families pack a lunch or bring coolers (tube rentals available for those too!).

📍 Location: 153 Gator Walk Ridgeville, SC 29472
🕒 Open daily in summer | Reservations strongly encouraged
🌐 Book your float here

Whether you’re planning a day trip or adding a new experience to your summer bucket list, Edisto River Adventures offers the perfect mix of adventure and relaxation for families, friend groups, or anyone craving some time on the water.

Our favorite art classes have an Ocean-themed July! With Abstract Adventures, kids will dive into creativity all month long with art projects inspired by sea life, waves, and beachy colors—plus, students get to showcase their work in a special art show at the end of July! Our family can’t wait to return once we’re back in town. Want to join the fun? Use this referral link to sign up and new students will get a FREE CLASS in July. Spots fill fast, so don’t wait!

FROM OUR SPONSOR

Dance Moves of Nexton

Dance Moves of Charleston is Now Open in Nexton!

We’re excited to announce that Dance Moves of Charleston has officially opened in Nexton at 432 Cross Park Lane. As a studio dedicated to high-quality, non-competitive, and affordable dance education, we’re thrilled to serve families in the Summerville area.

Summer is in full swing with weekly themed camps running through August 8. We also offer summer dance classes with ongoing prorated registration, so your dancer can join anytime.

Fall registration is now open with classes for ages 2.5 (must be potty trained) through teens. We offer a variety of styles including ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, lyrical, modern, dance and tumbling, as well as combination classes for younger dancers.

Don’t miss our upcoming Parents’ Night Out on Thursday, July 18 from 6–9 PM. Kids ages 4–9 are invited to our Lilo & Stitch Pizza and Dance Party—a fun-filled evening so parents can enjoy a well-deserved night off. Register under the schedules and Community Events. 

Visit www.dancemovesofcharleston.com for more information and registration. Follow us on Instagram: @dancemovesnexton

We look forward to dancing with you in Nexton!

LOCAL EVENT

Final Nexton Nights Show

Nexton Nights returns for one final summer celebration on Thursday, July 11 from 5-8pm, and it’s the perfect way to make the most of these long, warm evenings.

Enjoy live music from the Mason Dixon Band, local food and drink vendors, and plenty of family-friendly fun. Bring your lawn chairs or a picnic blanket, grab a bite from one of the nearby restaurants in Nexton Square, and settle in for a relaxed summer night under the stars.

If you’re bringing little ones, don’t miss the coloring party at Tweedle Beedle during the event—it’s a sweet stop for some kid-friendly creativity.

Whether you’re wrapping up the day or stretching out your summer, Nexton Nights is a great way to gather with neighbors and soak up the season. See you there!

RESTAURANT

The Pickle Bar

The Pickle Bar might be known for its pickleball courts and lively adult atmosphere, but it’s also quietly becoming one of Summerville’s best family-friendly hangouts.

Located in a spacious outdoor venue, The Pickle Bar offers plenty of room for kids to move, play, and enjoy themselves while parents relax. The Yard is stocked with crowd-pleasers like giant Jenga, ping pong, and cornhole. It's also dog-friendly, making it a great place for the whole crew—fur babies included. Whether you're waiting on food or simply soaking in the sunshine, the open-air setup makes it easy to keep an eye on the little ones without feeling confined.

Even better? The Pickle Bar often features live music, especially on weekends, creating a fun, laid-back vibe for all ages.

And let’s talk about the food—it’s better than your average court-side fare. With a menu that appeals to both grown-up and kid tastes, it's a solid option for a casual lunch or dinner where no one leaves hungry.

Whether you're heading there to play a match or just looking for a spot where the whole family can enjoy the outdoors, The Pickle Bar delivers. It's a low-key, high-fun option for families looking to eat well and let the kids burn off some energy. A win-win for everyone!

📍Location: 162 Cherry Street, Summerville
🕒Hours: Open daily, with food served from 10am-10pm on weekends and 11am-9pm on weekdays.

PALMETTO PIECE

Why We Stay Inside in the Summer—3 Easy Activities to Keep Kids Entertained (Without Turning on the TV Right Away) By Jenna Winters

Everywhere else in the country, summer means going outside. People are posting beach pics, hiking trails, and park playdates at 1 p.m. Meanwhile, here in Charleston… we’re checking the heat index before we even open the blinds.

Around here, we’ve found our groove by going out in the morning and then hunkering down inside during the afternoons. Our ten month old takes a long afternoon nap. We’re talking about a glorious 2-3 hour long nap. If my husband is working from home, I’ll leave him with the baby and take our two big kids to the pool. But lately we have been doing something different.

We’ve found that this quiet part of the day is a great time for the big kids to wind down and play indoors. And lately, the biggest hits haven’t come from a store—they’ve come from our closets. Rediscovering forgotten toys and simple ideas has made our afternoons feel surprisingly fun and creative. 

Here are three activities that keep my big kids entertained in the afternoons while the baby (and sometimes mom) naps and we all cool off…

1) Dining Room Ping-Pong

In our first year of marriage, I bought a little ping-pong set that clips onto a dining table. It was a random online purchase—I even had to pay for shipping because we didn’t have an Amazon account yet. We used it once, then it disappeared into a closet for over a decade.

I recently found it while reorganizing, and now it’s one of the kids’ favorite activities. They take turns playing, make up their own wild rules, and laugh through every round. Meanwhile, I get to sit somewhere nearby, enjoy the calm, and just watch.

2) Walkie-Talkie Chats

A while ago, my mom gave the kids a pack of walkie-talkies. They didn’t get much use at first, but recently the kids rediscovered them—and now they’ll sit in separate rooms, talking at each other through the static like tiny undercover agents. It’s goofy, imaginative, and endlessly entertaining.

3) Homemade Birthday Cards

We have a lot of birthdays in our circle, and buying a card these days can cost close to $8. So instead, I buy blank card packs and let the kids each decorate one however they want. I’ll be honest—I don’t always love how they turn out—but the kids receiving them absolutely do. When you’re six years old and your friend draws you a sparkly alien dog? That’s true love.

A Little Structure, A Lot Less Screen Time

We’re no strangers to screen time, and I’m all for it when needed. But I’ve found that if I start our afternoon with just one hour of open-ended play, the kids usually dive into something fun and end up watching less TV than expected. It’s not a perfect system, but it’s working for us—and these three activities have been keeping the peace and the creativity flowing.

Love,

The Berks 👨‍👩‍👦‍👦