September
Park Circle Oktoberfest lands Saturday, September 12, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Holy City Brewing, 4800 Park Circle in North Charleston. General admission is $16.15, VIP is $67.60, and kids under 12 are free.
Second Sunday on King closes King Street to cars from Queen to Calhoun, noon to 5 p.m., on September 13, October 11 and November 8. Free, and one of the biggest walk-in days King Street merchants get all month.
Pickle Palooza III runs Friday through Sunday, September 18 to 20, at Cannon Distillery, 1734 Signal Point Road on James Island. Tickets start at $26.25. Kids 12 and under are free with a parent.
The Sweet Tea Festival takes over Hutchinson Square in downtown Summerville on Saturday, September 19, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Free. The Sweetest Sidewalk Sale runs September 12 and Sweetest Third Thursday is September 17 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
MOJA Arts Festival runs September 24 through October 1 across Marion Square, the Charleston Music Hall, the Dock Street Theatre and Greater St. Luke AME Church. The 2026 edition spotlights Barbados, Gullah Geechee, Jamaica and Sierra Leone. Many outdoor events are free.
Boone Hall Pumpkin Patch opens September 25 and runs Friday through Sunday weekends into November 1, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., at Boone Hall Farms, 2434 N. Highway 17 in Mount Pleasant. Admission is $15 for ages 3 and up.
October
The Preservation Society's Fall Tours run the entire month of October and mark their 50th year. House and garden tours are $75 for members and $100 for non-members.
First Friday Artwalk brings 30-plus downtown galleries together on October 2 and November 6, 5 to 8 p.m. Free.
Mermaids and Mateys Festival hits Center Street on Folly Beach Saturday, October 3, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with 80-plus art and craft vendors. Free, though you register for a ticket.
The Mullet Haul n' Hustle, a new Charleston County Parks race weekend, runs Saturday, October 3 at Johns Island County Park, 2662 Mullet Hall Road. Marathon relay, half marathon, 5K and a kids dash.
The Latin American Festival is Sunday, October 4, noon to 5 p.m., at Wannamaker County Park, 8888 University Blvd. in North Charleston. Fifteen dollars per vehicle in advance, $25 at the gate.
Riverfront Revival, the country and Americana festival curated by Darius Rucker, returns October 9 and 10 at Riverfront Park, 1061 Everglades Ave. in North Charleston. More than 15 artists across two days.
The inaugural Summerville Wine and Food Festival is Saturday, October 17, 1 to 6 p.m., at The Pickle Bar, 162 Cherry St. in Nexton. Eight wineries, guest chefs, $55 early bird and $65 general admission.
North Charleston's 13th annual Harvest Festival runs the same day, October 17, 4 to 7 p.m., on East Montague Avenue in the Olde Village. Free admission, free parking, trick-or-treating on the street, and costume contests judged at 5:45.
Mount Pleasant's 38th annual Children's Day Festival is Sunday, October 18, noon to 5 p.m., at Park West Recreation Complex, 1251 Park West Blvd. Free, with free shuttle parking from Cairo Middle School.
Charleston Beerfest, 21 and up, is Saturday, October 24, 2 to 7 p.m. at Riverfront Park. More than 75 breweries, 20-plus food trucks, benefiting Palmetto Community Care.
November and December
The Charleston Literary Festival runs November 6 to 15 at the Dock Street Theatre and other venues, a shoulder-season week that fills downtown hotels and restaurants.
Charleston County Parks' Harvest Festival is Saturday, November 7, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., at Johns Island County Park. Bluegrass, hayrides and a crafters market. Shake Your Trail Feathers 5K and 10K runs the same day at Laurel Hill County Park in Mount Pleasant.
The Holiday Festival of Lights opens Friday, November 13 and runs nightly through December 31 at James Island County Park, 871 Riverland Drive. This is its 38th year, with more than 750 displays across a three-mile drive. Seven straight weeks of traffic.
The Food and Wine Classic in Charleston runs November 13 to 15 with 40-plus chef demos and four Grand Tastings. The 2026 lineup includes Tyler Florence, Nancy Silverton, Maneet Chauhan, Katie Button and Mike Lata.
Holy Smokes Lowcountry Barbecue Festival is Saturday, November 14, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Riverfront Park, with more than 50 pitmasters across four themed villages, benefiting Ronald McDonald House Charities Charleston.
The Summerville Italian Feast is Sunday, November 15, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Hutchinson Square. More than 100 vendors and food trucks, with proceeds going to the Educational Foundation of Dorchester District 2. The 2025 event raised $42,000.
The 49th Turkey Day Run and Gobble Wobble 5K goes off Thanksgiving morning, November 26, at 9 a.m. from Marion Square. It is the third-largest Thanksgiving 5K in the country. Note that there is no race-day registration or packet pickup.
North Charleston's Cookies and Cocoa is Friday, December 4, 4 to 6 p.m. at the Park Circle Community Building, followed by the Christmas Festival and Parade Saturday, December 5, 2 to 6 p.m. with the parade at 3. Both free.
Southern Living Illumination Charleston runs December 4 and 5 at the Charleston Visitor Center, 375 Meeting St. The Saturday holiday market is $125 and the Friday gingerbread class is $225.
The Folly Beach Christmas Parade rolls down Center Street Saturday, December 12 at noon. The Mount Pleasant Christmas Light Parade follows Sunday, December 13, with fireworks at 5:30 p.m. and road closures on Coleman Boulevard starting at 4.
One to watch
The Coastal Carolina Fair at Exchange Park Fairgrounds in Ladson has not published confirmed 2026 dates as of early September. The fair's own calendar was still showing 2025 information. If you were planning around it, call 843-572-3161 before you commit.
Sources
Explore Charleston, Festivals calendar
Charleston County Parks, 2026 Special Event Calendar
City of North Charleston, Harvest Festival
Experience Mount Pleasant, Children's Day Festival
Boone Hall Plantation, Pumpkin Patch
Preservation Society of Charleston, The Fall Tours
Turkey Day Run, Race details
First reported by charlestoncvb.com.