Last year Sporting Classics was celebrating 35 years of existence; this year it’s SEWE. The Southeastern Wildlife Exposition will turn a score and 15 years old this weekend, and artists, hunters, and anglers need to be there to help them celebrate!
The show, held in Charleston, South Carolina, opens to VIP ticket holders Thursday. Exhibits open to General Admission at 10 a.m. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, with events spread across five venues in the downtown area.
CHARLESTON PLACE
First stop on your trip to SEWE needs to be Charleston Place, if for no other reason than Sporting Classics will be manning a booth there. The magazine will be set up at the entrance to the art gallery on the second floor. You can’t miss us!
Peruse the finest sporting art anywhere, watch the special Quick Draw/Speed Sculpt event (Friday), take in the Duet & Quartet performance (Saturday), and meet the artists to discuss their work.
GAILLARD CENTER
The Gaillard is home to many family-friendly events, including the perennial favorite Birds of Prey flight demonstration. The Busch Wildlife Sanctuary Show and Jeff Corwin will be there, as well as a special screening of Audubon, a film on John J. Audubon.
Shuttles run throughout the city, taking SEWE attendees to all corners of the event.
MARION SQUARE
Marion Square will host several cooking demos from various chefs, including Michelle Weaver of Charleston Grill and Kevin Johnson of The Kitchen. There’s also a “Litter Trashes Everyone” puppet show for both young and old alike.
BRITTLEBANK PARK
Brittlebank’s main draw is the DockDogs event, with retrievers of various breeds demonstrating their abilities in two elevated water tanks (the only two-tank DockDog event east of the Mississippi). But that’s just the tip of the iceberg, as vendors are set up throughout the park and inside a huge wedding-style tent. There are fly fishing and cast net demonstrations, lectures from the Quality Deer Management Association, and Sporting Classics’ second booth under the tent. Rain or shine, Brittlebank is a can’t-miss!
MARRIOTT HOTEL
The local Marriott plays host to Guyette & Deeter’s decoy and art auction, with the previews being held Friday from 3-5 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon. The auction itself takes place from 12-5 p.m. Saturday, with more than 250 collectible items up for grabs. The sale is unreserved and has guaranteed catalog descriptions, with prices ranging from $200 to more than $25,000.
General Admission tickets run $25 for Friday/Saturday and $15 for Sunday, or attend all three for only $50. VIP tickets start as low as $200.
For a full rundown of the weekend’s events, click here.