Here’s your guide to the best SC fall festivals in November
Dozens of festivals are planned around South Carolina for November, recognizing pecans, vintage automobiles and the outdoors.
There are numerous light displays and events honoring Native American, Scottish, Korean and Jewish heritage.
Here’s what’s planned.
Saturday, Nov.1, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Riverfront Park, North Charleston
Begun in 1971, the Charleston Scottish Games & Highland Gathering is the second-oldest event of its kind in the southeast.
Heavy athletic, pipe bands, and highland dancing competitions plus Scottish country dancing, border collie demonstrations, Scotch tasting
Hilton Head Concours d’Elegance & Motoring Festival
Began Thursday and runs through Sunday. Described as a “celebration where Art Moves and elegance meets the exhilarating world of motoring.” Iconic vehicles, cutting-edge innovation, vintage automobile shows and races - benefits Driving Young America
SC Pecan Music and Food Festival
Saturday, Nov. 1, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., downtown Florence
In its 21 year, the festival includes “Run and Bike Like A Nut” races, kids’ fun zone, vendors, arts and crafts, classic car show, amusement rides Everything Outdoor Fest
Saturday Nov. 1-Sunday Nov. 2, Historic Hopkins Farm, 3717 Fork Shoals Road, Simpsonville
Nonprofit, annual weekend event for people to connect with nature, explore adventure, and discover wellness. Variety of activities and workshops showcasing fishing, cycling, off-roading, camping and hiking. Coastal Carolina Fair
Oct. 30 - Nov. 9, Exchange Park Ladson
Begun in 1957, the fair raises money for local charities, scholarships, and various community needs and offers family-oriented entertainment. Over 60 amusement rides, exhibits, competitions
Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m, 1412 Richland Street in Columbia
Celebrates the Korean community’s heritage, culture and traditions with food, music and special attractions - benefits several local charities Heritage Days Celebration at Penn Center
Nov. 6-9 on St. Helena Island
Features a youth and family day, workshops, dinners, a parade, marketplace, live entertainment
Hasell Street, Outside of KKBE, the birthplace of reform Judaism in the United States, Sunday, Nov 9, 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Now in its 11th year, the Nosh offers Jewish food and heritage with live entertainment, activities for children, tours of KKBE’s historic property - hosted by Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim
Dickens Christmas Show & Festival
Myrtle Beach Convention Center Nov. 13-16
A national award-winning event set up as a Victorian Holiday Marketplace with 350 period clad vendors selling jewelry, crafts, gifts, toys, art, gourmet foods, holiday décor, and more. Strolling Victorian musicians, Tea Leaf Readers, Punch & Judy Shows, Shadow Box Displays, a Life-Sized Historic Santa through the Ages Exhibit, and a live Santa.
Hagood Mill Historic Site, Pickens, Nov. 15 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Admission: $5 • Children 9 & Under Free
Full day of drumming, singing, dancing, storytelling, and cultural demonstrations including Catawba pottery, beadwork, basket weaving, flint knapping, Cherokee blowgun techniques, and atlatl spear throwing. Authentic handmade crafts will be available for purchase.
Keepers of the Word, a drumming group from St. George and representing multiple tribal heritages will perform as will the Catawba Nation Drum.
The 1845 water-powered gristmill will operate throughout the day, grinding fresh cornmeal and grits available for purchase.
Christmas Arts & Crafts Market
South Carolina State Farmers Market, Columbia, Nov. 15-16
Over 170 crafters and vendors hosted by the Midlands Crafters Association, which was formed in 2009 to gather the best local artisans, crafters and vendors from the Midlands.
Myrtle Beach’s only Renaissance Festival, Nov. 8th,9th and 15th & 16th 2025, 11a.m. – 6 p.m. both weekends.
Raises money for Caleb’s Dragonfly Dreams, a non-profit in Myrtle Beach, SC that provides activities to children who have been abused, abandoned, or neglected and reside in group homes or shelters.
Fairy forest, medieval combat, princesses, artisan’s village area, fire show and more.
Finlay Park, Columbia Nov. 15, noon to 10 p.m.
Non-profit live music festival on two stages from 10 acts plus food trucks
at Finlay Park in Downtown Columbia
40th Annual Vista Lights presented by Prisma Health, Thursday, Nov. 20, 6 p.m.
More than 60 galleries, shops, and restaurants will be open. The Vista tree will be lit near the corner of Lincoln and Gervais Streets. The free Kid’s Zone presented by 94.3 The Dude will take over Lincoln Street with activities for children, face painting, balloon art, reindeer snacks, visits with Santa and more.
The Vista Lights Artisan Market will be outside the Columbia SC Visitors Center on Lincoln Street.
Riverbanks Zoo, select nights Nov. 21 – Jan. 11, 5 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Nearly 60 larger-than-life handcrafted wildlife lanterns plus nightly snowfall and activities
Segra Park, Columbia, Nov. 21-Jan.3
Presented by Lexington Medical Center, over one million LED lights, featuring 10 themed areas plus kids crafts and activities, holiday-themed food and drinks
Saluda Shoals Park East, 6071 St Andrews Road, Columbia, Nov. 23 - Dec. 31, 6 p.m. - 10 p.m.
The Midlands largest drive-through light show with three miles of colorful lights and animated light displays of all shapes and sizes, winter wonder tube slide, hay ride, Saluda Shoals train through the lights, laser light show on the Wetland Trail, color and write a letter to Santa in the Environmental Center
Santa will be there Nov. 25-27, Dec. 2-3, and Dec. 9-23.
This story was originally published November 1, 2025 at 6:00 AM.