Kiawah Island is a stunning barrier island nestled on the South Carolina coastline that offers visitors the opportunity to engage in endless adventures and activities, or simply do nothing at all! Summer is a season of fun on Kiawah Island and each day brings new adventures, unique recreational experiences, and exciting summer events focused on the Lowcountry lifestyle and old-fashioned fun for the whole family!
Spend your days soaking up the sun at Beachwalker Park, exploring Night Heron Parkâs trails and activities, kayaking the serene waterways, shopping our quaint summer farmers markets, honing your skills on Kiawahâs famous golf courses, and celebrating summer at Kiawah Islandâs festive summer events & festivals.
Summer is the perfect season to stroll the farmers' markets, pick up fresh produce and preserves for tasty homemade feasts, delicious desserts (go ahead â" youâre on vacation!), and unique gifts and souvenirs of your Kiawah Island vacation. Our local farmer's markets are traditionally Lowcountry and worth a visit during your summer stay on Kiawah.
EVENTS & ACTIVITIES: View all events and activities HERE
RESERVATIONS: Call (843) 768-6001 for event and activity reservations
Night Heron Park abounds in natural beauty and is the epicenter of fun on Kiawah Island. The Night Heron Park Nature Center offers an exciting selection of eco-tours & adventures, cruises and charters, unique Kiawah Island experiences, and endless activities every day of the year, with an extra dose of fun in the summer season! If you need a little summer inspiration, hereâs our top pick of Night Heron Park nature activities to add to your summer bucket-list adventures on Kiawah Island!
Kayaking & SUP Excursions
Coastal, Reef, Creek & Shark Fishing Charters
Eco Tours & Shelling Expeditions along the Kiawah River
Freshfields Village Cars & Coffee is a popular Kiawah Island event that runs throughout the year on the 3rd Saturday of every month. Classics, collectibles, and super cool cars and motorcycles line the Village Green, car enthusiasts network and share stories of their classics, and delicious coffee, pastries & breakfasts are served at Java Java in Freshfields Village.
Freshfields Village Music on the Green kicks off with a special two-night series on Memorial Day weekend and ends with a grand finale on Labor Day weekend. Throughout the summer locals, families, and visitors to Kiawah Island gather on the Village Green with blankets, chairs, and picnics to enjoy a night of local music on the stage. Freshfields Village Music on the Green is free, family-friendly, and a not to be missed Kiawah Island summer tradition with good, laid-back island vibes!
You canât visit Kiawah Island without attending an oyster roast on the banks of the Kiawah River â" the beautiful setting alone is enough to make your mouth water! Itâs the best way to sample the flavors of the Lowcountry and, while itâs a celebration of our fresh local oysters, youâll find everything from BBQ ribs and pulled pork, traditional southern side dishes and delicious desserts, coupled with live music, exquisite sunsets, and loads of family fun.
The Mingo Point Oyster Roast and BBQ is a genuine Lowcountry tradition on the banks of the Kiawah River. For nearly 40 years locals and visitors to the island have been sampling Lowcountry cuisine, southern specialties, and fresh oysters roasted over an open fire coupled with a cool zone for kids, a craft market, live music, and tranquil views of the beautiful Kiawah River.
This event listing is for our summer season, which includes Saturday, May 24th, Mondays from June 2nd through August 25th, and Saturday, August 30th.
Mingo Point Oyster Roast and BBQ is Kiawah Island Golf Resortâs longest-running event, a treasured family favorite and a genuine Lowcountry tradition. Guests of all ages enjoy feasting on fresh oysters roasted over an open fire, along with other BBQ specialties such as ribs, pulled pork, smoked chicken, and Lowcountry Boil with all the Southern side dishes and desserts to make this a true culinary experience.
Guests will also enjoy family fun like live music and other activities. Best of all is Mingo Pointâs natural settingâ"right on the banks of the Kiawah River.
NEW for 2025: - An additional later seating from 8:30 â" 10:30pm will be offered on June 23rd and 30th. - All purchases are final â" no refunds will be issued in the event of inclement weather. - No walk up ticket purchases will be allowed or honored - Limited capacity is available for each seating â" once a seating is sold out, that date or time will no longer be available to book online. - Tickets must be purchased by 9am the day of the event - All attendees must have a ticket regardless of age - There are no physical tickets, you will be emailed a receipt as your confirmation
Salute from the Shore is a 4th of July flyover of F16s, Military C17s, and vintage planes that stretches the entire length of the South Carolina coastline! Beachgoers head down to the 10 miles of coastline on Kiawah Island adorned in red, white, and blue to salute and honor Americaâs armed forces from the shore. Support the cause by purchasing your Salute from the Shore swag, record and share your salute (#salutefromtheshore) and be part of a 13-year Independence Day tradition on Kiawah Island.
The Fourth of July is a weeklong celebration on Kiawah Island! Itâs our favorite time of year and Kiawah Island goes all out to celebrate the birth of our nation. Independence Day celebrations on Kiawah Island include a traditional Mingo Point Oyster Roast & BBQ on the Kiawah River, a patriotic bike parade led by local firemen down Sea Forest Drive, followed by family festivities at Night Heron Park with pool parties, jumping castles, carnival games, and loads of summertime fun! The evening ends with Independence Day fireworks at Sanctuary Beach.
Deep Water Vineyard on Wadmalaw Island is the Charleston areaâs only vineyard, producing some of the best home-grown wine in South Carolina. Nestled amidst the marshlands and historic oaks on Wadmalaw Island, Deep Water Vineyard offers daily self-guided tours and tastings, private tastings and special events by reservation, and an annual Weekend Wine Down all summer long! The weekend wine downs happen rain or shine every Saturday from 10AM-5PM.
TASTINGS: Offered every hour on the hour, $15 gets you a tasting of 6 samples of wine and a souvenir stemless glass.
DRINKS: The outdoor patio bar offers lots of fun libations, wine by the glass/bottle/flight, wine slushies, an ever-rotating draft meads, samples of our still meads, bloody marys made with our jalapeño wine, and mimosas!
Local's Tip: Ocassionally they'll throw a curveball in there just to keep it interesting too!
FOOD TRUCKS / LIVE MUSIC: They offer a food truck and live music every wine down, check out the info below for who is on today.
DOGS / KIDS: Go ahead, have a glass of wine with your 4-legged pal! Kids are also welcome, they may be asked to sit away from the bar if we are full of adult tasters (but theyâll still be within eyeshot). Also offered for the whole family: swurfer/swing, cornhole, and other lawn games.
MORE INFO: Well behaved owners with their leashed dogs are permitted everywhere on property, including our tasting room. Please note that they do have a number of animals (rabbits, pigs, chickens, ducks, geese, and a miniature brahma cow).
Connect to their Facebook page for events schedule and tickets!
Kiawah Island is only 25 miles from historic Charleston, a city of endless celebrations, festivals, and events. There are many Charleston sightseeing tours and cruises from Kiawah Island and most of our guests choose to set a day aside on their Kiawah vacation to explore the historic sites, old-world charm, and top attractions of Charleston.
If youâre visiting Kiawah Island in the late spring â" early summer season, the Spoleto Festival USA is not to be missed and Kiawah Island makes an idyllic basecamp! The Spoleto Festival USA is the American version of the Festival dei Due Mondi (Festival of Two Worlds) in Spoleto Italy and features hundreds of events centered around the arts in several venues including Charlestonâs historic theaters, churches, and open spaces.
Summer is the perfect season to stroll the farmers markets, pick up fresh produce and preserves for tasty home-made feasts, delicious desserts (go ahead â" youâre on vacation!), and unique gifts and souvenirs of your Kiawah Island vacation. Our local farmers markets are traditionally Lowcountry and worth a visit during your summer stay on Kiawah.
Freshfields Village offers an upscale shopping experience on Kiawah Island with over 30 high-end stores, eateries for Lowcountry dining, fun events and a fantastic weekly summer farmers market. There are several unique vendors with organic produce, sweet & savory foods, fresh caught seafood, and Lowcountry arts and crafts. Pick up a southern style BBQ dinner to share from the comfort of your vacation home - or stop by one of the many restaurants at Freshfields Village for a night out on the town.
LOCATION: Charleston Collegiate Campus, St Johns Island
DATE: Every Saturday
TIME: 9:30 AM to 1:30 PM
The Sea Island Farmers Market is on the Charleston Collegiate Campus grounds, a short drive from Kiawah on the scenic road to Charleston. Itâs a true community market with local vendors selling their farm produce, local food stands, and unique arts and craft creations. Itâs the perfect place to pick up tasty supplies for a picnic under the ancient Angel Oak Tree in nearby Angel Oak Park.
KIAWAH ISLAND SUMMER KIDS CAMPS
Kiawah Island is geared for family vacationers! Your kids wonât be clinging to the door handle feeling betrayed by mom and dad â" theyâll be begging to go to Kiawah Islandâs unique summer kids camps. Fun and dedicated counselors are assigned to engage your kids in island adventures (land and water!) that will send them home with lots of epic back-to-school stories.
Kamp Kiawah is designed for kids ages 3-7 with themed adventures, games, beach treasure hunts, arts & crafts, and interactive and educational nature activities in Night Heron Park. Camp Xtreme, Adventure Camp, and Kids Night Out (seasonal) are geared for older kids ages 8-15 with Xtreme fun, competitive sports games, team building activities, ninja warrior courses, adventures on the water, and nighttime fun twice a week at Kiawahâs seasonal Kids Night Out.
STAY NEAR KIAWAH ISLANDâS TOP SUMMER EVENTS
Kiawah Exclusives offers an exclusive collection of Kiawah Island condos, villas, cottages, and private vacation homes in West Beach, East Beach, and the luxury Vanderhorst gated community.
Each of Kiawah Islandâs luxury villa communities is unique! Choose classic Lowcountry views on the Kiawah River, lagoon & wooded views in the maritime forests, golf course views on Kiawahâs famous fairways, or panoramic Atlantic Ocean views from the oceanfront dunes.
You can customize your stay to suit your style even further with a choice of cozy condos, luxury villas, and private free-standing cottages â" all with easy access to Kiawah Islandâs 10 miles of beautiful beaches. Our exclusive selection of Kiawah Island vacation rentals also includes spacious and private Kiawah family homes with swimming pools & spas, indoor & outdoor entertainment areas, private beach boardwalks, and all the essentials (and lifeâs little luxuries!) for a quintessential summer vacation on Kiawah Island.
