Folly Beach doesn't have one Halloween tradition. It has several, and residents added each one when they felt something was missing. The Folly Beach Civic Club's children's carnival goes back to the 1960s. The Witches' Dance arrived in 2019 so the adults had something of their own at that carnival. In 2020, COVID made the usual festivities hard to hold, so neighbors started decorating houses and the contest stuck. Each new piece was built around what was already there, and on Saturday, October 31, the carnival, its children's costume contest and the Witches' Dance run back to back in Folly River Park.
The weekend starts tonight, so here it is in order, with the people who keep it going.
Tonight: E.T. on the lawn at Folly River Park
The City of Folly Beach's Fall Folly Family Fun Movie Night runs this evening, Thursday, October 29, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Folly River Park. This year's film is E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. The City asks people to bring lawn chairs, blankets and something to drink. Popcorn and snacks are available while they last.
The choice of film is deliberate. Community Coordinator Heather O'Donnell told the Folly Current that she tries to choose a movie every age will enjoy, and she described the nights as a way for different generations to come together. "I think the movies help promote neighbors getting to know one another through a shared experience and is also welcoming to newcomers or families visiting Folly Beach," she said. Last year's Halloween movie was Hocus Pocus, according to Visit Folly's 2025 guide.
If you have questions about tonight, O'Donnell is the contact on the City's Halloween page.
Friday: the contest that started as a workaround
The Halloween House Decoration Contest is Friday, October 30, at 4:00 p.m. The entry form is on the City's Halloween page. It asks for your name, your Folly Beach address and a theme, and the questions line is 843-408-3269.
The contest is the newest of the island's Halloween traditions, and it's the only one that started because something else couldn't happen. The Folly Current reports it began in 2020, when COVID-19 got in the way of the regular celebrations, and that people enjoyed showing off their decorating so much that it carried on.
The City lists four categories: Most Creative, Spookiest, Best Special Effects and Most Folly'esque. The multiple categories are by design. "We have different categories of the Halloween House competition, so really everyone has a chance to win in a different category," O'Donnell told the Folly Current. She also remembered one family whose children performed a piece about their own yard display. Most Folly'esque is the category that's tied to this island alone.
Saturday at Folly River Park: three traditions, one schedule
Halloween falls on a Saturday this year, and everything at the park happens in one sequence. Each part was built to follow the one before it.
| Time | What happens | Who runs it |
|---|---|---|
| 5:00 p.m. | Folly Beach Civic Club Children's Halloween Carnival opens | Folly Beach Civic Club and volunteers |
| 6:20 p.m. | Witches' Dance participants arrive to get ready and line up | City of Folly Beach |
| 6:30 p.m. | Children's costume contest and parade of costumes | Folly Beach Civic Club |
| 7:00 p.m. | Witches' Dance near the gazebo stage | Organized by Council Member Dr. Katherine Houghton |
The carnival is the base everything else builds on
The Folly Current traces the Civic Club carnival to the 1960s. It has hot dogs and chili, a cake walk, a basketball toss and a spooky graveyard. The costume contest has group and solo divisions for different age groups, and prizes include gift cards. "It's a festive atmosphere for all ages," Civic Club president Amy Ray told the paper. She also said the carnival runs on volunteers: "residents, businesses, local clubs and the City of Folly Beach coming together to make it work year after year." Ray has said there are many ways to help, and anyone who wants to volunteer can reach out to the Civic Club.
The Witches' Dance was built as the carnival's finale
The Folly Current reports that the dance began in 2019 as a grassroots way to give adults something to do at the carnival. It was inspired by an international custom seen in places like Germany and set up as a flash mob that starts right after the children's costume awards. That's why it's scheduled for 7:00, half an hour after the kids' contest begins.
The dancers form a circle around a lit cauldron with smoke effects as the lights go down. Costumes tend to be elaborate, with decorated hats, wands and brooms that light up. "There can be green witches, there can be white, they can be polka dotted," Houghton told the paper.
The last rehearsal was Tuesday at the Folly Beach Community Center. Missing it doesn't keep anyone out. According to the Folly Current, anyone can join on the night by jumping in and following the group, and people who'd rather practice at home can get video tutorials. Dancers should arrive by 6:20 p.m., and RSVPs go to Heather O'Donnell at [email protected].
Last Sunday's sweep came out of the same habit
The other Halloween event on the island started with the business community. Toby's Spooktacular Costume Litter Sweep took place on Sunday, October 25. It was the fifth year, according to the event's volunteer sign-up page. Count on 2 covered its third year in 2024, so it has run every fall since 2022.
Toby is a turtle, the mascot of the Folly Association of Business Litter Committee. Holy City Sinner reported that this year's sweep was held with the South Carolina Aquarium and the City of Folly Beach as part of the #KeepFollyClean effort. Volunteers in costume collected litter from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. They then went to an after-party at The LowLife Bar from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m., where the top three costumes won prizes, and wore wristbands that unlocked offers at participating businesses. Rather than one meeting spot, volunteers picked a station. The listed stations included 110 W. Arctic, 110 E. Arctic, 6th Street E. Ashley and The Washout.
It follows the same pattern as the Saturday events. Someone saw a gap, in this case beach litter, and fixed it with an event that used the costumes people were already wearing.
After the park goes dark
The park events end with the dance. The island's businesses have their own plans for later in the evening:
- Pinky's on the Beach, 1 Center St. The Halloween Bash on October 31 has a costume contest and three music sets: Super Reggae Man from noon to 3:00, Liam Murphy from 4:00 to 7:00, and See Jane Spin from 8:30 to 11:30.
- Loggerhead's. A Halloween Costume Contest Karaoke Party runs from 10:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m., according to Visit Folly's October Folly Buzz calendar.
What's next on the island calendar
After Halloween, the calendar moves to Charleston County Parks and back to the City for the holidays:
- November 13, 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. A Lighthouse Inlet Bird Walk at Lighthouse Inlet Heritage Preserve, 1750 E. Ashley Ave. The fee is $12.
- November 20, 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. Shark Tooth Sleuthing at Folly Beach County Park, 1100 W. Ashley Ave. The fee is also $12.
- November 29, 6:30 p.m. The Tree Lighting at Folly River Park, the same lawn the witches use on Saturday, according to the City calendar.
In November, the Folly Beach Pier is open from 7:00 a.m. to sunset and closed on Thanksgiving. Parking is $5.
Part of knowing Folly is knowing who puts on Saturday night: the Civic Club volunteers, a council member with a cauldron, and a business association with a turtle mascot. In more than three decades on these islands, Russ Knapp has seen that this kind of knowledge matters to anyone who owns here or is thinking about it. If you'd like to talk about Folly with someone who follows the island this closely, Charleston Beach Life is glad to help. Schedule a Free Consultation.
