It's Spoleto time

Ah, Spoleto and Piccolo Spoleto. This month, I'm thankful Charleston Scene is part of the Post and Courier because coverage of both festivals is spread throughout the paper. There wouldn't be enough pages to get everything in here.

There was a separate Spoleto tab that printed last week, and you will see coverage every day in the P&C. Most of it will come from our saviors: 19 students from Syracuse University who are in a journalism program.

This time of year always makes me look at Charleston in a different way. Our city will burn even brighter than it usually does. Piccolo and Spoleto burst with color. Do yourself a favor and see as many shows as you can.

Thursday and Friday // Turner Padget, 40 Calhoun St.

The five offices of the Turner Padget law firm will host a fundraiser and bake sale benefiting Lowcounty Orphan's Relief in the downstairs lobby of Turner Padget's Charleston location, 40 Calhoun St. (at East Bay and Calhoun streets), 8-9:30 a.m. and 12:30-2 p.m. Thursday and Friday. Breakfast and dessert items will be offered. Financial contributions, as well as donations of the following badly needed items, will be appreciated: gift cards, new socks and underwear, diapers and disposable training pants, book bags and school supplies (marble composition books, spiral notebooks, paper, binders, pencils and paper, report covers, etc .). Call 576-2820.

9 p.m. // Sunday // Halligan's, 3025 Ashley Town Center, Suite 201 // $12, $15

Yannis Pappas has been featured on Comedy Central, plus has had appearances on VH1's "Best Week" and BET's "106th and Park." He is the co-creator of Ditch Films (www.DitchFilms.com) and toured Europe in fall 2009 with 30 shows in four countries. Another tour is slated for September, highlighted by several one-man shows in Denmark. His character, Mr. Panos, was created less than a year ago and has drawn audience members to each show in 2010 in eight states where Pappas has performed stand-up comedy. He's bringing the act to Halligan's at 9 p.m. Sunday with Soul Joel, Maddog Mattern and Travis Howze. Admission is $12 in advance and $15 at the door.

Friday-June 13 // Charleston

Accdording to its website, Piccolo Spoleto "is the perfect complement to the international scope of its parent festival and its 700 events in 17 days, transforms Charleston into an exhilarating celebration of performing, literary and visual arts." This year's festival features something for everyone: theater, dance, poetry, visual arts and more. Get a full schedule online at www.piccolospoleto.com.