Nearly two dozen Charleston houses of worship on Sunday, May 15th will open their doors to residents and visitors interested in learning more about the culture and faith of congregations lining the Holy City's streets, marking the Spirited Brunch's return to an in-person format following a two-year COVID hiatus. The event, which is free and open to the public, runs from 12:30 pm to 3:30 pm.
Approximately 700 people participated in the last self-guided food tour, which was jointly created in 2017 by food writer Hanna Raskin and College of Charleston religion professor Elijah Siegler to strengthen community ties and highlight the area's culinary history. Each participating congregation is asked to serve a snack representative of its religious beliefs or local traditions.
In 2019, tour goers were treated to chai tea at the Charleston Tibetan Society, hoppin' John at Mt. Zion AME Church, hummus at the Central Mosque of Charleston, and slices of pound cake at Trinity United Methodist Church.
“We've walked past here a million times, and never knew its history,” Thalia Gerard, a tourgoer who visited Mt. Zion, said. “This brings it all together: The history, the food, the culture. It was a treat, it really was.” Also among the attendees were Mayor John Tecklenburg and his wife, Sandy. “The most touching element was the bringing together of so many faith backgrounds, which is so important,” he said.
Houses of worship along the route are affiliated with Catholicism, Protestantism, Judaism, the Baha'i faith, and Greek Orthodox Church, among other denominations. A complete map with detailed menus is available online here.
The College of Charleston's Religious Studies Department will again staff a central event hub on campus. They'll be joined at the Alumni Center by delegates from congregations located off the peninsula, allowing for a greater diversity of featured religious practices, including Sikhism and Hinduism, as well as foods to sample.
Also this year, Spirited Brunch is collaborating with Charleston's Foundation for Spirituality and the Arts to support a visit by Indonesian artist Arahmaiani , who will be parading the route with flags promoting harmony.
“We're very excited to provide Charlestonians with this delicious opportunity to get to know their neighbors,” said organizer Hanna Raskin, editor and publisher of The Food Section .
