Bigelow Tea has an amazing sweepstakes prize to kick off the Hot Tea month (January)! Enter our sweepstakes for your chance to win a 4-day/3-night trip for two to Charleston, S.C., and a visit to our own spectacular Charleston Tea Garden, the largest working tea farm in the continental United States! The approximate retail value of this prize package is $3,200! Yep, we said it was amazing!

Here’s what’s included:

• A 4-day/3-night trip for the winner and one guest to our Charleston Tea Garden, located on Wadmalaw Island just south of historic Charleston.
• Round-trip coach air transportation for 2 between a major commercial airport closest to the winner’s residence, and Charleston, S.C.
• Standard lodging at a Bigelow Tea selected hotel for 3 nights (1 room, based on double occupancy).
• A tour of the fabulous Charleston Tea Garden.
• $500 American Express gift card for expenses.

What an opportunity to visit our unique piece of living history – a 127-acre oasis of camellia sinensis tea plants on picturesque Wadmalaw Island! Plus the winner and a special someone gets to stay in one of America’s most charming and historic cities, Charleston, S.C.! How perfect!  The Bigelow family purchased the tea garden in 2003 and has worked diligently to preserve this unspoiled treasure. You’ll see why the gorgeous grounds are a popular setting for weddings, and you’ll learn about the First Flush FesTEAval, an established Charleston tradition and major event in the USA.

To enter the sweepstakes, simply “like” our Facebook page. Then, while on Facebook, click the sweepstakes tab under our profile picture and enter your name and contact information. That’s it! Enter until January 31^st, and one winner will be chosen in a random drawing on February 1^st.  Good luck to all you Bigelow Tea fans! Happy Hot Tea Month!

Bigelow Tea—and countless tea lovers and music fans—already know that our annual First Flush FesTEAval is a blast, but now the entire nation is going to know it! Our Charleston Tea Plantation’s First Flush FesTEAval has been selected by the American Bus Association as one of the 2012 Top 100 Events in North America!

The ABA’s experienced tourism selection committee has been choosing events for their “top 100” for thirty years. Our tea-lover’s event, which takes place annually on a Sunday in May on Wadmalaw Island in the heart of South Carolina’s Low country, was selected from thousands of nominations across North America!

“The attractiveness of the First Flush FesTEAval as a don’t-miss entertainment value is only part of why its selection this year is such a distinction for the First Flush FesTEAval,” said Peter Pantuso, ABA’s president and CEO. “The real news here is that the First Flush FesTEAval has been recognized…at a time when reenergizing domestic tourism is so important to our spirit and our economy. The honor gives the First Flush FesTEAval an important boost in visibility among professional tour planners.”

The outdoor festival, which celebrates the first tea harvest at our Charleston Tea Plantation, features great music, fantastic foods and the incomparable American Classic iced tea, served in biodegradable corn cups! Last year we were lucky enough to have Grace Potter & the Nocturnals headline the event.

Bigelow Tea is thrilled and honored to have our First Flush FesTEAval named one of 2012’s Top 100 Events – and we look forward to seeing you there next year for the Sixth Annual celebration!

Nothing says spring like the First Flush FesTEAval at the Charleston Tea Plantation, continental America’s only working tea garden! Bigelow Tea is thrilled to announce that Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, an awesome blues-rock band, will headline the 5^th annual FesTEAval on Sunday May 15^th. It’s the perfect opportunity to bring the whole family to picturesque Wadmalaw Island for a unique celebration of seasonal renewal and, of course, tea! By the way, we served more than 7,000 cups of iced American Classic Tea at last year’s event, which drew over 5,000 attendees!

2010 First Flush FesTEAval

Even if you don’t live in South Carolina, our FesTEAval is worth the trip to historic Charleston, especially if you love tea and are interested in how it’s made. Check out Cindi Bigelow’s informative video tour of the Charleston Tea Plantation to get a better idea of what makes it such a special place:

Click here to view the embedded video.

First Flush tea, made from the new leaves of tea plants as they emerge from dormancy every spring is an extra-special brew. In fact, it was once reserved only for royalty! Today, First Flush tea is anxiously awaited by connoisseurs who deem it to be the purest, freshest tea.

And thanks to the FesTEAval, the Charleston Tea Plantation is known as a top destination for the best in live music, entertainment and local cuisine, as well as the tea! The Bridge at 105.5, a local radio station and key sponsor of the FesTEAval, is once again booking a lineup of hot bands. “This station event combines a great location with talent that has gotten better every year,” said The Bridge Operations Manager Mike Allen. “The show has become our most anticipated event!”

So, come join us on May 15^th – advance tickets are available through Etix – and we’ll have the tea pitchers iced, the acoustics set and the fun all fired up!

This year’s 4^th annual First Flush FesTEAval was amazing!!!…

The weather was perfect, in the mid 80’s and sunny…We could not have asked for a better day!  Excitement filled the air as we opened the gates at 10:00am on Sunday morning, but little did we know that by 3:30 that afternoon we would be announcing that we were closed to all guests without pre-purchased tickets.  Yes, that is right!…At 3:30 The Bridge at 105.5 announced to all of its listeners that the First Flush FesTEAval was SOLD OUT!  We had reached our maximum count of 5,000 plus attendees!  What an amazing site to see!  People and cars covering every inch of the farm… with the exception of the tea fields, of course!

People danced to the music, soaked in the sun, and enjoyed over 7,000 cups of iced American Classic Tea we had prepared for them!  We thought 7,000 cups would be plenty, but much to our surprise this tea loving group wiped out our entire supply by 1:00 that afternoon.  We found ourselves scrambling to brew enough tea to satisfy their demands!  We did it though!…Thanks to the hard work of our Charleston Tea Plantation staff and event volunteers, we were able to keep the tea flowing!

This year’s First Flush offered more entertainment than year’s past.  Not only did guests get to enjoy the music of well known performers like Crowfield, Cory Chisel and headliner Robert Randolph and The Family Band, but they were also treated to sounds of local artists presented by Mark Bryan’s (Grammy award winning guitarist/songwriter for Hootie & The Blowfish) Chucktown Music Group.  This included Amber Caparas, John Wesley Satterfield, Mac Leaphart and Mark Bryan himself.  However, to no one’s surprise, it was Robert Randolph that brought the house down with his unique style of music!  Even people who weren’t familiar with the sounds of a his famous pedal steel guitar danced and grooved to the beat!

Guests also enjoyed local cuisine and shopped the wares of Charleston artists.  Needless to say, there was something for everyone, even the kids!  The Spider Jump was a huge hit again this year and children and parents loved the new additions to the kids’ area: face painting, pony rides and Beaufort the Rescue Mule!

We can’t say it enough, this year’s First Flush FesTEAval was AMAZING!!!

A big THANKS to everyone involved in making this the best First Flush FesTEAval to date!!! Our entire Plantation staff plus over 35 event volunteers were the true heart and soul of it all!  THANK YOU again for your support, and we look forward to next year!

Cara Valentine, Charleston Tea Plantation.

Photos provided by Mark Snowberger

‘First flush’ is all about the tender, new tea leaves that are plucked in the first growing season of each year. It’s a celebration of spring, a celebration of life, and a celebration of all things tea. But you can count on this unique festival to provide even more than recognizing the first harvest at our Tea Garden (the only working Tea Garden in the country). Aside from learning first-hand how our tea is produced at the plantation factory, you can also enjoy music, food, trolley rides through the picturesque fields, and simply sitting back and relaxing in the beautiful surroundings. Bring your blanket!

This year again, the music is a fantastic lineup of recording artists. Check out Robert Randolph & the Family Band, Cory Chisel, Crowfield, and Mark Bryan (multi-platinum and Grammy award winning guitarist/songwriter for Hootie & The Blowfish). All will perform along with the Chucktown Music Group, Amber Caparas, John Wesley Satterfield, and Mac Leaphart. Add all to all of that entertainment to the games and fun just for the kids, the delectable local cuisine and complimentary iced American Classic First Flush Tea served all day long, and you know there’s something or everyone!

We look forward to seeing you Sunday at Wadmalaw Island! Don’t miss the chance to join us in celebrating the start of American Classic tea’s harvest season, and have a great day with Bigelow Tea!

Fairfield, CT, May 4, 2010 – Nothing says SustainabiliTEA like the beginning of the 2010 crop harvest in America’s largest tea garden! To celebrate the new harvest, Bigelow Tea’s very own Charleston Tea Plantation, in collaboration with The Bridge at 105.5, will host the 4^th Annual First Flush FesTEAval on Sunday, May 16^th, 2010, 11am – 6pm. The event is a fun-filled, one-of-a-kind “island celebration” – attracting residents and visitors from Charleston and surrounding areas to the charming Wadmalaw Island. Festivities will include live music, local art, trolley rides, mouthwatering cuisine and, of course, plenty American Classic Tea!

The First Flush FesTEAval, named for the tea garden’s “first flush” of new growth harvested in the spring after a winter’s rest, is an exuberant celebration honoring the production of the most singular and splendid cup of tea! American Classic Tea is harvested from the Camellia Sinensis tea plants, lovingly grown on the plantation’s 127 acres.

“We look forward to this event each year as we gather to celebrate a new season of tea in our exquisite tea garden. Of course, the real host of this occasion is Mother Nature, herself! We’re thankful for her bounty and toast to her while sipping American Classic Tea,” said Cindi Bigelow, President of Bigelow Tea.

For more FesTEAval info, visit www.charlestonteaplantation.com.

About Bigelow Tea Company

100% family owned Fairfield, Connecticut-based Bigelow Tea pioneered the specialty tea category 65 years ago. Bigelow takes pride in its heritage and successful growth from a one-product, entrepreneurial venture into America’s leading specialty tea company. The Bigelow Tea line includes more than 100 varieties of flavored, traditional, green tea, organic, herbal, decaffeinated teas and iced teas– including America’s number one specialty tea flavor, “Constant Comment®.” Also, enjoy the Charleston Tea Plantation located on Wadmalaw Island just south of Charleston, South Carolina which is owned and operated by Bigelow Tea and produces American Classic Tea and products.

Bigelow Tea products are available nationwide and every variety can be found on the company website (www.bigelowtea.com).  Tea lovers will also enjoy the company’s Tea Talk blog, Facebook page and Twitter profile.

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PRESS CONTACT INFO:
Elizabeth April-Fritz
Bigelow Tea
203-334-1212
eafritz@rcbigelow.com

Valorie Luther
Creative Concepts
866.475.5191 x709
vluther@creative-conceptsllc.com

Ahhh…spring! For avid tea drinkers spring means the most anticipated cup of tea is on the way! To celebrate the beginning of the 2010 tea harvest, the Charleston Tea Plantation, along with The Bridge at 105.5, presents the 4^th Annual First Flush FesTEAval! It’s being held Sunday, May 16, 2010 from 11:00am to 6:00pm on Wadmalaw Island, just outside Charleston, South Carolina.

The First Flush FesTEAval is a celebration of the Charleston Tea Plantation–America’s only tea garden–and its popular American Classic Tea product line. And there’s more to the festival than the exciting first flush of the tea harvest: there will also be first-hand demonstrations of how tea is made at the plantation factory, trolley rides through the plantation’s picturesque tea fields, and rolling out your blanket to relax to the sounds of Warner Brother’s recording artist Robert Randolph & the Family Band!

The event also features entertainment from national recording artist Cory Chisel and homegrown artist Crowfield. And, Mark Bryan–the multi-platinum and Grammy award winning guitarist/songwriter from Hootie & The Blowfish, will showcase the Chucktown Music Group. Other local artists’ include Amber Caparas, John Wesley Satterfield, and Mac Leaphart. It’s as wide a selection of great music and fun as there are American Classic Teas!

There will also be games for the kids, local cuisine favorites and yes, complimentary iced American Classic First Flush Tea for everyone! It just doesn’t get any better than the annual First Flush celebration!

Bigelow Tea and the Charleston Tea Plantation cordially invite you to bring the whole family out to Wadmalaw Island on May 16^th, and join us in celebration of American Classic Tea’s harvest season!

PRESENT THE 4^th ANNNUAL FIRST FLUSH FESteaVAL

• CELEBRATING AMERICA’S ONLY TEA GARDEN •

March 22, 2010-Wadmalaw Island, SC- The Charleston Tea Plantation and The Bridge at 105.5 are pleased to announce the musical line up for the 4^th annual First Flush FesTEAval to be held on SUNDAY, May 16, 2010 from 11:00am to 6:00pm.  This year’s headliner is Warner Brothers recording artist Robert Randolph & the Family Band.  The event will also feature musical entertainment from national recording artist Cory Chisel and homegrown Bridge artist Crowfield.

In addition to the main stage, Mark Bryan’s Chucktown Music Group will be showcasing local acoustic artists including Amber Caparas, John Wesley Satterfield, Mac Leaphart and Mark Bryan himself.  Bryan, the multi-platinum and Grammy award winning guitarist/songwriter for Hootie & the Blowfish, is thrilled to present some of the area’s top local musical talents at this year’s First Flush.

Dedicated to the commencement of the 2010 crop harvest, the First Flush FesTEAval is a celebration of America’s ONLY tea garden and its popular product line, American Classic Tea.  The festival name, First Flush, is defined as the growth of new leaves on the tea plants in the spring time after a winter of rest. Their “first flush” of new growth is harvested to produce what avid tea drinkers deem to be the most unique, fresh, and amazing cup of tea.  However, the festival is not just about tea!  Residents from Charleston and all neighboring towns trek to picturesque Wadmalaw Island to enjoy music, entertainment, art, and local cuisine.  This year’s vendors include M&C Catering (Mike’s Boiled Peanuts), T&T’s Original Kettle Korn, Irvin House Vineyard, the Folly Beach Artist Guild and many more, as well as fun games for the kids like the spider jump and jump castle.  It is undoubtedly an event for all ages…Fun for the whole family!

The Bridge at 105.5 has played an important role in growing the First Flush FesTEAval into one of the best music events on the 2010 calendar.  “This station event combines a great location with talent that has gotten better every year.  The show has become our most anticipated event.  I’ve been fielding calls about the 2010 First Flush since December” says The Bridge Operations Manager Mike Allen.  Adds Music Director Joel Frank, “There is not a better place to be in the spring time than at the Charleston Tea Plantation!  The community feeling of the First Flush works perfectly with our drive to provide Charleston with the best music, live and on the radio.  A day of Gospel, Blues, Rock N Roll and fresh local tea is what spring time in the Lowcountry is all about.”

Come experience the beauty and charm of the Charleston Tea Plantation, American’s ONLY tea garden!  Learn first-hand how tea is made during an informative Factory Tour, take an enjoyable Trolley Ride through the tea fields and help yourself to all of the FREE iced American Classic First Flush Tea you can drink.

Advance tickets are available for special low prices online at www.etix.com. The first 1,055 individual tickets will be sold for $10.  After those are gone or starting April 1^st ticket prices will be $15 and starting May 1^st ticket prices will go up to $20.  They will also be available for $25 on the day of the event at the Plantation entrance. Call 843-559-0383 or check out www.charlestonteaplantation.com and www.1055thebridge.com for more details. Kids 6 and under get in FREE.  Buy your tickets today…They are going fast and this event can sell out!

*Production and staging for the event will be provided by Other Brother Entertainment.*

The Charleston Tea Plantation is the home of American Classic Tea, the ONLY tea grown and produced in America.  Located on Wadmalaw Island, the Plantation grounds include 127 acres of  Camellia Sinensis tea plants, an operating tea factory, and a charming Plantation Gift Shoppe, where visitors can purchase  numerous varieties of American Classic Tea.  Also available to guest s is an adventurous and  educational Trolley Ride, which tours the grounds while telling the story of the Plantation and its ongoing effort to produce American grown tea. For additional information, please visit www.charlestonteaplantation.com or call 843-559-0383.

Tomorrow the FesTEAval will be featuring local artists from the Folly Beach Artist Guild, lots of tasty foods, games for the kids and plenty of live music — including headline act Shawn Mullins. Also rocking the First Flush Stage will be Alternate Routes, hailed by Performing Songwriters as having “an unfailing melodic and soulful touch,” and you’ll want to catch Charleston’s own Jay Clifford, who has toured the world showing off his soulful voice. Rounding out the day’s lineup is Virginia’s own Sons of Bill, bringing their love of music to Wadmalaw Island and the FesTEAval.

The Charleston Tea Plantation invites you to bring the whole family to tomorrow’s event and join Bigelow Tea in celebrating the start of American Classic tea’s harvest season! Take part in this singular experience, and yes, you can enjoy all of the American Classic Iced Tea that you care to drink!

America’s One and Only Tea Garden to Host Annual Harvest Event

Fairfield, CT, May 13, 2009 – What better way to welcome the beginning of the 2009 crop harvest than to have a fabulous celebration at America’s ONLY tea garden! Back by popular demand, the 3^rd Annual First Flush FesTEAval will take place in just a few days – on May 16^th. Hosted by Bigelow Tea’s very own Charleston Tea Plantation, in collaboration with The Bridge at 105.5, this unique and exciting “island celebration” attracts residents and visitors from Charleston and surrounding areas to the charming Wadmalaw Island – all unable to resist the promise of a fun-filled day complete with live music, local art, mouthwatering cuisine and, of course, plenty of American Classic Tea!

The First Flush FesTEAval, so named because of the tea garden’s “first flush” of new growth harvested in the spring after a winter of rest, joyously celebrates (as local tea aficionados will enthusiastically attest) the production of the most fresh and glorious cup of tea ever!

“We are so delighted that people flock from near and far every year to celebrate a new season of tea at our extraordinary tea garden! The Charleston Tea Plantation and the First Flush FesTEAval represent everything that Bigelow Tea lives for – reverence for nature and the bounty she bestows, the gathering of family and friends, and, of course, tea,” said Cindi Bigelow, President of Bigelow Tea.

Come join us!

For more FesTEAval info, visit www.charlestonteaplantation.com.

About Bigelow Tea Company

100% family owned Fairfield, Connecticut-based Bigelow Tea pioneered the specialty tea category more than 60 years ago. Bigelow takes pride in its heritage and successful growth from a one-product, entrepreneurial venture into America’s leading specialty tea company. The Bigelow Tea line includes more than 80 varieties of flavored, traditional, green, organic, herbal, decaffeinated teas and iced teas- including America’s number one specialty tea flavor, “Constant Comment®”. Also, enjoy the Charleston Tea Plantation located on Wadmalaw Island just south of Charleston, South Carolina which is owned and operated by Bigelow Tea and produces American Classic Tea and products.

Bigelow Tea products are available nationwide and every variety can be found on the company website (www.bigelowtea.com). Tea lovers will also enjoy the company’s blog (www.bigelowteablog.com).

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PRESS CONTACT INFO:
Elizabeth April-Fritz
Bigelow Tea
203-334-1212
eafritz@rcbigelow.com

Julie Dolan
Creative Concepts
203.259.4202
jdolan@creative-conceptsllc.com