Charleston Local Events

JANUARY

• South Carolina Stingrays Hockey
  January – April 2010 l stingrayshockey.com
  The South Carolina Stingrays hockey team is an ECHL South Division member, NHL Washington Capitals, AHL Hershey Bears affiliate, and a three-time Kelly Cup champion!  Come support the Stingrays and see this winning team in action.

• RENT the Musical
  January 21 – February 14, 2010 l 37 John Street,Charleston, SC lrent-live.com
  White Tuxedo Productions is presenting RENT the musical at the Charleston Music Hall.  Come see the local production of this Tony Award winning musical.  Tickets range from $24.50 - $32.50. 

• Charleston Lowcountry Oyster Festival
  January 31,2010 l Boone Farm Plantation l charlestonrestaurantassociation.com
  The 27th annual Oyster Festival will take place at the Boone Farm Plantation at 1235 Long Point Road, Mt Pleasant, SC.  If you love oysters, then the world’s largest oyster festival will certainly be a treat!

FEBRUARY

• Southeastern Wildlife Expedition
  February 12-14, 2010 l sewe.com
  The Southeastern Wildlife Expedition is the largest wildlife art and nature event in nature!  This year’s annual event will host nearly 300 exhibitors!  General admission tickets are $20 a day, but a three-day-pass is only $40.  Events are held at multiple locations in Charleston.  

• Charleston Blues Festival
  February 13, 2010 l 37 John Street,Charleston, SC l stevesimonpresents.com/CharlestonBluesFestival
  Steve Simons presents the Charleston Blues Festival at the Charleston Music Hall.  The festival starts at 8:00 p.m. and features performers Shemekia Copeland, Zac Harmon "The Prince of Beale Street" Billy Gibson, and Dan Wright & The New Beat.
  

MARCH

• Charleston Fashion Week
  March 16 – 18, 2010 l charlestonmag.com/fashionweek
  Charleston Magazine presents its 4th annual fashion week.  This five-night event showcases designers in the area and puts on more than 30 runway shows.  Charleston Fashion Week features the Style Lounge, the Catwalk for Kids auction and luncheon, Rock the Runway Model Competition, the Stiletto Stampede, and the Bridal Couture Show, which debuts Project Runway’s Carol Hannah Whitfield 2010 bridal line. Ticket prices vary from $45 - $235.

• Festival of Houses & Gardens
  March 18 – April 17, 2010 l historiccharleston.org
  The Historic Charleston Foundation presents its annual event that offers tours inside private houses and gardens.  Come see what makes Historic Charleston so beautiful and why it is called "a city set in a garden." 

• Cooper River Bridge Run
  March 27, 2010 l Mt Pleasant, SC l bridgerun.com
  The Cooper River Bridge Run has been a Charleston tradition for over 30 years now. People of all ages can participate in the weekend's activities. There are kids’ races on Friday, March 26.  At 8 a.m. on Saturday, the 10K race will begin at Mount Pleasant and finish in downtown Charleston.  This year, runners can choose to have their entire entry fee go to the charity of their choice. 

APRIL

• Charleston RiverDogs Baseball
  April – September, 2010 | 360 Fishburne Street, Charleston, SC | riverdogs.com 
  The Charleston RiverDogs are the single-A affiliate of the New York Yankees. The team plays at Joseph P. Riley Jr. Park from April through June. General admission to the regular season games is only $5 per person and promises to be a great experience for the whole family.

• Flowertown Festival
  April 3 - 5, 2010 l 140 S Cedar St, Summerville, SC l flowertownfestival.com
  The Flowertown Festival is held at Azalea Park and features food vendors, live entertainment, arts & crafts and much more.  This family friendly event is FREE and a great way to welcome the season of spring.  

• Easter Eggstravaganza
  April 3, 2010 | Middleton Place - 4300 Ashley River Road, Charleston, SC | middletonplace.org
  Middleton Place is only 10 miles from Reverie on the Ashley and it provides a memorable Easter experience for the whole family. Kids can participate in a traditional egg hunt with the Easter Bunny and they can dye their own eggs in the Middleton stables. For more information, call (843) 556-6020.

• Charleston International Film Festival
  April 8 – 11, 2010 | The American Theater | charlestoniff.com 
  This year's Film Festival will be the 3rd annual of what hopes to be a long-standing Charleston tradition. The first year featured over 40 films to sold out crowds and held a film competition from its international submissions. The festival received great reviews last year and expects to be even better in 2010. 

• East Coast Canoe & Kayak Festival
  April 16 – 18, 2010 | James Island County Park | ccprc.com
  The 20th Annual Canoe and Kayak Festival is a great experience for both novice and advanced participants. The weekend includes instructional classes, lectures, demonstrations, and on-water classes with professional kayakers. Retailers will be on hand to allow you to try the products before you buy them.

• Lowcountry Strawberry Festival
  April 17 – 18, 2010 l Boone Hall Plantation l boonehallplantation.com
  The Lowcountry Strawberry Festival offers a fun weekend of various activities and attractions.  This family-friendly festival offers rides, contests, games and much more.  In addition, at the festival, families can pick their own strawberries from the U-pick fields! 

MAY

• Allendale Paleoamerican Expedition
  May 3 – June 5, 2010 | Savannah Rive in Allendale County, SC | allendale-expedition.net
  The Allendale Paleoamerican Expedition allows you to excavate the Topper Archeological site.  The expedition will concentrate on the Clovis occupations at Topper and Big Pine Tree sites and the pre-Clovis excavation will focus on the deeper Pleistocene terrace deposits.  Please visit the website for registration and expedition details.
  
  
• NASCAR Southern 500 at Darlington
  May 8, 2010 | Darlington Raceway | darlingtonraceway.com
  The NASCAR Spring Cup Series comes to the Darlington Raceway for the 2010 Southern 500.  Be a part of this exciting event and long tradition.
  
  
• SPOLETO Festival
  May 28 –June 13, 2010 |spoletousa.org
  The SPOLETO Festival is a national gathering of theatre arts in various downtown Charleston venues. The 16-day event features musicals, drama theatre, dance, orchestras, jazz shows, and community conversations with producers and writers of these shows.  

JUNE - JULY

• Charleston Harbor Fest
  June 18 – 20, 2010 l charlestonharborfest.org
  The Charleston Harbor Fest is a true celebration of the seas.  This event offers an array of activities including touring boats, attending classes, sailing, and much more.  Tickets for this family-friendly festival are $15 in advance or $20 day of event for adults, $5 in advance or $10 of event for ages 6 through 17, and free for ages 5 and under.

• Folly Beach 4th of July Celebration
  July 4, 2010 l follybeach.com
  Come enjoy the fireworks display at Folly Beach from the ocean!  Play at the beach before the show, fish off the Edwins S. Taylor Fishing Pier, or eat at any of the many nearby restaurants.  Folly Beach is a great venue to celebrate the 4th of July! 

AUGUST - SEPTEMBER

• Reggae Nights
  August – October (Dates to be Determined) │ James Island County Park │ ccprc.com
  Dance to Reggae music in the beautiful outdoors or enjoy listening to the smooth sounds from the comfort of a blanket on the grass. Music begins at 8:30 p.m.; however, you can bring your family early for a nice dinner in the park. Admission will be $6 for adults and children under 12 are free.

• Citadel Bulldogs Football
  September – November 2010 | Johnson Hagood Stadium – 171 Moultrie St, Charleston, SC | citadelsports.com  
  The Citadel is an NCAA Division I college in Charleston, SC. The 2010 Football schedule features home games against Western Carolina, Chattanooga, Georgia Southern, and more. Citadel Football provides a great way for the Charleston community to see top-tier athletics in their hometown at a reasonable price. 

• MOJA Festival
  September 23 – October 3, 2010 l Charleston, SC l mojafestival.com
  The MOJA Festival is a celebration of African-American and Caribbean arts.  The events take place at various locations in Charleston and offer ethnic foods, dance, theater and so much more.  Most events are free but some events’ admission range from $5 - $35.

OCTOBER

• Mount Pleasant Children's Day Festival 2010
  October 17, 2010 – Noon – 5 p.m. | 391 Egypt Rd, Mt Pleasant, SC – Park West Recreation Complex |
  townofmountpleasant.com 
  The Mount Pleasant Children's Day Festival is an event designed for parents and children to have a memorable day together. Kids can choose between tethered balloon rides, pony rides, laser tag, wall climbing, and much more. Admission is free for all.

• Taste of Charleston
  October (Dates to be Determined) | Boone Hall Plantation | charlestonrestaurantassociation.com
  The 29th Annual Taste of Charleston allows citizens to experience "the food of the lowcountry." This weekend event features live music, an Iron Chef competition, and an art show for the residents of Charleston and surrounding communities. Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the gates.

• Nationwide Tour Championship at Daniel Island
  October 22 – 25, 2010 l Ralston Creek Club at Daniel Island Golf Club l nationwidetourchampionship.com
  The Nationwide Tour Championship is the last event of the tour which determines the 25 players who will receive PGA tour cards for the next season.  The prize winning purse is $1 million with the first place prize being $180,000.

• St. Paul's Halloween Extravaganza
  October (Dates to be Determined) │ Gibson Road, Hollywood, SC │ charlestonlowcountry.com
  Travel through the woods of Charleston on a 40 minute hayride as actors try to spook riders in the night. There will be plenty of children’s games, a petting zoo, food, funnel cakes and more! Admission for Adults is $7, children between the ages of 6 and 12 will be charged $5, and children under the age of 6 are free. 

• Trunk or Treat
  October (Dates to be Determined) │ James Island, SC │ charlestonlowcountry.com/Bethany
  Best for family, friends and young children, the annual Trunk or Treat event held at Bethany United Methodist Church is a safe and convenient way to treat your children to a fun night of trick-or-treating. Prizes are given to the best decorated car trunk and adults are encouraged to hand out candy, as well as dress in costume. Less walking and the safety of no moving traffic between homes, this night will be pleasant for adults and fabulous for excited children. Come early for a Halloween feast, games, and a haunted walk. Admission is free.

NOVEMBER - DECEMBER

• 21ST Annual Holiday Festival of Lights
  All December │ James Island County Park, SC │ holidayfestivaloflights.com
  Enjoy the beauty of five-hundred thousand lights as they illuminate the James Island County Park. The three-mile long drive will display many Christmas themes, including Santa’s sweet shop, toy shop, gingerbread houses and will conclude with a grand tree lighting. There is also the option to ride a train through the lights for those who would prefer the sights in the night air. There is a $10 charge per vehicle, a $2 charge for train ride passengers and free for children under the age of two.

• Charleston Sleigh Ride
  Every Thursday - Sunday Evening in December │ Charleston Harbor │ ThrillerCharleston.com
  With waterproof blankets and hot chocolate travel mugs, enjoy an evening ride through the harbor to admire the holiday lights from the water. Traveling at slower speeds, you will be thoroughly pleased with this gentle ride, holiday music, traditional story telling and accessibility to the beautiful views. Admission for adults will be $40 and $30 for children.

• ChristmasVille in Rock Hill
  December 2 – 5, 2010 │ Downtown Rock Hill, SC │ christmasvillerockhill.com
  ChristmasVille is an annual event that celebrates art of Vernon Grant, the artist of Kellogg’s Rice Krispies characters Snap! Crackle!and Pop!.  This outdoor art festival offers a weekend of entertainment.  Come be a part of the whimsical world of Vernon Grant.

• FestiVELO
  December 2 – 5, 2010 │ festiVELO.org
  FestiVELO is an organization of bicyclists and friends that serve the needs and expectations of cyclists in order to raise funds to benefit bicycle causes.  FestiVELO hosts a weekend of 16 all you can eat meals, family-oriented bicycle riding, camping, and much more. 

• Mount Pleasant Holiday Farmers Market and Craft Show
  December 11, 2010 – 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. │ Mount Pleasant Market, Moultrie Middle School, Coleman Blvd. │ townofmountpleasant.com
  This festival offers locally grown produce, foods, live entertainment, activities for children and much more.  Come enjoy what some call “the heart of the town festivities.”  For more information, please call (843) 884-8517.

• Christmas Light Parade
  December 12, 2010 – 5:30 p.m. | Coleman Blvd., Mt. Pleasant, SC | townofmountpleasant.com
  The Christmas Light Parade features over 100 floats moving along Coleman Boulevard. This annual event begins with a holiday fireworks show and continues with a parade.

• Happy New Year, Charleston!
  December 31, 2010 | Marion Square | charlestoncvb.com
  Celebrate the New Year in a family-oriented, alcohol-free environment in the heart of Charleston at Marion Square. Beginning at 4 p.m. and ending at 10:30 p.m., there will be music for all tastes, cultural dancing, children’s activities and games, as well as a fireworks display. Admission is free for all individuals. This event will please all family members and be a fun way to begin the New Year.