Easter 2027 is Sunday, March 28. The city's free egg hunts at eight parks, Magnolia Plantation's hunt, downtown church services and what to expect.

Last checked Oct. 12, 2026. This page is updated each year at the same address. Egg hunt details come from the City of Charleston Recreation Department’s 2026 Spring and Summer Recreation Guide and each organizer’s own page, linked below. Recreation questions: 843-724-7327.

Easter 2027 is Sunday, March 28. Charleston County School District’s spring break runs the following week, Monday, March 29, to Friday, April 2. The city’s 2027 egg hunts have not been announced yet; below are the 2026 dates so you know what to expect, and the page will be updated when the spring 2027 guide comes out, usually in January.

Who to call

  • City Recreation Department (egg hunts): 843-724-7327
  • Citizen Services Desk: 843-724-7311
  • St. Michael’s Church: 843-723-0603
  • St. Philip’s Church: 843-722-7734

City egg hunts

The Recreation Department runs a string of free egg hunts at playgrounds and recreation centers across the city in the days before Easter. No registration was needed for most of them. These were the 2026 events, from the city’s 2026 Spring and Summer Recreation Guide:

2026 date Event Where Ages
Fri. March 27, 6 to 8 p.m. Easter egg hunt, face painting and crafts Lenevar Playground, West Ashley All
Tue. March 31, 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Easter celebration: craft and bunny scavenger hunt Hazel Parker Playground, 70 East Bay St. All
Wed. April 1, 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Easter Egg-stravaganza Johns Island Park 10 and under
Thu. April 2, 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Easter Egg-stravaganza McMahon Playground 12 and under
Fri. April 3, 10 a.m. to noon Easter Song and Story, with an egg hunt and Easter Bunny photos Daniel Island Recreation Center 5 and under
Fri. April 3, 4 to 5:30 p.m. Golden egg hunt with music and crafts St. Julian Devine Community Center, 1 Cooper St. All
Sat. April 4, 10 a.m. to noon Easter Egg-stravaganza; hunt starts at 10:15 a.m. James Island Recreation Complex, 1088 Quail Drive 12 and under
Sat. April 4, 2 to 4 p.m. West Ashley Easter, with more than 10,000 eggs Bees Landing Recreation Center, 1580 Ashley Gardens Blvd. 12 and under

The city also held an Easter “Crafternoon” at Moultrie Playground on March 25, 2026. All of these were free. Bring a basket: the James Island hunt starts on time, the guide says.

The 2027 schedule will be in the spring 2027 recreation guide on the city’s Recreation page. Easter falls a week earlier in 2027, so expect the hunts to move up too, but wait for the city’s own dates.

Magnolia Plantation and Gardens

Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, 3550 Ashley River Road, held its 17th annual Easter egg hunt on Saturday, March 28, 2026. The hunt is included with admission and free for Magnolia members. In 2026:

  • Ages 9 to 12 hunted at 1:30 p.m., ages 5 to 8 at 2 p.m. and ages 4 and under at 2:30 p.m.
  • There were sack races, crafts, face painting and photos with the Easter Bunny.
  • The event runs rain or shine, and Magnolia asks families to buy tickets in advance and arrive early for parking and check-in.

The 2027 hunt date is not out yet; it will be on Magnolia’s events page.

Easter services downtown

The big downtown churches post Holy Week and Easter service times closer to the date. Until then, these are their regular Sunday times, from each church’s own site:

Church Address Regular Sunday times
Cathedral of St. John the Baptist (Catholic) 120 Broad St. 5:30 p.m. Saturday vigil; 9 a.m. family Mass and 11:15 a.m. solemn Mass Sunday
St. Michael’s Church (Anglican) 71 Broad St. 8, 9 and 11 a.m.; the 11 a.m. service is livestreamed
St. Philip’s Church 142 Church St. 8:15 and 10:30 a.m.

Expect larger crowds and extra services on Easter Sunday; check each church’s page in March.

Brunch

Easter brunch menus and reservations are posted by restaurants themselves, usually a few weeks ahead. We list restaurants that serve brunch every weekend, with links to their own menus, on our brunch in Charleston guide, and we will add Easter menus here as restaurants announce them.

What is open

The city posts a notice on its news page whenever a holiday moves garbage and trash pickup, and Charleston County says its recycling hauler only shifts pickup for the holidays the county lists. Check the city’s CHS TrashTracker and our trash and recycling page before Good Friday.

What this means for you

  • Hold the week before Easter for city egg hunts; the 2027 dates come out in the spring guide.
  • Buy Magnolia tickets early; the hunt is included with admission.
  • School is out the week after Easter, March 29 to April 2.

More: spring break in Charleston, kids’ activities and things to do this month.

Frequently asked questions

When is Easter 2027?

Sunday, March 28, 2027. Charleston County School District’s spring break starts the next day and runs through Friday, April 2.

Does the City of Charleston hold free Easter egg hunts?

Yes. In 2026 the city Recreation Department held eight free Easter events at parks and recreation centers in the week before Easter, most for children 12 and under. The 2027 dates are not out yet.

What is the biggest egg hunt in West Ashley?

The city’s West Ashley Easter at Bees Landing Recreation Center, which promised more than 10,000 eggs, jump castles and face painting. In 2026 it ran from 2 to 4 p.m. on the Saturday before Easter for ages 12 and under.

Is the Magnolia Plantation Easter egg hunt free?

It is included with garden admission and free for Magnolia members. The 17th annual hunt was Saturday, March 28, 2026, with hunts for ages 9 to 12 at 1:30 p.m., 5 to 8 at 2 p.m. and 4 and under at 2:30 p.m.