Susto goes cozy. IAAM jumpstarts J.O.Y. Spoleto is wrapped up.
Three for the Week, 6/16/25 - 6/ 22/25
Still parsing the cultural head rush brought on by the 2025 Spoleto Festival USA? With my own intense immersion during the run of the festival, images and concepts from performances pop into my mind for days and weeks to come. Be sure to swap notes by checking out the final slate of reviews and my City Paper wrap up, as well as Culture South’s previous festival coverage.
The arts beat goes on, with summer already ushering in a slew of delights and deep dives in this week alone, from a music-infused Juneteenth fete to a female-focused work of dance and theater. Get going, Charleston.
Jump for J.O.Y at IAAM’s Juneteenth
International African American Museum, 4 Wharfside St., Thurs., June 19, 12 - 5 p.m.
Grammy-nominated artist Mumu Fresh will headline IAAM’s Juneteenth On the Yard, with her powerful voice and thought-provoking artistry certain to embody the essence of resilience, hope and liberation. Her performance will be the culmination of the day’s festivities, which include local artists who will fill the garden with music and storytelling; games and activities for all ages; food trucks; museum tours and more.
Pre-registration is recommended for guaranteed admission, and time slots are filling fast. To reserve a time, click here.
Head to Awendaw for an intimate concert with Susto
The Back Barn, 5282 Bedaw Farm Dr., Thurs., June 19, 7 - 9 p.m. with doors opening at 6 p.m.
Susto’s in the Back Barn, via a special solo performance by Charleston singer-songwriter Justin Osborne at the new 40-acre farm in Awendaw. Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or picnic blankets to relax and enjoy the open-air show. Food will be available for purchase from Hamby Catering's food truck, along with beer, wine and seltzers provided by Rosemary & Rye. Luxury restroom trailers will be on-site for guest comfort and free parking is available. The concert will take place rain or shine.
Tickets, which are limited and include admission only, can be purchased here.
Gaze upon ‘The Yellow Wallpaper and Other Stories’
Queen Street Playhouse, 20 Queen St., downtown Charleston, Fri., June 20, 8 – 9 p.m.
Venture into a new dance and theatrical exploration of the female experience, with excerpts from The Monstrous Feminine via a one-woman work-in-progress show by Rachel Strickland, along with a group work in which dancers bring to life Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s 1892 classic feminist short story, The Yellow Wallpaper. Both works question how women's bodies and minds are perceived by themselves and by those around them. Recommended for ages 16+, with trigger warnings are detailed in the link below.
For tickets, click here.
Bonus One: Join a new chapter of the Get Lit Book Club
Stems & Skins, 1070 E Montague Ave., North Charleston, Tues., June 17, 7 p.m.
Since 2016, Itinerant Literate’s Get Lit Book Club gathers literature lovers in lively, thoughtful conversations about books, along with food and libations, too. It has now moved to Park Circle’s Stems & Skins. There, the bookish can bet on a guided discussion of the monthly book selection, paired with delicious food, drinks and the company of an engaged reading community. The June Book Club Pick is Starter Villain by John Scalzi.
The book and dinner is $60 and includes the book of the month (physical or audio copy, which can be downloaded via Libro.fm); two drinks; an appetizer; a family-style main course; and light dessert.
For tickets and information, click here.
Bonus Two: Go behind the seams of “Reimagined Fashion”
Charleston Museum, 360 Meeting St., downtown Charleston, Fri., June 20, 4:30 p.m.
Join Charleston Museum Curator of Historic Textiles Virginia Theerman for a tour of Reimagined Fashion: Creations of the Future Past, as well as Q+A sessions with a few of the local designers featured in the exhibition. Among them are Nicholas Overstreet of Boysterous Couture; Shaniequa L. Washington of Zuriel Kingdom Collections; and Gina Marie Roberts of Brooke Wilder.
The program is free for members and free with museum admission to non-members. Register here.