Victory Cup 2020

Victory Cup 2020 October 16 & 17, 2020

Enjoy fall weather and time outdoors while you experience the Victory Cup 2020! Known as “America’s Polo Match,” there are endless opportunities for fun. The Victory Cup includes not only Polo, but Hot Air Balloons, Helicopters, Vendors, Seafood Tents, Fashion, Live Music and more!

Tickets for tethered Hot Air Balloon rides are available for an exciting thrill you will never forget. But balloons are only one part of this unique festival. Hot Air Balloon rides will begin on Friday evening, from 4-8 pm, contingent on weather conditions. At 10 am on Saturday, gates open for an entire day of fun. Polo matches are held during the day, along with fashion shows and plenty of opportunity to enjoy food vendors and more. At 4 pm on Saturday, Hot Air Balloons once again take the stage, continuing through 8 pm if the weather allows.

Victory Cup 2020 will be held in Johns Island County Park – Mullet Hall. Tickets for Victory Cup 2020 are available online at victorycup.org/Charleston.

FROM MICRO

TO MEGA

See what’s been creeping in… From the micro monsters in your own backyard to the mega monsters of oceans past, explore something brand new at the Aquarium!

Lady in Yellow by Tyrone Geter Meet Meisha Johnson: Neema Fine Art Gallery

When you walk into Neema Fine Art Gallery, owner Meisha Johnson, immediately makes you feel at home. “My goal is to make everyone who comes through my door feel welcome,” Meisha said. This gallery is a labor of love for Meisha, who has a lifelong passion for art and creative expression.

When her sister attended the College of Charleston, Meisha

visited and fell in love with the city. On her next visit, she happened to take a Gullah history tour with a guide who also happened to be a collector of African American art. This began Meisha’s interest in the history and creative accomplishments southern African Americans. “The College of Charleston has an archives library, and I would go and spend hours researching. It fascinated me how many

people accomplished great things straight out of slavery.”

Meisha began visiting Charleston often and befriended the former owner of her gallery, Jeannette Cooper. When Jeannette decided to sell her business, she called Meisha first. On December 1, 2018, Neema Fine Art Gallery opened its doors. Neema means favor, grace and prosperity in Swahili.

Neema Gallery represents Southern African American artists from around the region. “My goal is to share these artists’ work with the world,” Meisha began. “Many are in their 70s and 80s and have been working to address systemic racism their entire lives.” The response by art lovers and collectors has been overwhelmingly positive. “People will come in and actually cry as they experience a piece of art.” “The artists I represent are phenomenal,” Meisha told me. “I have phenomenal art by phenomenal Southern African American artists.” Neema Gallery helps showcase artistic diversity and has a wide range of styles and types of art from realistic oil paintings to jewelry to pottery to abstract art. “When someone connects to a piece of art, I can feel it,” Meisha said, obviously excited about her work. “You are drawn to a piece of art because there is a connection. It speaks to you.”

Stop by Neema Fine Art Gallery and meet Meisha – and on some days, her 7 year old daughter Sabina will be helping her mother. The gallery is located at 3 Broad Street, Suite 100, in Downtown Charleston, on Charleston’s Historic Gallery Row, and is open 10:30am-6pm, Mon - Sat. Visit Neema Gallery’s website at neemagallery.com or call 843-353-8079.

Walking the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge

In a city filled with beautiful sights, the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge is one of the most spectacular. It spans between downtown and Mount Pleasant and serves as the track for the well known Cooper River Bridge Run. It is a cable-stayed bridge over the Cooper River and opened in 2005 to replace two obsolete cantilever truss bridges. The bridge has a main span of 1,546 feet, the third longest among cable-stayed bridges in the Western Hemisphere.

Walking, running or biking across the bridge is an experience you do not want to miss. Grab your friends (or go alone) and use the well-marked walking path to enjoy some of the best views around. The six mile round trip span can start on either side. There is paid parking on the Mount Pleasant side in Waterfront Park and free parking off East Bay Street downtown. Bicycles have the right of way and their own lane, so be aware of your surroundings.

Most people start on the Mount Pleasant side and walk to the second span and turn around. Try to start your trek in time to see the sun set over the Cooper River. And take your camera for some beautiful shots of the Charleston Harbor. From the top of the bridge you can spot Sullivan’s Island, Mount Pleasant, and downtown Charleston all in one vista.