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What's On

What's On in Charleston

Events, markets, games, library and parks programs in and around Charleston, with times, prices and the organizer's own link.

Top story Veterans Day in Charleston 2026: parade, concert, closings Charleston's Veterans Day Parade is Sunday, Nov. 8, from Market Street to Colonial Lake. City offices close Wednesday, Nov. 11; schools stay open. · 5 min read

Coming up

The full month
  1. Now through Nov. 1 The Boone Hall Pumpkin Patch Boone Hall
  2. Now through Nov. 1 Broadway Bound Dock Street Theatre
  3. Thu. Oct. 29 Peninsula Plan open studio: undergrounding utilities 3 p.m. · Design Division
  4. Thu. Oct. 29 CSO Pops 1: The Witching Hour 7:30 p.m. · Charleston Gaillard Center
  5. Oct. 29 to 30 South Carolina Ballet: Dracula Charleston Music Hall
  6. Fri. Oct. 30 Halloween Night Climb Outdoor Adventure Center, James Island County Park
  7. Fri. Oct. 30 Trick or Treat at The Joe 4 p.m. · Joseph P. Riley Jr. Park
  8. Fri. Oct. 30 An Evening with David Sedaris 7:30 p.m. · Charleston Gaillard Center
  9. Oct. 30 to Nov. 1 Boone Hall Pumpkin Patch, last weekend Boone Hall Pumpkin Patch
  10. Sat. Oct. 31 Trick, Treat and Trail Fun Run and Festival 9:30 a.m. · Wannamaker County Park
  11. Sat. Oct. 31 Happy Owl-Oween 9:30 a.m. · Tiedemann Park Nature Center
  12. Sat. Oct. 31 Miss Nelson Is Missing! 11 a.m. · Charleston Stage

Plan your weekend

Fourth of July Charleston Fourth of July fireworks 2027 Charleston's 2026 Independence Day celebration filled Waterfront Park from 4 to 10 p.m., with fireworks at about 9:40 p.m. The 2027 plans are not out yet. · 3 min read Halloween Trick-or-treat hours in Charleston 2026 Charleston has not set official trick-or-treat hours for Halloween, Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026. Here are the area's family Halloween events and safety tips. · 3 min read Valentine's Day Valentine's Day in Charleston 2027: events and date ideas Valentine's Day 2027 is a Sunday. Shows at the Gaillard Center and Dock Street Theatre that month, free date ideas on the waterfront and dinners as announced. · 3 min read Spring break Spring break in Charleston 2027: school dates, things to do Charleston County schools are off March 29 to April 2, 2027. Camps, the aquarium, the children's museum, Fort Sumter and what is open that week. · 4 min read Easter Easter in Charleston 2027: egg hunts, brunch and services 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. · 5 min read Mother's Day Mother's Day in Charleston 2027: brunch, events and markets Mother's Day 2027 is Sunday, May 9. City Mother's Day events, brunch spots, the Saturday market in Marion Square and gardens to visit. · 4 min read Memorial Day Memorial Day in Charleston 2027: concert, closings, trash Memorial Day 2027 is Monday, May 31. The Hampton Park concert, where the first Decoration Day was held in 1865, plus city closings and trash delays. · 4 min read Summer Summer in Charleston 2027: camps, pools and splash pads City summer camps, when registration opens, the four city pools and the county's Splash Zone waterpark and splash pad, with 2026 dates as a guide to 2027. · 5 min read Father's Day Father's Day in Charleston 2027: events, ballgames, brunch Father's Day 2027 is Sunday, June 20. RiverDogs baseball at The Joe, a round at the Muni, Sunday brunch spots and the city's Father's Day events. · 4 min read Labor Day Labor Day in Charleston 2027: what is open, trash changes Labor Day 2027 is Monday, Sept. 6. City offices and recreation centers close, trash runs a day late, the Muni stays open and the Saturday market is on. · 4 min read Christmas Charleston Christmas parade and tree lighting 2026 Charleston's 2026 Holiday Parade steps off at 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 6; entries are due Nov. 5. Route, tree lighting and closures, from the 2025 event. · 4 min read High school football Friday night football 2026: Charleston teams, regions and playoffs West Ashley and James Island play in Class 5A Region 5; Burke and St. Johns in Class 1A Region 8. SCHSL playoffs start Nov. 6; the 5A final is Dec. 5. · 3 min read Fall festivals Fall festivals and pumpkin patches near Charleston 2026 Boone Hall's pumpkin patch runs weekends through Nov. 1; Johns Island County Park's Harvest Festival is Nov. 7; West Ashley's Pumpkin Smash is Nov. 22. · 3 min read Halloween Halloween events in Charleston 2026 Free trick-or-treating at The Joe on Oct. 30, a Bees Landing trunk-or-treat on Oct. 23 and county park Halloween events in and around Charleston. · 4 min read Thanksgiving Thanksgiving in Charleston 2026: turkey trot, trash, closings Thanksgiving is Thursday, Nov. 26. The Turkey Day Run starts at Marion Square at 9 a.m.; CCSD is out Nov. 23-27; city offices close Nov. 26-27. · 5 min read Black Friday Black Friday and holiday shopping in Charleston 2026 Black Friday is Nov. 27. Northwoods Mall opens at 7 a.m.; the City Market's Night Market runs Fridays and Saturdays; holiday markets fill Marion Square in December. · 4 min read Christmas Holiday lights and Christmas events in Charleston 2026 The Holiday Festival of Lights runs nightly Nov. 13 to Dec. 31 at James Island County Park. Santa visits, holiday markets and city events for 2026. · 6 min read New Year's Eve New Year's Eve in Charleston 2026: events and closings New Year's Eve is Thursday, Dec. 31. The Festival of Lights has its last night, schools are on break and the city closes for New Year's Day, Friday, Jan. 1. · 4 min read Brunch Brunch in Charleston: where to go and when it is served Where to get brunch in Charleston: Poogan's Porch daily, Magnolias on Sundays, High Cotton and 82 Queen on weekends, plus hours and addresses. · 4 min read Dogs Dog-friendly Charleston: dog parks, off-leash areas, leash rules Charleston's seven fenced dog parks and eight off-leash areas with hours, the early and evening hours at White Point Garden and the city leash rule. · 4 min read Kids Kids' activities in Charleston: museums, playgrounds, story times Kids' activities in Charleston: the Children's Museum, the SC Aquarium, free library story times, city playgrounds and James Island County Park. · 6 min read Trails Charleston walking and biking trails: greenways, bridge path, loops Charleston's trails with distances: the 8-mile West Ashley Greenway, the 2.7-mile Ravenel Bridge path, the Battery walk and where to start and park. · 5 min read King Street A guide to King Street in Charleston: shops, Second Sunday, parking King Street in Charleston: what Upper, Middle and Lower King are known for, Second Sunday street closures, the Saturday market and where to park. · 5 min read Live music Live music and nightlife in Charleston: venues, bars and late hours Charleston's live music venues with addresses and box offices: Music Hall, Music Farm, Gaillard Center, Pour House, Royal American and The Commodore. · 5 min read Free Free things to do in Charleston: Angel Oak, the Battery and more Free things to do in Charleston: Angel Oak, City Gallery, the Battery walk, the Ravenel Bridge path, Second Sunday on King and library story times. · 4 min read Date night Date night in Charleston: dinner, theater, wine bars, late hours Date night in Charleston: FIG, Circa 1886 and The Ordinary for dinner, Bin 152 for wine, the Dock Street Theatre and Gaillard Center, and late jazz. · 4 min read SEWE SEWE in Charleston: Southeastern Wildlife Exposition guide SEWE fills five downtown Charleston venues each February. The 2026 show ran Feb. 13-15; 2027 dates are not yet posted. Venues, tickets, what to know. · 4 min read Charleston Wine + Food Charleston Wine + Food Festival 2027: dates, Culinary Village Charleston Wine + Food runs March 3-7, 2027. Culinary Village at Johnson Hagood Stadium March 5-7 from $199.15. Tickets, 21+ rules, parking. · 5 min read Cooper River Bridge Run Cooper River Bridge Run 2027: April 3 date, closures, shuttles The Cooper River Bridge Run is Saturday, April 3, 2027: 10K over the Ravenel Bridge, capped at 38,500. Entry $60 until Nov. 30. Closures and shuttles. · 6 min read Spoleto Festival USA Spoleto Festival USA in Charleston: dates, tickets, parking 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. · 5 min read Restaurants Where to eat in Charleston: lists by category Every Charleston where-to-eat list in one place: wings, pizza, Mexican, barbecue, breakfast, burgers, sushi, desserts, bakeries and patios, all alphabetical. · 3 min read Wings Where to get wings in Charleston: downtown, West Ashley, James Island 14 places to get wings in Charleston: upper King Street and the peninsula, Sam Rittenberg and Ashley River Road in West Ashley, and Folly Road. · 6 min read Pizza Where to get pizza in Charleston: King Street, West Ashley and more 13 places to get pizza in Charleston: King Street and the peninsula, West Ashley's Sam Rittenberg and Ashley River Road, Folly Road and Clements Ferry. · 6 min read Mexican Mexican and Tex-Mex restaurants in Charleston: King and Meeting 9 Mexican and Tex-Mex restaurants in Charleston: upper King Street, Meeting Street, Spring and Huger streets, and Savannah Highway and Sam Rittenberg. · 4 min read Barbecue Where to get barbecue in Charleston: downtown and West Ashley 7 barbecue restaurants in Charleston: the upper peninsula and East Bay Street, Savannah Highway and Ashley River Road in West Ashley, and James Island. · 4 min read Breakfast Breakfast and coffee in Charleston: downtown cafes and bagels 25 places for breakfast and coffee in Charleston, nearly all on the peninsula around King, Meeting and Church streets, plus Toast! in West Ashley. · 8 min read Burgers Where to get burgers in Charleston: King Street, Folly Road and more 10 places to get a burger in Charleston: King and Calhoun streets downtown, Sam Rittenberg Boulevard in West Ashley and Folly Road on James Island. · 5 min read Sushi Sushi and Asian restaurants in Charleston: King Street and beyond 21 sushi, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Thai and Vietnamese restaurants in Charleston, most on King Street, plus James Island and Clements Ferry Road. · 7 min read Ice cream Ice cream and desserts in Charleston: the Market and King Street 6 places for ice cream, gelato and dessert in Charleston, all downtown: around the City Market, on East Bay Street, upper King Street and Beaufain Street. · 4 min read Bakeries Bakeries in Charleston: downtown, West Ashley and James Island 11 bakeries in Charleston: East Bay, Church, Queen and King streets downtown, WestEdge, Savannah Highway and Wappoo Road, and Folly Road on James Island. · 5 min read Patios Patios and outdoor dining in Charleston: rooftops and courtyards 20 Charleston restaurants and bars whose own sites list a patio, rooftop, courtyard or piazza, from the City Market up King Street to Huger Street. · 7 min read

Event news

Nutcracker Nutcracker and holiday shows in Charleston 2026 SC Ballet's Nutcracker plays the Charleston Music Hall Nov. 30 to Dec. 2; A Christmas Carol runs Nov. 29 to Dec. 20 at Dock Street; Holiday Pops is Dec. 17-19. · 6 min read Arts Arts and exhibitions in Charleston: October 2026 Charleston arts through November: the Halsey's free show, Broadway Bound at Dock Street, SC Ballet's Dracula and Nutcracker, and the symphony at the Gaillard. · 6 min read Events Things to do in Charleston this weekend, Oct. 23 to 25 Fraggle Rock Live and Ghostbusters in Concert at the Gaillard, a free Bees Landing trunk-or-treat Friday and the Marion Square market Saturday in Charleston. · 4 min read