<b>Mystery books on tap </b><b>at Lunch with Author </b>

Lunch with the Author series, presented by the University of South Carolina Beaufort, will continue on Thursday, Jan. 26, at the Moss Creek Clubhouse in Bluffton.

Author J.E. Thompson will speak about his mystery, “The Girl from Felony Bay” and the sequel “Disappearance At Hangman’s Bluff.”

Lunch will be served at noon. Tickets are $42. Reservations can be made online at www.USCBCenterForTheArts.com or by calling 843-521-4145.

<b>Fort Fremont offering </b><b>docent-led tour</b>

The Friends of Fort Fremont is offering a docent-led tour on Saturday, Jan. 28. The event will begin at 10:30 a.m. at the St. Helena Branch Library, where guests will see a scale model of 1898 Fort Fremont and travel to the remains of Fort Fremont today. Visit www.fortfremont.com.

<b>Festival series to feature </b><b>renowned musicians</b>

The USCB Festival Series will present soprano Hyunah Yu, pianist Anna Polonsky, violinist Erin Keefe and cellist Edward Arron at 5 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 29.

For more information and tickets, visit www.uscb.edu/arts_cultural_events/festival_series.html.

<b>Books Sandwiched In </b><b>is getting underway</b>

The Books Sandwiched In (BSI) series, sponsored by the Friends of the Beaufort Library, is returning with local authors, well-known community leaders and Gullah experts lined up as presenters for these free events.

With a wide-range of book selection and subject matter, the series has attracted large audiences for the past 30 years.

Held at the University of South Carolina Beaufort’s Center for the Performing Arts, the series schedule also will leave time after each presentation for audience questions and answers.

Although the programs start at noon, doors open at 11:30 a.m. so that attendees can meet the presenter, chat with other book lovers and enjoy complimentary coffee and cookies.

All BSI events take place at the USCB Center for Performing Arts at 801 Carteret St. in Beaufort.

Following is the calendar. All events take place on Mondays:
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">• Jan. 30: Maxine Lutz presents “Northern Money, Southern Land: The Lowcountry Plantation Sketches” by Chlotilde R. Martin.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">• Feb. 6: Queen Quet presents her book “Gullah/Geechee: Africa's Seeds in the Winds of the Diaspora.”</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">• Feb. 13: Andy Beall presents “Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari.”</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">• Feb. 20: Jim Jordan presents his book “Penny Savannah:  A Tale of Civil War Georgia.”</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">• Feb. 27: Ray McBride presents “The Immortal Irishman: The Irish Revolutionary Who Became an American Hero” by Timothy Egan.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">• March 6: Beverley Porter presents “When Breath Becomes Air” by Paul Kalanthi.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">• March 13: Lynn Markovich Bryant presents her book "I'm Black and I'm Proud."</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">• March 20: Gene Rugala presents “United States of Jihad: Investigating America's Homegrown Terrorists” by Peter Bergen.</p>
For more information, contact Lolita Huckaby Watson at 843-812-6490 or by email at bftbay@gmail.com.

<b>Beaufort Theatre Co. </b><b>to hold auditions</b>

The University of South Carolina Center for the Arts and the Beaufort Theatre Company are holding auditions for “A Tribute to Broadway” at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 31, at the USCB Center for the Arts.

The show will be a musical journey through some of Broadway’s classic musicals (“Singing in the Rain” and “South Pacific”) to recent hits like “Wicked,” “Newsies” and more.

“A Tribute to Broadway” is scheduled for March 11-13.

Auditions are for ages 17 and up. Those auditioning should wear comfortable clothing and be prepared to sign 16 bars from a Broadway musical. They will also need to provide sheet music or prerecorded music. Musical theater experience is preferable but not required.

For additional information, call the Center for the Arts 843-521-4145 or Anna Wheeler at 803-394-6999.

<b>Red Dam Baptist </b><b>to host Snow Day </b>

Red Dam Baptist Church, at 488 Red Dam Road in Hardeeville, will host a Snow Day from 1-4 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 4.

The event will include a 40-foot snow slide, music, marshmallow roasting, a crackling campfire, games, face painting, hot dogs, hot chocolate, lemonade, popcorn, snow cones, cookies, cupcakes, men's chili cook-off, ladies pie contest and more.

The event is free and open to the public.

<b>Bird walk scheduled </b><b>at wildlife refuge</b>

The Fripp Audubon Club will conduct a bird walk at the Savannah Wildlife Refuge on Saturday, Feb. 4.

Participants will see birds such as ducks, winter sparrows and possibly American pipits and horned larks.

Bird walks are designed for folks with a serious interest in birds and their behavior, habitat and identification. The trip will begin with a brief orientation before departure. Participants should bring binoculars and a bird guide. Beginners are welcome.

Orientation will begin in 7:45 a.m. and departure will be at 8 a.m. at the parking lot adjacent to the Lady’s Island McDonald’s. Participants should bring lunch, binoculars, bug spray, sunscreen, water, etc.

Visit www.islc.net/audubon.

<b>New production set </b><b>to open at The Shed</b>

Coastal Stage Productions is currently in rehearsals for “Sylvia,” which opens Friday, Feb. 10, at The Shed in Port Royal.  The production cast and crew is comprised entirely of Beaufort and Jasper county volunteers.

Coastal Stage Productions is a locally owned, traveling theater company based in Ridgeland. Tickets are available at www.sylviaportroyal.bpt.me

<b>Conversation Café </b><b>is getting underway</b>

Starting in February, the Beaufort County Library’s St. Helena Branch is the site of the latest opening in a nationwide movement of Conversation Cafés. This open group welcomes everyone to join in on respectful and friendly discussions of topics that matter.

The Café will meet at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 7, and will continue to meet one evening per month at the library.

The first topic for discussion is “What Are Your Hopes for 2017?”

Everyone is invited to attend this free event. No registration is necessary. The library is at 6355 Jonathan Francis Sr. Road.

<b>Beaufort film festival </b><b>tickets now on sale</b>

Tickets are now available for purchase for the 11th Annual Beaufort International Film Festival, which will be held from Wednesday, Feb. 15, to Sunday, Feb. 19.

Tickets can be ordered online or purchased in person at the Beaufort Regional Chamber of Commerce Visitors Center at 713 Craven St., Beaufort.