☘️ Celebrate St. Paddy’s + Support Local in Summerville This Week!

Happy (almost) St. Patrick’s Day!

May your weekend be filled with a little extra luck, a lot of laughter, and plenty of green to keep the pinches away! 🍀 Summerville is celebrating with Shamrockin’ on the Square this Saturday, from 1-4pm with live music, bag pipes (2:30pm), Irish dancing (3pm) and lots of local vendors.

Third Thursday is also coming up this week and the theme is youth art. From 5:30-8:30pm in Hutchinson Square there will be live performances on Hutchinson Stage and local youth art on show throughout downtown Summerville.

We recently spent over $750 on our Bernedoodle when she broke her toe doing zoomies in the backyard. Everyone told us to get pet insurance after she swallowed a whole corn cob last year, but we didn’t. That time required a $1,250 stomach surgery. 🫠 

If you have a dearly loved pet who you want to protect from costly problems, pet insurance might actually be worth it, and it’s so easy to start coverage — don’t wait till they swallow a corn cob or break their toe! Thanks to our sponsor for a great list of the best options.

Protect your pet starting at $10 a month

Some pet surgeries can cost as much as a trip to Europe!

Pet insurance can help you offset these costs for as low as $10/month.

View Money’s Best Pet Insurance list and find protection today.

Find protection for your pet

March Madness: The Ultimate Summerville Showdown!

This March, Palmetto Parents is putting Summerville’s best family-friendly restaurants and parks head-to-head in a bracket-style showdown—and YOU get to decide the winners!

Today is round one of voting to see who will make it to the next round. And remember, your participation each week will count as an entry to win a gift card to the winning restaurant. We will be mailing out six gift cards to randomly drawn participants: a $50 gift card, $25 gift card, and four $10 gift cards.

Select an answer below and complete the (very short) form to follow!

TO DO

Family-Friendly Volunteer Opportunities

Volunteer at Flowertown Charm Farm 🐐

Ever wondered how you can get involved at Flowertown Charm Farm? Here’s your chance! They’re inviting volunteers (ages 10+) to help with daily farm projects, upkeep, and—of course—animal care. In return for your time and effort, you’ll get to enjoy a complimentary farm snuggle session with the friendly goats and other farm animals. It’s a rewarding way to give back while making some unforgettable furry friends!

What to Expect

Each session begins with one hour of hands-on volunteering, followed by an hour of quality time with the animals as a thank-you for your hard work. Tasks may vary each week but can include:

✔️ Painting fences and animal shelters
✔️ Gardening, planting, and weeding
✔️ Cleaning animal bedding and composting
✔️ Fixing and maintaining fencing & gates
✔️ Brushing and caring for the animals
✔️ Cleaning water troughs and refilling feed bins
✔️ Collecting eggs and helping with farm chores

📅 Dates for Volunteering: March 19th, 20th, 21st, 23rd, 26th, 27th, and 28th, All sessions from 12-2pm
📍 Flowertown Charm Farm: Park at Church at 255 Stallsville Rd Then Walk to 225 Stallsville (white house w/red shutters).

Click here to sign up to participate and for more details.

Volunteer at Azalea Park

Summerville Parks & Recreation is hosting a park clean up at Azalea Park on March 22nd to get it ready for the upcoming Flowertown Festival. They would love for families to come volunteer together, they just ask that youth volunteers are accompanied by their parent or guardian. This is a great way to spend some time outside as a family and give back to the town!

📍 Location: 105 W 5th S St. Summerville, meet at tennis courts
📅 Date & Time: Saturday, March 22 from 9-11am.

Stuff the Truck

Give your gently used items a second life while making a difference! Dorchester Habitat for Humanity is collecting furniture, clothing, books, appliances, and home goods to help fund affordable housing in our community. Your donations go directly toward giving families a safe and stable place to call home. Work together as a family to pick out some items to donate and support local families in need.

📍 Location: Lowe's at 9600 Dorchester Road
📅 Date & Time: Saturday, March 22 from 10am-2pm

LOCAL EVENT

Family Movie Night at Ashley River Park

Dorchester County Libraries and Parks & Recreation are teaming up for an unforgettable Family Movie Night tomorrow evening. Gather at the Ashley River Park pavilion at 7pm for a fun pre-movie craft activity before settling in for a special screening of Moana 2 at 7:30pm.

🎟 What to Bring: Cozy up with chairs, blankets, and your favorite snacks for a perfect night under the stars! The library will be providing free popcorn, and additional concessions and light-up toys will be available for purchase to make the night even more magical.

📍 Location: Ashley River Park, 200 Renken Rd. Summerville
📅 Date & Time: Saturday, March 15th 7-9pm
💲 Cost: Movie is free; Park Entry: $2 per person (Kids 2 & under are free)

RESTAURANT

Charleston Mac Momma

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Summerville just got even sweeter! Local mom and macaron master, Laura, has officially opened the doors to Charleston Mac Mama at 1700 Central Ave, bringing her passion for baking to life in a space she once only dreamed about.

Her journey started back in September 2020, when she first began baking macarons in her home kitchen in Goose Creek. What started as a hobby quickly became a passion, and by May 2021, her family moved to Summerville. While exploring the area, she spotted the Knightsville General Store and jokingly told her husband that one day, it would make the perfect bakery. At the time, it was just a far-off dream—but fate had other plans.

Fast forward a few years, and Laura worked her way through pop-up events, vendor fairs, and commercial kitchens. Now, she’s stepping into something even bigger—her very own storefront in the very place she once dreamed about. While she may not own the building, for three days a week, it's hers to bring delicious, handcrafted macarons to the community. Lori, the owner of Knightsville General Store and Tea Room, believed in Laura’s vision and gave her the chance to grow by sharing the space with her. Lori continues running the general store and tea room from Wednesday through Saturday, while Charleston Mac Mama is open for business during the following hours:

📍 1700 Central Ave, Summerville
🕐 Sunday: 1-5pm
🕘 Monday & Tuesday: 9am-4pm

At her storefront, you’ll find more than just flavorful macarons—she also offers tiramisu, cannolis, gourmet cookies, rice crispy treats, and the highly sought-after Dubai chocolate bars and Dubai chocolate strawberry cups, which have become customer favorites. To complement the sweets, she serves beautiful and unique drinks, including various boba milk teas and Thai teas.

When we visited, we picked up a macaron sampler pack, and I was amazed by the creativity of the flavors—many of which are gluten-free. My personal favorites were the double chocolate and pistachio, while my son couldn’t get enough of the Lucky Charms macaron, a fun and festive treat for St. Patrick’s Day. I took a small bite and was genuinely surprised by how spot-on the Lucky Charms flavor was! For March, she’s also featuring a Guinness macaron dusted with edible glitter, making it a must-try seasonal special.

Laura’s journey is a testament to passion, perseverance, and the power of community. Now, she’s inviting everyone to come experience the magic of Charleston Mac Mama and support a local Summerville mom who turned her dream into a reality—one macaron at a time.

PALMETTO PIECE

Embracing the Season You’re In

Earlier this year, I was on a roll. I made huge strides in decluttering, organizing, and getting the house in order—and for a while, I felt like I was really on top of things. But lately? Keeping up has felt almost impossible.

Between Daniel’s neck injury and our boys going through a rough patch with sleep, exhaustion has taken over. We’re working as a team, juggling the house and the kids together, but there’s just not much extra time or energy left for anything beyond the essentials. And with a baby in what I like to call the "chaotic phase"—crawling everywhere, constantly on the verge of eating something he shouldn't or toppling over—every moment requires a watchful eye. That means long to-do lists have taken a backseat, and the little things I once stayed on top of now feel harder to manage.

It’s frustrating when laundry piles up, the house isn’t as tidy as I’d like, and meals feel more thrown together than planned. But I have to remind myself of one simple truth: life has seasons. Some seasons are for tackling projects and feeling on top of everything. Others are for simply getting through the day, taking care of the people who need you, and accepting that things won’t always be perfect.

There will come a time when I can reorganize, declutter, and plan meals like I used to—but right now, my most important job is to be present with my family. The house can wait. The laundry will get done eventually. But these moments? They are fleeting. So for now, I’m embracing this season for what it is—messy, exhausting, but full of love.

Love,

The Berks 👨‍👩‍👦‍👦