Category Archives: Attractions

Brookgreen Gardens will host 12 larger-than-life LEGO® brick sculpture installations in its Native Wildlife Zoo from April 8 – September 5, 2016. Created by Sean Kenney, renowned artist and children’s author, “Nature Connects” is an award winning exhibit currently touring the country. Made from almost 400,000 LEGO® bricks, the sculptures bring nature to life with a 6-foot tall hummingbird hovering over a trumpet flower, a deer family made from 48,000 bricks, a giant tortoise, a 7-foot long giant dragonfly, and more. The exhibit will be open daily and is included in garden admission.

“Nature Connects is a perfect fit for us,” said Bob Jewell, President and CEO. “It combines nature with art in a playful and creative way and its placement in the Native Wildlife Zoo will bring more awareness of that aspect of our mission.”

The exhibit will feature interpretive panels with an educational message for each sculpture to help connect children with the natural world and promote sustainability and conservation. In addition, there will be educational activities such as a LEGO® sculpture building contest, scavenger hunts, and 30,000 LEGO® bricks available for guests to play, build, and use their imagination during their visit.

LEGOS currently is recognized as the number one brand in the world and is guided by the company spirit: “Only the best is good enough.” The company is committed to the development of children and aims to inspire and develop the builders of tomorrow through creative play and learning.

For nearly a decade, Sean Kenney has been using LEGO toys as a medium for contemporary sculpture. His work has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, BBC news, ELLE, Good Morning America, and he has created pieces for television shows, celebrities, tourist attractions, and fortune 500 companies around the world. Sean Kenney was the first of now only 13 “LEGO® Certified Professionals” worldwide, who are not employees of LEGO, but who are officially recognized by the LEGO Group as trusted business partners because of their building proficiency, their enthusiasm for the LEGO® brick and building system, and a professional approach towards other LEGO fans and the broader public. Each sculpture touches people as both a reflection from their childhood and as a sculptural piece of art. Sean aims to spark creativity in the viewer, especially in the case of a child, who can not only visualize creating something great themselves, but who can actually go home and do so.

Brookgreen Gardens, a National Historic Landmark and non-profit organization, is located on U.S. 17 between Murrells Inlet and Pawleys Island, South Carolina, and is open to the public daily. For more information, visit www.brookgreen.org or call 843-235-6000.

Brookgreen Gardens Annual Fall Festival October 3 & 4

Brookgreen’s annual fall festival, Harvest Home Weekend Festival, is Saturday and Sunday, October 3 & 4 from 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. and is filled with outdoor activities the whole family will enjoy. There will be favorite activities such as scarecrow building, pumpkin painting, hayrides, live entertainment, plus some exciting new events. Admission to the festival is included in garden admission which is good for seven days.

Harvest Home Weekend Schedule for Saturday and Sunday, October 3 & 4, 2015

Timmy and Susana Abell (kids/family music, puppets) 10, & 11:30 a.m.; 1 & 2:30 p.m. Welcome Center Plaza –Timmy Abell is a nationally recognized children’s songwriter, touring and recording artist. Recipient of the prestigious North Carolina Arts Council’s Fellowship for Songwriting, he is best known for his highly entertaining family concerts and educational programs, and over the past decade his recordings have been enjoyed by tens of thousands of families around the country. Timmy and his wife Susana have joined forces to create a program that combines music, storytelling, puppetry and poetry. They combine their unique talents to offer dynamic and highly engaging performances centered around a repertoire of unforgettable original songs and stories.

Special Boat Rides 11 a.m., 12, 2, 3 p.m. –  The Not So Spooky Swamp Adventure with Lowcountry Ghost Stories and Animal Tales –Creep on board for our Not So Spooky Swamp Adventure! Listen to spellbinding stories of Lowcountry ghosts and their connections to Brookgreen Gardens as we float down the mysterious Brookgreen creeks. Be enthralled by animal tales of the fascinating creatures that make their homes in the eerie Lowcountry swamps. Who knows what we might see as we meander past ancient, twisted trees dripping with Spanish moss? Don’t be afraid…see you in the swamp! Separate timed ticket required in advance. Purchase at Lowcountry Center at least 10 minutes prior to excursion time. Limited availability. Adults $8, Children $4 (No regular program creek excursion offered either day)

Pumpkin Painting Patch

– we supply the paints and brushes ( $4, large $9 pumpkins)

Scarecrow Building –We supply the poles, string, and some clothes. Bring your own old clothes for your special creation! Take Your Scarecrow Home for $5

Wagon Hay Rides – Hayrides depart from 10 a.m. $4 per person.

Kids Craft Tent

10 a.m.- 4 p.m.

Sidewalk Chalking and Kids Tattoos

Wool Spinning Activity/Demonstration

11 a.m.- 3 p.m.

Food and Beverage

(Pavilion Restaurant Closed)

Pavilion Patio and Dining Tent 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Welcome Center Beverage Tent 10:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m.

Butterfly Exhibit Lawn area Snack tent 10:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m.

Demonstrations All Day – Both Days
Sweetgrass Basket Weaving and sales with Ivie Barnwell
Pottery Sales with Jeffcoat Pottery Ceramic sales with Lanita Formyduval
Honey sampling and sales with Savannah Bee Company
Herbal Fruit jam sampling and sales with Sallie’s Greatest
Tea sampling and sales with Oliver Pluff
African Graffiti Fused Art Glass with Steve Hazard
Presentation of “Brookgreen Gardens – Through the Seasons in Images and Words” with Linda Ketron

Saturday Only 
Pottery throwing demo with Jeffcoat Pottery
Book signings with Sherman Carmichael from Eerie,South Carolina “Legends and Lore of South Carolina” and “Forgotten tales of South Carolina”

Sunday Only 
9:3 0-3 p.m. Make your own pinch pot activity with Jeffcoat Pottery (artwork will be taken back to their studio for finishing and then may be picked up in Keepsakes upon return.)
12 – 4 p.m. Book Signings with Ginny McCormack “Seasons in the South” and “Sunday in the South”
2 – 4 p.m. Book signing with Rose Tomlin “Duel of the Heart”