Charleston Area Events or Happenings

November 2009
The Radisson Hotel Charleston Airport is excited to be offering *25% Off Regular Fall Rates!

• Charleston's Holiday Market
  10/30/2009 - 11/01/2009
  Charleston's Holiday Market offers arts and crafts, specialty foods and fashions, gifts that glitter, music and magic - everything to make your holidays bright.
• Star Wars In Concert
  North Charleston Coliseum, North Charleston, SC
  Fri, Nov 6, 2009 08:00pm
• Avenue Q
  Broadway Musical
  North Charleston Performing Arts Center, North Charleston, SC
  Thu, Nov 12, 2009 07:30pm
• Holiday Festival of Lights
  11/13/2009 – 1/3/2010
  Every year the James Island County Park lights up over 500,000 lights to provide you with an enchanting 3-mile driving tour - fun for everyone. In fact, they also offer a marshmallow roast and a 54 passenger train ride through the park to view the lights. To tour the lights in your car is $10/car and if you'd like you can ride the train around the lake for approximately $2/person; children under 2 are free if they sit in the lap of an adult.
  Location: James Island Country Park, about 15 minutes from downtown Charleston
  Phone: (843) 795-7275
• Holiday Card Drawing Contest
  11/12/2009
  Come out and draw your favorite holiday scene!
• Colonial Trades and Harvest Day
  11/14/2009, 10:00am-4:00pm
  Cost: $5/adult, $3/child (6-15), $3.25/SC senior or disabled
  Charles Towne Landing State Historic Site
  1500 Old Towne Rd, Charleston, SC 29407
  Phone: (843) 852-4200
  Email Us: ctlandingsp@scprt.com
• 2009 ESPN Charleston Classic Basketball Tournament
  11/18/2009 - 11/22/2009
  Carolina First Arena, Charleston, SC
  Second annual three-day, eight-team basketball event with the Southern Conference (SOCON) serving as the sponsoring conference. The field for the second annual Charleston Classic will include La Salle, Miami (Fla.), UNC Wilmington, Penn State, South Carolina, USF and Tulane. The eighth team will be announced at a later date. To purchase Game Tickets to the Charleston Classic, contact the Carolina First Arena Box Office at (843) 953-2632 or on the web at www.cofcsports.com, on sale now.
• Holiday Craft Workshop
  11/19/2009
  Children ages 15 and under are invited to make and decorate holiday ornaments and winter crafts.
• Towne Centre Christmas Tree Lighting
  11/21/2009
  Mount Pleasant Towne Centre is hosting the annual tree lighting ceremony for the kick-off to the holiday season!
• Spend the Holidays at Magnolias, Blossom, and Cypress!
  11/26/2009
  Enjoy a holiday feast including classic Christmas dishes as well as signature menu items!
• Women's Fall Tennis League Weekend
  11/07/2009-11/09/2009
  Bring your friends and team members for a weekend full of fun, leisure time and, of course instruction with our amazing Tennis staff!
• Plantation Days at Middleton Place
  11/07/2009, 11/14/2009, 11/21/2009, 11/28/2009
  Visit Middleton Place every Saturday in November while craft-workers demonstrate the skills practiced by slaves as they prepared the antebellum plantation for harvest time.
• Charleston Farmers Market
  04/11/2009-12/19/2009
  The Farmers Market offer Charleston residents and visitors fresh locally grown produce and locally processed food products as well as distinctive hand wrought arts and crafts and will continue every Saturday until December 19.
• The Citadel Bulldogs 2009 Football Schedule
  09/05/2009-11/21/2009
  The 2009 Citadel Football Season kicks off on September 4th against the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.
• The Charleston Museum presents Aisle Style: 150 Years of Wedding Fashion
  10/16/2009-09/06/2010
  While focusing on the bride and her dress, the exhibition will also include accessories, men's garments, trousseau treasures and photographs.
  Plantation Days at Middleton Place
  Every Saturday in November
  (843) 556-6020, (800) 782-3608
• Harvest Fest
  11/07/09
  Johns Island, SC
  (843) 795-4FUN
• Civil War Reenactment of the Battle of Secessionville
  Boone Hall Plantation
  (Dates to be Determined)

December 2009

• Holiday Farmers Market
  Every Saturday Morning in December
  Under the brightly colored tents at Marion Square, you'll find everything you need to deck the halls for the holidays and fill the pantry with baked delights: natural wreaths, fresh greenery, special breads, cookies and fresh vegetables as well as the best assortment of art, crafts and holiday gift items to complete your shopping lists.
  Location: Marion Square, located at King and Calhoun Streets
  Phone: (843) 724-7305
• Charleston Sleigh Ride
  Thursday – Sunday Evenings through December, 2009 (excluding Christmas, includes New Years Eve)
  In December, Thriller slows it down to provide a leisurely tour of the Charleston Harbor at night to view the holiday lights. Get into the holiday spirit with waterproof blankets and hot chocolate in travel mugs provided. Christmas music and stories about Charleston and holiday traditions are shared. 1 hour tour.
  Cost: $40/adult, $30/children
  Location: Charleston Harbor
  Phone: (843) 276-4203
• Holiday Festival of Lights
  11/15/09-01/04/10
  Every year the James Island County Park lights up over 500,000 lights to provide you with an enchanting 3-mile driving tour - fun for everyone. In fact, they also offer a marshmallow roast and a 54 passenger train ride through the park to view the lights. To tour the lights in your car is $10/car and if you'd like you can ride the train around the lake for approximately $2/person; children under 2 are free if they sit in the lap of an adult.
  Location: James Island County Park
  Phone: (843) 795-7275
• Supersized Holiday Card Contest
  12/01/2009 - 12/19/2009
  Please submit entries to 30 Mary Murray Drive.
• Preservation Society of Charleston holds “13th Annual Holiday Book Signing”
  12/03/2009
  Join fellow preservationists as you enjoy refreshments and appetizers on this special evening commencing the 2009 holiday season!
• Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony on the Isle Of Palms
  12/03/2009
  Live entertainment will include the band, Two 3 Ways, and Sullivan’s Island Elementary School Chorus. Participants are invited to come and visit Santa and celebrate the festive season.
• 6th Annual Shopping With Friends
  12/05/2009
  Shopping with Friends is celebrating its sixth year, and doing it in style! Grab your friends and shop til you drop to show your support for Low-country AIDS Services.
• Daniel Island Holiday Festival & Tree Lighting Festivities
  12/05/2009
  The Holiday Festival will come alive with bargains galore and a vast assortment of unique gifts for the whole family!
• Holiday Magic Entertainment and Visits with Santa
  Mondays-Fridays: 10am-6pm; Saturdays and Sundays: 10am-4pm
  Location: Marion Square - Between King, Meeting & Calhoun Streets
• French Quarter Art Walk
  12/05/2009
  Location: Downtown Charleston, SC
  Phone: (843) 577-7101
• The Charleston Christmas Special
  12/05/2009-12/20/2009
  Children's choirs, church choirs, gospel, classical, folk, jazz, storytelling and other forms of entertainment dazzle audiences at Marion Square. Bring your Christmas wish lists to the North Pole Mailbox and visit with Santa, Mrs. Claus and their Elf assistants in the magically decorated park.
  Location: Downtown Charleston
  Phone: (843) 416-8453
• The Reindeer Run
  12/6/2009
  A festive fun-filled 5K run/walk (3.1 miles) through the streets of downtown Charleston during the holiday season. This event is open to persons of all fitness levels. There will be awards three-deep for age groups from 8 & under and up to 70 & over. But, if running is not your bag, walk the course, dress-up in your best holiday costume and win fabulous prizes for Most Original Costumes.
  Location: Front of Southend Brewery, 161 East Bay Street at Cumberland St., Downtown Charleston, SC
  Phone: (843) 278-5277
• Charleston Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony
  Join Mayor Joseph P. Riley, Jr. and Santa Claus in lighting the magnificent 60-foot Tree of Lights, the official City of Charleston Christmas Tree at Marion Square.
  Location: Marion Square - Between King, Meeting & Calhoun Streets
  Phone: (843) 724-7305
• North Charleston Christmas Festival
  12/6/2009, 4:30pm-6:00pm
  Annual North Charleston Christmas Lighting, Festival and Parade - Experience dozens of beautiful Christmas trees decorated by local churches, schools, businesses and civic groups. Enjoy rides, dancing troupes, hayrides, pony rides, visits with Mr. and Mrs. Clause and the annual Christmas parade. Admission is free.
  Phone: (843) 745-1087
• Parade of Boats
  12/6/2009
  Get on board with a Lowcountry holiday tradition as this display of lighted and festive boats proceeds from the Cooper River through the Charleston Harbor and into the Ashley River culminating in a brilliant fireworks display over the harbor. View the procession along Charleston’s waterfront or decorate your own boat and join the parade. Parade begins along Mt. Pleasant at 5:00pm. Viewing from the peninsula begins at 6:30pm. Fireworks begin at approximately 6:45pm.
  Location: Official viewing sites are Waterfront Park, The USS Yorktown and the Battery Area.
  Phone: (843) 724-7305
• Charleston Christmas Parade
  12/7/2009, 2pm-5 pm
  The holiday tradition is better than ever as bands, floats, marchers and performers parade through downtown Charleston. The parade begins at the intersection of Calhoun and Meeting Streets and proceeds down King Street to Broad Street, then Lockwood Blvd.
  Phone: (843) 720-1981
• Annual Spirituals Concert
  Drayton Hall presents African American spiritual music with four performances by Ann Caldwell and The Magnolia Singers. The program includes work songs, field cries, hollers, rhyme songs and spirituals, all of which served as a means of pacing field work, prayer and praise, communication and relief from the indignities and degradation of bondage. These concerts are a rare opportunity to hear music that could have been heard centuries ago in the fields and praise houses that surrounded Drayton Hall. Concert tickets include a catered wine and hors d'oeuvres reception on the portico and informal tours of the house given by Drayton Hall's experienced museum guides. Seating is limited and reservations are required.
  Location: Drayton Hall
  Phone: (843) 769-2605
• 17th Annual Christmas Made In The South - Ladson Fairgrounds
  12/04/2009 - 12/06/2009
  Get a head start on your gift list and enjoy the Christmas shopping experience of the season.
• Christmases of Yesterday
  12/06/2009 - 12/31/2009
  The public is invited to experience Christmas in the Low-country at two of Charleston’s premier historic house museums!
• The Charleston Christmas Special
  12/10/2009 - 12/20/2009
  Broadway veteran’s Brad and Jennifer Moranz present 20 of the country’s finest singers, dancers, and musicians in a fun filled two hour musical extravaganza for the whole family! Dazzling costumes, hilarious comedy and Santa himself all join in to make this an experience you won’t forget!
  (843) 416-8453
• The Low Country Singing Christmas Tree
  Come share the excitement of this years presentation of the Low Country Singing Christmas Tree. We hope that you will enjoy the music, the drama, the lights, the orchestra and, most of all, experience the love of Christ through this magnificent presentation. Over the years we have seen the attempt to leave Christ out of Christmas and to turn this special time from a very significant religious holiday to a season filled with shopping, frayed nerves and dashed hopes of families being harmonious. We want to remind and encourage you through this musical presentation that Christ can still be the center of your Christmas...and your life. We look forward to seeing you at these special Christmas Services.
  Location: Summerville Baptist Church
  Phone: (843) 873-2440
• Joy Joy Joy
  12/12/2009 - 12/15/2009
  A CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION! This is the perfect way to start your Christmas celebration; presented by the Celebration Choir and Orchestra. Everyone is welcome. No charge and plenty of free parking. Handicap accessible.
  Location: First Baptist Church, Mt. Pleasant, SC
  Phone: (843) 884-8521
• Charleston Men's Chorus
  12/20/2009, 5:00pm
  The Charleston Men's Chorus will perform a combination of sacred music as well as joyful holiday lyrics. Tickets: $15 adults; $10 seniors/students; free ages 6 and under.
  Location: Summerall Chapel at The Citadel
  Address: 171 Moultrie Street, Downtown Charleston
  Phone: (843) 720-8505
• Ceremonies of the Cultures
  12/13/2009
  As part of your Christmas and Holiday season, plan to come to Charles Towne Landing for a day of cultural activities. Gullah storytellers will capture your imagination. Hear how traditions were passed down from generation to generation through stories, games and songs.
  Location: Charles Towne Landing
  Phone: (843) 853-4200
• The Nutcracker Ballet
  12/13/2009, 2:00 pm, 7:30pm
  12/14/2009, 3pm
  It's Charleston circa 1865 and families are filling the streets and the market of downtown in a last minute rush for gifts and decorations. Young Maria is presented with the gift of a cherished authentic Nutcracker. With a little help from Uncle Drosselmeyer, she is transported on a world tour through lands of fantasy beyond her imagination. This Charleston holiday tradition celebrates the magic of the holiday spirit and the kid that remains inside us all.
  Tickets: $30, $35, $40 & $45. Children’s tickets are $10 off each price level.
  Location: Gaillard Auditorium
  Phone: (843) 723-7334, M-F
• Live Manger Scene
  12/22/2009 - 12/24/2009
  This church presents a live manger scene that you can drive past or stop and view. Hours are 6-8pm on the 22nd, 6-8pm on the 23rd and directly following the 6pm Christmas Eve service (6-8pm). Free for all.
  Location: Front Lawn of Bethany United Methodist Church
  Address: 1853 Maybank Highway, James Island
  Phone: (843) 795-3527
• A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story of Christmas presented by Charleston Stage
  12/02/2009-12/20/2009
  Charleston Stage, South Carolina's Largest Professional Theatre, brings back its acclaimed Christmas classic to the College of Charleston Sottile Theatre!
• Moscow Ballet Presents Its Great Russian Nutcracker
  12/23/2009
  World-renowned Moscow Ballet will celebrate its 16th anniversary presenting its Great Russian Nutcracker in over 70 cities this 2008 holiday season.
• Spend the Holidays at Magnolias, Blossom, and Cypress!
  12/25/2009
  Enjoy a holiday feast including classic Christmas dishes as well as signature menu items!
• The Holiday Walking Tour by Charleston Strolls
  12/01/2009 - 12/31/2009
  Charleston Strolls invites you to enjoy Charleston's holiday spirit and decorations.
• Camellia Christmas at The Magnoila House
  12/01/2009 - 12/31/2009
  Enjoy the full bloom of America’s most extensive outdoor camellia display!
• The Christmas Music of Mannheim Steamroller
  Get an early start on your holiday mood when Mannheim Steamroller brings their Christmas tour to Charleston. Created by Chip Davis, Mannheim Steamroller’s signature sound is where classical and modern-day rock, acoustic and electronic music meet. Celebrate the spirit of the season with the “18th century rock band” that has become one of the most popular and best-selling acts in the last 30 years. Secure your reservation today at Radisson Hotel Charleston Airport, located only 3 miles from the venue!
  When: Thursday, December 10, 2009
  Time: 7:30pm
  Where: North Charleston, SC
  Venue: North Charleston Performing Arts
  5001 Coliseum Drive, North Charleston, SC 29405
  For tickets visit www.coliseumpac.com
• Charleston Tree Lighting Ceremony
  12/05/09
  4:30pm-6pm
  Marion Square
  (843) 724-7305  
• Family Yuletide at Middleton Place
  12/12/2009
  Families can enjoy storytelling around a warm fire, Christmas caroling, and ornament and wreath making. See craftspeople working in their shops by candlelight and a live nativity scene featuring many of the plantation's animals.
• The 14th Annual Town of Mount Pleasant Christmas Light Parade
  12/13/2009
  More than 100 floats will march down Coleman Boulevard on December 13, as the Mount Pleasant Holiday Parade set sails to the delight of thousands of residents and visitors.
• Dickens Dinner at Circa 1886
  12/16/2009
  Circa 1886 will take guests back to Victorian England for storyteller Tim Lowry's lively retelling of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol"
• 24th Annual Progressive Dinners
  12/01/2009-12/23/2009
  The Progressive Dinner is an annual tradition that takes visitors by horse-drawn carriage to three historic and elegant establishments.
• Kwanzaa Festival
  12/29/2009
• New Year's Eve at Circa 1886
  12/31/2009
  Guests can count down the New Year at Circa 1886 during two different seatings, 6:30pm and 9pm, at the restaurant's New Year's Eve dinner.
  Phone: (843) 853-7828
• Happy New Years Charleston
  12/31/2009, 4-10:30pm
  This community celebration offers a non-alcoholic and family-oriented alternative program to celebrate the New Year in Charleston. This city wide, admission-free program has something wonderful for everyone: comedy, African dancing, many forms of music including classical, gospel and jazz, children's activities and so much more.
  Location: Marion Square and surrounding locations
  Phone: (843) 724-7305

2010 Coming Events:

January

• Lowcountry Oyster Festival
  **Selected By the Southeast Tourism Society as a Top 20 Event**
  Boone Hall Plantation
  January 31, 2010
  Phone: (843) 577-4030

February

• Southern Comfort Blues Bash 2010
  Charleston's Annual Celebration of Authentic Blues Music
  February 6-15, 2010
  Phone: (843) 762-9125
• Celebrate the 27th Annual Southeastern Wildlife Exposition
  02/14/2010
  www.sewe.com
• Happy Valentines Day
  2/14/2009