Best Spring Events in Charleston

Best Charleston Spring Events

 

Spring has sprung in Charleston, and we aren’t just talking about the flowers! Spring is also packed with many fun events to kick off the tourist season, and we have listed a few of our favorites.

 

Annual Festival of Houses & Gardens: March 16th – April 9th 

Charleston is known for its stunning historical architecture and magnificent gardens, but some of the best are residential homes. The Annual Festival of Houses & Gardens is a great way to take a peek at some of the Charleston homes and gardens that are normally a secret. 

 

This year the Home & Garden Festival is welcoming visitors to its 75th year, offering tours, concerts, wine tastings, and lectures! The festival serves as the Historic Charleston Foundation’s largest fundraiser and a wonderful educational tool for Charleston. You can start your day off with a morning history walk, where you can learn the history behind the very places you are seeing and enjoy exploring the city as well! You’ll find luncheon available ranging from topics like the spoils of war, the history-making women of Charleston, Gullah memories, and more!  

 

Credit One Charleston Open: March 30th- April 7th

The Credit One Charleston Open (formally known as the Volvo Open) is finally returning to the Lowcountry with a brand new redesigned venue! This open is the largest women’s-only tennis tournament in North America and is celebrating its 50th year!

 

The event goes back to 1973 when it was the only event of its kind. The open was an important moment in history for women with dreams of playing professional sports. The competition started in Hilton Head, but moved to Charleston in 2001 and has come back every year since! Every year over 90,000 spectators come from across the world to see 100 of the top professional tennis players compete for the coveted title. As it’s one of the largest events in Charleston, there are giveaways, live music, and happy hours during and after the competitions to keep the spirit going!  

 

Flowertown Festival: April 5th- 7th

When the flowers are blooming, it’s time for Summerville’s annual Flowertown Festival! Every year thousands of visitors travel to Summerville to see the azaleas, wisteria, and dogwood in full bloom.

 

Flowertown Festival is an event thrown every year by the Summerville Family YMCA and is the premier fundraiser for the health and wellness programs at the Y. This three-day festival offers one of the largest arts and crafts festivals in the southeast, with over 200 jury-selected artists from all over the country showing their works. You can enjoy a farmer’s market to find all of your favorite Lowcountry foods and products all in one place! If you need a fun event for your kids this is the one! Flowertown offers a Children’s Jubilee with fun activities and rides for all.

 

High Water Music Festival: April 23rd-24th

High Water Festival is a music festival not like many others. This festival takes place in Riverfront Park and is part music festival and part culinary experience.

 

High Water is a festival cultivated by Shovels & Rope to bring musicians from all over the world to the Lowcountry for a weekend of fun. There are two alternating stages so you can catch all of your favorite bands and discover new ones! As this festival takes place in the Lowcountry there is a large emphasis on the culinary experience. You can try bites from local and regional eateries at the Refuge, or grab a cocktail or two at the Porch! There is also an Oyster Education Class held every year to teach you to shuck and enjoy the perfect oyster before you leave Charleston!  

 

Spoleto Festival: May 27th- June 12th

Since 1977 for 17 days and nights each Spring in Charleston, Spoleto Festival has been the talk of the town. The historic theaters, churches, and outdoor spaces come alive with performances of all kinds across Charleston.

 

The history of the festival has Italian roots, as it is the American counterpart of the Festival of Two Worlds held in Spoleto Italy. Pulitzer Prize-winning composer, Gian Carlo Menotti, wanted to replicate the event and found Charleston to provide the same Charm as the Italian town. Today there are over 150 performances and more than 10 venues each season and has solidified its status as America’s premier performing arts festival. You’ll have a chance to see new and old artists in operas, theater, dances, and a variety of music performances.