The 8th Annual Lands End Woodland River Festival will be held on Labor Day weekend, August 30-31, 2013 and will focus the spotlight on the family of a home town celebrity—Candice Glover, the 2013 winner of the national hit television show American Idol. Her parents, Elder John and Carole Glover of St. Helena Island, will be recognized as the “2013

[caption id="attachment_12756" align="alignleft" width="300"]<a href="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Arts-Iris-Sanria-Dancers-cmyk.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-12756" alt="Iris Sanria Dancers perform on Lands End Beach." src="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Arts-Iris-Sanria-Dancers-cmyk-300x200.jpg" width="300" height="200" /></a> Iris Sanria Dancers perform on Lands End Beach.[/caption]

River Festival Family of the Year” on Saturday, August 31st.  Candice, who is traveling on the American Idol national tour, will give a video “shout out” and musical tribute to her family and fans at 3:00 p.m.

The River Festival has become a favorite community event for families looking to enjoy cultural festivities over the long holiday weekend.  Locals and visitors from South Carolina, Georgia and Florida will converge on the historic site of the former Riverside Plantation overlooking the intracoastal waterways of Lands End Beach to soak up history and culture.

On Friday evening, August 30th, the festival will  kick off with a traditional fish fry and fixins’($10) and music on the beach from 5-11 p.m. This family fun-filled multicultural event will culminate on Saturday, August 31st from 12-7 p.m. with performances by local gospel choirs, featuring the M.L.K. Lowcountry Concert Choir, African dancers, Gullah storyteller Aunt Pearlie Sue, the Community Bible Church Choir and Puppet Show, praise dancers, the AYO African drummers; and showcasing renowned Hispanic folklorica dance troupes Pablo Lezy, Peruvian Roots and Torna Color.

Visitors may sample delicious Lowcountry seafood, tasty treats, and  homemade ice cream;  then spend the day fishing, and taking tours of the historic Riverside Plantation tabby ruins and nearby Fort Fremont Park; with lots of fun for the kids, too.

The Lands End Woodland, Inc. is the oldest incorporated non-profit, African American-owned land conservancy

[caption id="attachment_12755" align="alignright" width="150"]<a href="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Arts-Aunt-Pearlie-Sue-cmyk.jpg"><img class="size-thumbnail wp-image-12755" alt="Aunt Pearlie Sue tells stories of the Gullah culture." src="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Arts-Aunt-Pearlie-Sue-cmyk-150x150.jpg" width="150" height="150" /></a> Aunt Pearlie Sue tells stories of the Gullah culture.[/caption]

organization seeking to conserve the pristine land and the natural resources located on the 328 acres of property purchased  in the early 1920’s. The Woodland also offers access to the public to use the land for fishing, hunting, hiking, camping, and private parties on the beach.

River Festival admission on Saturday is $3 for adults and free for children under 17.  The festival will be held on Lands End Beach, 100 Lands End Road, 6 miles south of Penn Center, on St. Helena Island, SC 29920.  For more information, call (843) 263-5261 or email rbrowne@embarqmail.com; or visit  the website- http://www.landsendwoodland.org.