Sweet Tea Week Takes Over Summerville Sept. 14–20 With Bar Crawl, Third Thursday and Festival
Summerville is leaning all the way into its sweet tea roots this week.
Sweet Tea Week is officially underway in the Birthplace of Sweet Tea, bringing several days of food, drinks, shopping, live entertainment and community events to Summerville from September 14–20, 2026.
The week leads into the annual Sweet Tea Festival on Saturday, September 19, but locals don’t have to wait until the weekend to get started. This year’s celebration includes the week-long Hold My Tea Bar Crawl and Sweet Tea Cocktail Contest, a special Third Thursday celebration and more throughout downtown Summerville.
Hold My Tea Bar Crawl Runs All Week
The 2026 Summerville Sweet Tea Cocktail Contest & Hold My Tea Bar Crawl runs from Monday, September 14 through Sunday, September 20.
Twelve Summerville bars and restaurants have created their own sweet tea-inspired cocktails for the competition. Participants can pick up or print a bingo card, visit participating locations and mark off stops along the way. Completed cards can be exchanged for a free bar crawl shirt while supplies last, and participants can also vote for the People’s Choice Award.
This year’s participating locations include The Azalea Bar & Garden, Five Loaves Cafe, Godwin’s Beer Hall, The Icehouse Restaurant, Kersey House, La Chev 208, Laura, Low Country Fish Camp, Lowcountry Public House, Luxe Bar & Bistro, Montreux Bar & Grill and Sweetwater One Twenty Three.
Sweetest Third Thursday Comes Downtown
The celebration continues Thursday, September 17 with the Sweetest Third Thursday EVER! from 5:30–8:30 PM.
Third Thursday already brings people into historic downtown Summerville each month, and this week’s edition becomes part of the larger Sweet Tea Week celebration. It’s an opportunity to explore downtown businesses, restaurants and the festivities ahead of Saturday’s main event.
Sweet Tea Festival Returns Saturday
The main event arrives Saturday, September 19 from 10 AM–4 PM with the annual Sweet Tea Festival in historic downtown Summerville.
Hosted by Summerville DREAM, the free festival will feature sweet tea, food, local vendors, shopping, a kid zone, local artists and live music throughout the downtown area. The Sweetest Farmers Market is also scheduled for 10 AM–4 PM Saturday.
Sweet Tea Week at a Glance
- Sept. 14–20: Hold My Tea Bar Crawl & Sweet Tea Cocktail Contest
- Thursday, Sept. 17 | 5:30–8:30 PM: Sweetest Third Thursday EVER!
- Saturday, Sept. 19 | 10 AM–4 PM: Sweetest Farmers Market
- Saturday, Sept. 19 | 10 AM–4 PM: 2026 Sweet Tea Festival
Why Sweet Tea Is Such a Big Deal in Summerville
Sweet tea isn’t just the theme of a festival here.
Summerville promotes itself as the Birthplace of Sweet Tea, and downtown is also home to Mason, the town’s giant sweet tea landmark. Mason stands more than 15 feet tall and can hold 2,524 gallons. The town earned a Guinness World Record for the World’s Largest Sweet Iced Tea in 2016.
The annual Sweet Tea Festival and surrounding events have turned that history into one of Summerville’s signature September traditions.
Planning to Go?
Most of the week’s activities are centered around historic Downtown Summerville, making it possible to combine the events with shopping, dining and exploring the area.
The Sweet Tea Festival itself is free to attend, and Saturday’s festivities run from 10 AM until 4 PM.
For official Sweet Tea Week information, participating cocktail locations and updates, check Visit Summerville’s Sweet Tea Trail page. Sweet Tea Week & Festival information
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