Charleston Reporter

The City of Charleston will proceed with the 21st annual First Day Festival on Sunday, August 11, from 1:00-4:00 PM at the Charleston Gaillard Center, despite the recent passage of Hurricane Debby.

The event aims to prepare children for the upcoming school year by distributing pre-packed bags of supplies and providing information on community resources and services. Children must be present to receive a bag, and each child will receive one bag.

Due to storm preparation and management efforts during Hurricane Debby, the South Carolina Aquarium will not open for free during the festival. Consequently, all festival activities will take place at the Gaillard Center.

Individuals wishing to donate school supplies are asked to drop them off at 75 Calhoun Street by Friday, August 9, at 5:00 PM. Those facing challenges in doing so can call 843-965-4190 for alternative arrangements.

Parking will remain free at both the Gaillard and Aquarium garages.

In a statement from the South Carolina Aquarium: “Due to the substantial impacts of Hurricane Debby, we have made the difficult decision to withdraw our participation from this year’s First Day Festival. This week, all our resources and staff have been redirected to focus on storm preparation, ride-out and recovery. Knowing these constraints, it will simply be too difficult and taxing on us to be able to return to normal operations and deliver on our commitment to the First Day Festival. We look forward to participating again next year.”

For further inquiries regarding the First Day Festival on Sunday, August 11, contact Mindy Sturm at sturmM@charleston-sc.gov.