Join Don as he talks about the history of rice in SC, the current rice industry, and a year in the life of a rice farmer! He will discuss the issues and solutions for farmers trying to grow rice, and how White House overcame these issues to bring back rice cultivation, and Andy’s Foundation. 

• Plan to stay after the presentation to sample a taste of Andy’s delicious rice grown right here in Georgetown.

About the Speaker: 

White House Plantation, home of the only commercial rice fields in Georgetown County, is tucked away between the Black and Pee Dee rivers at the end of a narrow stretch of sandy road that stretches under a canopy of Spanish moss. 

The 92-acre farm, north of Georgetown, has been home to rice crops since the 1700s, and the land was once owned by a famous author. Now it is the home to Andy’s Charleston Gold. 

Don Quattlebaum owns and operates White House Farms, which markets its produce under the Andy’s Charleston Gold - White House Farms brand locally. The rice is available at Keepsakes and other local businesses, as well as from the farm website, whitehousefarms.com. Quattlebaum earned a degree in building construction before launching a successful entrepreneurial career. 

General Information       Food Truck Schedule        Entertainment  Schedule     Season Ticket

Due to the potential of dangerous impacts from Tropical Storm Chantal this evening, July 5, Summer Light will be canceled. 

You may change the date on your ticket, by visiting https://support.showclix.com/s/ or call 1-844-271-3410 after 10 am on Monday. 

Reminder:
All events at Brookgreen Gardens are fund-raising events, and tickets are non-refundable. We appreciate your support of Brookgreen Gardens!
Unused tickets will be considered a donation to Brookgreen Gardens, a registered 501(c)3 charitable organization.  Should you need to change the date on your ticket, please visit https://support.showclix.com/s/ or call 1-844-271-3410.   

Summer Light: Art by Night is an opportunity to explore and experience the historic Brookgreen Gardens landscapes on summer evenings. Multiple installations throughout the sculpture garden feature a variety of techniques that light up the Gardens. 

This year, experience Gardens of Glass: The Art of Craig Mitchell Smith—a breathtaking exhibition showcasing thirty larger-than-life glass sculptures throughout the Gardens. As evening falls, these stunning works will be beautifully illuminated, creating a magical atmosphere. Additionally, a special pop-up gallery featuring smaller pieces by the artist will be on display in the Noble Gallery.

Various bands will perform live music each night throughout the summer. 

The Gardens will close for general admission at 5 p.m. Gates will reopen at 6:00 PM for Summer Light. A separate ticket is needed for the day and evening, and a discount is available if you purchase both simultaneously. 

Keepsakes, a Museum Shop will be open, and a variety of food and beverage options will be available. 

Austin's Harvest Restaurant will be open 5:00pm - 9:00pm. Make Reservations here! You must purchase a ticket to Summer Light to dine at Austin's in the evening.

Old Kitchen will serve snacks and refreshments.

Reminder:
All events at Brookgreen Gardens are fund-raising events, and tickets are non-refundable. We appreciate your support of Brookgreen Gardens!
Unused tickets will be considered a donation to Brookgreen Gardens, a registered 501(c)3 charitable organization.  Should you need to change the date on your ticket, please visit https://support.showclix.com/s/ or call 1-844-271-3410.   

A note about the weather - in our area, weather can be very localized. It could be a downpour in Myrtle Beach or Georgetown and beautiful weather at Brookgreen Gardens. Pop-up thunderstorms are often very short and leave us with cooler, lovely weather for the evening.

If we have a cancellation or closure due to dangerous conditions, it will be posted on the alert message at the top of the website. 

If you need to change the date on your tickets, go to the Showclix website for self-service exchanges. Unscanned tickets can also be exchanged for a different date. 

Entertainment

SUMMER LIGHT SEASON TICKETS 

Brookgreen Gardens members may purchase Summer Light season passes that will allow entry to all 26 nights for the price of 2 nights!

Until June 3^rd, Adult $60, Child $ 28.00

On and after June 4^th, Adult $75, Child $42.00

Art Camp: Art & Alchemy: Exploring Nature Through STEAM 

3rd – 5th Grades      

July 28th – August 1st        

10 am – 2 pm 

This immersive camp bridges science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM) with hands-on creative exploration inspired by the natural world. Campers will experiment with eco-friendly materials, scientific processes, and artistic techniques to create works that celebrate the intersection of art and nature. 

$225.00 members 

$250.00 non-members 

REGISTER

Spend the morning with Tom Francis, Brookgreen Gardens beekeeper, also locally known as the Bee Preacher.  Tom will discuss aspects of his involvement with honeybees.  But don’t be fooled, he’s not just someone who oversees a few bee hives; there has been much more to it!  Celebrate World Bee Day with Tom’s passionate sermon about all he’s done about these amazing little creatures. 

About the Speaker: 

After 38 years in telecommunications with Verizon, Tom Francis got into beekeeping.  Once his backyard operation, Bees By the Sea, outgrew its home, Tom, was given permission to bring some of his beehives here to Brookgreen, where he has been a member for over 30 years. Tom manages the Observation hive at Brookgreen as well as spreading the Good News about bees through area lectures, special appearances, interviews, and consultations. 

Come explore the fascinating life cycle of South Carolina’s state reptile, the loggerhead sea turtle! Learn why they dig in the dark, what they eat, and why they are a threatened species. We will also sneak a peek into the lives of the other species of sea turtles that have nested at Huntington Beach State Park, including leatherbacks, Kemp’s ridleys, and greens. Everyone will leave with helpful tips on how we can all ensure these amazing animals are around for generations to come. 

About the Speaker: 

A native of South Carolina, Mike Walker received his Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology at the University of South Carolina. He has occupied various positions with the South Carolina State Park System and is currently an Interpretive Park Ranger for Huntington Beach State Park. He oversees educational programs and resource management. Mike’s continuous pursuit of preserving and promoting South Carolina’s natural resources has led to the most satisfying career he could ask for.    

The Lowcountry Zoo will close at 3PM for this event

Join NS PROMOS for the 4th Annual Brookgreen Gardens Labor Day 5K or choose the virtual option for those unable to join us in person. We are excited to partner once again with the beautiful, historic Brookgreen Gardens. Brookgreen Gardens is a sculpture garden and wildlife preserve, located just south of Murrells Inlet, in South Carolina. The 9,100-acre property includes several themed gardens with American figurative sculptures placed in them, the Lowcountry Zoo, and trails through several ecosystems in nature reserves on the property.

Race Information:

• Race participants and guests may enter Brookgreen at 4:30pm
• Entry into Brookgreen closes at 5:40pm-please arrive prior to this
• No water stop on course
• Runners and walkers are all WELCOME!
• No dogs allowed on Brookgreen Gardens property
• Animals are not permitted on the race course and will result in disqualification
• Baby joggers, baby strollers, skate boards, roller blades, unauthorized bicycles or any other wheeled device are not permitted on the race course and will result in disqualification
• Gun timing used for overall awards
• Chip timing used for age group awards
• Post race snacks and water provided by Food Lion

Race Swag:

• Participant shirt
• Race Bib
• Custom designed Made in the USA medal
• Complimentary entry for Brookgreen Gardens at a later date (some blackout dates apply)
• Virtual race swag will be mailed within 2 weeks post race

Registration:

• Registration is only available online
• Registration closes Sunday, September 1 at 4:30pm
• Participants strongly encouraged to pickup packet on Saturday to avoid long lines on race day

Packet Pickup Information:

• Saturday, August 31 from 4:00-5:30pm at Native Sons (1519 Executive Ave, MB)
• Sunday, September 1 from 4:30-5:45pm at Brookgreen Gardens (1931 Brookgreen Gardens, Murrells Inlet)

Parking:

• Participants and their guests allowed entrance at 4:30pm on race day
• Entrance gates close at 5:40pm
• Scroll below for a parking map

Restrooms:

• Port-o-Potties will be available at the near the finish line
• Restrooms available across from the finish line

Awards:

• Overall Male and Female 1,2,3 place
• Overall Masters Male and Female 1 place 
• Age Groups Male and Female 1,2,3 place 0-10, 11-14, 15-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70-74, 75-79, 80
        up

Join N.S. Promos and Brookgreen Gardens for the 12th Annual Brookgreen Gardens 5K  in Murrells Inlet, SC!  

Race Day: The start/finish line is at the zoo entrance. Parking is in the field across from the children’s sensory trail

Race Start Times:

• 5K race begins at 6:00 pm

Race Swag:

• Participant shirt
• Race bib
• Custom designed Made in the USA medal (5K only)
• Complimentary entry for Brookgreen Gardens at a later date (some blackout dates apply)

Race and Course Information:

• USATF Certificate: SC22021BW
• On race day, participants and guests may enter Brookgreen Gardens property at 4:30 pm.
• Entry closes at 5:40pm. Please arrive prior to this
• No water stops on course
• Runners and walkers are all WELCOME!
• Post-race snacks and water provided by Food Lion
• Animals are not permitted on the race course and will result in disqualification
• Baby joggers, baby strollers, skateboards, roller blades, unauthorized bicycles, or any other wheeled device are not permitted on the race course and will result in disqualification

Registration:

• Registration is only available online
• Registration closes Sunday, May 25 at 4:00 pm
• Participants are strongly encouraged to pick up the packet on Saturday (a friend may pick it up for you if they have your registration confirmation).

Packet Pickup Information:

• Saturday, May 24, from 2:00-3:30 pm at Native Sons (1519 Executive Avenue, MB)
• Sunday, May 25, from 4:30-5:45 pm at Brookgreen Gardens (1931 Brookgreen Gardens, Murrells Inlet)
• Participants are strongly encouraged to pick up race packets on Saturday to avoid long lines on race day

Parking:

• There is plenty of parking at the Low Country Zoo -follow the signs
• Be prepared to show your race bib or confirmation email upon entering the Gardens
• Visitors are allowed to come with you at no cost

Restrooms:

• Port-o-Potties are located near the start/finish line 

5K Awards:

• Overall Male and Female 1,2,3 place 
• Overall Masters Male and Female 1 place
• Age Groups Male and Female 1,2,3 place 0-10, 11-14, 15-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70-74, 75-79, 80-up

2025 Topics:

June 26                               Two Horsey Women, Anna Hyatt Huntington and Belle Baruch, with Robin Salmon and Lee Brockington

July 24                                Archeological Investigations at Laurel Hill Plantation with Dr. David Palmer, CCU

August 28                          National Sculpture Society 92nd Annual Awards Exhibit, with Robin Salmon

September 25                    Four Colonial Estates on the Waccamaw: How the Huntingtons Came to South Carolina, with Robin Salmon

October 23                        Dynamic Symmetry in Art, with Jay Goldstein, FNSS   MAYBE

November 20*                 Brookgreen Patriots: Celebrating 200 Years, with Robin Salmon

(3^rd Thursday)

Brookgreen 101 is a public information program offered by Robin Salmon (VP of Art and Historical Collections and Curator of Sculpture), usually on the fourth Thursday of the month at 1:00 pm in the Daise Auditorium. The topics may cover various aspects of Brookgreen Gardens including the collections, property history, people, poetry, art history, corporate history, the founders, and Brookgreen purposes. Each program lasts approximately one hour. The advertised appearance of special guests and the program topics can be subject to change.

The student-driven multimedia publishing lab, The Athenaeum Press at Coastal Carolina University, has worked since 2012 to collect, organize, archive, preserve, and promote the local history that makes the coastal regions of the Carolinas special. Join Alli Crandell, Press Director, and Cali Duncan, Press project coordinator, to give a behind-the-scenes tour of the Press's adventures and misadventures documenting the amazing hidden stories that surround us. They will discuss the past ten years of projects, including three collaborations with Brookgreen Gardens, and new partnerships that are expanding the storytelling work of the Press across the state. 

About the Speakers: 

Alli Crandall serves as the Director of The Athenaeum Press, the Coastal's innovative multimedia publishing lab, where she works with students across the university to create regionally specific and professional-level publications. She also served as the interim director of The Joyner Institute for Gullah and African Diaspora Studies from 2021-22. She is the primary facilitator of a wide range of digital infrastructure and media production projects for Edwards College. She currently serves as project manager for the National Park Service Civil Rights grant to rehabilitate the schoolhouse on Sandy Island and is co-principal investigator on the Gullah Geechee Digital Project, funded by the National Archives. 

Cali Duncan is a South Carolina native and a proud Carolina girl.  She is passionate about many things, but has an associate degree in business, and believes that you should never stop learning. She loves her position at CCU because she can learn something new every day.  Cali is the projects assistant for Edwards College of Humanities and Fine Arts initiative The Athenaeum Press, as well as website editor for the Edwards College.  She enjoys making people laugh and being helpful to her fellow colleagues and students.  She likes to travel, try new foods, the Oxford comma, and visit with her family and friends.

It's spring and time for planting!

Visit us in the Arboretum, near the Leonard Pavilion to purchase native plants, perennials, shrubs, edibles, and annuals! Many of our plants are propagated in-house, so you are bringing a piece of Brookgreen Gardens home to your garden! The sale is orchestrated by on-site horticulture staff and volunteers who can help answer questions.