What to do in South Carolina: January Events (2026)
Photos by Sean Rayford
Millrace Massacre and Iceman Championships on the Lower Saluda in Columbia (Jan 3)
Welcome to my monthly guide on what to do in South Carolina. This isn’t an exhaustive list but rather — one curated by a photojournalist who has been covering the Palmetto State since 1997.
If you’re looking for parades, festivals, fairs, concerts, or unique events that are fun — this is it. Some of these might make great photography opportunities.
Jan. 1 - Jan. 15, 2026
Jan 1-4 / Myrtle Beach - American Cornhole League (ACL) Myrtle Beach Open
Jan 1-19 / Rock Hill - Holiday Ice Rink
Jan 1-19 / Greenville - Ice on Main
Jan 1 / Sullivan’s Island - Sullivan's Island Polar Plunge
Jan 1 / Sullivan’s Island - Sullivan's Island Polar Plunge
Jan 2 / Greenville - Michael Cera Palin at Radio Room with Sidestep Dog, Tourneforte and Wolfgang Wallace
Jan 2-4 / Columbia - Wild Lights at Riverbanks Zoo
Jan 2-4 / Anderson - Ice in the Park
Jan 3 / Columbia - Millrace Massacre and Iceman Championships on the Lower Saluda
Jan 3 / Greenville - Damage Inc. with Black River Rebels
Jan 6 / Columbia - GZA (Wu Tang) w/ Full Band at New Brookland Tavern
Jan 7-11 / Columbia - Wild Lights at Riverbanks Zoo
Jan 8 / Greenville - GZA and The Phunky Nomads (full band) at Radio Room
Jan 8-18 / Statewide - Restaurant Week South Carolina
Jan 9-11 / Myrtle Beach - Boat and Sportsman Expo
Jan 9 / Leftöver Crack w/ La Pobreska at New Brookland Tavern
Jan 9 / Greenville - Emo Night Karaoke at Radio Room
Jan 9 / Charleston - Wim Tapley & The Cannons at The Royal American
Jan 10 / Columbia - ADHD, Vinyl Are My Pants, Squirt Vile, Kevin K and Bowery Kats, Sean Thompson
Jan 10 / Greenville - Redefind Still Dreamin EP Release Show at Radio Room
Jan 10 / Charleston - Muscadine Bloodline at Charleston Music Hall
Jan 11 / Charleston - Parris Byars Club w/ Mechanical River + Powder Horns
Jan 11 / Greenville - The Rock and Roll Playhouse Plays Music of The Beatles at Radio Room
Jan 11 / Charleston - Snow Queen (Grand Kyiv Ballet) at Charleston Music Hall
Jan 12 / Columbia - Fleshwater, Jarhead Fertilizer, Tarantula at New Brookland Tavern
King Day at the Dome (2024)
Jan. 16 - Jan. 31, 2026
Jan 15-18 / Myrtle Beach - Society of Stranders Mid-Winter Break
Jan 15 / Greenville - Darby Wilcox at Signal Music Museum
Jan 16 / Charleston - She Returns From War at The Royal American
Jan 16 / Greenville - Can’t Feel My Face – A 2010’s Dance Party (18+) at Radio Room
Jan 16 / Charleston - Sherri Shepherd at Charleston Music Hall
Jan 16 / Columbia - Bert Kreischer at The Township
Jan 16 / Columbia - Columbia Museum of Art 75th Anniversary Gala
Jan 16 / Columbia - Firenest, Darko Duran, Gods of Mars, Plaid Overdrive at The Spaze
Jan 17 / Charleston - Slim S.O.U.L. at The Royal American
Jan 17 / Greenville - Run Downtown 5K Road Race
Jan 17 / Greenville - Houses of the Holy – The True Led Zeppelin Experience at Radio Room
Jan 17 / Charleston - Electric Avenue at Charleston Music Hall
Jan 18 / Greenville - K-Winterland – KPOP Club Night at Radio Room
Jan 18 / Greenville - Benjamin Barker at Signal Music Museum
Jan 18 / Charleston - The Black Jacket Symphony Presents Talking Heads’ ‘Stop Making Sense’ at Charleston Music Hall
Jan 17-20 / Myrtle Beach - Grand Strand Freedom Week
Jan 20 / Columbia - King Day at the Dome
Jan 21 / Charleston -Leo Kottke at Charleston Music Hall
Jan 22 / Greenville - Wasted Wine and Reedy River String Band
Jan 22 / Columbia - Bayker Blankenship at The Senate
Jan 23 / Greenville - Space Prom at Radio Room
Jan 23 / Charleston - Local Nomad w/ Maraluso + The Fiori at The Royal American
Jan 23-25 / Charleston - Charleston Boat Show
Jan 24 / Greenville - Nirvani at Radio Room with pterry and Jest at Radio Room
Jan 24 / James Island - Bo's Roast and Chili Cook Off
Jan 24 / Aiken - The Art of Beginning - Art Show
Jan 24 / Charleston - Pete Holmes at Charleston Music Hall
Jan 24 / Columbia - Metallica Tribute Night with Sent to the Slaughter, Thyrstix, Hell’s Maid, King Nothing
Jan 25 / Columbia - VIO-LENCE, Deceased, Nunslaughter at New Brookland Tavern
Jan 25 / Charleston - Tim Heidecker with Neil Hamburger at Charleston Music Hall
Jan 25 / Charleston - Barks & Bushels
Jan 26 / Greenville - GHOST: Skeletour World Tour 2026 at Bon Secours Arena
Jan 25 / Greenville - Left To Suffer with The Last Ten Seconds of Life, Your Spirit Dies and Fr3ak at Radio Room
Jan 27 / Greenville - Andy and Friends at Signal Music Museum
Jan 25 / Charleston - Dustin Nickerson at Charleston Music Hall
Jan 28 / Greenville - Grady Spencer & Will Overman at Radio Room
Jan 28 / Charleston - Bluebird Improv at Charleston Music Hall
Jan 29 / Charleston - Connor Wood at Charleston Music Hall
Jan 29 / Greenville - Justin Page at Signal Music Msueum
Jan 29 / Greenville - Britton Emert at Radio Room
Jan 30 / Charleston Tom Papa: Grateful Bread Tour at Charleston Music Hall
Jan 30 / Charleston - North By North at The Royal American
Jan 30 / Greenville - Ellise at Radio Room
Jan 30-31 / Myrtle Beach - 42nd National Shag Dancing Preliminary Competition
Jan 30-31 / Greenville - PBR Velocity Tour at Bon Secours Arena
Jan 30 / Columbia - Emo Night Karaoke at The Senate
Jan 31 / Columbia - Fire from the Gods at New Brookland Tavern
Jan 31 / Clemson - Winter Bluegrass Jubilee
Jan 31 / Charleston - The Carls at The Royal American
Jan 31 / Charleston - Ms. Pat at Charleston Music Hall
Jan 31 / Greenville - The Recreation of Black Sabbath with Dazr at Radio Room
Jan 31 / Charleston - Charleston Half Marathon and 5K
Jan 31 / Columbia - Kevin James at The Township