15 May Brookgreen Gardens lights up summer nights with stunning exhibition, music and cuisine Summer nights on South Carolina’s Hammock Coast® are always extraordinary, but an exhibition at Brookgreen Gardens will add even more beauty to Southern nights on the coast. Brookgreen Gardens, the world-renowned sculpture garden located in Murrells Inlet, is once again showcasing an after-hours lighted art exhibition series titled “Summer Light: Art by Night.” The exhibit will light up the gardens on Wednesday and Saturday evenings from June 4 through Aug. 30. Gates open at 6 p.m. and close at 10 p.m. This nighttime exhibit is produced by the same team responsible for Brookgreens’ most-popular exhibit, “Nights of a Thousand Candles,” the holiday-inspired event. (Photo courtesy of Brookgreen Gardens) “This is the perfect opportunity for guests to immerse themselves and be mesmerized by the stunning landscapes, sculptures, and gardens that Brookgreen has to offer, in a whole new light,” said Page Kiniry, Brookgreen’s president and CEO. Multiple installations throughout the sculpture garden feature a variety of techniques that light up the Gardens. It was created by Brookgreen’s Public Exhibits Production and Logistics team. It’s the same team that designs Brookgreens’ most-popular exhibit, the holiday-inspired “Nights of a Thousand Candles.” This year, experience Gardens of Glass: The Art of Craig Mitchell Smith—a breathtaking exhibition showcasing 30 larger-than-life glass sculptures throughout the Gardens. As evening falls, these stunning works will be beautifully illuminated, creating a magical atmosphere. Various bands will perform live music each night throughout the summer. Bands include Miracle Max and the Pet Monsters, The Accellerators, Grocery Store Gentlemen, Three Day Weekend, Paul Grimshaw, Paperwork, Painted Man, Bailey Road Band, Bullfrog, Sweet Sweet, The Ivory Coast Piano Show, Javier Jazz Trio, N-Tranze, Mystic Vibrations, Channel Bluff Band, Reggie Sullivan Band, King Tide, Sea Cruz, If Birds Could Fly, Javier Jazz Trio, The Accelerators, 100 Grand Band, and Crashbox. Click here for the live music schedule. A variety of food and beverage options will be available during Summer Light: Art by Night. Austin’s Harvest Restaurant will be open. Make reservations here! Also, Brookgreen Gardens’ Old Kitchen will serve snacks and refreshments, and a variety of food trucks will be there each night. Featuring multiple lighted art installations, the exhibit allows people to immerse themselves in lights. (Photo courtesy of Brookgreen Gardens) Brookgreen Gardens is located at 1931 Brookgreen Drive just off U.S. Highway 17 (also known as Ocean Highway) on South Carolina’s Hammock Coast, south of Myrtle Beach and north of Charleston. Tickets for “Summer Lights” are $25 per night for adult members and $14 for children members. For non-members, tickets are $30 for adults and $17 for children. Children under 3 are free. For tickets, click here, or call 1-844-271-3410. Regular admission tickets do not include access to the “Summer Lights” event. Brookgreen Gardens is a National Historic Landmark open to the public daily. Founded in 1931 by Anna Hyatt Huntington and Archer Huntington, Brookgreen is home to the largest and most significant collection of American Figurative Sculpture in the United States and continues as a leader in sculpture conservation, environmental conservation, and protection of the plants, animals, and history of the South Carolina Lowcountry. “This is another spectacular event created by Brookgreen Gardens that visitors to the Hammock Coast will undoubtedly love this summer,” said Mark A. Stevens, director of tourism development for the Georgetown County Chamber of Commerce and South Carolina’s Hammock Coast. South Carolina’s Hammock Coast is an official sponsor for Brookgreens’ “Summer Lights” exhibit. The Gardens will close for general admission at 5 p.m. Gates will reopen at 6 p.m. for Summer Light. Keepsakes, a Museum Shop will be open. Georgetown County’s casual charm and Southern hospitality earned it the nickname of the Hammock Coast. Adventure and relaxation blend together in perfect harmony, like the flowing and ebbing of waves on the county’s famed beaches. With six communities – southern Garden City, Murrells Inlet, Litchfield, Pawleys Island, Georgetown and Andrews – comprising the pristine coastal area between Myrtle Beach and Charleston, visitors can experience South Carolina’s Hammock Coast like never before. For more information about the event series, visit www.brookgreen.org or call 843-235-6000. — By Clayton Stairs / Georgetown County Chamber of Commerce and South Carolina’s Hammock Coast 0 Hammock-All, Murrells Inlet