18 South Carolina Food Festivals That Locals Love
South Carolina knows how to throw a celebration, especially when food is at the center of it. All year long, towns across the Palmetto State come alive with festivals that honor everything locals hold dear: fresh seafood, soulful Southern staples, and flavors passed down through generations.
These gatherings are more than just a chance to eat well; they’re community traditions that bring people together through shared tables, lasting memories, and a whole lot of Southern hospitality.
1. Lowcountry Oyster Festival
Thousands of oyster enthusiasts flock to this iconic festival every February, drawn by mountains of briny bivalves – over 50,000 pounds! The air fills with laughter during shucking contests where locals showcase lightning-fast skills honed through generations.
Live music provides the soundtrack as attendees slurp oysters while strolling the historic plantation grounds. My first visit left me speechless at the sight of endless oyster tables stretching across the lawn.
2. Beaufort Oyster Festival
Waterfront magic happens each January when Beaufort celebrates its oyster heritage with an 11-day extravaganza.
Local fishermen bring their freshest catches to Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park, where visitors sample distinctive Lowcountry preparations. The festival weekend transforms the charming coastal town into a seafood lover’s paradise.
Vendors serve steamed clusters alongside creative oyster dishes while musicians perform against the backdrop of bobbing boats in the harbor.
3. Hilton Head Island Seafood Festival
February brings seafood royalty to this island paradise with a weeklong celebration of coastal cuisine. Master chefs demonstrate their craft while locals and visitors alike indulge in the freshest catches from surrounding waters.
The grand tasting event showcases innovative seafood preparations that honor traditional Lowcountry methods.
I’ll never forget watching my daughter’s face light up during her first oyster roast here, where she declared herself a ‘seafood princess’ before sampling everything in sight.
4. Blessing of the Fleet & Seafood Festival
April brings a heartfelt tradition as decorated shrimp boats parade on Charleston Harbor in front of Mount Pleasant Memorial Waterfront Park, receiving blessings for a safe and bountiful season ahead.
Families line the waterfront, waving to captains and crews who sustain this vital local industry. The accompanying festival serves up mountains of fresh shrimp dishes prepared in countless ways.
Vendors offer everything from classic shrimp and grits to innovative seafood fusion, celebrating the maritime heritage that defines this coastal community.
5. Columbia Food & Wine Festival
The capital city shines during this spring celebration, showcasing the Midlands’ culinary talents across multiple venues.
Small-plate events throughout the week build anticipation for Sunday’s grand finale, where dozens of chefs create bite-sized masterpieces. Wine flows freely as attendees stroll between tasting stations, discovering new flavor combinations.
The festival weekend I volunteered, a thunderstorm threatened the outdoor grand tasting, but chefs and guests alike carried on with remarkable spirit, proving South Carolinians never let weather interfere with good food!
6. World Grits Festival
Only in South Carolina would people celebrate by literally rolling in grits! This quirky April tradition honors the town’s record-setting grits consumption.
Brave contestants dive into kiddie pools filled with cooked grits during the famous “Rolling in the Grits” competition, emerging covered in the Southern staple.
Beyond the signature event, visitors enjoy grits prepared in countless ways – from classic cheese grits to innovative dessert variations.
A charming parade and live music round out this small-town festival that perfectly captures the rural Carolina spirit.
7. South Carolina Poultry Festival
Chicken reigns supreme during this May celebration that honors the state’s poultry industry with finger-licking goodness.
The aroma of barbecued, fried, and roasted chicken fills the air as cooking teams compete for bragging rights. Families spread blankets on the grass, enjoying hearty meals while live bands perform crowd favorites.
When I brought my northern relatives here last year, they couldn’t believe the variety of chicken preparations – from classic Southern fried to international flavors – all in one small-town setting!
8. Charleston Greek Festival
Mediterranean flavors take center stage each May when Charleston’s Greek community shares their culinary treasures.
Volunteers work for weeks preparing authentic dishes – spanakopita, pastitsio, and honey-drenched baklava vanish almost as quickly as they’re served. Visitors learn traditional line dances between trips to the food tents, creating a joyful atmosphere.
The smell of sizzling gyro meat and the sound of bouzouki music transform the church grounds into a slice of Greece, making this one of Charleston’s most beloved cultural food celebrations.
9. World-Famous Blue Crab Festival
Blue crabs steal the spotlight during this May waterfront celebration, where the coastal bounty shines. Crab cakes, soft-shell crab sandwiches, and steamed clusters draw crowds to the historic fishing village.
Over 250 vendors line the streets, offering crafts and coastal-inspired treasures alongside the seafood stars.
Beach music provides the perfect soundtrack as visitors crack shells and savor sweet crabmeat while watching boats navigate the Intracoastal Waterway, creating a quintessential Carolina coastal experience.
10. Hilton Head Wingfest
March Madness hits differently on Hilton Head when chicken wings become the island’s obsession for one sauce-soaked day. Local restaurants compete fiercely, serving thousands of wings in flavors ranging from traditional buffalo to island-inspired creations.
Families spread out across Lowcountry Celebration Park, sampling entries and casting votes for their favorites.
The first time I judged this competition, my taste buds were forever changed by a mango-habanero wing that perfectly balanced sweet and heat – I’ve tried recreating it at home ever since!
11. Food & Wine Classic in Charleston
November transforms Charleston into a culinary wonderland where nationally acclaimed chefs and local stars create magic side by side. Master classes reveal cooking secrets while wine seminars educate palates in historic venues throughout the city.
Grand tastings showcase the sophisticated flavors that have earned Charleston its reputation as a top food destination.
Attendees stroll between elegant tasting stations, collecting flavor memories alongside stunning harbor views in a festival that perfectly balances Southern hospitality with world-class cuisine.
12. Fall for Greenville
Main Street becomes food heaven each October when over 50 restaurants serve their signature dishes along the tree-lined thoroughfare.
Taste tickets in hand, crowds sample everything from Carolina barbecue to international cuisine while moving between multiple music stages.
The festival stretches for blocks, transforming downtown into the state’s largest outdoor dining room.
Last fall, I discovered the most amazing shrimp and grits while watching a blues band perform – the combination of perfect food, mountain air, and live music made me fall for Greenville all over again.
13. Bluffton Arts & Seafood Festival
Mid-October brings a week-long celebration where Lowcountry seafood and local artistry create perfect harmony in charming Old Town Bluffton. The festival begins with boat tours highlighting the area’s pristine waterways – a source of the celebrated seafood.
Events build throughout the week, culminating in a weekend street festival where seafood vendors and artists line the historic streets.
Visitors stroll between oyster demonstrations and art displays while sampling fresh catches prepared with traditional Gullah-influenced recipes that showcase the region’s unique cultural heritage.
14. Irmo Okra Strut
Since 1973, this quirky September festival has celebrated the humble okra pod with extraordinary enthusiasm in the heart of the Midlands. The signature parade features the festival’s mascot, “Okra Winfrey,” leading a procession of floats through town.
Food vendors serve the star vegetable in countless forms – fried, pickled, stewed, and even in unexpected creations like okra ice cream.
The first time I tried fried okra at this festival as a child, I declared it better than French fries – a controversial opinion I still proudly defend each year when our family returns!
15. SC Pecan Music & Food Festival
Downtown Florence transforms into a pecan paradise each November when 50,000 visitors celebrate this beloved Southern nut.
The aroma of roasted pecans fills the air as vendors offer creative treats, from classic pies to innovative pecan-crusted savory dishes. Multiple stages showcase regional musicians while the historic streets buzz with activity.
Local bakers compete fiercely in the pecan cooking contest, guarding secret family recipes that have been perfected through generations, making this Pee Dee tradition a true taste of South Carolina heritage.
16. Little River ShrimpFest
Columbus Day weekend brings seafood lovers to this charming fishing village for a celebration of the local shrimp harvest along the historic waterfront.
Fishermen-turned-chefs prepare their catch using time-honored recipes, while craft beer flows freely under October skies.
Visitors wander between vendor tents, sampling shrimp prepared dozens of ways – from classic Lowcountry boil to innovative fusion dishes.
The waterfront location adds authentic maritime charm as fishing boats bob nearby – the very vessels that delivered the day’s featured ingredient.
17. South Carolina Festival of Discovery
July brings smoke signals rising above Uptown Greenwood when championship barbecue teams compete in this Kansas City Barbecue Society-sanctioned event.
Pitmasters tend smokers through the night, perfecting their entries while blues musicians create the perfect soundtrack.
The “Anything Butt” competition on Friday showcases creative non-barbecue dishes before Saturday’s multi-category KCBS cook-off.
Growing up nearby, my summer wasn’t complete without this festival – I still remember the first time my uncle let me help tend his competition smoker all night, a barbecue rite of passage!
18. Pig on the Ridge
Small-town charm meets serious barbecue during this November tradition that transforms tiny Ridgeway into the state’s largest cookout. Friday night’s “Anything Butt” contest allows teams to showcase non-pork specialties before Saturday’s main event.
The aroma of hickory smoke fills the air as teams compete for barbecue glory while visitors sample their way through dozens of cooking stations.
The historic railroad town provides a picturesque backdrop for this pork-centric celebration that draws competitive cooking teams from across the Southeast.