🌴 Free Entry to West Farm Corn Maze!

Good morning, Palmetto Parent!

The Fire Parade and Display on Monday was probably the most underrated event in Summerville of the year.

There were dozens of fire trucks, boats, motorcycles, and more on display, with firefighters from all over the low country. Our son got to sit in a truck and ring the bell which he’ll cherish until the day he dies.

Firefighters did live demonstrations of rescue operations and even let kids try out the fire hoses. There were free hot dogs, ice cream, and candy— truly every child’s (and adult’s?) dream come true. If you went we hope you enjoyed it as much as we did and if you didn’t keep it on your radar for next year.

And check out the first Reel on our new Instagram page and go give us a follow! 👀 

palmettoparents

View more on Instagram

And we were just as impressed with the extensive food truck turn out and vendor list at Oktoberfest at Hutchinson Square. We didn’t get to spend time there but wrote it down as a “don’t miss” event for next year. This weekend we continue the celebration of heritages with Summerville’s Italian Fest on Sunday from 11am-6pm.

The event will be stacked with delicious Italian food and wine vendors.

We’ll give more details about these events as they come, but here’s some events to look forward to the rest of the month:

• October 19th: Ghostwalk in Hutchinson Square from 6-9pm. Games, hay rides, Ghostwalk tour (of varying fright levels), and food trucks.

• October 24th: Summerville Elementary’s Fall Festival from 5-7pm at McKissick Stadium. Games, face painting, food trucks, jump castles, and more.

• October 24th: Boo Bash at Nexton Square from 5-8pm. Live DJ, family fun, and trunk or treating.

• October 26th: Trick or Treat Downtown Summerville. From 10am-1pm kids can trick or treat through the farmers market and participating downtown stores.

For parents of kids 18 months - 8 years old, if you need something to do TODAY (this morning!) while your kids are out of school consider joining Summerville Momma and Abstract Adventures for a playdate at Mellow & Play cafe.

You can connect with other parents while your kids enjoy the cafe and play area. Anyone who brings donations for My Sister’s House will get to complete a fingerprint pumpkin patch with your child on a 5×7 canvas that you can bring home to frame and a surprise second craft.

FROM OUR SPONSORS

Your Summerville Realtor Awaits 🏡 

When we moved to Summerville from Chicago in 2021, we had no idea which area of Charleston we wanted to live in long term, or when, or why.

We started by renting a house in White Gables (Knightsville). We liked it, but eventually we wanted somewhere that was our own, to put down roots, to really build a house we could call home.

Ernest Govan, the Dream Maker Agent was the realtor we chose to use, and we’ve recommended him dozens of time over the last 2 years.

We were in no rush to buy a house, so we told Ernest early on what type of home we were looking for, some “need to haves” and some “nice to haves”, and gave a very vague timeline (e.g. “We’ll buy when the time is right”).

Over about 9 months of time, we passively looked at houses through Ernest’s home recommendation portal (and Zillow and Redfin when we were bored). Ernest would check in with us periodically, but wasn’t pushy at all (exactly what we wanted!). Maybe once a month he’d say “Hey Daniel, checking in to see if there are any updates on your home search? I’m here if you ever need anything.” It was a friendly reminder that he was there to answer questions, but not breathing down our neck.

Then, one day, about 9 months after we connected with Ernest, only 3 weeks after our first son was born (lol), a house came on the market that we fell in love with.

We texted Ernest: “Hey… it’s a crazy season of life for us right now, but that house you sent over… can we go check it out?”

The rest is history.

Ernest was an A+ realtor from our passive search to active search to offer, negotiations, paperwork, and closing. I’ve since recommended Ernest to my family (twice) and any friends that ask for realtor recommendations.

My parents and my brother and his family all bought their houses from Ernest. He’s basically a Berk at this point!

Interested in chatting with Ernest about your next home adventure? Look no further. You can email him below or simply reply to this newsletter and we’ll connect you personally!

TO DO

Summerville’s Best Parent & Me Art Class with Abstract Adventures

When local mom Jaguar searched for an art class for herself and her toddler, she was surprised to find that none existed in the Summerville area. Thus an amazing business was born, Abstract Adventures!

Abstract Adventures provides weekly Parent & Me art classes for kids ages one through five hosted at Bold Academy in Nexton.

My son and I got to try out a class last month and we absolutely loved it. The theme of the class was “Animal Perspectives” and we had a blast working together to create his peacock (which my son claimed was his favorite animal even though I don’t think he’s ever seen one 😆 ). During the class we practiced color names in English and Spanish with a song, got to play with musical instruments, read a book based on the theme, and then we danced and played with bubbles. It was a really special bonding time with my son. Plus the class sizes are kept small so it was not overwhelming and he got plenty of attention from the instructor.

These classes are an excellent way for your kids to develop social, communication, and creative skills.

Jaguar is extremely thoughtful and intentional with her classes. She picks themes that are both fun and educational for the kids and all the activities for the day support that theme. On the 21st she will have a “Halloween” class where you can collage with pumpkin seeds and make a lantern to display and on the 28th there will be a “Cute and Spooky” class where you will use nature to make a spooky scene and then water and paint to make a skeleton.

There are very limited spots available for these classes at a drop-in rate of $25/class.

Typically month passes (with one class a week) can be purchased for $80/month. Because of holiday breaks, November & December will be combined into one five-week pass for $100.

Register for upcoming sessions here.

Love a giveaway? Abstract Adventures is giving away two art baskets including an LCD writing tablet, a 3D printer paint palette, a Crayola paint set, a brush set, an art storage frame and an Abstract Adventures keychain. Click on the link below to the Instagram post to follow them and enter the giveaway by sharing their page, tagging your friends, and mentioning Palmetto Parents in a DM to them. Winners will be drawn THIS AFTERNOON! 🥳

LOCAL EVENT

Free Corn Maze For the Family!

Our family is so, so excited about this.

Ernest Govan, a Palmetto Parents preferred partner, has generously offered all Palmetto Parents free entry to the West Farms Corn Maze on October 15!

Thank you Ernest!

• Where: West Farm Corn Maze. It will be closed to the public and open to just our agents and your clients! We have asked the venue about a capacity and have been told that there is no capacity since it is closed to the public. With that being said, we want you to invite away!

• When: October 15th

• Time: 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM

• Some of the attractions include: 7.5 acre Corn Maze, Hay ride, Pumpkin barn, Photo ops, Children's play area, Corn kernel box (think ball pit, but make it corn), Apple Slingshot, Picnic area, Farm Zoo: Cows/calves, goats, sheep, ponies, donkeys, pigs, alpacas, and chickens.

🤑 Entry to this event will be covered by Keller Williams Greater Charleston

Food trucks will be onsite for purchase (food is not covered).

Register for your free corn maze adventure now!

Make sure to choose “Ernest Govan” in the drop down menu to have your ticket covered!

PALMETTO PARENTS COMMUNITY

If you haven’t yet, consider joining the Palmetto Parents Community to chat with fellow parents in real time! It’s been awesome getting to actually interact with some other people in the community. We’ll be doing an IRL meet up soon, with details announced in the community group — see you there!

RESTAURANT

First Watch

For pancakes larger than your child, unique twists on breakfast favorites, and a very family friendly experience, First Watch is your place. Every time we go we are surrounded by families (and many with babies, which often makes us feel more at ease with having our own babies). They have an extensive menu that has something for everyone and they always have a seasonal menu.

Currently their seasonal menu includes:

• A honey bacon brussels hash (which I tried and loved)

• A pumpkin pancake breakfast (family member had and loved, shown above)

• A basket of salted caramel holey donuts (haven’t tried but what’s not to love)

Daniel’s favorite thing about First Watch is that when you order a coffee, they give you a full carafe right off the bat. For kids they have substantial portions for $7.59 including giant pancakes, french toast, waffles, bacon/eggs, granola bowls, oatmeal bowls, and grilled cheese. Our son had tried most of them and enjoyed them.

First Watch is located at 1097 North Main St Suite in the Earth Fare/Petco shopping center and is open daily from 7am to 2:30pm.

PALMETTO PIECE

Take the Time for Greetings

At a recent class on marriage Daniel and I attended at our church, we talked about the importance of building great daily communication habits within our family. In the rush of daily life, it's easy to overlook the little things—like a warm greeting when your family walks through the door or starts their day. But those simple "good mornings" and "how was your day?" moments actually carry a lot of weight. Research shows that regular, positive greetings help strengthen relationships and set a tone of respect and care in the home.

A study by the University of Missouri found that families who regularly greet each other with kindness experience stronger emotional connections and report better communication overall. This small, intentional act can serve as a signal that you see, value, and care about each other. And for kids, those greetings create a sense of stability and belonging that they carry with them throughout the day.

So next time your child gets home from school or your partner walks in from work, take a moment to pause, smile, and offer a heartfelt hello. It's a small habit that can build a lasting bond.

Love,

The Berks 👨‍👩‍👦‍👦 

Palmetto Parents is the perfect place for your Summerville business to be put in front of 2,600 local parents — find out how.