The most unique and off-beat events happening in Charleston
The Lowcountry Oyster Festival and the MOJA Arts Festival are two of the top festivals and activities in Charleston that Travel Channel makes available to tourists. Even though Charleston, South Carolina, is a well-liked tourist destination, it also hosts some of the top US festivals and events. Here are ten justifications for arranging a future vacation to the Lowcountry.
Spoleto/Piccolo Spoleto Festival
The legendary Spoleto Festival USA, which has evolved into a verb (Do you Spoleto), arrives in the spring. The festival, which runs from Memorial Day weekend through the first full week of June, was started in 1977 by Gian Carlo Menotti (and others) as a companion to the Festival of the Two Worlds in Spoleto, Italy. It features both established and up-and-coming acts from around the world. Opera, theater, dance, chamber, symphonic, and jazz music are all performed. Piccolo Spoleto offers a full calendar of free or low-cost events that highlight local artists for those on a tight budget or seeking out family-friendly entertainment.
MOJA Arts Festival
Just as the heat begins to subside, the second of Charleston’s arts festivals, MOJA, descends upon the city. An African and Caribbean arts festival called MOJA, which in Swahili means “one,” takes place from the final weekend in September through the first full week of October. It features performances in the performing arts, including music, dance, and drama.
South Carolina Fashion Week
Charleston Fashion Week transforms Marion Square in the town’s core into the runway to New York for one week in March. The CFW, which is organized by Charleston Magazine, features up-and-coming fashion designers and models, many of whom have gone on to become well-known in New York City and other places by creating clothes for stars like Khloe Kardashian and Toni Braxton.
Lowcountry Oyster Festival
Join the tens of thousands who descend on the Lowcountry Oyster Festival in January during the height of the season if you enjoy shucking and sucking oysters. At this annual one-day festival, which takes place at Boone Hall Plantation, a short distance from downtown Charleston, bivalve connoisseurs consume more than 80,000 pounds of oysters. There are also shucking and eating competitions, live music, wine, beer, and food from some of the best restaurants in the region.
International Film Festival in Charleston
The five-day Charleston International Film Festival, now in its fifth year, presents more than 80 brand-new features, shorts, documentaries, and animation projects from some of the top domestic and international filmmakers working today. The tales transport viewers to several eras—from the past to the present to the future. The College of Charleston’s historic Sottile Theater and Mount Pleasant, South Carolina’s independent Cinebarre both play movies. Some of Charleston’s top venues, like the Music Farm, host afterparties every night.
International Antiques Show in Charleston
The Charleston International Antiques Show attracts visitors from all across the nation every March, including dealers, collectors, and hobbyists. The three-day event includes talks, excursions, and exquisite 17th, 18th, and 19th century period furniture and art from America, Asia, and Europe.
Autumn Home & Garden Tours
Take a stroll around the South of Broad neighborhood’s historic streets in September and October when the Preservation Society of Charleston hosts its Fall Tours of Mansions & Gardens rather than riding through the neighborhood’s historic homes while on a carriage tour. Tourists have the chance to take a peek inside some of Charleston’s most opulent properties for five weeks each year, as well as lush secret gardens that showcase American architecture.
Conclusion
Stay connected at our Wingate by Wyndham Charleston Coliseum hotel, located minutes from Charleston International Airport (CHS). Enjoy easy access to I-526, the North Charleston Coliseum & Performing Arts Center, and the Charleston Area Convention Center. While you’re here, be sure to take a trip to historic downtown Charleston for cobblestone streets, Civil War tours, national monuments, and low country cuisine.
