Southern Living Announces Debut of "Illumination Charleston" Weekend This December

NEW YORK and BIRMINGHAM, Ala., July 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Meredith Corporation's (NYSE: MDP) Southern Living announces that the first-ever Illumination Charleston weekend, created in collaboration with Explore Charleston and Historic Charleston Foundation, will take place December 2 – 5 with a series of holiday-themed events and experiences to celebrate the season.

Illumination Charleston will feature guided tours of historic homes decorated for the holidays; presentations and cooking demonstrations with chefs such as Kardea Brown, Rodney Scott, and Ivy Odom; "Design in Mind Talks" with notable design and architecture experts such as Alessandra Branca, India Hicks and Ashley Whittaker; and the Southern Living Tastemakers Holiday Market, with products hand-picked by honorees named to the  2019, 2020 and 2021 Southern Living Tastemakers lists. The weekend will kick off with an opening night party at the historic Aiken Rhett House and will feature a live musical performance on Saturday night headlined by Ranky Tanky.

The full schedule of events is available now at IlluminationCharleston.com. With prices starting at $75, tickets are for sale a la carte for individual events as well as through a variety of ticket packages that include access to several events. To create a special experience for attendees that provides a more intimate atmosphere, a limited number of tickets is available on a first-come, first-served basis.*

Sid Evans, Editor in Chief of Southern Living, said, "Illumination Charleston will be a special gathering of some of the most inspiring tastemakers, designers, and chefs in the South (and beyond!). We're excited to create a new experience that celebrates the joys of the season in a city that pulls out all the stops for the holidays."

Set in the newly renovated Charleston Visitors Center, the Southern Living Tastemakers Holiday Market will provide a special, one-time-only shopping experience, showcasing items curated and created by Southern Living Tastemakers. Products for sale will include womenswear, original artwork and prints, children's clothing, artisanal home and garden goods, handbags, fine jewelry and more. More than 30 trendsetting women from across the South who have been named Southern Living Tastemakers in the last three years—2019, 2020 and the newest 2021 class which was just named this month—will be on site for meet-and-greets throughout the weekend.

Winslow Hastie, President and CEO of Historic Charleston Foundation, said, "HCF is excited to showcase the power of preservation using Charleston's historic downtown as a backdrop to the weekend's events featuring a unique combination of historic venues, top designers, makers, entertainers, and a holiday celebration that is not to be missed!"

The Charleston Visitors Center, which is located at 375 Meeting Street will be the central venue for the weekend. Events will also take place at Second Presbyterian and Aiken Rhett House, as well as in homes across the historic district.

To book a hotel stay for the weekend, visit IlluminationCharleston.com to find the Illumination Charleston partner hotels. Mention "Illumination Charleston" when booking for special offers from hotel partners.

*To help ensure the wellbeing of its attendees and everyone involved, the event will follow the most current public health guidelines from the state and the CDC relating to social distancing, capacity limits, and more.

About Southern Living 
Southern Living celebrates the essence of life in the South, covering the best in Southern food, homes, gardens and travel. Southern Living connects consumers to the region's rich culture through a variety of print, digital, mobile, social and event platforms, as well as its TV show and Biscuits & Jam podcast. Headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, the rapidly expanding Southern Living brand is produced by Meredith Corporation.

About Explore Charleston
Explore Charleston, is organized as a 501-C-6 not-for-profit destination marketing organization (DMO) and its primary purpose is to market the Greater Charleston area.

About Historic Charleston Foundation
Established in 1947, Historic Charleston Foundation (HCF) is a nonprofit organization that champions the historic authenticity, cultural character and livability of the Charleston region through advocacy, stewardship and community engagement. The Foundation is known for its preservation and advocacy programs including protective covenants and easements; education and outreach; and it is the first organization in the country to establish a revolving fund to acquire and preserve important buildings, a model now replicated in historic communities across the nation. This mission is supported through the generosity of preservation-minded donors, the annual Spring Festival of Houses and Gardens, a licensed products program, and retail shops. In addition, HCF fulfills its educational mission through the interpretation of its collections and two museum sites: the Nathaniel Russell House, c. 1808, and the Aiken-Rhett House, c. 1820.

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SOURCE Meredith Corporation