34 history events in South Carolina: battle reenactments, living-history days, heritage festivals and candlelight tours of historic homes. Next up: Our Founding Tables Upstate, Nov 5, 2026. Dates are the organizers’ own; where only a month is published we say so.
Header photo: A crowd at Laura Towne’s school on St. Helena Island in 1863; today Penn Center hosts Heritage Days there each November. Credit: Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, LC-DIG-stereo-1s03953.
- 34history events
- 25with confirmed dates ahead
- 6reenactments and living history
- 11America 250 events
Download this data: CSV · JSON · 34 events · free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 with a link to It’s South Carolina. All open data: catalog.json.
Coming Up, by Month
November 2026
| Event | Kind | Where | When | Price | Organizer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Our Founding Tables Upstate | America 250 | Pickens | Nov 5, 2026 | Free daytime activities; ticketed evening event | South Carolina State Museum |
| Family Revolutionary Sunday: Indigenous Allies At The Charleston Museum | America 250 | Charleston | Nov 8, 2026 | See organizer | The Charleston Museum |
| Veterans Day Orangeburg District American Revolution Tour | America 250 | Orangeburg | Nov 11, 2026 | Free with reservation | SC250 Commission |
| Veterans Day Oyster Roast / Lowcountry Boil at Eutaw Springs | America 250 | Eutawville | Nov 11, 2026 | Free with reservation | SC250 Commission |
| The Battle of Camden (Theatre) | America 250 | Camden | Nov 12, 2026 to Nov 21, 2026 | Free (per SC250 listing) | See SC250 listing |
| 42nd Annual Penn Center Heritage Days Celebration | Heritage festival | St. Helena Island | Nov 12, 2026 to Nov 14, 2026 | See organizer; 2026 symposium free | Penn Center, Inc. |
| Carolinas Revolutionary War Weekend and Reenactments | Battle reenactment | Kershaw | Nov 14, 2026 to Nov 15, 2026 | Tickets via organizer (SC250 lists TBD) | Southern Campaign 1780 |
| 8th Annual American Revolution Symposium | America 250 | Columbia | Nov 14, 2026 | $85-$110 | South Carolina Archives & History Foundation |
| University Hill Walking Tour | Living history / walking tour | Columbia | Nov 15, 2026 | $10 non-members; $5 members | Historic Columbia |
| Remember the Ladies: Backcountry | America 250 | Camden | Nov 21, 2026 | Free | Revolutionary War Visitor Center |
| The Spirit of 96 Soiree | America 250 | Ninety Six | Nov 21, 2026 | $96 | Friends of the Ninety Six National Historic Site Committee |
| Howser House Open House At Kings Mountain National Military Park | Living history | Blacksburg | Nov 28, 2026 | Free | Kings Mountain National Military Park (NPS) |
December 2026
| Event | Kind | Where | When | Price | Organizer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Preservation Society of Charleston Candlelight Tours | Candlelight/holiday tour | Charleston | Dec 10, 2026 | See organizer | Preservation Society of Charleston |
| Hollywood-Rose Hill Walking Tour | Living history / walking tour | Columbia | Dec 13, 2026 | $5 members; non-member price see organizer | Historic Columbia |
| Family Revolutionary Sunday: Surrender! At The Charleston Museum | America 250 | Charleston | Dec 13, 2026 | See organizer | The Charleston Museum |
January 2027
| Event | Kind | Where | When | Price | Organizer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reconstruction Era National Historical Park 10th Anniversary Celebration At Reconstruction Era National Historical Park | Anniversary commemoration | Jan 12, 2027 | Free | Reconstruction Era NHP (NPS) | |
| 246th Anniversary of the Battle of Cowpens At Cowpens National Battlefield | Anniversary commemoration | Chesnee | Jan 16, 2027 to Jan 17, 2027 | Free | Cowpens National Battlefield (NPS); SAR Daniel Morgan Chapter (Jan 17) |
| Arsenal Hill Walking Tour | Living history / walking tour | Columbia | Jan 17, 2027 | $5 members; non-member price see organizer | Historic Columbia |
February 2027
| Event | Kind | Where | When | Price | Organizer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hilton Head Island Gullah Celebration | Heritage festival | Hilton Head Island | Feb 1, 2027 to Feb 28, 2027 | See organizer | Hilton Head Island Gullah Celebration |
April 2027
| Event | Kind | Where | When | Price | Organizer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Charleston Festival | House tour season | Charleston | Apr 1, 2027 to Apr 24, 2027 | See organizer (tickets on sale Dec 1, 2026) | Historic Charleston Foundation |
| Lafayette Lecture Series: Lafayette, North Island, and Slavery on Georgetown’s Shores | America 250 | Georgetown | Apr 14, 2027 | Free | Georgetown 250 |
May 2027
| Event | Kind | Where | When | Price | Organizer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Original Gullah Riverboat Cruise | Heritage festival | Beaufort | May 27, 2027 | See organizer | The Original Gullah Festival of South Carolina, Inc. |
| Original Gullah Festival | Heritage festival | Beaufort | May 28, 2027 to May 30, 2027 | See organizer | The Original Gullah Festival of South Carolina, Inc. |
June 2027
| Event | Kind | Where | When | Price | Organizer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Legacy of Cowpens At Cowpens National Battlefield | Juneteenth | Chesnee | Jun 19, 2027 | Free | Cowpens National Battlefield (NPS) |
July 2027
| Event | Kind | Where | When | Price | Organizer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Celebration of Freedom At Cowpens National Battlefield | Living history | Chesnee | Jul 3, 2027 | Free | Cowpens National Battlefield (NPS) |
Held Every Year: Dates Not Announced Yet
The organizer gives only the usual month or season. We add the exact dates when they are posted.
| Event | Kind | Where | Usually | Price | Organizer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aiken-Rhett House America 250 Revolutionary history tour | America 250 | Charleston | Every Tuesday, 2:30 p.m. | Admission at door | Historic Charleston Foundation |
| Andrew Jackson birthday celebration At Andrew Jackson State Park | Living history | Lancaster | usually March | See organizer | Andrew Jackson State Park (SC State Parks) |
| Carolina Day at Fort Moultrie At Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park | Anniversary commemoration | Sullivan’s Island | usually late June, around June 28 (June 27-28 in 2026) | Fee-free in 2026 | Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie NHP (NPS) |
| Christmas Candlelight Tours at Historic Brattonsville | Candlelight/holiday tour | McConnells | usually December (Christmas season); 2026 dates not posted | See organizer | Culture & Heritage Museums |
| Fort Sumter anniversary living history at Fort Moultrie At Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park | Anniversary commemoration | Sullivan’s Island | usually the Saturday nearest April 12 (April 11 in 2026) | Fee-free day in 2026 | Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie NHP (NPS) |
| Historic Columbia Free Sunday | House tour season | Columbia | Third Sunday of each month | Free for Richland and Lexington county residents | Historic Columbia |
| Historic Mitchelville Juneteenth Celebration | Juneteenth | Hilton Head Island | usually mid-June (June 11-13 in 2026, 12th annual) | See organizer | Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park |
| Preservation Society of Charleston Fall Tours | House tour season | Charleston | usually October (Oct 1-31 in 2026) | Varies by tour | Preservation Society of Charleston |
| The Night before Kings Mountain At Cowpens National Battlefield | Anniversary commemoration | Chesnee | annually October 6 | Free | Cowpens National Battlefield (NPS) |
Looking for every event, not only history? See all South Carolina events.
What We Could Not Verify
- The Carolinas Revolutionary War Weekend page shows both “November 13-15, 2026” and “November 14-15, 2026”. We list the public weekend, November 14-15; November 13 is an Education Day for registered students. The SC250 calendar also says November 14-15.
- Battle counts differ: the state tourism site says more than 200 Revolutionary War battles and skirmishes were fought in South Carolina; SC250 says more than in any other colony but gives no number.
- Some well-known annual observances are not listed because no organizer page gives 2027 dates: the Orangeburg Massacre commemoration (February 8), Emancipation Day in Beaufort (January 1) and the Battle of Aiken reenactment.
We re-check these when the source pages change. Spot something we missed? Use the corrections page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What America 250 events are happening in South Carolina?
The SC250 calendar listed 66 events from October 21, 2026 to October 31, 2027 when we checked. They include the Carolinas Revolutionary War Weekend in Kershaw County (November 14-15, 2026) and lectures, tours and family days at historic sites across the state (source: SC250: Events calendar).
When is the Battle of Cowpens anniversary?
The 246th anniversary is January 16-17, 2027, at Cowpens National Battlefield near Chesnee. The park holds it each year on the weekend closest to January 17, the date of the 1781 battle, with firing demonstrations and a living history encampment. It is free (source: NPS: Cowpens National Battlefield calendar).
When is Penn Center Heritage Days?
The 42nd annual Penn Center Heritage Days Celebration is November 12-14, 2026, on St. Helena Island. The three-day Gullah Geechee festival is held each November; its free 2026 symposium covers the American Revolution in the Lowcountry and beyond (source: Penn Center: Heritage Days).
Last checked October 20, 2026 by the It’s South Carolina editors against each operator’s, agency’s or organizer’s own page.
Sources
- Our Founding Tables Upstate
- Family Revolutionary Sunday: Indigenous Allies
- Veterans Day Orangeburg District American Revolution Tour
- Veterans Day Oyster Roast / Lowcountry Boil at Eutaw Springs
- The Battle of Camden (Theatre)
- 42nd Annual Penn Center Heritage Days Celebration
- Carolinas Revolutionary War Weekend and Reenactments
- 8th Annual American Revolution Symposium
- University Hill Walking Tour
- Remember the Ladies: Backcountry
- The Spirit of 96 Soiree
- Howser House Open House
- Preservation Society of Charleston Candlelight Tours
- Hollywood-Rose Hill Walking Tour
- Family Revolutionary Sunday: Surrender!
- Christmas Candlelight Tours at Historic Brattonsville
- Reconstruction Era National Historical Park 10th Anniversary Celebration
- 246th Anniversary of the Battle of Cowpens
- Arsenal Hill Walking Tour
- Hilton Head Island Gullah Celebration
- Andrew Jackson birthday celebration
- The Charleston Festival
- Fort Sumter anniversary living history at Fort Moultrie
- Lafayette Lecture Series: Lafayette, North Island, and Slavery on Georgetown’s Shores
- Original Gullah Riverboat Cruise
- Historic Mitchelville Juneteenth Celebration
- Historic Columbia Free Sunday
- Aiken-Rhett House America 250 Revolutionary history tour
- The Night before Kings Mountain
Cite this page: It's South Carolina, “History Events in South Carolina: Reenactments, Living History and Candlelight Tours”, itssouthcarolina.com/history/events/ (updated ). By the It's South Carolina editorial team. Free to quote with attribution and a link to this page; data and tables are licensed CC BY 4.0.