Good Times & Great Food at the Daniel Island Oyster Roast

After a long awaited reprieve from “Old Man Winter”, more than 300 guests from Daniel Island and throughout the Lowcountry headed to the Pierce Park Pavilion for the annual Daniel Island Oyster Roast on Saturday, February 20. The afternoon boasted warm temperatures, and the evening could not have been more perfect as the temperatures slightly cooled and the sun set over the Wando River as guests enjoyed the beautiful river and marsh views from the Pavilion.

Barbara McLaughlin, Manager of Community Services for the Daniel Island POA and event organizer, came away extremely pleased. “It was apparent that oysters were the main draw to the event, where Southern charm and gentility were pervasive! It was great seeing all of those die-hard oyster lovers jockeying themselves to find that open niche at the Oyster Roast tables that were full from start to finish.”

The event was catered by Dixieland Delights Catering, who prepared delicious local oysters and old favorites like macaroni-and-cheese, homemade chili and hot dogs. Local Band, Just Doesn’t Matter, rocked the stage and entertained the crowd by playing everyone’s favorite party music!

And to top it all off, for the first time, the event benefited East Cooper Community Outreach (ECCO) so organizers were able to help ECCO’s cause while also offering guests an affordable “one price covers all” oyster roast. The partnership between the Daniel Island Property Owners Association and ECCO proved to be a win-win for event organizers and guests!

“ECCO was honored to be a part of an event like this and grateful for the growing relationship with Daniel Island. Not only do we receive the generosity of the Daniel Island POA, but we were able to introduce so many new people to ECCO,” said Ann Ward, Director of Development for ECCO. “When I checked the weather report earlier in the week, I was astounded to see that Saturday was going to be sunny, in the 60s with 0% chance of rain! I called Barbara and we agreed this could be the best event ever!”

“There was just such a happy and light atmosphere to the whole event. Everyone loved the food and the music, and people seemed to be engrossed in joyful conversations all over the place,” said Ann. “While I was weaving in and out of the crowds, people kept stopping me and saying, ‘I’ve been meaning to come volunteer at ECCO, I am coming by this week.’ Sharing our mission with the community is what allows us to continue and grow our programs.”

“Everything worked our perfectly,” agreed Barbara and Ann. They were both extremely happy with the results of the partnership. They felt in the end that the oyster roast was a success – “a fun event with an incredible price for an outstanding cause!”