North Charleston Harvest Festival 2026: date, closures, parking

Last checked Oct. 24, 2026. This page is updated each year. Facts come from the City of North Charleston’s Harvest Festival page and its special events calendar.

This year’s festival is over. It ran Oct. 17, and the city had not posted a 2027 date as of Oct. 24; this page will carry it when the city’s special events calendar does. For Halloween weekend, see our Halloween events guide.

The city’s 13th annual Harvest Festival was 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17, on East Montague Avenue in the Olde Village of North Charleston, near Park Circle. Admission and parking were free.

Who to call

• Organizer: City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department, 843-740-5854
• Official page: North Charleston Harvest Festival

At a glance

What happens

The city lists these for the 2026 festival:

• Live music on the avenue.
• An artist market of fine art and crafts by local makers.
• A Kid’s Zone with crafts and games.
• Trick-or-treating on the street, 4 to 6 p.m., with free treat bags for children 12 and under while supplies last.
• A pop-up petting zoo from Crosswind Farms.
• Costume contests in three categories, youth, groups and pets, with first, second and third place prizes. The contests are free to enter. Line up for judging at 5:45 p.m.; the contests start at 6 p.m.
• Food and drink from the restaurants, bars and breweries along East Montague Avenue.

Road closures and parking

East Montague Avenue closes to traffic from Jenkins Avenue to Virginia Avenue at 2 p.m. and stays closed for the rest of the festival, the city says. Parking is free. The city does not list festival lots on its page, so plan to park on the side streets around Park Circle and walk in, and leave extra time near 4 p.m.

The same blocks of East Montague close for the city’s other street parties, so the Park Circle guide is a good way to get your bearings before you go.

Vendors

Vendor spaces for 2026 are full, and the application deadline was Friday, Oct. 9. The city charges no application fee and gives priority to artists and fine craft artisans. It does not accept vendors whose goods or food duplicate what the East Montague Avenue shops and restaurants already sell. Questions go to the Cultural Arts Department at 843-740-5854.

What to know before you go

• Bring the costume. The contests are free, and pets have their own category.
• Come early for treats. Treat bags are while supplies last, and trick-or-treating ends at 6 p.m.
• It is a short festival. Three hours, so most families arrive around 4 p.m.
• Halloween itself is Saturday, Oct. 31. Our Halloween events guide and trick-or-treat hours page cover Oct. 31.

Other city events this fall

The Harvest Festival is one of a run of free city events listed on the special events calendar: Veterans Day on Nov. 11 and the Christmas Festival and Parade on Dec. 5 (see our Christmas parade and tree lighting guide). For more fall outings, see fall festivals and pumpkin patches and things to do this month.

Frequently asked questions

When is the North Charleston Harvest Festival in 2026?

It was Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026, from 4 to 7 p.m. on East Montague Avenue in the Olde Village, near Park Circle, and is over for this year. The city had not posted a 2027 date as of Oct. 24.

Is the North Charleston Harvest Festival free?

Yes. The city says admission and parking are free, and the costume contests are free to enter.

What time is trick-or-treating at the Harvest Festival?

4 to 6 p.m. Free treat bags go to children 12 and under while supplies last.

Which roads close for the Harvest Festival?

East Montague Avenue closes to traffic from Jenkins Avenue to Virginia Avenue at 2 p.m. Oct. 17 and stays closed for the rest of the event.

When are the Harvest Festival costume contests?

At 6 p.m., with line-up for judging at 5:45 p.m. There are three categories, youth, groups and pets, with first, second and third place prizes.