events in charleston

How to Celebrate Cinco de Mayo Around Charleston

Let’s taco ‘bout Cinco de Mayo, which is coming up on Wednesday, May 5th! Here’s how you can celebrate the upcoming holiday with a fiesta of your own.

Cinco de Mayo at 3 Matadors

Cinco de Mayo wouldn’t be complete without tacos and margaritas – both of which the 3 Matadors prides themselves on. On Cinco de Mayo, 3 Matadors is having a special celebration for the holiday with live music, food and drinks!

Cinco de Mayo at Mex 1

Mex 1 is bringing out all the stops for Cinco de Mayo this year. The West Ashley location is hosting a Cinco Block Party with live music from Yellowknife and Friends. The Park West and Sullivan’s Island locations will also feature live music. In addition, each location will have $5 margaritas all day long on Cinco de Mayo.

Cinco de Mayo Day Sip n’ Paint

Sip and Paint at this Cinco de Mayo themed painting class. Enjoy a variety of assorted tequilas while exploring your creative side. The event will take place on Wednesday, May 5th at the East Cooper Disco. Tickets are only $35 and include a complimentary drink, apron and painting supplies.

Events

Highly Anticipated Blessing of the Fleet This Weekend

The Annual Blessing of the Fleet and Seafood Festival is coming up this weekend in Mount Pleasant.

The event takes place every year and is a celebration of Mount Pleasant’s local shrimping and fishing industry. This year’s Blessing of the Fleet will take place on April 25th from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm at the Memorial Waterfront Park.

According to their website, “participants are treated to a boat parade and ceremonial blessing of the shrimp/fishing fleet, savory seafood samplings sold by some of Mount Pleasant’s best restaurants, live music, a craft show, Shag and shrimp-eating contests, and family-friendly activities.”

Admission to the festival is free for festival-goers. In addition to free admission, there will also be free shuttle buses running all day from various locations in Mount Pleasant to Memorial Waterfront Park.

Officials are encouraging attendees to engage in social distancing and wear face masks during the event.

Events

Charleston Farmers Market Starting Back Up in “Essentials Only” Format

Marion Square is welcoming back the Charleston Farmers Market on Saturday, April 10, 2021. However, it will be following the “essentials-only” format, only allowing certain vendors to take part in the event.

The Charleston Farmers Market first began in 1989 and is a weekly showcase of local crafts and goods.

The “Charleston Essentials Market” will only include goods from farmers and growers as well as crafters and artisans. Both vendors and individuals who wish to attend must follow CDC guidelines including wearing a mask and social distancing.

The farmers market will be open every Saturday from 8:00 am – 1:00 pm until November 27, 2021. The market is not currently accepting applications for new vendors to participate but hopes to open up to allow more businesses soon.

Charleston officials are continuing to monitor the COVID-19 pandemic and determine if and when it is appropriate to open the farmers market to run at full capacity.

Events

International Arts Festival Returning to Charleston in May

The 45th annual Spoleto Festival USA is returning to Charleston in May.The festival will take place from May 28 through June 13, 2021. For those seventeen days, artists, performers and musicians will be showcasing their skills in a variety of shows and performances.

Spoleto Festival USA is widely recognized as “America’s premier International Performing Arts Festival.” This year’s festival will have a variety of performances including A New Orleans Jazz Celebration, Ballet Under the Stars, Two Wings: The Music of Black America in Migration and The Wood Brothers.

According to a press release from Spoleto, “the 2021 season features a reduced number of venues and an overall capacity that is 25 percent of a typical season.” In addition, “all in-person performance tickets will be sold in safe seating pods—essentially “bubbles” of two and four seats. All seats within a pod must be purchased at the same time in the same order.”

Click here to view the full performance schedule and to purchase your tickets to this year’s festival.

Events

Sip and Stroll Returning This Spring to Middleton Place

Beginning on Wednesday, March 24, the popular Garden Strolls and Wine Tastings event will be back at Middleton Place.

Middleton Place is a National Historic Landmark and is “home to the oldest landscaped gardens in America and an enduring, vibrant, and essential part of the Charleston and American experience.”

Each Wednesday night, grab your friends and family for a night in one of America’s oldest landscaped gardens. You can sip on a variety of wine while strolling through a different garden each week. Snacks will also be provided.

The event will take place every Wednesday from 5:30pm – 7:30pm. In compliance with CDC guidelines, face masks will be required for parts of the event. Tickets are $20 for members and $25 for non-members. The last night of the sip and stroll will be May 26th so be sure to reserve your spot in advance.

Click here to purchase your tickets.

Eat & Drink

Zero George Offering Cooking Classes Every Weekend

Zero George, a boutique hotel fitted with a popular restaurant and bar, is now offering cooking classes every weekend. This intimate experience is a must-do for culinary connoisseurs or anyone who is looking to sharpen their skills in the kitchen while indulging in delicious food.

The classes are led by Executive Chef Vinson Petrillo and his Sous Chef Tyler Chavis. They take place in their quaint 1804 kitchen carriage house every Saturday and Sunday from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm.

Each class is $150 per person and features a stunning three course meal that includes a wine tasting.

According to Zero George, “the two-hour, Multi-Course Tasting Menu Experience showcases Executive Chef Vinson Petrillo’s masterful touch with fine dining. This tucked-away gem serves up some of Charleston’s biggest flavors and most bold dishes from undoubtedly the tiniest professional kitchen around.”

Classes fill up fast – click here to book your cooking class with Zero George today.

Events

Annual Festival of Houses and Gardens Reimagined for 2021

2021 marks the 74th Annual Festival of Houses and Gardens. The festival celebrates the history, culture, beauty and architecture that Charleston boasts. Proceeds from the festival will benefit education and preservation efforts for the Historic Charleston Foundation.

In order to keep staff and festival-goers safe, this year’s festival will look a little different. Officials have made the difficult decision to cancel some annual events and have required that tours only feature private gardens and the exteriors of homes.

The festival will begin on March 11th with virtual Food for Thought Luncheon Lectures. In-person luncheon lectures will begin on April 5th at the Captain James Missroon House on East Bay Street.

Traditional events like the annual Sip and Stroll and Garden Splendor have been cancelled for the 2021 season. However, in place of those events, a new program will be held. Festival Fridays will start on April 23rd and take place every Friday through August 27th. Festival Fridays will include Morning History Walks and Food For Thought Lectures.The Glorious Gardens Tours will be also held on April 30th, May 14th, May 17th and May 21st.

Click here to learn more about the lineup of events taking place this year and see how you can celebrate this beautiful city.

Events

Charleston Music Hall Introduces Spring Outdoor Concert Series

Charleston Music Hall is bringing back their popular concert series, “Around the Bend.” The socially distanced outdoor concert series will begin on April 10th with a performance by Robert Earl Keen.

The concerts will take place at The Bend, located in North Charleston at 3775 Azalea Drive. Each concert will begin promptly at 7:30 pm but concertgoers can arrive as early as 6:00 pm.

Concertgoers can also pre-order drinks that will be available in their very own cooler upon arrival. In addition, food and non-alcoholic beverages can be brought inside the venue area for patrons to enjoy.

Here’s the full lineup of concert series taking place this year:

April 10 – Robert Earl Keen
April 11 – Ranky Tanky
April 17 – Reggae Night at the Bend: Tribute to Toots & The Maytals
May 7 – Charlton Singleton and Friends present The Sizzling ‘70s
May 13 – Blackberry Smoke
May 14 – Yacht Rock Revue
May 22 – Old Crow Medicine Show
June 5 – The Steeldrivers

Click here to learn more about the series and to purchase your tickets.