Cocktails & Conversation Event Jumpstarts the Southern C Summit

Kick off the Southern C Summit in style! Join summit sponsors Jekyll Island Authority and Southern Living for the Cocktails & Conversations celebration to jumpstart the three-day Southern C Summit conference, being held Wednesday May 1 to 3.

For the Wednesday evening of chatting and sipping, the masterminds behind the Jekyll Island Club Hotel kitchen have teamed with the creative powers of the Southern Living test kitchen to present a stunning night of sensational cocktails with gourmet delicacies that will set the mood for a glamorous three days of learning, laughing and living it up (Southern) island style.

Award-winning chef Abigail Hutchinson of the Jekyll Island Club Hotel has mapped out a menu of great detail, including hot and cold dishes both plated and passed, all set to pair perfectly with Southern Living’s selection of drinks.

The Dogwood Cocktail, a refreshing, grapefruit-tinted punch with hints of floral, will be served alongside a cold, passed dish of mango crab salad on crostinis, as well as a hot lime-grilled chicken flatbread with goat cheese and sun-dried tomatoes. Over in the Mexican Sangria corner, a cocktail that’s a sassy mix of fruit flavors, Hutchinson has planned to serve a cool, grilled steak and guacamole tostada, as well as warm chile and cheese flauatas. For the Blackberry Syrup sipper, a sweet, summery concoction, the chef has paired a peach shrimp with smoked bacon cheese in a choux puff, and a dark chocolate and almond truffle. And, of course, the staple Jekyll Island dish- shrimp and grits- will be served throughout the evening.

The summit kick-off evening likewise will feature a Question & Answer session with some of Southern media’s most influential women. Attending the event will be three Southern Living editors: Erin Shaw Street, senior editor of Travel & Integrated Content; Jessica Thuston, executive editor of Homes, Gardens & Style; and Stephanie Granada, associate editor of Travel & Living. These three women will be on hand to chat and mingle, as well as provide advice and insight into the world of Southern Living and its wide, captive audience.

Aside from drinking, dining and networking, event attendees will also be treated to photo opportunities thanks to the Pixel Pop set-up. This photo booth of folly provides clever accessories and attire for guests to snap a pic of their friends to create lasting memories of this whimsical evening event.

“The Southern C Summit is not your typical, traditional conference,” said Cheri Leavy, co-founder of The Southern Coterie and the associated summit. “There will be plenty of time for educational experiences and networking, but we’re also going to celebrate the South and its emergence into both social and mainstream media. This is three days to showcase the newest trends in this business, as well as enjoy the company of liked-minded Southern writers and creators. It’s simply going to be a blast, and we’re confident all attendees will walk away with a new, more advanced outlook on their work.”

The Cocktails & Conversations event will be held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 1, at the historic Morgan Center in the Jekyll Island National Historic Landmark District. The eventful evening will be produced as a collaboration between The Southern Coterie, Southern Living, the Jekyll Island Authority and the Jekyll Island Club Hotel. Entrance is included with the summit registration packet.

Attendance for the inaugural summit is limited and registration is $375. To register, visit www.thesoutherncsummit.com. Please note, for every ticket sold, a $10 donation will be made to Southern Foodways Alliance or Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

For a list of marketing mavens and social media authorities who will dig into the South’s online landscape, please visit here.

About The Southern Coterie

Founded by Cheri Harden Leavy and Whitney Wise Long, The Southern Coterie is the social network of the South, an online community where Southerners and all those who love the South can connect, congregate and converse about the things that matter most. The Southern Coterie celebrates the traditions and heritage of the South as well as the modern trends and new ideas which create the current Southern landscape.

The Southern Coterie provides a place to learn, ask questions and share experiences. Leavy and Long launched The Southern Coterie in July 2012, out of their love and zest for any and everything Southern. To contact the founders or the network’s “C-Team” of contributors, send an email to teamtsc@thesouthernc.com.

About Jekyll Island

Located in the Golden Isles, Jekyll Island is rich in history, but celebrated as a place of retreat, sanctuary and balance that has attracted guests for more than 125 years. On the island, guests can enjoy 10 miles of beach, more than 2o miles of bicycle trails, four golf courses, a history museum, Georgia Sea Turtle Center, tennis center, Summer Waves water park, wildlife viewing platforms and many other cultural and eco-tourism opportunities.

In 2012, the island celebrated the completion the Jekyll Island Convention Center, the only oceanfront convention center in the Southeast. With more than 78,000 square feet of meeting space, this charmingly designed facility makes full use of sustainable conservation, modern technology and alternate energy tactics. Visit www.jekyllisland.com or call 877.4.JEKYLL for more information.