Local Events: Charleston Area

Event No. 01

Fields Farm Fest

Saturday, Nov 14, 2026, from 1 p.m.

3129 River Road

The farm's second annual family-friendly fall festival: food trucks, contests, crafts, treats, and farm fun on River Road, with $7 admission.

Event No. 02

Sea Island Farmers Market

Saturdays year-round, 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., rain or shine

Charleston Collegiate School campus, 2024 Academy Road

Charleston's guaranteed-local year-round market: more than 50 farmers, vendors, and food trucks, with live music and a kids' play area every Saturday.

Event No. 03

Johns Island "Homegrown" Farmers Market

Saturdays year-round, about 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

3546 Maybank Highway

The island's down-home Saturday market: produce from Joseph Fields, Irish, and Thackeray farms, Holy City hydroponic tomatoes, organic meats, plants, and more.

Event No. 04

Home for the Holidays: Tour of Homes and Market

Friday, Nov 27, 2026, from 11 a.m.

Johns Island

A free community event the day after Thanksgiving: a tour of homes and a holiday market that opens the island's season of lights.

Event No. 05

Johns Island Homegrown Holiday Bazaar

Saturday, Dec 5, 2026

Johns Island County Park, 2662 Mullet Hall Road

A holiday market of Lowcountry makers and growers set on the island's county park: 100-plus local vendors for holiday shopping, a local-first alternative to the city markets.

Event No. 06

Johns Island Christmas Parade

Saturday, Dec 12, 2026, 5-6 p.m.

Maybank Highway, from Barrier Island Free Medical Clinic to Hayes Park

The island's Lowcountry-style golf-cart Christmas parade: a mile-plus of festive carts, lights, and Santa rolling along Maybank as dusk falls.

Event No. 07

Oyster Roast Season

Winter season, November through March

Church halls, farm venues, and riverfront properties across the island

Johns Island is oyster-roast country: from late fall through early spring, churches, farm venues, and community groups host all-you-can-eat roasts across the island. Individual roast dates are posted by each organizer as the season rolls out.

Seasonal event, dates confirmed by organizers

Event No. 01

West Ashley Thanksgiving Market & Pumpkin Smash

Sunday, Nov 22, 2026, noon-4 p.m.

Ackerman Park, 55 Sycamore Avenue

The neighborhood market closes its growing season with a Thanksgiving Market and Pumpkin Smash before the holidays, with farmers, food trucks, artisans, and live music.

Event No. 02

Holiday Tree Lighting & Holiday Market

Thursday, Dec 3, 2026, 5:30-7:30 p.m.

West Ashley High School, 4060 W Wildcat Blvd

Billed as the only community tree-lighting celebration in West Ashley: free and family-friendly, with holiday music, caroling, market vendors, and the tree lighting itself.

Event No. 03

The Velveteen Rabbit

Saturdays, Dec 5, 12, and 19, 2026

West Ashley Theatre Center (Pearlstine Theatre), 1420 Ashley River Road

Charleston Stage's holiday children's play in its West Ashley home, a gentle and charming holiday outing for young theatergoers.

Event No. 04

Hoppy Holidays 5K Fun Run

Saturday, Dec 12, 2026, at noon

The Garden by Charles Towne Fermentory, West Ashley

A brewery-themed holiday fun run from the SC Brewery Running Series: a festive course, holiday costume energy, and a cold one waiting at the finish.

Event No. 05

Holidays at Bees Landing Recreation Center

A December evening, typically the second Friday of the month

Bees Landing Recreation Center, 1580 Ashley Gardens Blvd

The annual neighborhood holiday night: music, crafts, treats, and the lighting of the center's holiday lights, with a special visitor from the North Pole most years.

Event No. 06

Sip 'n' Build Gingerbread House Workshop

Wednesday, Dec 16, 2026, 6 p.m.

House of Brews West Ashley

A grown-up gingerbread house workshop at the West Ashley taproom: sip a brew while you build, with supplies included.

Event No. 01

Holiday Festival of Lights

Nightly 5:30-10 p.m., Nov 13 through Dec 31, 2026 (37th annual)

James Island County Park, 871 Riverland Dr

The Lowcountry's signature holiday drive: a three-mile tour with more than 750 illuminated displays, a train ride, a giant sand sculpture, carousel, marshmallow roasting, and Santa visits through Dec 23. Open Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day.

Event No. 02

The Town Market on James Island

Saturdays 9 a.m.-1 p.m., year-round

871 Fort Johnson Rd

A true neighborhood farmers market with local produce, prepared foods, and handmade crafts, running straight through the holiday season when many markets close.

Event No. 03

FollyDay Market Hop

Saturday, Nov 21, 2026, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

Downtown Folly Beach

Folly Beach's holiday shopping kickoff: local shops and makers open their doors downtown for a day of festive browsing and treats.

Event No. 04

James Island First Friday Market

Friday, Dec 4, 2026, 6-9 p.m.

The Town Market grounds, 871 Fort Johnson Rd

The town market's monthly evening edition: local vendors, food, and live music, with the December market extended to 9 p.m. for the holidays.

Event No. 05

City of Folly Beach Christmas Parade

Saturday, Dec 12, 2026, at noon

Along Center Street, Folly Beach

Floats, marching bands, and Santa rolling down Center Street to the ocean, the island's one big holiday procession of the year, with an arts-and-crafts show at the Community Center during the parade.

Event No. 06

Folly New Year’s Eve & the Polar Plunge

Dec 31, 2026, and Jan 1, 2027

Center Street beachfront, Folly Beach

The annual Flip-Flop Drop and fireworks over the Atlantic ring in the new year on the beach, and New Year's Day brings the famously chilly Polar Plunge.

Event No. 01

Old Village Harbor 5K

Saturday, Nov 14, 2026, 8:30 a.m.

Pitt Street, Old Village

The annual community race through Mount Pleasant's historic Old Village, a run that doubles as a neighborhood gathering on the harbor side of town.

Event No. 02

Lights Up Christmas Tree Lighting

Saturday, Nov 21, 2026, 6-8 p.m.

Mount Pleasant Towne Centre, 1218 Belk Dr

The official lighting of the 44-foot tree with a laser light show, live music, Santa visits, face painting, and food vendors, the town's unofficial start of the season.

Event No. 03

Christmas Tree Festival at Boone Hall Farms

Nov 21-22, 2026, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.

Boone Hall Farms, 2434 N Highway 17

A winter-wonderland family event on the working farm: fresh-cut trees and wreaths, live music, rides, cookie decorating, letters to Santa, and marshmallow roasting, with free admission.

Event No. 04

Merry Makers Market

Sunday, Nov 22, 2026, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

Park West Recreation Complex

The town-run holiday market with local farmers, creatives, food trucks, and farm goods, no mass-produced items allowed.

Event No. 05

Mount Pleasant Holiday Market & Craft Show

Saturday, Dec 12, 2026, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

Mount Pleasant Farmers Market Pavilion, 645 Coleman Blvd

A holiday edition of the farmers market featuring handmade gifts, local vendors, food, and Santa at the Coleman Boulevard pavilion.

Event No. 06

Mount Pleasant Christmas Light Parade

Sunday, Dec 13, 2026, 5:30-8 p.m.

West Coleman Boulevard

The town's signature holiday night: a fireworks kickoff at Moultrie Middle School, then marching bands, glowing floats, and Santa on a fire truck down Coleman Boulevard.

Event No. 01

Charleston Farmers Market

Saturdays 8 a.m.-2 p.m., through Nov 21, 2026

Marion Square, 329 Meeting St

The city's Saturday market under the oaks of Marion Square: farmers, prepared food, crafts, and live music, wrapping its regular season on Nov 21 before the holiday edition takes over.

Event No. 02

A Christmas Carol at the Dock Street Theatre

Nov 29 through Dec 20, 2026

Historic Dock Street Theatre, 135 Church St

Charleston Stage's original adaptation of the Dickens classic in the country's oldest theater, a downtown holiday staple.

Event No. 03

The Nutcracker at the Charleston Music Hall

Nov 30 through Dec 2, 2026

Charleston Music Hall, 37 John St

South Carolina Ballet's full production of the holiday classic in the Music Hall, a favorite family outing of the season.

Event No. 04

Holiday Market in Marion Square

Dec 5, 6, 12, 13, and 19, 2026, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Marion Square, 329 Meeting St

The market returns as a holiday edition on the first three weekends of December, with local artisans, gifts, crafts, food, and live entertainment in the square.

Event No. 05

City of Charleston Holiday Parade & Tree Lighting

Sunday, Dec 6, 2026; parade at 3 p.m., tree lighting to follow

From Colonial Lake (Broad and Rutledge) up Meeting Street to Marion Square

The city's annual holiday centerpiece: a daytime parade from Colonial Lake up Meeting Street, the Holy City Festival, and the lighting of the Tree of Lights in Marion Square as darkness falls.

Event No. 06

Festival of Trees at The Charleston Place

Thanksgiving through late December

The Charleston Place, 205 Meeting St

More than 100 community-designed and decorated trees filling the hotel's second floor, one of the city's most beloved free holiday traditions.

Event No. 07

A Charlie Brown Christmas Live on Stage

Thursday, Dec 10, 2026

Gaillard Center, 2 George St

The Peanuts holiday classic brought to the stage with live jazz and a full cast, a downtown evening for all ages.

Event No. 08

Holiday Pops with the Charleston Symphony

Dec 17-19, 2026

Gaillard Center, 2 George St

The CSO's annual holiday concert with chorus, soloists, and dancers in the Gaillard's performance hall, one of the season's most in-demand tickets.

Event No. 01

Wild Dunes Resort Holiday Festival

Friday, Nov 27, 2026, 5-7 p.m.

Osprey Terrace and Ballroom, Sweetgrass Inn, 5757 Palm Blvd

Santa lights the tree at sundown at the Isle of Palms resort, with a holiday market, gingerbread decorating, ornament crafts, a letters-to-Santa station, and an oyster roast. Ticketed.

Event No. 02

Isle of Palms Holiday Street Festival & Tree Lighting

Saturday, Dec 5, 2026, 2-7 p.m.; tree lighting around 5:30 p.m.

Front Beach, 1300 Ocean Boulevard, Isle of Palms

The island's signature holiday event: arts and crafts vendors, food, children's activities, live entertainment, Santa, and the lighting of the city's Christmas tree at Front Beach.

Event No. 03

Sullivan's Island Tree Lighting

December 2026; the town posts the date as it is scheduled

Sullivan's Island Fire Station and Stith Park

The town's annual holiday gathering: seasonal music, Santa at Town Hall, the lighting of the decorated fire station and Stith Park, and fireworks over the park, weather permitting.

Event No. 01

Steeplechase of Charleston

Sunday, Nov 15, 2026

Stono Ferry Racetrack, Hollywood

The Lowcountry's steeplechase tradition at Stono Ferry: an afternoon of horse racing, tailgating, and live music in the Hollywood countryside.

Event No. 02

Ravenel Depot Farmers Market

Saturdays 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m. through November; holiday market Saturday, Dec 12, 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m.

Ravenel Train Depot, 5775 Highway 165

The depot hosts the area's farmers market on the first and third Saturdays through the growing season, and the December edition becomes the holiday market with local vendors and seasonal goods.

Event No. 03

Ravenel Depot Christmas Tree Lighting

Annual, early December; the 2026 date is posted by the town

Ravenel Train Depot, 5775 Highway 165

The depot's yearly tree lighting with live music, food trucks, hot cocoa, and Santa, the small town's biggest night of the season. Recent years have landed the first Saturday of December.

Event No. 04

Hollywood Christmas Drop-In & Bonfire

Drop-In Friday, Dec 11, 6-9 p.m.; Bonfire Saturday, Dec 12, 6-10 p.m.

Town of Hollywood

The small town's holiday back-to-back: a Christmas Drop-In on Friday night and a community Christmas Bonfire on Saturday, both free and open to the neighborhood.

Event No. 05

Edisto Beach Christmas Weekend & Parade

The weekend of Dec 11-12, 2026; parade Saturday, Dec 12 at 2 p.m.

Holiday market, tree lighting, and movie in town; parade along Palmetto Blvd

The island's holiday weekend: a holiday market and mingle, the town tree lighting, a holiday movie, and the 27th annual Edisto Christmas Parade down Palmetto Boulevard.

Event No. 06

Edisto Art Guild Christmas Sing-along

Monday, Dec 14, 2026, 7-8 p.m.

Edisto Beach Civic Center, 42 Station Court

The guild's annual Christmas sing-along at the civic center, a low-key evening of carols for islanders and visitors alike.