Annual Events in Charleston, Month by Month

At a glance

• Where: Charleston, South Carolina, mostly downtown and James Island County Park
• Busiest stretch: Spring (March through early June) and the run from October to December
• Dates: Each event repeats in the same month; exact dates change yearly, so check each official site
• Cost: Ranges from free (most Piccolo Spoleto events) to ticketed (Wine + Food, Spoleto, Candlelight Tours)

Charleston's big annual events cluster in two seasons: spring (Charleston Wine + Food in March, the Cooper River Bridge Run and Charleston Jazz Festival in April, Spoleto Festival USA from late May) and the stretch from late September to December (MOJA Arts Festival, Fall Tours of Homes, the Holiday Festival of Lights and the Candlelight Tours). Every event below repeats each year in roughly the same month. We give the usual month, never this year's dates, so confirm exact dates on each official site.

We found nothing we could confirm on an official site for January, February, July or August, so those months are left out rather than padded. If you plan around a February or summer visit, check the Charleston events calendar for what is on.

What are the biggest annual events in Charleston?

The five that anchor the calendar are Charleston Wine + Food (March), Spoleto Festival USA (late May to mid-June), MOJA Arts Festival (late September to early October), the Holiday Festival of Lights (mid-November to New Year's Eve) and the Candlelight Tours (December). Add the Cooper River Bridge Run in April and you have the events most locals plan a year around.

March

Charleston Wine + Food is a festival of tastings, chef demonstrations, classes, wine lunches and music held downtown each March. Tickets are sold on the official site, and the festival offers payment plans and early access to its Friends of the Festival members.

One detail to know before you book: the festival's Shucked event is held at Memorial Waterfront Park in Mount Pleasant, which is outside the City of Charleston. Plan a short drive across the Ravenel Bridge or a rideshare. If you want somewhere to eat before or after, start with the food and dining listings.

April

Cooper River Bridge Run is Charleston's big road race, crossing the Cooper River between Charleston and Mount Pleasant on a Saturday in April. The official site runs the registration, start line and finish festival pages. Even if you don't run, the finish festival is the reason to go.

Charleston Jazz Festival brings concerts in April to venues including Charleston Music Hall and Forte Jazz Lounge. The official site posts the line-up, and shows have included the Charleston Jazz Orchestra alongside touring players.

Lowcountry Cajun Festival is a Saturday of Zydeco music and Cajun and Creole food at James Island County Park, 861 Riverland Drive, Charleston, usually in April. Charleston County Parks lists it on its event page, and ticketing is typically sold per car, so check the page before you go.

May

Charleston Greek Festival runs over a weekend in May at the Greek Orthodox Church of the Holy Trinity, 30 Race Street, Charleston. It typically opens Friday evening and runs through Sunday afternoon. In the most recent edition on its official site, parking was free at the MUSC lot on Fishburne Street with a shuttle, so check for the same arrangement.

Spoleto Festival USA is Charleston's performing arts festival, running about 17 days from late May into mid-June, with opera, theater, dance and chamber, orchestral, choral and jazz music at venues across the city. Composer Gian Carlo Menotti founded it in 1977. Tickets are available through the official site or by phone at (843) 722-2764.

June

Piccolo Spoleto is the festival's companion, produced by the City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs. Its official site lists more than 500 events across six tracks, and most of them are free. That is the tip worth passing on: you can fill a Spoleto week with performances, gallery shows and outdoor events at Marion Square and the Cannon Street Arts Center without buying a single ticket. It usually wraps up in the first week of June, a little earlier than Spoleto Festival USA.

September and October

MOJA Arts Festival is an eight-day celebration of Black arts and culture, produced by MOJA Arts and the City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs. It usually runs from late September into early October. Each year honors the African diaspora, and recent editions have spotlighted Gullah Geechee culture, Barbados, Jamaica and Sierra Leone. See the official site for events and tickets.

Fall Tours are the Preservation Society of Charleston's signature event: walking tours, house and garden tours and in-depth neighborhood tours, typically held in October. The Society has run them for about half a century. Tickets must be bought in advance, online or by phone, and the season brochure on the Fall Tours page has the full schedule. The Society's office is at 147 King Street, Charleston.

November

Holiday Festival of Lights is a drive-through light show at James Island County Park, 861 Riverland Drive, Charleston. It typically opens in mid-November and runs nightly until December 31, from around 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Charleston County Parks says it has more than 750 illuminated displays. Tickets and current hours are on the official page.

The Holiday Festival of Lights at James Island County Park is a three-mile drive, and you can loop it as many times as you like. Park in the marked lot afterward and walk through the winter wonderland area, with a train ride, a carousel, marshmallow roasting and holiday shops. Admission is charged per vehicle, not per person, and the price changes by night, so compare nights on the official page before you choose one. Because it runs nightly for about six weeks, you can pick a date that suits you. Check the official page for ticket details before you drive out.

December

Candlelight Tours of Homes and Gardens is the Preservation Society of Charleston's self-guided evening tour of private homes and gardens with docents on hand, held on an evening in December from about 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Addresses are not published in advance. Ticket holders get their route by email three to five days before. Details are on the Society's site.

Charleston's Holiday Parade and Tree Lighting is organized by the City of Charleston and usually falls on a Sunday in early December. In the latest year we could confirm, the parade stepped off in the afternoon and the tree was lit that evening. The route has started on Broad Street at Rutledge Avenue, run east along Broad, then turned north up Meeting Street to finish at Calhoun Street by Marion Square. Our advice: claim a curb on Meeting Street well before step-off. Look for the notice on the City of Charleston site each year.

How we chose

We started with the five events in our city profile and added others that repeat every year. Each one had to be confirmed on an official or city site, and to take place in Charleston. We left out any event whose official site we could not reach or that showed no recent edition, and noted where an event spills outside the city, as with Shucked in Mount Pleasant. Months with nothing verified are skipped. This guide gives usual months only, as dates move yearly.

Save this: the Charleston events checklist

• March: book Wine + Food events early, because individual events sell out.
• April: choose between the Bridge Run, jazz and Cajun music; they often land in the same few weeks.
• Late May to early June: pair one ticketed Spoleto show with free Piccolo Spoleto events.
• Late September to early October: MOJA Arts Festival.
• October: Preservation Society Fall Tours.
• Mid-November to December 31: Holiday Festival of Lights.
• December: Candlelight Tours, then the Holiday Parade.

Planning tips

Spring and December fill hotels, so book lodging before you buy event tickets. Late summer and early fall carry hurricane season risk, so check the Charleston weather page before an October or late-September trip. For this weekend's listings, see what's on this weekend.

Last verified: November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

What are the biggest annual events in Charleston, SC?

Charleston Wine + Food (March), Spoleto Festival USA (late May to mid-June), MOJA Arts Festival (late September to early October), the Holiday Festival of Lights (mid-November to December 31) and the Candlelight Tours (December) are the main ones. The Cooper River Bridge Run in April is also a major annual draw.

When is Spoleto Festival USA held in Charleston?

Spoleto Festival USA is held each year from late May into mid-June and runs about 17 days. Founded in 1977 by composer Gian Carlo Menotti, it presents opera, theater, dance and music. Check spoletousa.org for current dates and tickets.

Is Piccolo Spoleto free?

Most Piccolo Spoleto events are free, though some performances are ticketed. The City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs produces it, and its site lists more than 500 events across six tracks.

When does the Holiday Festival of Lights start in Charleston?

It typically opens in mid-November and runs nightly through December 31 at James Island County Park, 861 Riverland Drive, Charleston. Charleston County Parks says it has more than 750 illuminated displays. Check ccprc.com for current hours and tickets.

What happens in Charleston in March?

Charleston Wine + Food takes over downtown each March with tastings, chef demonstrations, classes, wine lunches and music. Tickets are sold at chswf.org.

What is MOJA Arts Festival?

MOJA Arts Festival is an eight-day celebration of Black arts and culture in Charleston, usually held from late September into early October. It is produced by MOJA Arts and the City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs.