The 49th annual Spoleto Festival 2026 season was unveiled, and tickets officially went on sale at 10:00 a.m. on January 13th.   (Festival donors have access to tickets beginning a bit earlier.)

Organizers showcase "innovative, emerging artists alongside distinguished luminaries" in areas of opera, music, theater, dance, physical theater, artist talks, and more.  Seasons usually include both U.S. and world premieres.   

They're also planning a special Festival Opening Gala at newly-opened The Cooper at Waterfront Park, on Thursday evening, May 21, 2026.

Mena Mark Hanna, Spoleto's General Director and CEO, had this to say about Spoleto, "...artists dedicate their lives to honing their craft. That dedication, that relentless pursuit of excellence, culminates in the creation of work at the very bleeding edge of human expression. {Spoleto} Festival is a platform for these extraordinary artists mingling with the most adventurous audiences." 

The Festival Orchestra will perform classics like Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5, Appalachian Spring and American Classics, Mozart’s Mass in C Minor, and Mahler’s Syphony No. 1.

Other highlights: Renée Fleming returns with banjo virtuoso Béla Fleck for The Fiddle and the Drum, An Evening with Filmmaker Ken Burns in honor of America’s 250th Birthday, The Scottish Ballet’s U. S. Premiere of Mary Queen of Scots, Martha Graham Dance Company: Graham 100 in honor of its 100th year, The Untold Story of Porgy & Bess at the Gaillard, Terence Blanchard + The E-Collective: Miles Davis & John Coltrane at 100, Punch Brothers (Bluegrass), Indigo Girls, Emmylou Harris, Brandi Carlile, and many  more.

Tickets sell out quickly.  Check the website for the full schedule. Booking your stay? Browse Isle of Palms rentals!

Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5, Appalachian Spring and American Classics, Mozart’s Mass in C Minor, Mahler’s Syphony No. 1,