General admission passes and special event tickets now on sale for SEWE 2023

Tickets are now available for the Southeastern Wildlife Exposition’s 41st annual show, to be held February 17-19, 2023 in Charleston, SC

After celebrating 40 years of wildlife art and the sporting lifestyle in 2022, the Southeastern Wildlife Exposition (SEWE), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, will return to host its 41st annual show in downtown Charleston, February 17-19, 2023. General admission passes, special event tickets and limited VIP Packages for the highly anticipated event are now available for purchase online.

Known as the southeast’s premier wildlife art show and outdoor event, SEWE will feature popular attractions for attendees across five major exhibit sites in downtown Charleston: The Charleston Place, Brittlebank Park, Gaillard Center, Charleston Marriott and Marion Square. Many patron favorites will be back again in 2023, including the SEWE Fine Art Gallery, DockDogs®, Center for Birds of Prey demonstrations, curated artisan goods and craftsmen exhibitors, canine demonstrations from herding and retrieving breeds, chef demos, and more.

In addition, the patron experience will be enhanced through a host of new activities, engaging talent and committed partners. Notable additions and changes to this year’s show include:

• Forrest Galante, an American outdoor adventurer, television personality and conservationist will entertain and enlighten SEWE patrons at the Gaillard Center with live presentations showcasing his work and experience in the field. Galante, who participated in Discovery’s hit show Naked and Afraid, now hosts his own show on the network titled, Mysterious Creatures with Forrest Galante. Since 2018, Galante’s field expeditions and surveys have led to the rediscovery of eight species once believed to be extinct. In 2021, Galate released his first book, Still Alive: A Wild Life of Rediscovery. 

• Wings Over Water, a film co-produced by Ducks Unlimited and narrated by award-winning actor Michael Keaton, will showcase the importance of the Prairie Pothole Region of North America as a breeding and nesting habitat for birds. Through stunning visual storytelling, Wings Over Water will draw attention to this often-overlooked region and what it means for North American wildlife. The film will be shown at the Gaillard Center throughout SEWE weekend with screening times to be announced at a later date. 

• Logistical improvements and venue changes include an amended exhibit layout at Brittlebank Park, additional VIP shuttles and expanded programming at the Charleston Marriott. Located just steps away from Brittlebank Park, the Charleston Marriott will feature an expanded Sporting Showroom, VIP lounge and special decoy displays. Combining carefully curated exhibitors and a setting that allows for meaningful conversation and research, the reimagined Sporting Showroom will delight discerning outdoorsmen and women.  

“For more than 40 years, SEWE has celebrated the great outdoors through fine art, live entertainment and special events,” said John Powell, President of SEWE. “Every year we strive to elevate the SEWE experience for our patrons, artists and corporate partners, and our approach to the 2023 exposition has been no different. From our remarkable Featured Artist, Ryan Kirby, to compelling new programming and SEWE staples like the Fine Art Gallery and DockDogs®, I believe that everyone involved will feel our commitment to their enjoyment in February.” 

General admission tickets provide access to all five SEWE venues and entry to all shows, lectures and demonstrations. Daily tickets are $40 for Friday and Saturday and $35 for Sunday. A three-day ticket is also available for $85. Children 10 and under receive free admission to all venues and do not require a ticket. 

Tickets will be sold online at sewe.com and patrons who use promo code SEWE2023 before November 1, 2023, will receive 20 percent off general admission tickets. 

A limited number of VIP Benefactor and Patron packages are also available on a first-come, first-served basis. As a member of the SEWE VIP Program, attendees enjoy perks and insider access throughout the weekend, including private art viewing, exclusive lounge areas, after-hour parties, private shuttle services and priority entry to all venues during show hours. 

Two popular SEWE special events will also return in 2023 – the Lowcountry Social and Birds of a Feather Ladies Benefit Brunch. SEWE special events provide a more intimate experience throughout the weekend and are all-inclusive of food, beverage and lively entertainment. Special event tickets are sold separately. 

SEWE 2023 will showcase the work of approximately 90 painters, carvers and sculptors in the Fine Art Gallery at The Charleston Place. Each year, SEWE’s lineup of wildlife artists includes well-respected veterans, mid-career creators and talented up-and-comers. 

Ryan Kirby has been announced as the 2023 Featured Artist and his original work The Departure, depicting a trio of pheasants, has been selected as the Featured Painting and the subject of the official SEWE 2023 poster. Ryan will unveil this year’s Featured Painting on October 15 at Flyways, a new event hosted by SEWE and Ducks Unlimited in Charleston. The inaugural fall celebration will honor the great migration of waterfowl and will be the official start to SEWE ahead of the 41st annual show in February. Tickets are limited and are available online.

SEWE is recognized as the kickoff event for Charleston’s tourism season. The nonprofit organization’s mission is to showcase the finest in wildlife art, create awareness for the conservation of wildlife and the environment, positively influence wildlife and nature education and to impact local and statewide economies through increased tourism.

About the Southeastern Wildlife Exposition

For more than 40 years, the Southeastern Wildlife Exposition, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, has proudly presented the finest in wildlife art, conservation and the outdoor lifestyle at its annual event in Charleston, South Carolina. SEWE will host its 41st event in 2023 at multiple venues throughout downtown Charleston from February 17-19, with VIP events beginning on Thursday, February 16. For more information on the event, please email [email protected], visit sewe.com or call 843.723.1748.