For 17 days and nights around Memorial Day, Spoleto Festival USA fills Charleston, South Carolina’s historic theaters, churches, concert halls and outdoor spaces with performances by renowned artists as well as emerging performers in opera, theater, dance, and chamber, symphonic, choral and jazz music. Begun in 1977 by Pulitzer Prize winning composer Gian Carlo Menotti, Spoleto Festival USA is internationally recognized as America’s premier performing arts festival. Tickets sell out fast, especially for world premiere productions.
Running simultaneously throughout the Charleston area is Piccolo Spoleto, offering hundreds of events at affordable prices. Many showcase emerging regional performers, so you can catch up-and-coming stars in all genres of music, theater, comedy, art, film, etc. Many of the events are family oriented; there's even a sand castle competition on the Isle of Palms. Piccolo Spoleto is managed by the City of Charleston's Office of Cultural Affairs.
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