Penn Center
Penn Center invites the community and visitors from across the Lowcountry and beyond to the 42nd Annual Heritage Days Celebration, a homecoming that honors the Gullah Geechee cultural legacy at the Penn Center National Historic Landmark District.
This year’s theme, “Celebrating Our Culture, Engaging and Empowering Our Youth,” features youth and family activities, artists and authors, live music, food traditions, a heritage symposium, a film screening, and a community parade.
FULL SCHEDULE
THURSDAY, NOV. 12 (9 AM to 8 PM)
9 AM to 3 PM | Heritage Days Symposium at Frissell Community House
Heritage Symposium honoring the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Researchers, scholars, and teachers share stories of the diverse communities and individuals who shaped the Revolutionary War and American history. Free and open to the public; RSVP encouraged: https://bit.ly/2026heritage
10 AM | Opening Ceremonies at Center Stage
Featuring placement of the flags, live performances featuring students from Beaufort County School District
All day:
Artists and Authors Row, Vendors Market | Penn Center Grounds
10 AM – 1PM | The Gullah Roots Village face-painting, crochet and crafting, bateau building, scavenger hunt, and educational activities for children and families (Penn Center grounds)
5 PM |The Lowcountry Supper. Ticketed, $25 at the door or via Eventbrite https://bit.ly/lowcountrysupper (Emory S. Campbell Dining Hall)
6 PM: Youth Theatrical Performance (Frissell Community House)
7 PM: Old-Fashioned Praise House Service (Brick Baptist Church)
FRIDAY, NOV. 13 (9 AM to 9 PM)
10 AM: Opening festivities, live performances, and entertainment featuring Daa Geeche Gal, Poetic Storyteller, saxophonist Gregory Whitaker, Soul Line Dancing, and more (Center Stage)
11 AM: Daughters of the Dust film screening (Frissell Community House)
2:30 PM: “Here Today, Gone Tomorrow” with Ron Daise. The St. Helena Island native, author, and former star of Nick Jr.’s “Gullah Gullah Island” presents a reader’s theater piece on the life of Gullah Reconstruction-era figure Prince Rivers, woven with poetry, spirituals, and Civil War-era songs (Frissell Community House)
All day: Artists and Authors Row and Vendors Market (Penn Center grounds)
5 PM: Evening fish fry and music (Penn Center grounds)
SATURDAY, NOV. 14 (8 AM to 4 PM)
8 AM: Heritage Days Parade. Lineup begins at 8 AM; the parade starts at 9 AM (Parade route to Penn Center)
10 AM to 12 PM: Museum open with free admission, featuring the Bruce Ingram art exhibit (York W. Bailey Museum)
10:15 AM: Opening festivities (Center Stage)
All day: Vendors Market, Artists and Authors Row, food, and Center Stage entertainment (Penn Center grounds)
Saturday Center Stage performers: Whale Branch Middle School Choir, GyeNyame Dance Ensemble, Natasha Robinson, Gullah Geechee Spirituals Project, Darryl Anderson, Sydney Passmore, Claflin University Concert Chorus, Dani’s Dance Dynamic, Keondra Grant, Gullah Geechee Ring Shouters, Kelly Burns, Bruce Ingram, and Michael Broddie.
WHERE
Penn Center National Historic Landmark District, St. Helena Island, South Carolina. Parking is $5.
WHY IT MATTERS
Founded in 1862, Penn Center is a cornerstone of African American education, civil rights, and Gullah Geechee cultural preservation. Heritage Days continues its legacy of celebration, reflection, and community connection, a vibrant reminder of the cultural contributions that define the Lowcountry and African American history.
For the full schedule, visit penncenter.com/heritage-days or on Facebook: Facebook.com/heritagedays
