Charleston Entertainment

The nightlife scene in Charleston is lively, with a great selection of bars and clubs offering live music of every genre. If one of these noisy bars isn’t your idea of fun, try one of the city’s theatres, which put on year-round performances. Keeping Charleston’s reputation as a cultural centre intact are the city's two major festivals: Spoleto Festival and Moja Arts Festival.

Nightlife

The bustling nightlife in Charleston ensures that visitors have plenty of options when it comes to evening entertainment. Lively bars, music venues and clubs keep the nightlife scene happening, with King, Broad and Cumberland Streets having a selection of friendly bars, most of which offer live music. Some of the clubs have a small cover charge, and it is necessary to show your ID as proof of age.

Theatre and music

A hub of live music, this is the place to come to see local bands rock out and musicians do their thing. With everything from bluegrass, reggae, folk and drumming on offer, you are sure to find something to suit your tastes. Local bands mainly play in bars, with popular choices including the Blind Tiger on Broad Street; Cumberland’s on Cumberland Street; and Music Farm on Ann Street. Nation bands frequently make stops here on tours, also.

There are regular performances held at the city’s theatres, with The Children’s Theatre of Charleston; Charleston Ballet Theatre; and Footlight Theatre all being popular choices. Classic and contemporary plays and dance can be enjoyed as well as African-American and Caribbean theatre at the Moja Arts Festival in October.  

Festivals

Charleston has a healthy events and festivals calendar, with highlights including the Spoleto Festival in May/June, which extends for 17 days and includes premiers, musical performances and dance; and the Moja Arts Festival, which features African-American and Caribbean theatre, dance and film. Alongside these arts festivals, national holidays are observed as well as some smaller local festivals.

• Spoleto Festival in May/June extends for 17 days and includes premiers, musical performances and dance.
  Moja Arts Festival features African-American and Caribbean theatre, dance and film.
• Charleston Beach Music and Shag Fest is the largest event of its kind in the world and include partying along the beach, costumes, dancing and cook–offs.
• Charleston Comedy Festival, held in January, sees some of the nations best stand-up artists gather to the amusement of eager crowds, making this an event not to be missed if you like a good laugh.
• Charleston Maritime Festival in May celebrates the city’s maritime heritage with events including races, boat building, marine exhibits and shipyard tours. This event is suitable for the whole family.