At the Gaillard 2026 When the Trees Become the Monuments

Monuments by Craig Walsh February 27–March 31, 2026 | Nightly from 6:30pm to 10:00pm (free and open to the public)

In 2026, the Charleston Gaillard Center will present artist Craig Walsh's Monuments—a striking outdoor installation that honors local community members who make an extraordinary impact in quiet ways. 

This spring, Charleston’s idea of a monument changes.

Instead of bronze figures on pedestals, Monuments turns living trees into portraits of real community members — projected onto bark and branches after dark. The free outdoor installation runs February 27 – March 31, 2026 at the Gaillard Center grounds.

Walsh’s work honors people who rarely receive formal recognition: educators, advocates, mentors, caregivers — the civic infrastructure of a city. Rather than memorializing distant history, it highlights the people actively shaping Charleston right now.

Set near the future Anson Street African Burial Memorial site, the project quietly asks a question Charleston continues to wrestle with:

Who deserves to be remembered — and how?

You don’t stand in front of these monuments.

You walk among them.

Free · Nightly · Outdoors

Palmetto City Ballet

Meet the fabulous Palmetto City Ballet in front of Lululemon at 279 King Street.

Palmetto City Ballet

Spoleto Festival USA

Spoleto is dance. It's music. It's Brandi Carlile under the oak trees. It's Ken Burns in the Sotille. It's 17 days and 100+ performances. Spoleto representatives will be at 330 King Street, College Corner on 2nd Sunday.

Spoleto Festival USA

The Weekend with Tate Nation

Mount Pleasant is the place for a running tradition, the Old Village Harbor 5K Saturday, November 8 sponsored by Tate Nation.

Followed by… “2nd Sunday falls on my birthday, November 9th, I want to celebrate by doing a special thing ‘My birthday / You get the gift!’. I’ll give a free “Crab” poster to the first 20 people who stop by my space and mention that they saw my post or 2nd Sunday’s! 🥳🎈🦀 🎉 “ 257 King Street.

Happy Birthday, Tate!

The Luminous Art of Lithophanes rescheduled for November 9th

Lithophane Nightlight

There’s something magical about holding a seemingly ordinary piece of porcelain up to the light and watching a detailed image emerge from within. This is the world of lithophanes—sculptures that reveal hidden images when backlit, transforming varying thicknesses of translucent material into gradients of light and shadow. The word “lithophane” comes from Greek, literally meaning “light in stone.” These works of art are created by carving or molding translucent porcelain into panels of varying thickness. Thicker areas appear darker when backlit, while thinner sections allow more light through, creating a grayscale image that glows from within.

Lithophanes emerged in early 19th-century Europe. The mid-to-late 1800s marked their golden age, when they adorned Victorian homes as window panels, lampshades, and fire screens—serving as affordable art for the middle class. Traditional lithophanes required exceptional skill, with artisans carefully carving molds to create varying depths. Today, 3D printing and digital tools have revived the art form, making creation accessible to modern artists while preserving the enchanting effect.

What makes lithophanes captivating after nearly two centuries? Perhaps it’s the hidden image waiting to be revealed, or the mastery required to transform solid material into ethereal light and shadow—quiet testaments to human creativity and the timeless appeal of light itself.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

At the 2nd Sunday Hospitality Tent (in front of the Apple Store): Meet Blane Shirley, Owner, Lowcountry Lithophanes and see some of his mesmerizing products.