53rd Annual Charleston Greek Festival

May 10th - 12th

The Charleston Greek Festival is a celebration of fun and Greek culture! Attendees can enjoy Greek food, wine, live music, and dancing. The oldest festival in the Charleston area, dating back to 1970, The Charleston Greek Festival is the 3rd largest festival in the Lowcountry with 35,000+ attendees over one weekend each year.

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Walking Tour

Holy City Arts & Lyric Opera

May 11th at 9:00 AM

E. Bay St. & Tradd St.

Holy City Arts & Lyric Opera (HALO) is proud to present a unique walking tour highlighting the history of opera in Charleston.

This 90-minute walking tour through the heart of historic downtown will include stops at many iconic locations while giving participants the opportunity to experience the Holy City from a new perspective.

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Family Day

May 11th at 10:00 AM

Middleton Place

Join in on an exciting day of demonstrations and activities at Middleton Place in celebration of its 50th Anniversary.

Bring the whole family for a day of celebration, demonstrations, and hands-on activities.  Learn about the many skills the free and enslaved people practiced throughout the Lowcountry’s long, rich history.

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Lowcountry Rhythms Charleston Jazz Orchestra & Lowcountry Voices

May 11th at 5:00 & 8:00 PM

Charleston Music Hall

Spend an evening exploring Charleston’s place in the history of jazz music. As one of the great cradles of jazz, Lowcountry rhythms and traditions are an integral part of this musical art form. The Charleston Jazz Orchestra will weave together rich history and treasured African and Gullah-Geechie culture and showcase locally inspired arrangements combined with the big band sound.

Joining the CJO for this special concert are members of the internationally renowned chorus, Lowcountry Voices. Known for their harmonious renditions of African-American music, including the soul-stirring sounds of Black gospel, spirituals, and jazz, this ensemble’s sound is deeply rooted in the rich heritage of the South Carolina Lowcountry.

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Spring Tea

May 12th at 1:00 PM

Drayton Hall

Join Drayton Hall for a delightful Spring Tea! Begin with a special tour of Drayton Hall, where curator Amber Satterthwaite will discuss 18th century tea traditions, entertaining and social life on the plantation, and some of the remarkable women and matriarchs who have influenced life and culture here over time.

Next, visit the Gates Gallery and the Conservation Lab to view some rare and unique artifacts related to tea culture discovered by archaeologists on the site. Finally, sit down to enjoy tea or lemonade and indulge in a variety of tasty treats before exploring the grounds or following the Landscape Audio Tour!

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Sunset Jamz

May 14th & 21st from 5:00-9:00 PM

1229 Mosquito Beach Rd

Lez Gizo Kids Club has weekly themes for the kids with stage introductions and Kids Parade to start off the music at 6pm

Come experience authentic culture and community at Historic Mosquito Beach with music and family. Weekly this year, the one and only Mr. Bill Wilson will be honored at Sunset Jamz! He is the Master Chief and Master of Ceremony so please come and be part of living history with this legend.

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Embroidery Workshop

May 16th at 5:30 PM

Halsey Institute

Inspired by the current exhibition Spandita Malik: Meshes of Resistance, join fiber artist and the Halsey Insitute of Contemporary Art’s Community Engagement Coordinator Camela Guevara for an embroidery workshop! Before the date, artists will send their chosen image to the Halsey to print onto fabric, where they’ll then learn embroidery basics and how to embellish their image at the workshop, making a keepsake to enjoy for years to come.

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Charleston Gaillard Center & Buxton Books

A Conversation with

Erik Larson

Moderated by Herb Frazier

May 16th at 7:30 PM

Charleston Gaillard Center

The world is eagerly awaiting the next book release from Erik Larson, the New York Times bestselling author of titles like The Splendid and the Vile, The Devil in the White City, and In the Garden of Beasts.

The Demon of Unrest “brings to life the pivotal five months between the election of Abraham Lincoln and the start of the Civil War,” a timely story from American history with deep ties to Charleston.

Spend an evening with Erik Larson, just minutes (and a boat ride) away from where “the passions of North and South came to focus on a lonely federal fortress in Charleston Harbor: Fort Sumter.”

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Chamber Music Charleston Classical Encounters:

The Magic of the String Quartet

May 17th at 10:00 AM

John Dart Library

Explore the magic of the String Quartet! Enjoy music performed by members of the CMC TWO Education Fellowship Quartet (Lydia Plante and Carolina Agrest, violins; Manny Stavrinakis, viola; Jade Williams, cello), and listen as the award-winning story “Mell Fell” comes to life, accompanied by live music.

Part of the Dart Library Family Sotrytime (all ages, with caregiver), at the the John L. Dart Public Library. Enjoy stories, songs, rhymes, and more while building early literacy skills. Geared to children ages 0-5.

This 45-minute program is presented free of charge thanks to the support of generous donors to the CMC Youth Chamber Music Initiative program.

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Author Talk with Tommy Tomlinson

May 17th at 5:00 PM

Blue Bicycle Books

Join in on an evening with Pulitzer Prize finalist Tommy Tomlinson to celebrate the release of his newest book Dogland: Passion, Glory, and Lots of Slobber at the Westminster Dog Show (Avid Reader, 256 pp., $14.99). Tomlinson will be joined in conversation by Garden and Gun editor Amanda Heckert.

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Lowcountry Dancing with the Stars Oxygen Ball

May 17th at 6:30 PM

Charleston Gaillard Center

Join the American Lung Association for an evening of sophistication and glamour as this year's theme is "License to Breathe!" Prepare to be transported into the world of international intrigue as we celebrate in true 007 style.

Paired with the pros from the International Ballroom Dance Studios, local Celebrities are dancing to make a difference. This evening is complete with live dance performances, formal dinner, drinks (shaken, not stirred), live and silent auctions, special guest performances, entertainment, and more! Funds raised support the mission of the American Lung Association through health education, advocacy, and groundbreaking research. 

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Dancing on the Cooper

May 17th at 7:00 PM

Mount Pleasant Pier

Friday evenings during the summer call for live music and dancing on the Mount Pleasant Pier! Local bands perform a variety of live music including beach/shag, funk/soul, rock, country, Motown, 60’s, 70’s, 80’s, and today’s greatest hits! Let loose, breathe in the harbor breeze, and dance the night away under the stars!

Advance tickets are $10 per person. Day-of tickets are $15 per person if the event hasn't sold out. On-site tickets, if available, will only be sold via credit card. Children 3 and under are free and do not require a ticket.

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Sweetgrass Workshop

May 18th at 10:00 AM

Drayton Hall

Drayton Hall welcomes Charleston’s beloved Henrietta Snype for a hands-on sweetgrass weaving workshop. Our guests will learn the historical significance of this unique craft from the absolute best.

About Henrietta Snype: A native of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, Henrietta learned the art of weaving Sweetgrass Baskets at the age of 7 from her mother, Mary Mazyck, who learned the art from her mother Elizabeth Johnson and so on since before the Middle Passage. She has taught this valuable skill to her children and grandchildren. Henrietta went on to pursue an education in business after graduating high school. In the early 1980’s, she began working in schools. Henrietta continues teaching this art in schools, universities, giving demonstrations, and workshops around the world.

Henrietta is the pioneer of Sweetgrass basket making. Her work has been exhibited at the Smithsonian, the Henry Ford Museum, The McKissick Museum and the Birmingham Arts Festival. In 2018, Henrietta was received the Heritage Award from the South Carolina Arts commission.

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Vienna Light Orchestra Magic of the Musicals

May 18th at 4:00. 6:00, & 8:00 PM

150 Meeting Street

Vienna Light Orchestra has performed its theatrical concerts to capacity crowds around the world. In Residence for 2024 at the Circular Church, in the heart of downtown, Vienna Light Orchestra performs their soul stirring original arrangements of all-time favorites from classics like Phantom of the Opera, Anastasia, Westside Story & More! Join Vienna Light Orchestra for the thrilling, “The Magic of Musicals" LIVE concert experience — a cultural sensation whose concert tours have touched the hearts of all ages.

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Cabaret at The Pearl:

Season 46 Resident Actors' Final Bow

May 19th at 3:00 & 6:00 PM

West Ashley Theatre Center

Join Charleston Stage’s Resident Actors and pianist Michael Lopez on May 19th at 3 pm or 6 pm for an hour of laughter, music and heartwarming memories as we celebrate the end of our 46th season. This cabaret-style performance will take place at the intimate West Ashley Theatre Center performing space, “The Pearl,” where Charleston Stage’s many educational programs are offered.

“Cabaret at the Pearl” bids farewell to our 2023-2024 season, which included standout productions like “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical,” “The Prom,” and "Clue: On Stage."

This family-friendly production is suitable for ages six and up.

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Candlelight Spring

A Tribute to Coldplay

May 22nd at 7:00 & 9:00 PM

The Unitarian Church

Candlelight concerts bring the magic of a live, multi-sensory musical experience to awe-inspiring locations like never seen before in Charleston. Get tickets now to discover the music of Coldplay at The Unitarian Church bathed in a lush, floral display dedicated to spring.

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