The 18th Annual Sweetgrass Festival was held July 23rd, 2022. The annual Sweetgrass Festival in Mount Pleasant is designed to promote and bring attention to the contributions of the Gullah Geechee people’s history, culture, traditions and their sweetgrass basket art form that originated in Mount Pleasant and continues to exist in our town and surrounding communities today.
Free admission, entertainment and activities, the Sweetgrass Festival provides an opportunity for local basket makers to showcase, promote and market their sweetgrass merchandise to locals as well as cultural tourists from around the country.
Additionally, the Sweetgrass Festival provides an opportunity for engagement, interaction and exposure to the Gullah Geechee people’s cultures. Informative and interesting educational sessions will enlighten and entertain participants of all ages.
In 2006, Governor Jim Hodges designated the Sweetgrass Basket making art form as the SC Official Art Craft. With the largest percentage of the original sweetgrass basket makers living within Mount Pleasant and surrounding communities, Mount Pleasant is also known as the home of the Original Sweetgrass Basket Makers. A significant portion of Mount Pleasant Highway 17 has been designated by SC DOT as the Sweetgrass Basket Makers Highway. These are all bona fide claims that can be made nowhere else in our country. Make sure to make plans to attend in 2023! The 19th annual Sweetgrass Cultural Arts Festival will take place at Mount Pleasant Memorial Waterfront Park, under the Ravenel Bridge and overlooking Charleston Harbor. The Southeastern Tourism Society has designated it a top-20 event. Date and details for the 2023 festival are still tentative. Be sure to check out the Town of Mt Pleasant Website closer to next year’s event. Take a moment to enjoy some footage of The Sweetgrass Festival shot a while ago with Bob Brennaman below:
