CHARLESTON & SAVANNAH

Charleston and Savannah are two iconic Southern cities that are preserved in time and are quintessential examples of charm and hospitality. Both cities have played a large role in the history of the United States from Civil War battles to the nation’s fight for equality.

Charleston – a seaport city in the state of South Carolina features an historic downtown that lies on a peninsula formed by two rivers, Ashley and Cooper, flowing into the Atlantic, and protected from the open ocean by surrounding islands. Charleston was captured in the Civil War without much property damage, so the historic part of town has buildings that are hundreds of years old. The current downtown skyline, with practically no tall buildings due to the city’s height restriction ordinance, is dominated by church steeples and the stunning Arthur Ravenel cable-stay bridge completed in 2005 over the Cooper River. The city is a major port on the eastern seaboard and a popular destination for domestic and international tourists.

Savannah – the historic riverside birthplace of Georgia, was settled in 1733 by British colonists led by General James Oglethorpe and Colonel William Bull. In 1864, when General William Tecumseh Sherman marched in, the mayor of Savannah gave Sherman’s men run of the city in exchange for leaving it untouched. As a result, Savannah is one of the few major cities in the South with Southern charm and architecture remaining intact. Savannah has the largest national historic districts in the country.

The National Festival of the States is an annual concert series developed by Music Celebrations in various cities throughout the United States. These performance tours are supported by local government offices, community organizations, tourist boards, and the like. Such affiliations offer a more memorable musical, cultural and educational experience for recommended ensembles (both instrumental and vocal) to perform in different venues in the most historic cities and celebrate the founding, history, and institutions of the United States! Music Celebrations has been successfully organizing the National Festival of the States concert series for over 20 years.