My husband and I have been together forever.  We’ve had the luxury of growing together in Charleston through our 20’s, 30’s and now into our 40’s.

From time to time, we’ll stroll down a cobblestone street, pass by an old-school hangout, or encounter a blast from the past that reminds us of those early days.  John Cusatis is one of those reminders.

Back in the late 90’s, we often used to meet our crew of friends for happy hour at one of our favorite spots.  On a sunny spring afternoon, we were piled around a table on the patio of Charleston Pizza Kitchen, enjoying our time together and the dollar beers.

John Cusatis set up his equipment nearby, and began to perform for a growing crowd of 20-somethings.  As the evening progressed, John pulled out a collection of instruments for the peanut gallery, including washboards, maracas, tambourines, cowbells, kazoos, etc.  This girl loves a tambourine and about every song on his playlist.  What a fun night!

Fast forward a decade or two… John Cusatis continues to play throughout Charleston and still brings along instruments for audience participation.  He is incredibly philanthropic, so often donates his time and talent to serve our community.

You can find John this weekend, strumming at the 9th Annual Teddy Bear Picnic at Hampton Park.  Other activities include face painting, seed planting, cookie decorating, crafts and hula hooping. The afternoon wraps up with a teddy bear parade.

Families are invited to bring a picnic lunch, blankets and chairs to enjoy an afternoon in the park. Food will be available for purchase from Dish & Design and King of Pops.

The rain date for the event is Sunday, March 15; information will be available on Facebook/Twitter in the case of inclement weather. For more information, visit www.charlestonparksconservancy.org.

For me, the highlight of the event will surely be my blast from the past, John Cusatis.