Riley carries torch for First Day Fest

Tyrone Walker
The Post and Courier

Terrie Washington (from left), Catie Donnelly and Mallary Scheef unbox pencils and other school supplies so volunteers at Gaillard Auditorium can bag them for children at the First Day Festival.

The way Charleston Mayor Joe Riley sees it, a comparison can be drawn between the first day of school and the Olympics.

Students are the community's Olympic athletes, and as they prepare to return to classrooms, everyone should be behind them, cheering them on, he said.

One way the city supports its students going back to school is by hosting its Sixth annual First Day Festival, which will take place Sunday from 1 until 4 p.m. at Liberty Square, near the South Carolina Aquarium and the Charleston Maritime Center. The first day of school in Charleston is Tuesday.

"This is part of our effort in making sure the community celebrates the first day of school," he told the Charleston County School Board this week.

Students and their families are invited to the free festival to receive free school supplies, information about services for students, entertainment and food.

The festival had an estimated 8,000 children and parents in attendance last year, and Riley predicted it will be "even bigger this year." Activities that will be offered include: tours of the aquarium, free boat rides, child safety and prevention information, face painting; sailing; tours of the Fort Sumter Museum and fishing. Parking is available at the aquarium and Gaillard garages for $1.

Riley also asked parents to take their children to school on the first day, and he planned to give city employees two hours to help their children start "on the right foot," he said. He asked other businesses to do the same.

One of the new aspects of the First Day Festival this year was a competition for students to design a logo to describe the festival and its mission. The winning logo will be used on materials for the 2009 First Day Festival, and the top 25 logo designs will be on display at the festival. Riley will unveil the winning logo and honor the student designer at the festival between 1 and 1:30 p.m.

This also is the first year festival organizers have made efforts to be more environmentally friendly. Keep Charleston Beautiful will provide recycling bins for paper, plastic, aluminum and cardboard. Fisher Recycling will have compost bins to collect food waste, and Charleston Water Systems will provide four water tanks, and attendees will be asked to refill water bottles and cups instead of using disposable bottled waters.

Reach Diette Courrégé at 937-5546 or dcourrege@postandcourier.com.