Saddle up for another memorable Park Day!
A bit of the exotic Sahara will be trotting onto Daniel Island this weekend. Camel rides are set to make their debut at the 2016 Daniel Island Park Day, to be held on Saturday, November 12 at Children’s Park along the shores of the Wando River. The humped animals, three of them to be exact, are slated to make an appearance at the event, courtesy of 5 Star Farms in Loris, S.C.
“You don’t have to go to Egypt or Saudi Arabia!” said Park Day Coordinator and longtime island resident Rona Bobey. “Come ride the camels here and check that off your bucket list! We’re hoping that activity will be a big draw.”
Camel rides won’t be the only new feature at Park Day this year – also look for a pony carousel, a petting zoo for the kids, a Dynamo Dogs Exhibit, Unicyclist/Stilt Walker/Juggler Mark Lippard, and more. Returning after a well-received appearance at the 2015 event will be the Gold Medal BMX Bike Show – featuring former X-Games riders.
“They do all kinds of great tricks,” added Bobey. “We had them last year and it was a huge hit, so we’ve got them back this year.”
Other returning favorites include giant slides, jump castles, obstacle courses, a mechanical bull, bungee trampolines, climbing wall, face painting and trackless train rides. Plus, look for a complete rundown of action-packed dance and entertainment acts by a variety of performers, including MC/DJ Greg Walker; Peace, Love, Hip Hop; Midnight City Band; Soul Fish Band; Black Tie Music Academy Adult Jam Band and Kids Rock Band; Becky’s Box of Puppets; Taiko Drums of Charleston; Bianca Bourbeau and Dusty the Dragon; and others.
“It’s our biggest event of the year here,” said Bobey. “And I just love that it’s families, and dogs, and outdoor, old-fashioned fun! It brings us back in time - we can put our electronics down and just have fun. That’s what I like about it.”
In addition to bringing an appetite for fun, be sure to arrive hungry, continued Bobey. The day will also offer a smorgasbord of culinary concoctions by 17 food vendors – such as Diggity Doughnuts, Daniel Island Dinners, Roti Rolls, Cast Iron, Charleston Festival Foods, Bac’n Me Crazy, and Kickin’ Chicken.
“Almost every food you can think of will be there,” said Bobey.
A complete on-site sports pub by Daniel Island Grille will serve up food, wine, beer and several big screen TVs to catch up on coverage of the day’s college football games.
The plethora of family-friendly activities is not all that sets Park Day apart from other Lowcountry events. It is also known as a day of giving. Since the event’s inception in 2001, more than $320,000 has been raised in support of some 62 area non-profit organizations. One of this year’s beneficiaries will be the Charleston Promise Neighborhood, a 5.6 square mile community in need of greater opportunities for residents and children in terms of education, health care, jobs and housing. The other will be the Charleston Parks Conservancy, an organization that unites local resources, leverages support and organizes volunteers to be stewards of Charleston’s urban parks.
“Daniel Island residents and the Daniel Island Company embrace having a park in every neighborhood,” said Bobey. “That’s always been our motto. So that’s a great one for us to give to since that’s what Daniel Island is all about….and the Charleston Promise Neighborhood is equally deserving.”
For island residents Catherine O’Connor and Meryl Cromarty, who each moved to the island in 2001, the year Park Day debuted, it has been inspiring to watch the event’s evolution from a small community gathering to what it is today.
“It has been great watching Park Day grow and evolve,” said O’Connor. “I remember driving around the island to different parks for the activities, specifically Grove Park where the Birds of Prey exhibit was…Park Day involves everyone in the community. From volunteering for Boy Scout BBQ sales, to participating in the events, to just hanging out and having fun, Park Day is a very special highlight of our family's year.”
“I loved it,” added Cromarty, of the first Park Day she attended some 16 years ago. “I thought it was such a brilliant way to bring everyone in the community together to come out and enjoy our beautiful parks. I felt proud to be a resident here and it enhanced my feeling that I was a part of this special community. I was so happy we had created a community get-together that was not only fun, but also offered a heartwarming charitable component.”
Attendance at Park Day has been steadily on the rise over the last several years, noted Bobey. They now routinely expect anywhere from 5,000 to 7,000 guests will take part. This year, the event will continue at Children’s Park after moving back to the Wando waterfront from Governors Park in 2015.