December 2

The 250th Anniversary of Charleston's 1776 Tea Party/ Protest 

Begins at 10:00am

Includes:
• Theatrical re-enactment of Charleston’s 1773 Tea Protest
• Free tours of the basement of the Old Exchange Building
• Free samples of colonial teas by Oliver Pluff& Co

The commemoration continues all day (11:00pm -4:00pm) with:
• Free admission to the Powder Magazine (79 Cumberland Street)
• Free admission to the South Carolina Historical Society Museum (100 Meeting Street)
• Free access to the Heyward-Washington House Garden and Backlot (87 Church Street)
• Free admission to the Spirit of South Carolina docked at the Maritime Center (10 Wharfside Street)

The Charleston Tea Party event will take place on Saturday December 2, 2023, at 10:00am in front of the Old Exchange Building & Provost Dungeon, located at 122 East Bay Street. The public is invited to assemble in front of the building as traffic along short sections of Broad and East Bay Streets will be blocked. A theatrical reenactment of our own Tea Party Protest will take place on the front portico of the building. The performance, aided by the crowd and costumed “townspeople” will last approximately 40 minutes and then attendees will be invited to tour the basement of the Exchange where the tea was stored and to partake of some hot tea provided by Oliver Pluff & Co.

Attendees may also enjoy free admission to The Powder Magazine Museum for the day, where a temporary exhibit on 18th century tea will be in place through December. Free admission on December 2nd is also offered at the South Carolina Historical Society Museum, the garden and outbuildings of the Heyward Washington House, and the Spirit of South Carolina. 

This commemoration of Charleston’s first Tea Party during the first weekend of December sets the stage for a multi-year commemoration of the American Revolution that will happen locally and throughout South Carolina.