COME DOWNTOWN FLORENCE TODAY FROM 3PM TO 7:30PM
AND
SHOP THE DOWNTOWN FARMERS MARKET

160 W Evans Street in the Breezeway
North

W Evans

South

JOIN US TODAY RAIN OR SHINE

What’s on the Menu this afternoon:
Enjoy the MUSICAL STYLINGS OF MELANIE McMILLAN

One thing Rain does for Farmers is Grow Great Produce!

Check out what we have!

A & B Farms – Wonderful Selection of Greens & Beans

Carolina Heritage – Fresh Tender Poultry & Pork

Mistletoe Farm – Succulent BEEF

Sweet Berry Farm – Juicy Red Delicious Strawberries … cucumbers, melons and more coming soon

Orangeland Seafood – Serving up great beef and seafood tacos as well as fresh catch of the day and LIVE Blue Crabs

Righteous Ranch – Great Grass fed BEEF

Trinity Farms – Fresh produce , Americana Eggs and great specials 2 Dozen for $6.00!

SC Real Foods – Local whole grain breads , THE BEST GRANOLA ON EARTH and more

Triple R Farms – Big Juicy Tomatoes, Strawberries and more as the season progresses

Lone Palmetto Farms – Fabulous array of Goat’s Milk Products with the BEST CHEVRE’s on the PLANET!

Dickson Organics – Radishes, Red Onions, Greens and more!

Countryside Gardens – Beautiful Plants and Flowers and HERBS to make your meal even better!

Harvest Moon – Silkiest Soaps to make your skin glisten! Also a wonderful selection of Pepper Jellies and Honey too!

Akreations – Wreaths of all kinds

Interested in being a vendor in our Farmer’s Market? …. Contact atellis@cityofflorence.com

Flossip Featuring reviews, to-do's, and the not quite news in Florence, SC.

I have heard great things about Kathy Mattea. She is coming to the FMU PAC on November 11, and the cheap seats are only $25.00, making it relatively affordable for a date night.

Kathy Mattea, the beloved, Grammy-winning singer of such classicsas “18 Wheels and A Dozen Roses,” “Where’ve You Been,” and many other hits says that her new album offered her a “re-education” in singing. That album, COAL, is one of those rare records that is a re-education for the listener, too, a record that reshapes the way we think about music, reminding us of why we love it so much in the first place.

(In the spirit of full disclosure, the FMU PAC is an advertiser on theflossip.com)

Flossip Featuring reviews, to-do's, and the not quite news in Florence, SC.

I have tickets to give away to this great show!  I will do a giveaway every day this week at 12:00 noon.  I will draw from the comments posted each day by that time.   To enter– just comment below and give me one fact from the Pecan Festival Facebook page (And make sure you like the page while you are there!)  I’m mixing up my downtown events– because they all support one another!

No comments on MY Facebook page will be counted. You have to enter them here on THIS post.  Winner will be chosen by random number generation.
Want an extra entry? Put the following statement on twitter or facebook, and then comment again telling me you did it. That means you can get a total of THREE entries. Also– please “like” this blog post. Thanks so much. Also– please review the Contest rules.

“I read http://www.theflossip.com and want to win tickets to see “Inherit the Wind” at Florence Little Theatre!”

Flossip Featuring reviews, to-do's, and the not quite news in Florence, SC.

Both Hapi Balance and Railroad Junction have elected to sign leases and continue business in their downtown homes!

We could not have dreamed of a better outcome for Meanwhile Downtown.  We are so very proud of the winners – they have turned their spaces into true magnets for downtown.

Some highlights from the last three months:

Railroad Junction held two fashion shows, 2 artist lock-ins, many “bottles and brushes” nights; hosted several musicians, artists, and artisans, and served as a go-to spot for a new crowd in downtown.

Hapi Balance has continuously evolved by adding new classes and instructors, and in that process has attracted quite a following.  The classes are consistently well-attended, and the love and support for this place was made quite clear at a recent “Keep Hapi Downtown” event — over 50 people attended for a day of yoga, zumba, hooping, belly dancing, massage, and snacks

Flossip Featuring reviews, to-do's, and the not quite news in Florence, SC.

Not only is the Pecan Festival this weekend, the Nutcracker will be performed at the Florence Little Theater. You can spend all weekend enjoying downtown Florence! You can also buy tickets online.… my favorite thing! The show times are listed on the ticket page. I took my daughter last year and we had a great time.

Flossip Featuring reviews, to-do's, and the not quite news in Florence, SC.

The Noveaux Honkies! (Seriously, how awesome is that name?)

Florence After Five is tomorrow night July 30, 2010. Florence After Five welcomes home local talent Rebecca Dawkins and her band, The Nouveaux Honkies as they kick off a month long tour starting right here in Florence with two shows and extending up the coast and into the northeastern US. You should really listen to their music even if you can’t come by clicking this site. (You can also listen so you can sing along tomorrow night.) I am currently listening to “Your Twin.” I love their sound– it is a nice combination of country, blues, and rock.

This month’s concert sponsor is Pee Dee Electric Cooperative. Darlington Motor Speedway will be hosting a drawing for two tickets to the Too Tough to Tame 200 coming August 14th.

The After Party will be at Apple Annies after Florence After Five for another dose of the Nouveaux Honkies along with various craft and/or import beer giveaways and specials by Crown Beverages.

(Special thanks to Tim Norwood and Victor’s Bistro for another successful season thus far.)

(I am Flossip and I have a deep love for writing in parentheses. You can follow me on twitter for even more information. )

Flossip Featuring reviews, to-do's, and the not quite news in Florence, SC.

Another Pecan Festival has come and gone, and I think this festival is going to be a long term success! As you know, I think Florence has been woefully lacking in the festival department prior to the Pecan Festival. How can we be a southern town without a festival? Despair no more… we finally can rightfully claim our status as a southern city. Now we just need a “Miss Pecan”…

Anyway. The festival was a blast. I got there early in the morning and did not leave until late at night… after the last band (The Okaysions). I really wanted to hear Drink Small on Sunday, but honestly my feet were just refusing to walk me anywhere else.

First, I have to thank this woman:

I have no idea who you are, but you are absolutely the Flossip’s favorite person. Why? I was standing behind you and saw that you had printed out the Pecan Festival schedule FROM MY WEBSITE. I felt… famous! So, thank you for reading. (Thanks to ALL of you that read, but especially my new friend.)

About 12:30 you may have noticed a strange phenomenon. Central United Methodist Church was actually LIFTED UP by the Masterworks Choir. Amazing!

I was not sure that I would be moved by the music, and I was so wrong. The songs were uplifting and beautiful. It actually felt strange to walk outside and smell funnel cakes and…

KETTLE CORN!!! (See how quickly I can change direction?)

Y’all. I have this friend that doesn’t believe in the sweet/salty combination. Personally, I think that Clay Smith’s Lowcountry Kettle Corn  is being served as an appetizer in heaven. It is just that good. (They sell it at the New York Butcher Shoppe as well).

I was getting tired then, so I checked out the Blues Breezeway.

This guy was awesome. You could tell all the kids were exhausted (I was kid free for once)… and he totally got them involved in the show. He would scream chicken, they would scream chicken… great fun (and the beer truck was right there as well).

There was a TON of food.
I found the people that make the fried strawberries… but they forgot the strawberries! They were SO nice and so apologetic… apparently I was not the only one that asked. He did promise me that they will have them next year…. sigh. Good things come to those that wait, right? (I confess I asked him where he will be in the next few months… desperate much?)

I also saw some great local artists that had some fabulous Christmas gifts. We have some really talented people in this area!

I KNOW that I saw many of you at the Pecan Festival… especially my best friend above. Next time you see me in my glasses and blue hat be sure to wave! (Perhaps I need to have a float in the Christmas festival. Who has a spare fence I can use?) I really can’t tell you how awesome it was to see downtown as it is meant to be– brimming with people, laughter, and places to eat. Hopefully this will transfer over to everyday downtown at some point!

Flossip Featuring reviews, to-do's, and the not quite news in Florence, SC.

2009 South Carolina Pecan Festival Entertainment Schedule

Stage 1:     First Reliance Bank Stage

10:00 a      Wilson High School ROTC & Band

Invocation

Welcome

10:30 a      Florence Men’s Choral Society

11:30 a      Anisha Green (10 yr. old opera singer)

12:00 n      Kelly’s Fine Arts & The KFA Dance Company

12:30 a      Flowtown Band (Rock)

1:30 p       E-Z Street (Beach)

2:30 p       Pantasia (Steel Drums)

3:30 p       School of Dance Arts

4:00 p       Clay Brown & Band (R/B & Beach)

5:30 p       The O’Kaysions (Beach)

Stage 2:     (Blues Bash) First Bank Stage

10:30 a      Matt Walsh Band

12:00 n      Charlie Sayles & the Blues Disciples, featuring Tony Fazio

1:30  p      Bill Lupkin & The Chicago Blues Coalition

3:30  p      Daddy Mack Blues Band

4:30  p      Studebaker John & The Hawks

Stage 3:     Crown Beverages Stage

10:30 a      Nuevo Guadalajara (Mariachi)

11:30 a      Lady Di & Company (Jazz)

12:30 p      23-19 (Rock)

1:30  p      Free Spirit (R/B & Beach)

2:30  p      David Wayne (Country)

3:30  p      Uncle Buddah & DJ J. Watts (Urban Hip-Hop)

4:30  p      The Woody’s (Rock/Beach)

Stage 4:     Hope Health Stage

10:30 a      Vocal Reunion (Southern Gospel)

11:30 a      Three Day Funk (Rock)

12:30 a      TOS Band (Jazz, R/B, Beach)

1:30  p      Borrowed Time (Bluegrass)

2:30  p      Sensational Brown Brothers (Gospel)

3:30  p      William Taylor (Classic Pop)

4:30  p      Barry Brown (Country)

Stage 5:     (Blues Bash-Acoustic Alley) BTC – Business Technology Stage

11:45 a      Shrimp City Slim

1:00  p      Juke Joint Johnny & Drew Baldwin

2:15  p      Freddie Vanderford & Brandon Turner

3:30  p      Cotton Blue

4:30  p      Jeff Norwood

Flossip Featuring reviews, to-do's, and the not quite news in Florence, SC.

On August 3, 2009, the City of Florence will have a Grand Opening for their new downtown police substation. The Grand Opening will be from 5:00-7:30 p.m. The Ribbon Cutting will be at 5:00 p.m.

There will be music and you can view art installations by Metamorphosis Art Collective. I am pretty fascinated that Mr. Melshus Davis, of the Duke Ellington School of the Arts, will be there. Activities will be in the park adjacent to the building.

To all of you that have been saying “There is nothing to do in Florence”– here is something fun, free, and helps you meet the people keeping you safe at night. What more could you ask for?

(PDF available here.)

Flossip Featuring reviews, to-do's, and the not quite news in Florence, SC.

Downtown Florence has earned National Accreditation according to an article published by SCNow.

“We congratulate this year’s nationally accredited Main Street programs for meeting our established performance standards,” Doug Loescher, director of the National Trust Main Street Center, said. “Rebuilding a district’s economic health and maintaining that success requires broad-based community involvement and support, as well as establishing a strong organization that is committed to long-term success.”

The revitalization efforts of Florence Downtown Development Corp. were recently evaluated by the agency and found to meet its stringent standards for accreditation.

I really am excited about a reenergized downtown. Towns with strong downtown areas are a lot of fun, and it is so nice to be able to walk from shop to shop. It is not an easy process, and I know it will take time and effort. Events like Florence after Five are hopefully just the start to a lot of focused energy.

Flossip Featuring reviews, to-do's, and the not quite news in Florence, SC.