Free in North Charleston: Riverfront Park's sculpture walk and Navy memorial, the Park Circle playground and gallery, library programs and city festivals.
Last checked Oct. 12, 2026. Facts come from the City of North Charleston, its Cultural Arts Department, the North Charleston Arts Fest, the Charleston County Public Library and Visit North Charleston. Free means the organizer says there is no admission charge.
North Charleston’s best free afternoon is Riverfront Park, the former Navy base waterfront on the Cooper River, where a juried outdoor sculpture show, the Naval Base Memorial and the Noisette Creek bridge are a short walk apart. In Park Circle, the playground and the city’s art gallery are free too, and most of the city’s festivals charge nothing at the gate.
Who to call
- Cultural Arts Department (gallery, sculpture, festivals): 843-740-5854
- Parks and Recreation: 843-740-5809
- Riverfront Park office: 843-308-4746
Free every day
| What | Where | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Riverfront Park and the Naval Base Memorial | Riverfront Park, 1001 Everglades Drive | Open year-round |
| National Outdoor Sculpture Competition and Exhibition | Riverfront Park | Open year-round; audio guide on the free OtoCast app |
| Park Circle inclusive playground | 4800 Park Circle | Dawn to dusk daily |
| Park Circle Gallery | 4820 Jenkins Ave. | 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Wednesday to Friday, noon to 4 p.m. Saturday |
| Library story times and programs | Keith Summey, Otranto Road and Dorchester Road libraries | Weekday mornings and afternoons; see the library calendar |
| City dog parks | Exchange Park, Miner Crosby Community Center, Wescott Park | See our dog-friendly page |
Riverfront Park
The city’s park on the Cooper River was part of the Charleston Naval Base until the base closed in 1996 and opened to the public in 2005, according to Visit North Charleston. On one walk you can see:
- The Greater Charleston Naval Base Memorial, an open pavilion whose wall curves overhead like the side of a ship, with a stream running through it like a gangway, honoring the people who served at the base.
- The National Outdoor Sculpture Competition and Exhibition. The 2026-27 show, the 20th, has 13 sculptures by artists from five states, juried by Mark E. Brown of High Point University, the Arts Fest site says. For the artists’ own commentary, download the free OtoCast app and choose “North Charleston, SC.”
- The Noisette Creek Pedestrian Bridge, added in 2022, which Architectural Digest named one of the world’s most beautiful elevated walkways.
- The restored Eternal Father of the Sea Chapel, the Admiral’s House and Quarters K from the outside; the buildings are rented for weddings and events.
Park Circle
The inclusive playground at 4800 Park Circle covers 55,000 square feet and is open dawn to dusk. Around the corner, Park Circle Gallery shows local and regional artists in exhibits that change every month, with free admission and free street parking on Jenkins Avenue, the Cultural Arts Department says. October 2026 features mosaics by Jodi Charak and oil paintings by Abby Short. More on the neighborhood is in our Park Circle guide.
Free festivals
| When | Event | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026 | Harvest Festival, 4 to 7 p.m.; admission and parking free | East Montague Avenue |
| Friday, Dec. 4, 2026 | Christmas tree lighting, 6 p.m. | Park Circle |
| Saturday, Dec. 5, 2026 | Christmas Festival and Parade, 2 to 6 p.m. | Park Circle |
| March | St. Patrick’s Day Block Party and Parade; March 14 in 2026 | East Montague Avenue |
| April 28 to May 2, 2027 | North Charleston Arts Fest: five days of dance, music, theater, visual arts and literature; “all events are free” | Venues across the city |
| Thursdays, May to October | Farmers market, 3 to 7 p.m., live music 5 to 7 p.m. | Park Circle Pavilion |
| July 4 | Fourth of July Festival; free admission and parking in 2026 | Riverfront Park |
The city also holds a Veterans Day tribute each November. In 2025 it ran from 10 a.m. to noon Nov. 11 at the North Charleston Performing Arts Center, with registration through Eventbrite, according to the city’s Veterans Day page. The city says it is a Department of Defense regional site for Veterans Day, the only one in South Carolina.
Free with a library card
The Charleston County Public Library’s North Charleston branches run free baby, toddler and family story times, teen programs and after-school activities. Times are on our kids’ activities page and the library calendar.
What this means for you
- Download OtoCast before you go to Riverfront Park to hear the sculptors.
- Plan a Park Circle visit for Wednesday to Saturday, when the gallery is open.
- Save April 28 to May 2, 2027, for Arts Fest; every event is free.
More: walking and biking trails, kids’ activities and things to do this month.
Frequently asked questions
What is free to do in North Charleston?
Riverfront Park and its outdoor sculpture exhibition, the Greater Charleston Naval Base Memorial, the Park Circle inclusive playground, the Park Circle Gallery, library story times and the city’s festivals are all free.
Is Riverfront Park free?
Yes. The city’s park on the Cooper River is open to the public year-round, and the sculptures of the National Outdoor Sculpture Competition and Exhibition are displayed there, with a free audio guide on the OtoCast app.
Is the North Charleston Arts Fest free?
Yes. The festival says all of its events are free, with free parking at every location. The 44th Arts Fest is April 28 to May 2, 2027.
Are North Charleston’s festivals free?
The city’s Harvest Festival, Christmas Festival and Parade, tree lighting and Fourth of July Festival are free to attend, as is the St. Patrick’s Day Block Party and Parade in Park Circle.
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