Summerville’s sweetest week of the year is getting closer.
The 2026 Sweet Tea Festival returns Saturday, September 19, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Historic Downtown Summerville, bringing sweet tea, food, local vendors, live entertainment, shopping, and community activities back to the area around Hutchinson Square. Admission is free.
And this year, the celebration stretches well beyond festival day.
Sweetest Week Ever Begins September 12
The lead-up starts with the Sweetest Sidewalk Sale on Saturday, September 12, when downtown businesses are expected to offer specials, shopping opportunities, treats, and other activities as Sweet Tea Festival week gets underway.
That’s followed by several days of events leading into the festival itself.
Hold My Tea Bar Crawl Returns September 14–20
One event we can now officially add to the calendar is the Hold My Tea Bar Crawl and Sweet Tea Cocktail Contest, running September 14 through September 20.
Participating Summerville bars and restaurants will create their own sweet tea-inspired cocktails and compete for recognition during the week-long crawl.
Visitors can pick up a bingo card at participating locations or through Visit Summerville, try cocktails along the route, mark off spaces, and redeem a completed card for a free event shirt while supplies last. Participants will also be able to vote for the People’s Choice winner, while a judging panel selects a Critics’ Choice cocktail based on taste, presentation, and originality.
Participating locations for 2026 have not yet been announced.
Sweetest Third Thursday
Downtown keeps the celebration going with Sweetest Third Thursday on September 17 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Expect the familiar Third Thursday mix of live music, local vendors, food, shopping, and community activities — this time with a distinctly sweet tea theme as festival weekend approaches.
Festival Day: September 19
The main event arrives Saturday morning.
The Sweet Tea Festival transforms Historic Downtown Summerville into a large open-house-style street festival centered around Hutchinson Square, with food trucks, artisan vendors, entertainment, downtown shopping, and — naturally — plenty of sweet tea.
One of the festival traditions is the opportunity to sample sweet teas and help select the Tea of the Year.
The Sweetest Farmers Market is also scheduled for festival morning from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., giving visitors another reason to arrive downtown early.
Parking Will Be Tight
If you’re planning to attend, expect downtown parking to fill quickly.
Summerville DREAM says parking around the festival footprint is limited and visitors should be prepared to park several blocks away. The downtown parking garage will remain available throughout the day.
The permitted festival area includes Hutchinson Square and portions of nearby downtown streets. Organizers have also published street-closure guidance, though plans can always change as festival day approaches.
For anyone bringing family members who need accessible parking or facilities, handicap parking is available in the Town parking garage and at locations throughout downtown, with accessible portable restrooms placed around the festival area.
Leave the Pets at Home
Festival organizers strongly recommend leaving pets at home because of the crowds, traffic, heat, and other safety concerns that come with an event attracting thousands of people downtown.
Why Sweet Tea?
Summerville’s connection to sweet tea extends well beyond the festival.
The town promotes itself as the Birthplace of Sweet Tea, and in 2016 Summerville earned a Guinness World Record for the World’s Largest Sweet Iced Tea. “Mason,” the giant tea container created for that record, stands more than 15 feet tall and can hold approximately 2,524 gallons. Visitors can still find Mason near Town Hall at 200 South Main Street.
That history has grown into the Sweet Tea Trail, Sweet Tea Festival, cocktail competition, and an entire week of events celebrating one of the South’s most familiar drinks.
More Details Are Still Coming
With just over a month remaining, some pieces of the 2026 festival are still being finalized.
Participating locations for the Hold My Tea Bar Crawl have not yet been announced, and additional vendor, entertainment, parking, and festival-day information may continue to roll out as September gets closer.
What’s Up Summerville will continue updating our Sweet Tea Festival Guide with schedules, parking information, vendors, maps, and other details as they become available.
2026 Sweet Tea Festival at a Glance
Sweetest Sidewalk Sale
Saturday, September 12
Hold My Tea Bar Crawl & Sweet Tea Cocktail Contest
September 14–20
Sweetest Third Thursday
Thursday, September 17 • 5:30–8:30 p.m.
Sweet Tea Festival
Saturday, September 19 • 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
Historic Downtown Summerville / Hutchinson Square
Free admission
