Happy Friday, Summerville!

For those families who headed back to school this week, we hope the first few days went smoothly! And for those starting this coming week, we're wishing you all the best as you settle into a new routine. Our newsletter this week is packed with fun events going on this weekend and next, and we hope there’s something that catches everyone’s eye!

To help kick off the school year, South Carolina's Tax-Free Weekend starts today and runs through Sunday. It's a great opportunity to stock up on school supplies, clothing, shoes, computers, and certain bed and bath items without paying sales tax. Tanger Outlets is celebrating with a Back-to-School Bash on Friday from 5-7pm featuring family-friendly fun throughout the weekend, and many retailers are offering additional sales and promotions, making it an even better time to shop.

And if the start of school has your mind shifting from summer to fall, BKedShop is right there with you! This Saturday marks the launch of their fall apple menu, featuring these delicious seasonal treats:

Hey guys — Daniel and Courtney here, founders of Palmetto Parents.

We launched Palmetto Parents in March 2024 as a personal project for our own family. Today we're sharing another one: Storybook Studio.

It began the way most of our ideas do. We were looking for something for our boys that didn't exist. We wanted a book where they were actually in it: their face, their name, a story about something they're going through. We couldn't find one that did it well.

So we built it.

How it works:

Go build one.

Your kids won’t want to put it down.

See your kid as the hero of their own story, and tell us what breaks. We're two parents who made this ourselves, and we'd rather hear it from you now than find out later.

If you're looking for a fun night out with older kids or tweens, Flowertown Players is kicking off its 50th season with the musical comedy The Addams Family, running August 7–23 at the James F. Dean Theatre in downtown Summerville.

Based on the beloved characters, this spooky-but-silly musical follows Wednesday Addams as she falls in love with a sweet, respectable young man whose family couldn't be more different from her own. Things get especially interesting when Wednesday asks her father, Gomez, to keep the relationship a secret from Morticia, leading to a memorable dinner with both families that turns into hilarious chaos. It's a lighthearted show that celebrates the wonderfully quirky dynamics every family can relate to.

Performances take place at the James F. Dean Theatre (133 S. Main St., Summerville). Showtimes, ticket prices, and online ticket purchases are available online or through the Flowertown Players box office. The show runs on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays with afternoon and evening options. The box office is open Wednesday through Friday from 11am–5pm, as well as one hour before each performance.

Family Day at Top Dawg Tavern
Saturday, August 8 | 11am-2pm | 9512 Dorchester Road, Summerville

Lunch time at Top Dawg Tavern is extra fun this Saturday! Head to the Tavern for $6 kid meals (includes a drink and ice cream) and lots of free family fun including a meet in greet with characters Ariel and Woody, face painting with the Paint Pixie, Carol’s Balloon Art, and a coloring contest.

Kids Club: Back to School, Back to History!
Saturday, August 8 | 10:30–11:30am | Summerville Museum & Research Center, 100 E. Doty Ave. | $5 per child

The Kids Club program this month is all about heading back to school. Attendees will stencil canvas tote bags to carry any supplies for their school day. There will be a variety of stencils, fabric markers, and totes for them to create a personalized bag. There will also be snacks for after the program! Registration is $5 and is payable at the door. RSVPs can go to [email protected]. 

27th Annual McElveen Race for the ARK
Saturday, August 15 | 1-Mile Fun Run 9:00am, 5K 7:45am | St. Luke's Lutheran Church, 206 Central Ave. | Fun Run $15, or $35 for a family of four

This one's a Summerville tradition, and it's for a good cause — proceeds support The ARK, which provides respite and day programs for local families facing Alzheimer's and dementia. The 1-mile fun run has a "family of four" rate, which makes it an easy first race for the kids. Online registration closes Thursday, August 13— you can sign up here.

Written by Luanne Berk

Having not heard of the “Neat & Noble” of Nexton, we weren’t expecting much. But once we came through the door, we were completely overwhelmed with the posh, high end bar look. Think leather conversation seating arrangements with small side tables, bar height tables, along with regular café tables. It has that dimly lit, leather and wood, authentic big city bourbon vibe. All I can say is WOW!

We each ordered an appetizer. I got the BBQ pork sliders (2) and my husband ordered the almond chicken pot stickers with a side of fries and a side salad. The service was excellent (thank you Krista) and the food was delicious. I’m a stickler for salads being fresh and they did not disappoint. Fries were crispy and the pork was loaded with sweet sauce, which I love.

We half expected Al Capone to emerge from the shadows, but then we met the owner, Brian Adams (really!) and he quickly informed us that there IS an actual Speakeasy in the back that’s open on certain nights. You have to give them your email in advance and solve a riddle which you then give at the front door to be allowed to enter the speakeasy. He gave us a quick tour— secret entrance and all! So cool!

I feel like we only got a small taste of what Neat & Noble has to offer but we can’t wait to go back! It’s a definite date-night spot with a full menu of interesting drinks and delicious food, and can’t wait to solve the riddle and step into the mysterious hidden space in the back! 

This year, both of my boys will be in school, and I've already experienced the after-school pattern every parent seems to know: you spend all day missing them, they climb into the car, you ask "How was school?" and you get "good," or "fine," or, more likely than not, a shrug.

So I'm retiring that question before we even start. It's not that kids don't want to tell us about their day. It's that "How was school?" is enormous and vague, and it usually lands right when they're tired, hungry, and all talked out from holding it together for hours. What I keep reading (and what the parents a few steps ahead of me keep saying) is that kids open up better to small, specific questions, and often not the second they get in the car.

So this year I'm trying a different set. "What made you laugh today?" "Who did you sit with at lunch?" "What was something tricky?" "Did anything surprise you?" And maybe most importantly, I'm trying to leave a little quiet in the car instead of filling it, because more than once I've noticed the good stuff comes out at bedtime, long after I'd given up asking.

I don't expect a play-by-play. Honestly, I just want them to know the door is open and when they're ready to talk, someone's ready to listen. If that turns into one funny story about lunchtime, I’ll take it.

For those of you already down this road: what actually gets your kids talking after school?

Love,

Courtney, Daniel, and the Berk Boys

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