This UK-based percussion group has garnered international recognition. Using everyday items like matchboxes, brooms, and garbage cans, the eight-member troupe creates energetic and unconventional rhythms suitable for all ages. North Charleston Performing Arts Center, 5001 Coliseum Dr., North Charleston. Friday, 7:30pm; Saturday, 1pm & 7:30pm. $80-$43. (843)529-5000, www.northcharlestoncoliseumpac.com
Postpartum Support Charleston hosts its largest annual fundraiser, the 21st-annual Moms’ Run. Participants will start at Philip Simmons High School before making a loop on foot, completing a 5K or one-mile route. The race benefits Lowcountry women experiencing postpartum mood disorders such as depression, anxiety, and OCD. Philip Simmons High School, 3080 River Village Dr., Wando. Saturday, 8:30am. $30-$15. (843)410-3585, www.ppdsupport.org
Charleston Jazz presents an evening of entertainment with members of Lowcountry Voices, a multicultural and ethnically diverse choral performing arts organization based in North Charleston. Deeply rooted in the rich heritage of the South Carolina Lowcountry, the ensemble performs Black gospel songs, spirituals, and jazz standards. Charleston Music Hall, 37 John St. Saturday, 5 & 8pm. $64-$10. (843)641-0011, www.charlestonjazz.com
Local personalities are paired with professional dancers during this competition that raises money for the research of Alzheimer’s and other dementia-related issues. Musical genres for the evening range from the foxtrot and salsa to the the jive and tango. Lowcountry Conference Center, 406 Sigma Dr., Summerville. Saturday, 7pm-11pm. $180-$95. (843)471-1360, www.thearkofsc.org
View beautiful vintage cars and mingle with adorable (and adoptable) dogs during this fundraiser supporting Hallie Hill Animal Sanctuary. The day’s offerings also include a silent art auction and a village with vendors and food trucks. Proceeds support Hallie Hill, a 30-acre farm in Hollywood that rehabilitates abused and neglected dogs and cats and places them into safe forever homes. Founders Hall at Charles Towne Landing, 1500 Old Towne Rd. Sunday, 11am-3pm. Free, donations encouraged. www.halliehill.com
Now on its Starcatcher world tour, hard rock band Greta Van Fleet shot to fame in the mid-to-late 2010s for tracks such as “Highway Tune” and “You’re the One.” Compared to the likes of Aerosmith and Led Zeppelin, the band brings upbeat rock ballads to the Lowcountry. North Charleston Coliseum, 5001 Coliseum Dr., North Charleston. Sunday, 7pm. $121-$46. (843)529-5000, www.northcharlestoncoliseumpac.com
Currently touring as his foul-mouthed country musician alter ego, comedian and actor Ben Hoffman is known for his debut album, Redneck Shit, which topped charts in 2016. Kentucky-born singer-songwriter Logan Halstead joins for a night of raunchy lyrics and subversions of the country music genre. Charleston Music Hall, 37 John St. Sunday, 8pm. $43-$30. (843)853-2252, www.charlestonmusichall.com
Charleston Friends of the Library hosts its 39th-annual book sale at the Omar Shrine Auditorium. Browse more than 60,000 titles on every topic and for all ages, with prices starting at just $1 and half-price items on Sunday. Omar Shrine Auditorium, 176 Patriots Point Rd. Thursday-Sunday, times vary. Free. (843) 805-6882, www.charlestonlibraryfriends.org
Enjoy a self-guided tour of the Edmondston-Alston House, a Federal-style home built in 1825 that showcases architecture, furnishings, and artifacts from more than 200 years ago. Then, head to the second-floor piazza for views of Charleston Harbor and a glass of red or white. Edmondston Alston House, 21 E. Battery. Thursday, 4:30-6pm. $30-$25. (843)556-6020, www.middletonplace.org
In conjunction with the Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art exhibit “Spandita Malik: Meshes of Resistance,” fiber artist Camela Guevara leads an introductory class on embroidery basics. Participants are encouraged to send an image via e-mail in advance, which will be printed onto fabric. Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art, 161 Calhoun St. Thursday, 5:30-7:30pm. $75-$65. (843)953-4422, www.halsey.cofc.edu
An illustration of Fort Sumter in flames appears on the cover of best-selling author Erik Larson’s latest book, The Demon of Unrest: A Saga of Hubris, Heartbreak, and Heroism at the Dawn of the Civil War (Crown, April 2024). This month, the author—best known for The Devil in the White City (Knopf Doubleday, 2004)—visits the harbor city where much of his most recent book is set for a talk with readers hosted by Buxton Books. The Demon of Unrest focuses on the five months after Lincoln was elected president to the first shot of the Civil War on April 12, 1861. Larson researched diaries, secret communiques, plantation records, and ledgers of enslaved people to inform the narrative, which centers on Lincoln, Secretary of State William Seward, Fort Sumter commander Robert Anderson, secessionist Edmund Ruffin, and diarist Mary Boykin Chestnut. Gaillard Center, 95 Calhoun St. Thursday, 7:30 p.m. $35-55. (843) 242-3009, www.gaillardcenter.com
Fronted by guitarists Devon Allman and Duane Betts, this six-piece rock band plays original music from their sophomore album, 2020’s Bless Your Heart. Also listen out for covers from The Allman Brothers Band, the legendary group started by the band members’ fathers, Gregg Allman and Dickey Betts. Charleston Music Hall, 37 John St. Thursday, 8pm. $65-$45. (843)853-2252, www.charlestonmusichall.com
The graduating class of the American College of Building Arts (ACBA) presents a reception of Capstone projects designed, planned, and physically prepared by students over a span of 250 to 300 hours. Projects on display include a hand-forged rocking chair with copper guiding accents, an Art Nouveau garden gate with floral elements, and a scale model of a French-inspired onion dome. ACBA is the only college in the United States that fully integrates professional training in the traditional building trades with a liberal arts core curriculum. American College of the Building Arts, 649 Meeting St. Friday, 5:30-7:30pm. Free. (843)577-5245, www.acba.edu
Lowcountry residents such as artist Gil Tisdale and attorney Jenny Honeycutt team up with professional dancers from International Ballroom Dance Studios during this black-tie fundraising event for the American Lung Association. With a James Bond-inspired “License To Breathe” theme, the evening features a formal dinner and live auction. Gaillard Center, 95 Calhoun St. Friday, 6:30pm-11pm. $325. (843)556-8451, www.lung.org
Grab a dancing partner at the Mount Pleasant Pier for an evening of live music and waterfront views. Admire the starry reflection of the Charleston Harbor while listening to classic country and Southern rock tunes from the Shem Creek Boogie Band. Mount Pleasant Memorial Waterfront Park, 99 Harry M. Hallman Jr. Blvd., Mount Pleasant. Friday, 7-10:30pm. $10-$8. (843)795-4386, www.ccprc.com
Having extended his international Give ’Em What They Want tour, this Australian comedian has received recognition at the 2019 Just for Laughs Festival. His latest stand-up special, High & Dry, was released on Netflix in 2023. North Charleston Performing Arts Center, 5001 Coliseum Dr., North Charleston. Friday, 7pm. $186-$46. (843)529-5000, www.northcharlestoncoliseumpac.com
This quarterly event at Cypress Gardens, in Moncks Corner, invites visitors to experience the sights and sounds of a cypress swamp after the sun goes down. Guides will paddle boats through the water, following a torch-lit path and educating guests on the nocturnal activities of local wildlife ranging from owls to alligators. Advance registration is required. Cypress Gardens, 3030 Cypress Gardens Rd., Moncks Corner. Friday, 7:45, 8:45, & 9:45pm. $25. (843)553-0515, www.cypressgardens.berkeleycountysc.gov
Learn the culture and history of sweetgrass basket weaving and the Gullah Geechee people with local artisan Henrietta Snype. Her work has been showcased at prestigious institutions, including the Smithsonian and the Henry Ford Museum. Drayton Hall, 3380 Ashley River Rd. Saturday, 10am-1pm. $150-$140. (843)769-2600, www.draytonhall.org
Learn about the legacy of rice cultivation in the Lowcountry while exploring the nature reserve at Caw Caw Interpretive Center. Led by a naturalist, the lesson focuses on where the crop came from and how the cultivation of rice changed the landscape in ways still relevant today. Advance registration required. Caw Caw Interpretive Center, 5200 Savannah Hwy., Ravenel. Saturday, 10am-noon. $10. (843)7954386, www.ccprc.com
Attend the Warrior Surf Foundation’s eight-annual Charity Golf Tournament at Wild Dunes Resort. Registered teams of four golfers can attend the opening night cocktail dinner on Friday, May 17, at 6-9:30p.m., which includes music, a silent and live auction, and keynote speakers. Proceeds benefit the Warrior Surf Foundation’s free 12-week program for veterans, which improves mental and physical health through wellness coaching and surf instruction. Wild Dunes Resort, 5757 Palm Blvd., Isle of Palms. 11am. $800 for four players; $65 for opening night dinner. (843)633-2686, www.warriorsurf.org
The Barrier Islands Free Medical Clinic, a nonprofit that provides free healthcare to uninsured or low-income adults, hosts its 17th-annual fundraiser. The golf tournament begins with lunch followed by a shotgun start at noon, with a cocktail hour, buffet dinner, and awards ceremony to follow. The River Course at Kiawah Island Club, 10 River Course Ln., John’s Island. Monday, 10am. $600 per player. (843)266-9800, www.bifmc.org
Following the success of their 2017 album Rise And Shine, Swedish cinematic rock band Smash Into Pieces evolved into a globally recognized name. Joining is Versus Me, a metalcore four-piece. Music Farm, 32 Ann St. Tuesday, 7:30pm. $25-$20. (843)853-2252, www.musicfarm.com
Members of the Spoleto Festival USA Orchestra are paired with emerging composers, artists, and activists during this concert that examines the relationship between music and our perception of time and space. Emmett Robinson Theatre at College of Charleston, 54 St. Philip St. Wednesday, 7pm. Free. (843)579-3100, www.spoletousa.org
Presented by the International African American Museum as its first traveling exhibition, this multimedia display examines historic events, such as the Montgomery bus boycotts, related to African Americans’ search for freedom and “the promised land” through the lenses of transportation, The Great Migration, and spirituality. International African American Museum, 14 Wharfside St. Tuesday-Sunday, 10am-5pm. $22-$10. (843)872-5352, www.iaamuseum.org
Watch the late actor (and South Carolina native) Chadwick Boseman as baseball legend Jackie Robinson knock the ball out of the park for the Brooklyn Dodgers in the first showing of the International African American Museum’s summer film series. Movies will be screened in the African Ancestors Memorial Garden, and tickets include popcorn and other refreshments. Later this month, see Hope of Escape, based on the true story of enslaved mother Diana Williams and her daughter, Cornelia, who try to flee after the patriarch of the rice plantation where they are forced to work dies. Coming soon: Pixar’s Soul. International African American Museum, 14 Wharfside St. Thursday, 6 p.m. $10, $5 for ages six to 16. www.iaam.org
View vibrant works, including large-scale narrative oil paintings and coffee watercolors, from Cuban artist Reynier Llanes at the Gibbes Museum of Art. Llanes combines scenes from nature and daily life with an imaginative twist, drawing from his memories and experiences as an artist and immigrant. Gibbes Museum of Art, 135 Meeting St. Monday-Friday, 10am-5pm; Sunday 1-5pm. $12-$6. (843)722-2706, www.gibbesmuseum.org
One of Spoleto’s signature series, this classical music presentation offers 11 programs with pieces ranging from the pre-17th century to modern works. Musical artists include pianist Inon Barnatan; violinists Livia Sohn, Owen Dalby, and Alexi Kenney; and clarinetist Todd Palmer. Highlights of the program include a world premiere string quartet by Spoleto’s 2024 Chamber Music composer-in-residence Reena Esmail. Dock Street Theatre, 135 Church St. Daily, 11am & 1pm. $94-$59. (843)579-3100, www.spoletousa.org
Loosely based on the Greek myth of Demeter and Persephone, this full-length original chamber opera examines the traumatic impact of displacement on refugee children, following a 12-year-old girl’s journey through an underworld-inspired dreamscape. A world premiere event, Ruinous Gods includes sung and spoken-word sections and a genre-bending score that weaves Arabic maqam and Western classical music with Middle Eastern jazz and improvisation. Learn more about the creative process of the productions at the College of Charleston Sottile Theatre during an intimate talk with CBS News correspondent Martha Teichner on May 25 at 3:30 p.m. College of Charleston Sottile Theatre, 44 George St. Wednesday & Friday, 7pm; Monday, 2pm. $184-$59. (843)579-3100, www.spoletousa.org
Written by Maureen McGranaghan and presented by The Void Theatre Company, this play explores the moral and emotional challenges of parenthood as experienced by lesbian couple, Em and Belle. Following the birth of their son, Rory, the women must decide the fate of five remaining embryos. Hed Hi Studio, 654 King St., Ste. D. Friday-Sunday, 7:30pm. $30. (843)410-8639, www.thevoidtheatre.org
The Grammy Award-winning six-piece American roots revival band kicks off Spoleto’s Front Row series, playing two concerts under the stars in the College of Charleston’s Cistern Yard. The band, which made its first Spoleto appearance in 2016, celebrated its 25th anniversary last year. College of Charleston Cistern Yard, 66 George St. Friday & Saturday, 9pm. $88-$38. (843)579-3100, www.spoletousa.org
