A Trio of Free Monthly Programs from the Pat Conroy Literary Center
story and photos courtesy of PAT CONROY LITERARY CENTER
The nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center honors the writing and teaching life of Pat Conroy (1945-2016), one of America’s best-loved storytellers, the author of The Water Is Wide, The Great Santini, The Lords of Discipline, The Prince of Tides, and more. The Conroy Center is South Carolina’s only affiliate of the American Writers Museum, second American Library Association Literary Landmark, a multi-year winner of Tripadvisor’s Travelers’ Choice Award, and a winner of Beaufort’s Civitas Award for Tourism Leadership.
Located at 601 Bladen Street in historic downtown Beaufort, the Conroy Center is open to the public for guided tours Thursday through Sunday from noon to 4:00 p.m., or other times by appointment. Three exhibit gallery rooms and two education rooms feature artifacts, artwork, photographs, manuscripts, and other memorabilia from Pat Conroy’s writing and teaching life, highlighting his dozen beloved books and five corresponding film adaptions. Admission is free; donations are always welcome.
The Conroy Center hosts a robust year-round calendar of educational events, including visiting author programs, writing workshops, book club discussions, and lectures, as well as signature events like the annual Pat Conroy Literary Festival, Lowcountry Book Club Convention, Lowcountry Children’s Book Fair, March Forth, and Camp Conroy.
In addition, the Conroy Center also routinely hosts a trio of monthly programs, free and open to the public.
CHILDREN’S TEDDY BEAR PICNIC: This popular community literacy read-aloud program is held on the first Saturday of each month from 9:30 to noon at the Port Royal Farmers Market in Naval Heritage Park. High school and college student volunteers from the DAYLO book clubs read picture books and chapter books to young readers and their families, with free book giveaways, thanks to a donation from the nonprofit Lisa Libraries.
OPEN MIC NIGHT: Beaufort is home to many talented writers, and Open Mic Night is an opportunity to enjoy short readings of original works from a variety of local writers across several genres. A featured guest author closes out each open mic night, held on second Thursdays from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. — in person at the Conroy Center during the even months and virtually during the odd months. For the August 14 Open Mic Night, the guest author will be debut novelist Michael Spake, author of Life Close to the Bone. Copies will be available for sale and signing following his reading.
SILENT BOOK CLUB: Bring your own book for an hour of silent reading, bookended by opportunities to meet fellow readers, share reading recommendations, and take part in a book swap. Silent Book Club has no assigned readings and no book discussion commitments. Gather together, read individually, and enjoy the company of fellow readers in a welcoming literary haven. Cohosted by the DAYLO book club, the Conroy Center, and Silent Book Club organizer Ashley Meijerink, monthly meet-ups are held from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. on second, third, or fourth Saturdays, depending on availability of the Conroy Center. August’s Silent Book Club Beaufort meet-up will be held on August 23.
To learn more about the Conroy Center and its ongoing calendar of literary events, please visit the Center’s newly redesigned website at www.patconroyliterarycenter.org.
