Category: Festivals

2024 Spoleto Special Offer

Reminder: Spoleto Festival
May 24 – June 9, 2024

Spoleto Festival USA, the country’s premier performing arts festival, has announced a star-studded lineup for 2024 including more than one hundred performances across the Holy City for 17 days and nights, May 24-June 9, 2024. Charleston’s historic theaters, churches, and outdoor spaces will be enlivened by performances from celebrated artists at the forefront of their craft. 

Spoleto Festival USA is offering Charleston-area residents exclusive ticket discounts for select 2024 season performances. The discount is 30% off select performances and subject to availability. Discounts cannot be combined with other offers or applied to previously purchased tickets. This offer is valid for residents with a zip code between 29401-29493. 

When: 12:01 am Saturday, April 13, to 11:59 pm Sunday, April 14. 

How: Residents on the Spoleto Festival USA email list with a zip code between 29401-29493 will be emailed the Locals’ Weekend promo-code on Friday, April 12. Residents not currently part of Spoleto’s database are encouraged to signup at spoletousa.org/locals to ensure they receive the code. 

Locals’ Weekend tickets may be purchased online at spoletousa.org or by calling the box office at 843.579.3100, from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm on Saturday and Sunday. Tickets can be purchased in-person at Spoleto’s booth at 2nd Sunday on King Street at the corner of King and George streets, on April 14 from 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm. 

  • Yo Yo Ma
  • Bank of America Chamber Music
  • Spoletto Festival Chorus
  • Lightwire Theater
  • Apricity

–Tidelines Editors

(Image credit: Spoleto Festival USA)

CCPRC: Lowcountry Cajun Festival – April 13

Lowcountry Cajun Festival
April 13, 2024
12:00 – 6:00 pm at James Island County Park

close up photo of cooked crawfish

The Charleston County Parks and Recreation Commission brings Louisiana to the Lowcountry! The Lowcountry Cajun Festival is a full-day of Zydeco music, Cajun and Creole foods, kids activities, and all around ragin’ Cajun fun! Savor the tastes of authentic Cajun and Creole fare – jambalaya, alligator, etouffe, andouille sausage, and crawfish. Also enjoy Lowcountry favorites like seafood and Southern barbecue. For those who prefer a tamer menu, we’ll serve up ample portions of festival foods like hot dogs, sno cones, and more.

Main Stage Lineup
1:00-2:15 pm Shrimp City Slim’s Swamp All-Stars, featuring Ceasar
2:30-4:00 pm Randy McAllistair
4:30-6:00 pm Gerard Delafose & the Zydeco Gators

Small Stage Schedule
1:00-2:00 pm Who Calls the Swamp Home? (children’s reptile program) 
2:30 pm Lowcountry Cajun Festival Annual Crawfish Eating Contest

Kids Area
Carnival rides, inflatable games, and carnival games – all-day and unlimited for just $10 per child.

Admission and More

  • Advance tickets are $35 per car (max 15 people per vehicle).
  • Day of tickets, if event is not sold out, are $40 per vehicle.
  • Free admission for Gold Pass members.
  • No coolers or outside food and beverages permitted.
  • Pets are not permitted.

Tickets may be purchased by clicking here.

–Tidelines Editors

(Image credit: Pexels.com)

Spoleto Adds a Choral Concert Program

Spoleto Festival USA, America’s premier performing arts festival, recently announced the addition of a third choral concert to the previously announced lineup—a captivating candlelit performance of Arvo Pärt’s choral masterpiece The Deer’s Cry with other works performed by the Spoleto Festival USA Chorus.

The Deer’s Cry will be performed on May 31 at 8:00 pm in the historic Cathedral of St. Luke and St. Paul. Tickets are available for purchase at spoletousa.org or by calling 843.579.3100. 

–Tidelines Editors

Art Charleston in April

The Gibbes Museum of Art announced the return of Art Charleston, a five-day celebration of the arts from April 24-28, 2024. This annual festival, designed to innovate, elevate and cultivate the city’s thriving arts culture, includes signature events, unique experiences, artist lectures, panel discussions, gallery walks, professional workshops and exhibition tours led by experts. 

To learn more and purchase tickets, click here. 

-Submitted by The Gibbes Museum

Spoleto Chamber Music Series


Spoleto Festival USA, America’s premier performing arts festival, has announced the artist roster and repertoire for the 2024 Bank of America Chamber Music series at the historic Dock Street Theatre. Curated by the new Director of Chamber Music Paul Wiancko, the series will include engaging performances performed twice daily throughout the duration of the festival from May 24 – June 9, 2024.

A bedrock of Spoleto since its inaugural season in 1977, the Chamber Music Series presents performances that span beloved works of the classical canon with invigorating contemporary compositions that share surprising thematic and musical ties. Perennially, the series includes some of the most renowned performers in classical music along with its emerging stars. 

Click here for more information and tickets.
Tickets can also be purchased by calling 843.579.3100. 

–Tidelines Editors

(Image credit: Spoleto Festival USA)

BBQ Bourbon and Bluegrass

Join Garden &Gun and Freshfields Village to celebrate three Southern staples—barbecue, Bluegrass, and bourbon—with a live music and culinary event held on the Village Green. Enjoy barbecue from Southern Roots Smokehouse and Swig & Swine food trucks, specialty cocktails from Blade and Bow Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, tastings at Kiawah Spirits, and exceptional Bluegrass music by The Lowhills. Explore Freshfields Village its many retail offerings. Participating restaurants and retailers can be found here.

Saturday, March 16, 3:00 – 6:00 pm at Freshfields Village

Image Credit: Freshfields Village

–Tidelines Editors

Charleston Jazz Festival April 18-21

Save the dates! The 9th Charleston Jazz Festival will be held on April 18-21, 2024.  The event draws music-lovers from around the globe to Charleston, SC for a four-day celebration of the Holy City’s jazz heritage. Headliners include: Joshua Redman Group, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, René Marie, Arturo O’Farrill, Charlton Singleton & Contemporary Flow, and more. For a complete listing of all performances and for tickets, click here.

The 2024 Charleston Jazz Festival poster was designed by French artist Michel Calvert, represented in the United States by Simpatico Gallery. Calvert began his career as a jazz musician, and his love for jazz is reflected in several of his works. The original painting will revealed on February 24 at the Charleston Jazz Orchestra’s Season 16 opening concert.  For inquiries about purchasing the original painting, contact john@simpaticogalleries.com. Poster prints will be available for purchase at the Festival.

-Submitted by Charleston Jazz

(Image credit: charlestonjazz.com and Michel Calvert)

2024 Spoleto May 24-June 9

Spoleto Festival USA, the country’s premier performing arts festival, has announced a star-studded lineup for 2024 including more than one hundred performances across the Holy City for 17 days and nights, May 24-June 9, 2024. Charleston’s historic theaters, churches, and outdoor spaces will be enlivened by performances from celebrated artists at the forefront of their craft. 


Tickets are now available for purchase. To view a description of the performances, a listing of the entire schedule and to purchase tickets, click here. Tickets can also be purchased by calling 843.579.3100. 

–Tidelines Editors

(Image credit: Spoleto Festival USA)

Lowcountry Oyster Festival Feb 4

40th Annual Lowcountry Oyster Festival Announces Musical Acts, Children’s Events, and Beneficiaries Details

The Charleston Restaurant Foundation (CRF) is pleased to announce the musical acts for the 40th annual Lowcountry Oyster Festival, happening February 4, 2024, at Boone Hall Plantation. Radio Bomb, including some members of the Blue Dogs, Uncle Mingo, and the East Coast Party Band, will headline the event after Solid Country Gold takes the stage.

“For 40 years we’ve had the honor of celebrating one of our region’s most beloved culinary traditions with thousands of our friends, family, and visitors, creating one of the most popular culinary events in the country,” shares Charleston Restaurant Foundation President, Jonathan Kish. “The Charleston Restaurant Foundation is honored to continue to use this essential Charleston event filled with music, food, and fun to give back to the community.”

Featuring over 50,000 pounds of oysters, highlights of this event include the legendary oyster shucking and oyster eating contests, beer, wine and cocktails, and a variety of food options from local restaurants and food trucks. Kids can enjoy the elevated Pluff-a-Pallooza Children’s Area, offering activities such as bubble therapy, a climbing wall, a “noisy oyster percussion” play area, cookie decorating with “pluff-mudd” frosting, sweetgrass basket weaving, egg toss, juggling with Deena-Jungleena, stilt performers and much more. The schedule of events will take place between 10 am and 5 pm.

The Lowcountry Oyster Festival is a charity fundraiser and donated over $124,000 to local causes at the 2023 festival. The 2024 beneficiaries include the Coastal Conservation Association, Pay It Forward, Hollings Cancer Center, Shriners’ Hospitals for Children, Ronald McDonald House, College of Charleston, and The Culinary Institute of Charleston.

The festival is a rain-or-shine event. No pets, coolers, or outside food and beverages will be allowed. Oyster knives and gloves will be available for purchase. Boone Hall Plantation is located at 1235 Long Point Road, Mount Pleasant, SC, 29464. There are two entrances to the event: the main Boone Hall entrance off Long Point Road and the entrance off Highway 17.

For more information or to purchase tickets, click here.

–Tidelines Editors

CHS Winter Wine Festival Jan 28

Charleston Winter Wine Festival takes place Saturday, January 27, 2024, at Festival Hall (formerly Memminger Auditorium), 56 Beaufain St, Charleston.

The festival will be held in two sessions: Session 1, Noon-4:00 pm; Session 2, 6:00-10:00 pm. Each session will feature over 50 different wines, mimosas, and beers to sample.

Tickets may be purchased in advance for $50 by clicking here. After January 18, ticket price increases to $55 or $65 on the day of the event. Ticket price includes a souvenir acrylic wine glass, wine and beer samples, and entertainment. Food will be available for sale. Each ticket is good for one session.

–Tidelines Editors

(Image credit: Charleston Wine Festivals)

 

Holiday Festival of Lights November 10 – December 31

Holiday Festival of Lights
November 10 – December 31, 2023
5:30-10:00 pm
James Island County Park

The Holiday Festival of Lights is back! With over two million lights, this beloved tradition offers fun for the whole family and is sure to boost your holiday spirit. The Holiday Festival of Lights is open every evening, rain or shine, from 5:30-10:00 pm, November 10 through December 31.

The festival is more than just driving through the three miles of beautiful light displays. You are invited to park your car and explore Winter Wonderland,  home of the area’s largest holiday sand sculpture formed from over 50 tons of sand. Roam through festival shops for merry gifts, official collector series ornaments, toys, personalized items, decorations and stocking stuffers. Pop into Santa’s Sweet Shoppe for tasty treats. Take a ride on the train for an up-close view of the festival, and see even more light displays on the Enchanted Walking Trail. A complete map of the Holiday of Lights Festival can be found here.

Santa will be at Santa’s Village, 6:00-10:00 pm each night, November 10 through December 23. Visiting with Santa at the festival is free. Digital photos are available for an additional fee.

To enhance visitor experience and to help manage wait times and traffic, Holiday Festival of Lights organizers used historical attendance data to create GREEN, YELLOW and RED nights.  Admission prices vary based on the night. 

Visitors can save by buying tickets in advance online. Green night pricing is $15 per vehicle if purchased online, or $20 at the gate. Yellow night pricing is $25 per vehicle if purchased online, or $30 at the gate. Red night pricing is $30 per vehicle if purchased online, or $40 at the gate.

Click here for more information and tickets.

–Tidelines Editors

(Image credit: CCPRC website)

CLF: Embrace the Conversation Nov 3-12

Are you someone who loves books? Do you enjoy engaging in inspiring conversations about ideas? The renowned Charleston Literary Festival (CLF) returns from November 3 – 12, 2023 at various venues in Charleston. This celebration of literature, culture and creativity showcases an impressive list of authors and distinguished speakers. Tickets are still available for many sessions.

Find the full Charleston Literary Festival 2023 Program here.

–Tidelines Editors

(Image credit: charlestonliteraryfestival.com)