Festivals & Events
Art walks, food festivals, golf tournaments, fireworks and holiday light displays—no matter the time of year, there’s always something exciting happening in the Palmetto State.
Festivals & Events
Art walks, food festivals, golf tournaments, fireworks and holiday light displays—no matter the time of year, there’s always something exciting happening in the Palmetto State.
Get to know the people, food and culture of South Carolina at festivals across the state.
Each year, South Carolina hosts more than 300 fairs and festivals around the state, celebrating everything from food, art and wine to Gullah culture, the American Revolution and azaleas. Click here to download a complete list of events.
Attractions and Events You Won’t Experience Anywhere Else
Below are curated, seasonal events and not representative of all of the events happening across the state. Download a copy for our events calendar for full list of festivals and events across South Carolina.
Featured Music & Arts
Take a break from the ordinary to explore the enthralling sights and sounds of South Carolina's thriving cultural scene at art exhibitions, concerts and music festivals.
52nd Annual Christmas Craft Show in Aiken
Featuring vendors from all over the Southeast, the Christmas Craft Show will have home decor, wreaths, furniture, paintings, jewelry, holiday ornaments and more unique items guaranteed to set your gift-giving apart.
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23rd Annual Holiday Market & Craft Show in Mount Pleasant
With all of the goodies of a traditional food market, including fresh produce and baked goods, this annual Holiday Market will also have an assortment of holiday ornaments, glass work, whimsical crafts and a variety of unique works of art from local potters, artists and photographers.
Read MoreFeatured Food Fests & Fairs
Sit front row at a fashion show, try your first taste of Frogmore stew or sip craft beer as a homegrown bluegrass band plays the soundtrack—get a taste of something unexpected at a wide variety of exciting events across the state.
Holy Smokes BBQ Festival
Taking place at Riverfront Park in Charleston, this Lowcountry barbecue festival features all you can eat BBQ from over 30 pitmasters and chefs, including James Beard Award- Winner Rodney Scott. Proceeds help support Hogs for the Cause, MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital, and the Ronald McDonald House of Charleston.
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55th Annual Chitlin' Strut
The Annual Chitlin' Strut Festival celebrates this unusual food item that has been a Southern tradition for over 100 years. Activities include a parade, hawg-calling and strut contests, food and craft vendors, beauty pageant, carnival rides and a Chitlin Strut Idol Contest.
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Wine Under the Oaks
Enjoy wine samples from a variety of distributors and wineries, complimentary desserts, oysters, wine and cooking demonstrations at this unique event at Boone Hall Plantation & Gardens. The event also includes live musical entertainment, themed tents with food sampling and unique gifts available for sale by specialty vendors. Tickets for this event must be purchased in advance.
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Lowcountry Oyster Festival
Taking place at Boone Hall Plantation & Gardens, the Lowcountry Oyster festival features more than 60,000 pounds of oysters, raw oyster eating and shucking contests, and a food court showcasing a variety of local restaurants sure to satisfy everyone’s tastes.
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Featured Nature & Outdoor Events
Whether you’re uncovering hidden waterfalls in the Upstate or exploring the lush gardens of the Lowcountry, South Carolina’s diverse landscape offers the perfect backdrop for adventure.
Christmas in Hopelands
Hopelands Gardens in Aiken will be transformed into an enchanting holiday wonderland. Grab some hot cocoa or apple cider and make your way through two miles of lighted pathways and illuminated displays featuring over 100,000 twinkling lights.
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Nights of a Thousand Candles
Named "Best Christmas Lights in South Carolina" by Travel+Leisure Magazine, Brookgreen Gardens comes to life amid the soft glow of more than 2,800 hand-lit candles and countless sparkling lights at this annual event. Tickets for this event must be purchased in advance. Select dates available.
Read MoreFeatured Sporting Events
In South Carolina, our love of the game runs deep. From college football to premier tennis tournaments, you'll always feel like part of the team here in the Palmetto State.
Intracoastal Christmas Regatta
This spectacular maritime parade takes place each year on the Saturday after Thanksgiving in North Myrtle Beach. Beginning at dusk, the parade will make its way down the waterway to Dock Holidays Marina. Restaurants along the route plan special menus as part of the celebration.
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Featured Family Events
From scenic mountain lakes and city-side zoos to barbecue restaurants galore and kid-friendly coastline attractions as far as the eye can see, South Carolina is the family-friendly vacation spot you've been searching for.
Swan Lake Fantasy of Lights
Kick off the holiday season in Sumter with the annual Swan Lake Fantasy of Lights. For the entire month of December, the gardens come alive with a display of twinkling holiday imagery created by more than one million lights. Enjoy hot cocoa, holiday treats and a variety of entertainment as you wander through Santa’s Village. Admission is free.
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ChristmasVille
Old Town Rock Hill comes alive as a picturesque holiday village and outdoor art festival. Featuring more than 70 events and activities, the award-winning ChristmasVille festival offers horse-drawn carriage rides, historic tours, strolling Dickensian carolers, a gingerbread house contest, multiple Santa activities, a REAL ice skating rink and more.
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