Spoleto Festival USA runs 17 days from Memorial Day weekend. 2026: May 22 to June 7, 116 shows at 12 venues. 2027 dates not yet out. Tickets, parking.

Last checked Oct. 16, 2026. Dates, ticket rules and parking come from Spoleto Festival USA and its festival FAQ. This page is updated for each year’s festival at the same address.

Spoleto Festival USA, Charleston’s international arts festival, runs for 17 days each spring starting Memorial Day weekend. The 2026 festival ran Friday, May 22, through Sunday, June 7, with 116 performances by 445 artists at 12 venues, according to the festival. As of Oct. 16, 2026, the festival had not announced its 2027 dates; its website invites visitors to sign up for 2027 updates. The 2026 season brochure was posted in January 2026, and we will add the 2027 program here when it is out.

Know before you go

  • 2027 dates: not yet announced (2026: May 22 to June 7)
  • Where: about a dozen venues, mostly downtown and within walking distance
  • Tickets: spoletousa.org or the box office, 843-579-3100
  • Fees: $9 processing fee per ticket; $5 per order for printed tickets
  • Refunds: none; exchanges up to 72 hours before a show
  • Main office: 843-722-2764

What Spoleto is

Spoleto Festival USA presents opera, theater, dance, jazz, chamber music, folk and bluegrass, film and more. The 2026 festival covered 26 genres and eight premieres, and the festival reported its strongest ticket sales since 2016. The festival opened its first season in Charleston in 1977, founded by composer Gian Carlo Menotti as an American companion to his festival in Spoleto, Italy, as recounted in a 1977 New York Times report the festival republished.

Performances happen every day of the festival, with the busiest schedules on weekends. Some productions run through the festival and others play one night only, so check dates for any show you do not want to miss.

Venues and where to park

The festival recommends public garages near each venue, plus metered street parking downtown. From its FAQ:

Venue Nearby garages
Charleston Gaillard Center Gaillard Garage, 33 Alexander St.; Aquarium Garage, 24 Calhoun St.
Charleston Music Hall Camden Garage, 35 John St.
College of Charleston Cistern Yard George Street Garage, 34 St. Philip St.; St. Philip Garage, 89 St. Philip St.
Emmett Robinson Theatre and Recital Hall, College of Charleston George Street Garage, 34 St. Philip St.
Sottile Theatre, College of Charleston George Street Garage; St. Philip Garage
Dock Street Theatre Cumberland Street Garage, 90 Cumberland St.; Liberty Center Garage, 21 Horlbeck Alley
Festival Hall Majestic Square Garage, entrance at 151 Market St.
St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church Francis Marion Garage, 399 King St.
TD Arena Francis Marion Garage; George Street Garage

The Cistern Yard concerts are outdoors under the live oaks. If weather moves one indoors, the rain site is the College of Charleston TD Arena, 301 Meeting St., and ticket holders are emailed no later than three hours before showtime. Reserved seats cannot be guaranteed after a venue change. A show postponed for lightning gets an email with instructions.

Tickets and discounts

  • Buying: online, by phone at 843-579-3100, or in person. In 2026 a festival ticket kiosk opened May 18, daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Each venue’s box office opens 90 minutes before showtime on performance days.
  • Seats: pick your own for reserved shows; general admission is first come, first served.
  • Fees: $9 per ticket, including in person; $5 per order for printed or will-call tickets. Some venues add a facility surcharge.
  • Refunds and exchanges: all sales are final. Single-ticket buyers can exchange for a $5 fee per performance up to 72 hours before the show.
  • Groups: 10 or more get 20% off full-price tickets for selected performances; call 843-720-1116.
  • Military, teachers and students: 10% off selected performances with valid ID.
  • Locals Weekend: discounts for Charleston residents, with dates announced by email.
  • Resale: reselling a ticket for more than $1 above face value is against South Carolina law, the festival notes, and it cancels such orders.

What to know

  • Children: some shows carry age guidance or children’s prices; the box office can advise. Everyone needs a ticket, so no babies in arms or children on laps.
  • Dress code: none.
  • Photos: not allowed at most performances. The relaxed Front Row shows at the Cistern Yard allow phone photos without flash and short videos.
  • Late arrival: some shows have no late seating; check your ticket.
  • Piccolo Spoleto: the city of Charleston’s companion festival of local and regional artists runs alongside Spoleto with its own tickets, sold by Piccolo Spoleto, not by Spoleto Festival USA.

More: live music and nightlife in Charleston and date night in Charleston.

Frequently asked questions

When is Spoleto Festival USA 2027?

The festival had not announced 2027 dates as of Oct. 16, 2026. The 2026 festival ran 17 days from Memorial Day weekend, Friday, May 22, through Sunday, June 7.

How do I buy Spoleto tickets?

Online at spoletousa.org or from the box office at 843-579-3100. Each venue also has a box office that opens 90 minutes before a performance.

Are there Spoleto discounts?

Groups of 10 or more get 20% off full-price tickets for selected shows. Military, teachers and students get 10% off selected shows with ID, and a Locals Weekend is announced by email.

What happens if it rains at the Cistern Yard?

The rain site for all Cistern Yard performances is the College of Charleston TD Arena, 301 Meeting St. Ticket holders are emailed at least three hours before showtime.

Is Piccolo Spoleto the same as Spoleto?

No. Piccolo Spoleto is the city of Charleston’s companion festival of local and regional artists, and its tickets are sold separately by Piccolo Spoleto.