MORNING HEADLINES | It’s time to ring out the old and ring in some new resolutions – and try not to break them too quickly! From celebratory New Year’s Eve dinners to movin’ and groovin’ on the dance floor, Charleston has a lot going on over the next few days where you can say goodbye to 2025 and hello to 2026. Here’s a rundown of a few notables:
Watch service. The International African American Museum will hold its Freedom’s Eve Midday Watch service on Wednesday at Morris Brown AME Church from noon to 1:30 p.m.
Restaurant happenings. Later on Dec. 31, try to snag a spot at Charleston-area restaurants doing some special seatings, as outlined in this story. for an elegant dinner at spots like Kultura, Merci and Wild Common. Other restaurants like Katsubo, La Cave and Felix are offering a more laid-back experience with complimentary drinks and hors d’oeuvres with the purchase of a ticket.
Dancing, parties. If you want to dance the night (and year) away, Charleston offers plenty of parties and concerts. Venues like the Music Farm and Charleston Pour House are rockin’ country hits and funky tunes, while The Royal American is heading back in time to the ‘70s for a night of disco and vintage flair.
Local drop, meatball. Though Charleston doesn’t have a big ball to drop at midnight tonight like New York City, the area does have Folly Beach’s annual Flip-Flop Drop and Woody’s Pizza giant meatball with fiery sparklers stuck into it.
Jan. 1 parade, programming. On Thursday, the IAAM will partner with the Emancipation Proclamation Association and the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor for the 2026 Emancipation Day celebration. A longstanding parade starts at 11 a.m. at Burke High School and winds up at the IAAM, where programming will continue through the afternoon.
Weekend admission. When the weekend rolls around and the hangover is mostly gone, IAAM and the Gibbes Art Museum are offering free admission Jan. 3 and 4 to cardholders for Bank of America, Merrill and Bank of America Private Bank through Bank of America’s Museum on Us program.
Need tickets to great local events?
Check out CityPaperTickets.com for some of the best coming events around the Lowcountry. This week: Synthetic ice skating, Oysters on the Point, Wine around the World and New Year’s Eve parties.
To find more free and ticketed events, head over to our expanded online events calendar has scores of events around the Lowcountry every day, making it the most detailed calendar of what’s happening in the area.
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