We see it take place bigtime on Tuesdays, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., as the Farmers & Makers Market unfolds in the lovely plaza of The Shops at Sea Pines Center. The smiles and the greetings reveal that old friends and new are gathering here, not only for the fresh produce and artisan crafts, but also to find out what’s especially fun to do this week.

With all the fashions, food, jewelry, art, moonshine, fine wine, and fun to be discovered among The Shops at Sea Pines Center, the first thing people told us was about how people go there to find out what’s going on – in Sea Pines, or anywhere around America’s favorite island.

The sunny plaza here sees visitors who’ve been tipped off with inside information, seasonal residents who want to plug back in to what’s happening, even year-round Sea Pines dwellers who just find that this is the best touchstone for staying in touch, a kind of crossroads for information and updates.

A Certain Kind of Celebration

The reason we hijacked the word rendezvous from the French was because it described just this kind of celebration. Wandering French trappers in the west converged to cash in their finds with fur traders, and this functional step in commerce became quite a wingding. They called it rendezvous, and as the first chance in months to swap knowledge and stories, alongside goods, it went well beyond just the time of transactions.

Our French connection here on America’s favorite vacation island is something we came by honestly. Since Capt. Jean Ribault, a French Huguenot, arrived at Port Royal in the early 16^th century, and Gaspard de Chatillon, Comte de Coligny, led a revolt against early Spanish rule, our French influence in Hilton Head can be seen in street names. Much more pleasant than a history lesson, though, is the custom of rendezvous that we see alive and well among The Shops at Sea Pines Center.

We Made It Our Own

The ways of rendezvous might be adjusted but the extraordinary interest is just as strong. When the Farmers & Makers Market reopened for the season last spring, the response was immediate, even better than ever. People from here, there, and everywhere stroll through The Shops at Sea Pines Center still, and farm-to-market vegetables are just the beginning of the attraction.

Contact and community are the real, overall attractions of any farmers’ market. Whether it’s here, in Buckhead, or on Melrose Avenue in Hollywood, you can feel that the energy, the interest, and the human contact itself is a kind of celebration in its own right, over and above what people might find and buy.

Even Clearer Today

The difference between “virtual” and real has never been more apparent than today. It’s clear that the need to connect is as great as ever and that people here in Sea Pines are finding new ways to do that.

Thanks to the untiring efforts and adaptations of merchants, restauranteurs, and staff, the Shops at Sea Pines Center offers a place to make that connection on Tuesdays and every day. We will be ready when you are.