All Things Southern
The genuine Southern hospitality and luxurious experiences that Sea Island has been delivering for nearly a century are extended in a unique way through the Southern Grown Festival. In this third year of the three-day festival, events celebrating the food, spirits, music and culture of the South will celebrated on Labor Day weekend, September 1-3.
One of the highlights of the festival will be Friday evening’s Garden & Gun kick-off dinner with James Beard Award winning chef, Mike Lata from FIG and The Ordinary in Charleston. At last year’s festival, Lata opened festivities with the Garden & Gun Dinner and Show with Chefs Jonathan Jerusalmy and Nico Romo and presented a class on extraordinary oysters as part of the Southern Grown University. This year Lata’s cuisine and the music of the Steep Canyon Rangers will share top billing on Rainbow Island.
Lata has been described as a hands-on, self-taught chef who values simplicity and understatement. A native New Englander, he spent time in Boston, New Orleans, Atlanta, and France before moving to Charleston in 1998 and opening FIG there with partner Adam Nemirow in 2003. Considered a key player in Charleston’s culinary rebirth, Lata won the James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef: Southeast in 2009, after nominations the two previous years. In 2015, his protégé at FIG, Jason Stanhope, won the same award. FIG has also been nominated for Outstanding Wine Program by the James Beard Foundation in 2014, 2015, and 2016. FIG is widely recognized as one of the best restaurants in Charleston. FIG was named an Eater Hall of Fame restaurant. Bill Addison said in his review: “Only one meal in Charleston? Make it Mike Lata and Jason Stanhope’s paragon [FIG], which takes its cues from the Lowcountry’s abundant waters.” Lata and Nemirow opened The Ordinary in 2012. This oyster hall housed in a 1920s bank also garners rave reviews. It was nominated as a Best New Restaurant by the James Beard Foundation in 2013. Chef Lata is a champion of local farmers, fishermen, and purveryors and is an active member of the Southern Foodways Alliance.
The award-winning chef’s cuisine will be complemented by music from another award-winner. The evening’s festivities in the gorgeous rustic marshfront setting at Rainbow Island continue with a performance by the GRAMMY® Award-winning Steep Canyon Rangers from Asheville, North Carolina. This night of Americana overlooking the Black Banks River, presented by Garden & Gun, will be pure magic. The kick-off dinner and concert is included for SoGro All Access Pass holders. A la carte tickets for the event can be purchase for $175 per person (includes all libations).
On Saturday, guests can Spend the day at the Southern Grown Marketplace & Southeastern Wildlife Exposition (SEWE) right at Sea Island. The Marketplace and Exposition is a celebration of wildlife and nature through fine art, conservation seminars, sporting presentations, and the fantastic food and drink that is the hallmark of the entire weekend.. With numerous artists and exhibitors on-site, guests can mix and mingle with dozens of unique Southern artisans and purveyors. Festival goers can also participate in an array of demonstrations and lectures, such as mixology lessons with award-winning bartenders, exciting falconry experiences with experts from Broadfield, Sea Island’s 5,800-acre Sporting Club and Lodge, and a bird dog training exhibition by Broadfield Bird Dog Trainer Wes Schlosser, as well as tips and tricks from Broadfield Garden Manager Sean Rakoczy. Early Saturday evening, Atlanta Chef Linton Hopkins and his son will draw upon their rich Southern roots to tempt the tastebuds of guests at the oceanside “Hopkins’ Heritage Dinner.” A la carte tickets for this dinner are available for $70 per person.
On Saturday night, Southern rock will heat up the riverside stage on Rainbow Island with the Drive-By Truckers from up the road in Athens. Patterson Hood and his crew know how to please crowds so this is a highly-anticipated show. And once again, there will be stellar food to accompany the tunes of the evening. A VIP ticket ($125 per person) includes light bites from Chef Chris Dickerson of Jacksonville’s celebrated Corner Taco, along with front stage access. General Admission tickets are $65 per person. St. Simons Island’s favorite local smoke joint that has also gained national acclaim, Southern Soul Barbeque, will be manning the Cook House and offering selections for purchase. Cost: $125 VIP (includes stage front access and lite bites)
After the show, it’s a little bit country, a little bit Vegas, and a little bit rock-n-roll. Following the Drive-By Truckers concert, guests who want to keep the evening going can indulge in a “Little Less Conversation” After Glow Party, a late-night event fueled by the music and food of The King of Rock and Roll.
On Sunday, enjoy a traditional Southern Sunday farewell brunch at Sea Island’s newly redesigned Tavola eatery. Offerings will include biscuits and gravy and other delicious Sunday staples including freshly made donuts from local favorite Certified Burgers & Beverage. Visitors can relax to live music by up and coming Americana artist Caleb Caudle and peruse the second and final day of the Southeastern Wildlife Exposition as well.
Promising a Labor Day weekend like none other, Scott Steilen, President and CEO of Sea Island says, “We have created an experience that truly captures the spirit of the South through all senses. The imaginative, thoughtful touches are what make the difference and set Southern Grown apart from other great festivals.” Make your plans to attend now if you haven’t already.
Festival ticket packages and pricing information are now available online. For additional information on the Southern Grown weekend or to make reservations, visit southerngrown.com or call 1.800.SEA.ISLAND.
