Festival Traditions

The Seed & Feed Marching Abominable, Atlanta’s wildest community band, has been thrilling audiences since 1974, performing at home and on the road in festivals, on stages, and in support of community events and fundraisers of all kinds.

Throughout its history, the Band has electrified audiences with its trademark style of explosive sound and colorful street theater. Originally formed as part of a theatre company, the band is well known for its fancifully costumed performers as well as its high-energy music.

  • Saturday, May 25 at 11:00am, Marion Square

Photo credit: Paul Zoeller/P&C Staff

The Seed & Feed Marching Abominable, Atlanta’s wildest community band, has been thrilling audiences since 1974, performing at home and on the road in festivals, on stages, and in support of community events and fundraisers of all kinds.

Throughout its history, the Band has electrified audiences with its trademark style of explosive sound and colorful street theater. Originally formed as part of a theatre company, the band is well known for its fancifully costumed performers as well as its high-energy music.

  • Saturday, May 25  from 10:30pm-midnight – US Custom House (East Bay side)

The Seed & Feed Marching Abominable, Atlanta’s wildest community band, has been thrilling audiences since 1974, performing at home and on the road in festivals, on stages, and in support of community events and fundraisers of all kinds.

Throughout its history, the Band has electrified audiences with its trademark style of explosive sound and colorful street theater. Originally formed as part of a theatre company, the band is well known for its fancifully costumed performers as well as its high-energy music.

  • Sunday, May 26 from 11:00am-noon; US Custom House (East Bay side)

This annual patriotic tradition features the combined Charleston Concert Band and Columbia Community Band in a concert ranging from rousing marches to Broadway show tunes, and concluding with a stirring musical tribute to each of the armed forces of our great country. Come salute our soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines who gave their lives to protect our freedom.  Bring a chair or blanket to this FREE event.

  • Monday, May 27 at 3:00pm at Hampton Park
Children’s Programs at the Library
Charleston County Main Branch, 68 Calhoun Street

Interested in attending a Piccolo Spoleto event at CCPL?

    • These performances do require entry tickets.
    • Tickets will be available at Main Library’s Children’s Desk starting  Monday, May 22.
    • Please come in person to request and pick up your tickets, no phone calls.
    • Tickets are limited and available while supplies last.

Porkchop Productions Presents: RAPunzel
Tuesday, May 30 at 9:15 a.m.
Tuesday, May 30 at 11:00 a.m.

Enjoy a fractured adaptation of this timeless tale that features an assortment of musical genres to keep the story rocking along.

College of Charleston’s Opera in Little Red’s Most Unusual Day
Wednesday, May 31 at 9:15 a.m.
Wednesday, May 31 at  11:00 a.m

Get Little Red Riding Hood’s perspective on the importance of obeying your mother! Join College of Charleston opera students for this delightful children’s opera set to music by Offenbach and Rossini.

Piccolo Spoleto: Professor Jazz
Thursday, June 1 at 9:15 a.m.
Thursday, June 1 at 11:00 a.m.

Join Professor Jazz and his quartet as they entertain through song, demonstrating different styles of jazz through the years while also explaining the role of each musical instrument. Professor Jazz is Ken Foberg on trombone with Tyler Ross on guitar, Brian Reed on bass, and Mike Brown on drums.

Gullah/Geechee artist, art and history connecting with the diaspora by way of Brazil. Edutainment, culture, food, dance, music & more!

We will honor, celebrate and sustain our Gullah/Geechee family, land, legacy, history ,culture and our ancestor. We are collaborating with our family of the diaspora. We welcome Amanda Smith founder/Creative artist to the Gullah/Geechee Nation. She is an internationally known artist. She tells the story of the water that brought us together by way of the Transatlantic Slave trade.

We will have our very own collaborative Gullah/Geechee artists, herbalists, musician and African Dance group that will edutain you. This affair is by donation. Calling all the Dada and Kaka !!

One of the GullahGeecheeangelnetwork missions is to connect the diaspora Africa, Carribean, and Europe to The Gullah/Geechee Nation.

Gullah/Geechee vendors will be there with unique items for purchase! This will be fun and fill of love and learning.

  • Saturday, May 27 from 12:00-4:00pm; Cannon Street Arts Center, 134 Cannon Street

CLICK HERE to make a donation

Piccolo on King is brought to you by the City of Charleston and the Piccolo Spoleto Festival. This is a free family-friendly event. Enjoy live music, entertainment, and dine outdoors! Featuring the music of Ziggymoto and Deninufay African Dance and Drum Co.

  • Thursday, June 1st from 6:00 to 9:00 PM on King & Ann Streets

Piccolo on King | Charleston, SC – Official Website (charleston-sc.gov)

photo c 2023 Marisa Green

photo c 2023 Marisa Green

oyster kingdom is a live performance installation work created by Marisa Green that navigates the raw terrain of uneaten mollusks, unanswered texts, and unending grief. Interaction with the artist is encouraged. To find her, look for the neon cloud on June 1 from 6:00-9:00pm in the alley space between the Music Farm and Republic Lounge as part of the Piccolo on King event!


Enjoy a pop-up concert in the Lenevar Park meadow featuring 3 members of the band Sol Driven Train!  Expect a fun family friendly concert as the band plays original material mixed with groovy covers.  A tasty food truck will be onsite!

  • Monday, June 5 from 6:00-7:00pm; Levevar Park, 1309 South Lenevar Drive, Charleston, SC 29407

Piccolo Spoleto Sand Sculpting Competition
Come out and participate in the sand sculpting competition at the Isle of Palms, Front Beach.  Watch artists compete for prized in different categories as they take raw sand and water, transforming the beach into beautiful works of art.  Whether you’re a competitor or a spectator, this family-friendly celebration is fun for everyone.

  • June 3 at 9:00am; Front Beach, Isle of Palms

45th Annual Piccolo Spoleto Festival Finale Featuring a Tribute to Pink Floyd
Saturday, June 10, 2023 from 5:00-10:00pm
Hampton Park, 30 Mary Murray Boulevard

The City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs, in collaboration with The ZD Experience, presents the 45th annual Piccolo Spoleto Festival’s Finale celebration featuring Columbia-based Folk Duo, Admiral Radio at 5:30pm on the Rose Pavilion Stage and “Comfortably Pink,” a tribute to Pink Floyd on the main stage at 7:45pm.
About Comfortably Pink:
This iconic Pink Floyd tribute, produced by The ZD Experience, commemorates the 50th anniversary of The Dark Side of the Moon, originally released on March 1st, 1973 and features Johnny Mac – lead guitar and lead vocals, Scottie Frier – lead guitar and lead vocals, Tristan Cills – bass, Bill Nance – keys and organ, Mark Sterbank – sax, with Xan Dubose and Javetta Campbell – backing vocals. Lazer and Light Show Provided by Lazer Catcher.
Admiral RadioAbout Admiral Radio:
For Becca and Coty, the name Admiral Radio has acquired new significance. In today’s fast-paced world, it’s easy to get lost in the noise. When they think of their ’41 Admiral radio, they picture the folks of that era gathered around their radios at night, listening to the evening news. They think of the times those people shared as they huddled ’round together. They imagine a different place and time. And as a band, this duo has created a timeless style and classic sound that speaks for itself. In an age where adding mechanized bells and whistles are the norm, Admiral Radio opts for a more natural feel by getting back to the basics of good songwriting and music with heart.