Two Free Concerts During the 2026 Southern Gothic Festival

The 2026 Southern Gothic Festival features two free concerts in its programming, open for all ages to check out and enjoy.

On Friday, October 9, at 6:45 PM, step into the shadows with Valentine Wolfe, the Greenville-based duo of Sarah Black and Braxton Ballew, whose music blends haunting soprano vocals, keyboards and electronics with the deep, thunderous sound of electric upright bass. Drawing inspiration from gothic literature, ghost stories, classical music, and heavy metal, Valentine Wolfe creates a sound that is both beautiful and wonderfully macabre.

For this special performance, the duo will share songs both new and old, including eerie original ballads, Halloween favorites, and classical music transformed with a decidedly harder-rock edge. Expect haunting melodies, unexpected arrangements, and plenty of music perfectly suited to the season.

The performance will also offer a taste of music connected to Valentine Wolfe’s upcoming Halloween collaboration with the Southern Gothic Opera Company at Harbison Theatre, giving audiences a preview of an even larger celebration of the strange, theatrical, and supernatural. This concert is outdoors on Rutledge Street.

On Saturday, October 10, at 6 PM, head over to the Arts Center of Kershaw County’s Outdoor Stage for a performance by The Mill Hands. Traditional bluegrass meets Southern Gothic in songs and sounds steeped in hard living, longing, loss, and the shadows of the South. The Mill Hands are a Columbia-area band of experienced musicians known for their straight-ahead, traditional bluegrass sound.