Approximately 40,000 people are expected to show up for the 41st edition of the Southeastern Wildlife Exposition, a celebration of art and the outdoors that has drawn crowds from near and far since 1983. Scheduled for Feb. 17 through Feb. 19, SEWE will offer a wide range of events and activities highlighting the passion and expertise of more than 500 artists, exhibitors and wildlife experts. Though much of SEWE is open to everyone with a general admission ticket, there are some events designed to make your visit to SEWE even more special.
These events are very popular and are expected to sell out, so make sure to book your tickets on the SEWE website soon!
Steep Canyon Rangers at the Gaillard Center
The Steep Canyon Rangers will kick off the Exposition Feb. 16 with their own special brand of bluegrass music. The show will run from 7:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. at the Gaillard Center in partnership with SEWE. North Carolina’s Grammy award-winning bluegrass band is sure to rock Gaillard’s main stage all night long. Reserve your seat today!
Birds of a Feather
Slated for Feb. 18 at Union Station in downtown Charleston, the Birds of a Feather Ladies Brunch Benefit offers a diverse mixture of entertainment, unique raffle packages and a live auction with Lowcountry Live star Erin Kienzle. Artist Amy Lay will also be creating a live painting during the occasion. Presented by Norton + Hodges, the event will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., includes a three-course lunch and adult beverages. Proceeds from Birds of a Feather will benefit local bees and pollinators.
2023 Lowcountry Social
The 2023 Lowcountry Social special event is already sold-out for the 2023 SEWE. Those who were lucky enough to grab a ticket while they were still available will be enjoying an evening of Lowcountry barbecue with an open bar and sweet bluegrass music by the open fire pit from 7:30 p.m. until 10:30 p.m. on Feb. 18.
Cocktails & Conservation with Garden & Gun
You can purchase tickets for one of two sessions, or you can attend both. Either way, you’ll enjoy cocktails, “small bites” and enlightening conversations on important topics in the conservation world. Both programs will be held at Garden & Gun headquarters in the historic Cigar Factory on East Bay Street in Charleston.
Garden & Gun Editor in Chief David DiBenedetto will lead the discussion Feb. 18, along with Durrell Smith, co-founder of the Minority Outdoor Alliance. The conservation conversation will be all about gun dogs and bird hunting, but Smith also will talk about his nonprofit organization, which encourages people from diverse backgrounds and ethnicities to take part in outdoor activities such as fishing and hunting.
On Feb. 19, also from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., fishing will be at the top of the agenda. Garden & Gun Contributing Editor T. Edward Nickens is to be joined by Dr. Jennifer Rehage, director of the Rehage Laboratory of Coastal Fish Ecology & Fisheries at Florida International University. They’ll talk about how going after bonefish, tarpon, permit, redfish and snook is changing. She’ll also provide insight into what researchers have learned during saltwater fisheries studies in the past 10 years.
Additional Special Events
A lineup of additional events also is available to SEWE participants. On Feb. 17, the East Cooper chapter of Ducks Unlimited will host its 26th annual Oyster Roast and Lowcountry Cookout, beginning at 6:30 p.m. at the Charleston Visitor Center Bus Shed.
All tickets will be sold in advance – there won’t be any sales at the door. And the South Carolina Waterfowl Association is set to hold its Annual Sportsman’s Ball, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Feb. 17 at the Omar Shrine Temple across the river in Mount Pleasant. SCWA’s Annual Duck Shuck Oyster Roast is a day later, in the same time slot and at the same venue.
There’s more: The Charleston Safari Club Annual Gala, set for Feb. 15, from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m., at The Harbour Club; Combing the Caw Caw Wilderness, from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 18 at the Caw Caw Interpretive Center; and Intro to Archery at Johns Island County Park, from 10 a.m. to noon Feb. 17.
“SEWE is such a Charleston staple,” says Hannah Shannon, SEWE’s artist coordinator and VIP liaison. “It’s a great way to support conservation and fine original art.”
To purchase tickets to the special events offered by the Southeastern Wildlife Expo, visit sewe.com/special-event-tickets.
