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Piccolo Spoleto Fills Charleston with Arts, Music, Theater

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Piccolo posterLast week we celebrated the beginning of Spoleto Festival USA but you might not realize riding alongside Spoleto is her little sister, Piccolo Spoleto. This locally focused arts festival runs concurrent to Spoleto and shines the spotlight on local and regional artists at a number of inexpensive and free events. Many of the events are geared toward children, giving families the opportunity to expose their children to art, theater, music and more.

Piccolo Spoleto – put on the City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs – continues through June 9.  Here are some of our festival favorites:

  • Outdoor Art Exhibition – More than 80 South Carolina artists will have their work on display in Marion Square from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday through Sunday. Admission is free.
  • Driving Miss Daisy” – A film favorite is played out on stage at the Charleston Acting Studio. Produced by Midtown Productions, shows are May 30-31, June 1 and June 2.
  • Piccolo Fringe with The Have Nots! – This improv comedy show is based on audience suggestion. The cast doesn’t use scripts so be prepared for a unique performance. Shows are May 31, June 1 and June 8 at Theatre 99, 280 Meeting St. in downtown Charleston. (Not suitable for children.)
  • Jack & The Beanstalk” – Produced by Creative Spark Center for the Arts/Sprouts Musical Theatre, this is a family friendly performance. Shows are May 31, June 1-2 at Creative Spark Center for the Arts, 757 Long Point Road in Mount Pleasant.
  • Sand Sculpting Competition:  Participate in the 25th anniversary celebration of this event either as a competitor or a spectator. Sand Sculpting Teams will compete for prizes in six different categories. The event is 9 a.m. to noon on June 1 at Isle of Palms Front Beach. Admission is free.
  • Piccolo Spoleto Finale – The event starts off with two hours of reggae music followed by Kentucky-based band MotownMadness bringing its blend of Motown, R&B and soul music. There will be food, merchandise for sale, jump castles and an area for children. The event is 5-10 p.m. June 8 at Hampton Park, 30 Mary Murray Blvd. in Charleston. Admission is free.

Let us know which Piccolo Spoleto events are your favorite and the must-see activities of the festival!

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Charleston FAQ's

Choosing a hotel and where to stay in Charleston all depends on your budget and goals. Do you want to stay Downtown, at the beach or in the outer areas such as North Charleston where you have to drive to get everywhere? For more help on deciding: https://travelerofcharleston.com/articles/hotels/

Charleston has 3 main public beaches which are: Folly, Isle of Palms and Sullivans. Each beach has it’s own atmosphere. The most common beach that people visit is Folly Beach and then Isle of Palms followed by Sullivans Island. For more info on Charleston’s beaches visit: https://travelerofcharleston.com/guide-charlestons-beaches/

Charleston, SC is full of historical things to do. Everything from museums, to public sites and free landmark sites such as Rainbow Row and the Battery can be seen. For more info on Charleston’s top historical sites visit: https://travelerofcharleston.com/places-to-learn-about-charleston-sc-history/

There are many things that will keep the kids and family entertained and educated in Charleston. There are historic sites such as Fort Sumter, a Children’s Museum, Aquarium and the USS Yorktown…a WWII era aircraft carrier you can tour. For more info visit: https://travelerofcharleston.com/charleston-family-fun-activities/

There’s so many  things you could do in Charleston it can be overwhelming. We recommend that first time visitors, checkout the ultimate first-time visitor guide here: https://travelerofcharleston.com/charleston-first-time-visitors-guide/

Spring in Charleston, SC is an amazing time of year to visit. The flowers are blooming and the weather is mild and sunny. For more info, check-out our spring guide to Charleston here: https://travelerofcharleston.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-springtime-in-charleston/

Summer in Charleston is a great time to visit. There’s plenty of things to keep you busy and visiting the beach will probably….or should be on your short-list. Also water-based activities and tours are popular. Checkout this summer guide to Charleston for more info: 

Our 10 Favorite Summer Activities in Charleston

Fall is one of the best times to visit. The weather cools down a bit and the skies are typically blue and clear. In addition there are many great events, festivals and the large crowds of summer have gone back to school or work. For more info on visiting in the fall, checkout this article: https://travelerofcharleston.com/charleston-12-things-to-do-fall/

There are so many great things to do that it’s difficult to narrow the list down. This article does a great job with figuring out the must do things to do in Charleston

7 Can’t Miss Reasons to Visit Charleston, SC Now

The consensus is a minimum of 3-days is needed to settle in and experience Charleston. For instance, many people take 2 days exploring downtown and another day visiting sites outside of downtown such as the plantations, Angel Oak Tree or beaches. Checkout this page for a list of tours and attractions: 

Charleston’s Top Tours & Attractions | Things to do

Downtown Charleston was made for walking and for sure one of the best way to soak up and experience the history first-hand. This article goes over getting around Charleston with and without a car as well: 

Getting Around Charleston, SC

We’re of course partial to Charleston, but here’s the truth. There are many similarities however there are some differences in our opinion: 

  • Both cities are historic and beautiful. 
  • Both cities are extremely walkable. Savannah, with it’s park-like squares maybe more walkable than Charleston. 
  • Charleston has a more established and food scene with many more options. 
  • Charleston has better hotels and shopping.
  • Both cities have equally good tours.
  • Charleston has better beach options. Savannah has Tybee which is great, however it’s 1 beach vibe versus Charleston which has 3 beaches with different vibes. Checkout this Charleston beach guide article: https://travelerofcharleston.com/guide-charlestons-beaches/
  • In Savannah you can walk with alcoholic beverages on the street. This is not allowed in Charleston. This can be good or bad depending on your stance. 
  • Savannah is more affordable.
  • TourPass offers all-inclusive passes in both cities: https://tourpass.com

There are always great and world-class events happening in Charleston. For a calendar of events and things to do in Charleston, checkout our online calendar of events: https://travelerofcharleston.com/events/

Of course there are free money-saving coupons that you can use. Visit the coupons page for a bunch of ways to save: https://travelerofcharleston.com/coupon/

Charleston has some fantastic can’t miss tours such as Fort Sumter, carriage, ghost, harbor, historic and culinary tours. For a full list with more info visit: https://travelerofcharleston.com/attractions/

Checkout the Charleston Relocation Guide page which will guide you during your move: https://travelerofcharleston.com/charleston-sc-relocation-guide/

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