Charleston Events & Festivals Guide

Held in Marion Square from spring through fall, the Charleston Farmers’ Market brings together local farmers, artisans, food vendors, and musicians in the heart of downtown. Spend a Saturday morning browsing local produce, enjoying something from a food vendor, or discovering handcrafted goods from Charleston makers.

On select first Fridays, galleries throughout downtown Charleston open their doors for an evening of exhibitions, receptions, and opportunities to meet local and visiting artists. Many participating galleries are concentrated in the French Quarter, making the Artwalk an enjoyable way to combine Charleston’s arts scene with an evening stroll through the Historic District.

Each month, a portion of King Street becomes a pedestrian-only promenade for 2nd Sunday on King. Outdoor dining, shopping, street performers, and live entertainment fill one of Charleston’s best-known streets, creating a lively way to spend a Sunday afternoon downtown.

Charleston Wine + Food celebrates the people, flavors, and stories behind Charleston’s renowned culinary scene. Tastings, dinners, demonstrations, and special events bring together chefs, beverage professionals, artisans, and food lovers for several days of experiences throughout the Charleston area.

Presented by Historic Charleston Foundation, The Charleston Festival offers an opportunity to explore Charleston’s architecture, preservation, history, and design through tours, lectures, and special programs. Private homes and gardens are among the highlights, providing access to places visitors might not otherwise have an opportunity to experience.

For guests staying in a home built in 1763, the festival offers an especially fitting way to explore the architecture and history that surround John Rutledge House Inn®.

Hosted by the Garden Club of Charleston, the Annual House and Garden Tours take visitors inside private homes and gardens in two of Charleston’s historic neighborhoods. Self-guided tours offer a closer look at architecture, interiors, gardens, art, and antiques, with club members available to share information along the way.

Held on Daniel Island, the Credit One Charleston Open brings some of the world’s leading women’s tennis players to Charleston each spring. The tournament is one of the city’s largest annual sporting events and an exciting addition to a spring getaway.

The Charleston Jazz Festival celebrates the city’s musical traditions with performances by internationally recognized musicians and emerging artists. Concerts and special programming take place at venues throughout Charleston, offering another way to experience the city’s vibrant cultural scene.

Founded in 1977, Spoleto Festival USA has grown into one of the country’s premier performing arts festivals. For more than two weeks, Charleston becomes a stage for opera, theater, dance, music, and visual arts, with performances taking place throughout the city.

Many festival venues are located in or near the Historic District, making John Rutledge House Inn® a convenient home base for guests planning a visit around Spoleto.

Charleston celebrates Independence Day with fireworks, waterfront festivities, and special events throughout the area.

For guests of John Rutledge House Inn®, the holiday carries an additional connection to American history. John Rutledge was one of South Carolina’s most influential Revolutionary-era statesmen, and his Broad Street home offers a remarkable setting from which to experience a city whose history is deeply intertwined with the founding of the nation.

For more than four decades, the MOJA Arts Festival has celebrated African American and Caribbean arts and culture through music, dance, theater, visual arts, and educational programming. Events take place at venues throughout Charleston, highlighting traditions and influences that are an essential part of the city’s cultural identity.

Charleston’s fall preservation tours offer opportunities to step inside private residences, explore historic neighborhoods, and learn more about the architecture and preservation of the city.

For guests interested in Charleston’s historic homes, these tours provide a natural extension of a stay at John Rutledge House Inn®, itself one of the city’s notable 18th-century residences.

The Charleston Literary Festival brings acclaimed authors, historians, journalists, and thinkers together for conversations and presentations in venues throughout the city. Its intimate programs and historic settings make it particularly appealing for visitors interested in literature, history, and ideas.

The Food & Wine Classic in Charleston brings together chefs, restaurants, and beverage producers for tastings, culinary demonstrations, seminars, and special events. For travelers drawn to Charleston’s celebrated dining scene, the festival offers an especially flavorful reason for a fall visit.

Throughout the holiday season, Charleston hosts concerts, theatrical productions, choral performances, and other seasonal events. Charleston Music Hall, Dock Street Theatre, and other local venues offer programming that makes it easy to incorporate a festive performance into a holiday getaway.

Each holiday season, James Island County Park is transformed by millions of lights and festive displays during the Holiday Festival of Lights. The longtime Charleston tradition offers a colorful evening excursion beyond the Historic District.

Guided holiday walking tour with Bulldog Tours or Lowcountry History Strolls offer a festive way to experience Charleston’s historic neighborhoods. Seasonal greenery, decorated homes, and stories of holidays past bring another dimension to familiar streets and architecture during Christmastime.

Winter brings thousands of blooming camellias to Middleton Place. Guided Camellia Walks explore the historic gardens while sharing the stories and horticultural traditions behind the property’s celebrated collection.

Each February, the Southeastern Wildlife Exposition brings wildlife art, conservation, sporting traditions, demonstrations, and special events to locations throughout Charleston. The three-day event attracts artists, conservationists, exhibitors, and visitors from around the country and has become one of Charleston’s signature winter weekends.