35th Annual Lowcountry Shrimp Festival Set for Saturday, May 7
May 9, 2011Roper St. Francis Mount Pleasant Hospital A Proud Sponsor of McClellanville Event
McClellanville, SC – May 7, 2011 – Lowcountry residents are invited to this historic coastal village to indulge in a vast array of local seafood, enjoy live music from Southern Charm along with other entertainment, and shop with dozens of local crafts vendors at the 35th Annual Lowcountry Shrimp Festival and Blessing of the Fleet on Saturday, May 7, 2011 at the Robert E. Ashley Boat Landing in this historic coastal village.
Sponsored by Roper St. Francis Healthcare and Food Lion, the party kicks off at 11:00 a.m. and runs until 5:00 p.m. with the Blessing of the Fleet ceremony at 2:00 p.m., following which a floral wreath will be laid upon the waters as a memorial to those who have been lost at sea.
The Lowcountry Shrimp Festival dates back to the summer of 1977, and focuses on the blessing of the village’s shrimping fleet as local shrimp boat captains and crews prepared for the upcoming shrimp season. Trawlers, festooned with colorful flags and pennants, slowly parade down Jeremy Creek to receive the prayers of the local clergy for a safe and bountiful season
The Lowcountry Shrimp Festival is a wonderful family event and, as one of McClellanville’s newest neighbors, we’re extremely pleased to be one of this year’s sponsors, said John Sullivan, CEO for Roper St. Francis Mount Pleasant Hospital.
The annual event benefits the Archibald Rutledge Academy, an independent school, fully accredited by the South Carolina Independent School Association. The school offers advanced placement, comprehensive college preparatory and general curricula for students in grades K4 – 12, as well as, a preschool for two & three-year-olds.
Mount Pleasant Hospital is an 85-bed hospital, located just off Highway 17 North between Wando High School and Park West, and rests on 78 acres, 38 of which are protected wetlands and woodlands. The hospital features a 24-hour Emergency Room, home-like labor and delivery suites, inpatient and outpatient surgery, 10-bed intensive care unit, medical-surgical units, imaging services, laboratory, pharmacy and helipad.