Arts Festival Main Event
Charleston Area Convention Center Complex & North Charleston Performing Arts Center
Saturday, April 30 • 10:00am-4:00pm and Sunday, May 1 • 2:00pm-5:00pm
FREE PARKING and FREE ADMISSION
Enjoy over 40 performances on 4 themed stages, roving entertainers, arts & crafts vendors, exhibitions, a gem show, an antique show, children’s activities, and much more!
MAIN EVENT PERFORMANCE STAGES
Performing Arts Center (PAC) Auditorium Stage • General Audience
Enjoy a mesmerizing array of performances in dance, music, and theater for general audiences.
Performing Arts Center (PAC) Lobby Stage • Cultural Heritage
National and local cultural groups will entertain with vibrant performances in both dance and music. Heritages represented include African, Indian, Scottish, Native American, Latino, Filipino, Russian, and more!
Courtyard Stage • Bands
Listen to some great bands perform in a variety of music genres, such as Blues, Rock, Country, Beach, and Reggae, at this outdoor stage, located in the area between the Coliseum and Convention Center. The Festival's food courtyard offers a variety of menu items, along with tables, chairs, and umbrellas that provide a wonderful setting to enjoy the music with your meal.
Exhibit Hall Stage • Youth Entertainment
Look for magicians, storytellers, puppet shows, music for kids, and variety acts like daring jugglers that will inspire, amuse, and amaze the young and young at heart.
Roving Entertainers
Roving entertainers, from mimes to performance speed painters, can be found throughout the Complex interacting with Main Event patrons of all ages.
OTHER MAIN EVENT ACTIVITIES & ATTRACTIONS
Creation Stations & Box City
The Main Event offers many opportunities for children to be creative! Creation Station projects, led by local artists, include painting, drawing, jewelry making, origami, sweet grass basket weaving, and more. Box City, facilitated by area professionals and city planners, is a favorite for children to test out their architectural dreams while building a small city.
Art and Craft Vendors
Over 40 fine artists, fine crafters, artisans, and art and craft guilds will have items on display and available for sale. Save your Mother’s Day shopping for this weekend and find the perfect gift! The selection is vast and full of variety; costs vary by item and vendor.
Lowcountry Gem & Mineral Show
The Lowcountry Gem & Mineral Society’s annual show and sale, “Art by Nature,” features numerous vendors offering a variety of beads, gemstones, gemstone jewelry, custom designed jewelry, and collector minerals & fossils. Other offerings include Lapidary demonstrations and a fossil dig.
Village Antiques & Collectibles Show
This show and sale features numerous vendors offering home decor, fine antiques, furniture, collectibles, antique guns, art, jewelry, rugs, crafts, vintage toys & games, silver, pottery, china, silver, salvage items, outdoor decor, vintage instruments, and more.
