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Highlight of Summer
Written By: Marlene Osteen | Issue: July 2023
It’s a taste of the Gulf, deep in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains –the Low Country Shrimp Boil will be staged at Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park in Highlands, Saturday, July 15.
On July 15, the Friends of Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park will once again sponsor the annual Low Country Shrimp Boil, when anyone interested in feasting on shrimp is welcome.
There’s a good reason the event is considered one of the highlights of the Highlands summer. For those who appreciate the unique combination of culinary tradition, the comradery of friends, and communing with nature, there can be no more enjoyable way to spend an evening.
And then there’s the food. The Low Country Boil is a highly seasoned stew made up of sausage, shrimp, and potatoes. It is a delicious, one-pot feast of summer’s best offering. And no one makes it better than Highlands’ chef Marty Rosenfield, who has been preparing the dish since the event’s launch six years ago. And, as the legions of fans who attend every year will tell you, it is spectacularly delicious.
Also, on the agenda is classic 80’s tribute music performed by the Asheville-based band LazrLuvr. Included in the $80 per person admission are grilled vegetables, dessert, tea, and two tickets for beer and wine.
All the festivities are in support of fundraising for the park – the only one of the year. Fifteen years in the making and now the showpiece of downtown Highlands, Founders Park opened in 2016. It was thanks to the persistence of a local committee and planning and fundraising by more than 300 volunteers that the land was transformed into what is now an urban oasis.
As Bill Edwards, Event Coordinator, explained; “The funds raised are used to finance park projects, and all proceeds are used for beautification of the park, and every net dollar is used for that purpose.” Among the past and future projects are tree trimming, flora enhancement, installation of the chimney and plaques, and new tables. The town of Highlands, which owns the park, is responsible for maintenance, and Friends of Founders takes care of everything else.
The event is tented and held rain or shine. “Doors” open at 5:00, and dinner is served at 6:00 PM. Tickets, which are limited to 325, are available at The Dry Sink on Main Street and the Founders Park website: foundersparkhighlands.org. Prospective attendees are advised to purchase tickets in advance because, as Edwards said, “support for the event is beyond expectations, and due to its purpose, quality, and value, we sell out every year.”
