Happy May!

After so many sunny days, it looks like we’re finally in for some rain this weekend. A few events have already started to shift, so be sure to double-check any outdoor plans before heading out. Here are a couple of important updates:

We’re also curious to see what happens with the Charleston Air Show scheduled for tomorrow—stay tuned on that one!

This weekend is definitely shaping up a little differently than planned. For our family, we had an outdoor birthday party scheduled for our two-year-old on Saturday, so we’ll likely be making some changes too. Even with the shift in plans, we hope you’re able to enjoy a cozy, rainy weekend and soak up the sunshine when it returns!

We know this might sound cliché, but truly—every time someone signs up as a Palmetto Parents supporter, it makes Daniel and me so grateful. Just $5/month or $40/year shows us that you value what we’re building and that it’s helping your family connect with each other and with the Summerville community. That kind of support is exactly what keeps us going.

Spring in Summerville is filled with some great opportunities to enjoy live music as a family. If that’s something you enjoy, here’s some great opportunities this week and next. Check the linked pages in case there are any updates due to weather!

Tonight: Nexton Nights at Nexton Square

If you're reading this Friday morning, save it for tonight. Nexton Nights is back for the season kicking off tonight, May 1st, starting at 5pm at Nexton Square. The series runs the first Friday of May and June, and this month's performer is Forty Mile Detour. It's a free, outdoor evening right in the middle of Nexton Square's restaurants and shops, which means you can grab dinner from any of the spots there, let the kids spread out, and stay as long as the night lasts. June's show will feature The Classic Country Project.

Next Friday: Sounds on the Square Downtown

On May 8th, the Town of Summerville's Sounds on the Square series brings Vinyl Daze to Hutchinson Square for a free community concert from 7–9pm. Food trucks will be on-site, and the town asks everyone to bring their own lawn chairs or blankets. The April show drew a big crowd and this one will too — Vinyl Daze is a fun, high-energy band that plays well to a mixed-age crowd. Get there a little early to stake out a good spot on the lawn and grab food before the line builds.

These two events basically bookend the next week and a half, which is a pretty nice problem to have. Neither one costs anything, both are genuinely family-friendly, and both put you outside on a warm spring evening in Summerville.

Saturday, May 8 | 1pm–5pm | Free The Green Barn at Carnes Crossroads, Summerville

If you came out to MayFest last year at Hutchinson Square, you already know this one is worth the trip. If you missed it, here's the short version: a free, all-ages afternoon of live music, food trucks, vendors, carnival games, silent auctions, and raffles and all of it goes toward something that actually matters.

MayFest is hosted by Parents Partnership, a Summerville-based nonprofit dedicated to supporting single parents and vulnerable families in our community. We had the chance to meet with Jennifer, the heart behind the organization, ahead of last year's event, and came away genuinely moved by what they're building here. The need is real, the work is local, and showing up with your family for an afternoon is one of the easier ways to be part of it.

This year the event moves to the Green Barn at Carnes Crossroads, which is a beautiful open-air venue and a great fit for a festival like this. Expect the same kind of afternoon as last year with free games with prizes, silent auctions, raffles, local vendors, and the general warm chaos of a spring afternoon with your community. Admission is free for everyone, all ages welcome.

If you want to learn more about Parents Partnership's work before you go or find out about the silent auction, keep an eye on their social media in the days leading up to the event.

Written by Luanne Berk

When Dog and Duck in Nexton received their liquor license last week, it was like they were throwing a party and no one wanted to miss out! We decided we had to find out what all the buzz was about. So we made our way down the trail, parked our golf cart in the grass across the street (like everyone else) and followed the massive crowd inside.

On the way in, we were immediately drawn to the cool vibe of the outdoor covered seating area with a decent number of tables and a nice cool breeze (at least that day). Unfortunately, all those tables were taken (next time!) so we proceeded to the inside.

We also passed a good size bar (also maxed out) along with lots of additional tables and TVs everywhere (more than a dozen) playing various sports channels.

We assumed because the place was in full party mode (noisy, tons of people everywhere) that we would need to wait a long time for a seat but we were surprised when they seated us right away.

The atmosphere was energized but comfortable, our waitress was friendly and the staff worked really hard to take good care of us.

We were not super hungry so we got a few smaller menu items to kind of try the place out: the mini cheeseburger basket, the fried grouper bites, a Michigan Dog and a basket of fries.

Our favorites were the grouper bites - served piping hot and crispy delicious and the Michigan Dog which was piled high with chili, onions, cheese and mustard. I'm not gonna lie, the mini burgers were kinda dry, but the manager apologized and said they were still working out some kinks in their menu and staff. Then she proceeded to remove it from our check and gave us a free dessert to boot (chocolate peanut butter pie) which was delicious and totally made up for it!

I'm sure you're wondering about food for the kids. Turns out, there's a pretty extensive kids' menu with all the basics: Mac and cheese, grilled ham and cheese, mini burgers, mini corn dogs, chicken fingers, cheese quesadilla and hot dogs. That should just about cover it for every kid in Summerville!

We saw several families there with kids so I think it's going to become a go-to spot in Summerville for families since it checks a lot of family-friendly boxes and especially in Nexton since it's very accessible, right in the middle of everything. Dog & Duck Nexton opened in the 3rd week of April and is located at 430 Cross Park Ln., Summerville.

Love,

Courtney, Daniel, and the Berk Boys

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