Mount Pleasant's free Sweetgrass Festival is the fourth Saturday in July at Memorial Waterfront Park. The 2026 festival ran July 25; 2027 is not set.

Last checked Oct. 16, 2026. Updated each year. Facts on this page come from the Town of Mount Pleasant’s Sweetgrass Festival page on its Experience Mount Pleasant site and the town’s special events page. Special Events Office: events@tompsc.com, town main line 843-884-8517.

The Sweetgrass Festival celebrates the Gullah Geechee people and the centuries-old craft of sweetgrass basket weaving, an art form the town says was born in Mount Pleasant. It is held on the fourth Saturday in July at Mount Pleasant Memorial Waterfront Park, and admission is free.

The 2027 date has not been announced. The 2026 festival was Saturday, July 25, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The town lists its July festival on its special events page along with the year’s other events; this page will carry the 2027 date and plans once they are posted.

Sweetgrass Festival at a glance

  • When: fourth Saturday in July. 2026: Saturday, July 25, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. 2027: not yet announced
  • Where: Mount Pleasant Memorial Waterfront Park
  • Cost: free admission; baskets, crafts and food for sale
  • Parking: limited at the park; free lots and shuttles at Town Hall and the Cheryll Woods-Flowers Soccer Complex
  • Organizer: Town of Mount Pleasant, events@tompsc.com

What is there

The festival started in 2004. The town describes it as one of the largest gatherings of sweetgrass basket weavers anywhere, a chance to meet dozens of makers, see a wide range of baskets and hear the stories behind a craft passed down through Gullah Geechee families. From the town’s festival page:

  • Sweetgrass Basket and Craft Show: baskets plus handmade arts, crafts and jewelry
  • educational sessions for all ages on the craft and its history
  • live music, entertainment and activities, all free

The dinner the night before

The Taste of Sweetgrass Culture Dinner Experience is held the evening before the festival in the Cooper River Room at Memorial Waterfront Park. It is hosted by the African American Settlement Community Historic Commission, and the town’s festival page lists the commission’s contact for tickets and for anyone who wants to get involved.

Parking and free shuttles

Parking at Memorial Waterfront Park is limited, the town says. For 2026 it ran:

  • Bus 1: Mount Pleasant Town Hall, 100 Ann Edwards Lane. Free parking; the bus stops in front of Town Hall near the CARTA Route 40 stop.
  • Bus 2: Cheryll Woods-Flowers Soccer Complex, 85 Patriots Point Road. Free parking, and a short walk to the park if you prefer not to wait for the bus.
  • Bus 3: a wheelchair-accessible bus looping between both lots.
  • Paid parking: the Ferry Wharf garage next to the park, with a walkway into the park.

Shuttles ran continuously from 9:30 a.m., and the last buses left the park at 3 p.m. Chairs and festival gear are welcome on the buses; only service animals may ride. The town also suggests carpooling, ride-hailing or CARTA Route 41, which stops at both Town Hall and the park on Saturdays.

If you want the park itself and not the festival, the town asks you to visit another day.

Why Mount Pleasant

The town notes that the largest share of the original sweetgrass basket makers live in and around Mount Pleasant, which calls itself home of the Original Sweetgrass Basket Makers. South Carolina named sweetgrass basket making its official state craft, and SCDOT has designated a long stretch of U.S. 17 through town as the Sweetgrass Basket Makers Highway.

Basket weavers, artisans, performers, exhibitors and sponsors who want to take part can email events@tompsc.com.

Frequently asked questions

When is the Sweetgrass Festival in Mount Pleasant?

The town holds it on the fourth Saturday in July at Memorial Waterfront Park. The 2026 festival was Saturday, July 25, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; the 2027 date has not been announced.

Is the Mount Pleasant Sweetgrass Festival free?

Yes. The town says admission is free, along with the live music, entertainment and activities. Baskets, crafts and food are for sale.

Where do you park for the Sweetgrass Festival?

Parking at Memorial Waterfront Park is limited. Free parking and free shuttles run from Town Hall, 100 Ann Edwards Lane, and the Cheryll Woods-Flowers Soccer Complex, 85 Patriots Point Road. The Ferry Wharf garage next to the park charges.

What is at the Mount Pleasant Sweetgrass Festival?

A Sweetgrass Basket and Craft Show with dozens of basket makers, handmade arts and jewelry, educational sessions on the craft, and free live music and activities. A Taste of Sweetgrass Culture dinner is held the night before.