Beaufort’s premiere summer event, the 10 day Annual Beaufort Water Festival, kicks off this Friday evening in Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park in downtown Beaufort bringing our summertime celebration of Lowcountry culture that locals wouldn’t miss for the world and that has tens of thousands of visitors making a special trip to experience each year.
Now in its 65th year, the Beaufort Water Festival brings family friendly activities, sporting events, daily & nightly concerts, kid’s fun, fireworks displays and lots more.
If you like dancing, live music, touring shrimp boats, enjoying huge parades or even having dinner surrounded by the entire community, the Annual Beaufort Water Festival has been a can’t-miss event for hundreds of thousands of folks over the decades. There’s even an arts & crafts market that runs every day for your shopping pleasure, and a sponsor’s expo so you can meet some of the local businesses who have helped make this year’s Water Festival happen.
The Water Festival Welcome Center has relocated this year. It will be located at 209 Charles Street. All will call tickets will be available at the Center starting on Friday morning at Noon. The Welcome Center will be open Friday, July 16th from NOON to 8pm, Saturday, July 17th, 9am-8pm, Sunday, July 18th, 9am-5pm, and Monday, July 19th through Saturday, July 24th from 9am to 8pm.
Tickets are available for purchase on the day of each ticketed event.
If you’re heading downtown, and we know you will be, parking can sometimes be hard to find so the Water Festival provides a free shuttle from Beaufort Town Center to the downtown waterfront. Here’s a link to the shuttle information, and link to our downtown Beaufort parking map.
If you’re looking for an official Annual Beaufort Water Festival t-shirt, you can find the Big D’s Royal Tees booth set up along the marina in the vendor market. They’ll have every size and color that you could want, and then some.
Also, please make sure that you dress for the weather. With average temperatures in the mid-90s and the humidity making it feel even hotter, it’s best that you dress lightly, and bring both sunscreen and an umbrella. The umbrella may be necessary because we tend to get a stray thunderstorm on hot July days here in the Lowcountry. If the sky opens up, you’ll be happy that you brought it. Take it from us, we know from experience.
Remember, there will be a whole lot of people in downtown. Please be kind and patient, and enjoy yourselves while making memories of your summer fun in Beaufort SC.
If you plan to attend the festival, here’s the full schedule of events. It’s best to come early, as downtown Beaufort can fill up pretty fast.
Friday, July 16
Festival Arts & Crafts Market
Promenade at Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park
2pm – 7pm
Opening Ceremonies
Entertainment by The Parris Island Marine Band
Opening Ceremony Fireworks Display over the Beaufort River
Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park
FREE EVENT
Gates open at 6 pm, Ceremony at 7 pm
FREE Shuttle Service from the Beaufort County Government Center
Saturday, July 17
Raft Race
Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park Seawall
8:30am – Noon
Festival Arts & Crafts Market
Promenade at Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park
10am – 7pm
Bocce Tournament
Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park
Play starts at 9am
Badminton Tournament
Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park
Play starts at 9am
Children’s Toad Fishing Tournament
Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park Seawall
10am – Noon, Free Event
Ages 12 and under only
Bring your own rod, reel and tackle
Bait provided
Sponsor’s Expo
Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park Pavilion
10am – 2pm, Free Event
Shrimp Boat Tours
Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park Seawall
Noon – 4pm, Free Event
Concert In The Park
Headline Performer: Rodney Atkins
With Lainey Wilson and Scott Stevens opening
Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park
Tickets $30 Get yours!
Gates open at 6 pm, Show starts at 7 pm
No strollers, coolers, outside food or beverages, pets or professional photography
FREE Shuttle service from Beaufort County Government Center
Children age 5 and under free
Sunday, July 18
Festival Arts & Crafts Market
Promenade at Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park
10am – 5pm
River Rally
Local Waters
9am – 1pm
Children’s Day
Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park
11am – 3pm, Free Event
Featuring Games, Shows, Activities, Bounce Houses and Prizes too!
Shrimp Boat Tours
Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park Seawall
Noon – 4pm, Free Event
Ski Show
Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park
1PM, Free Event
Teen Dance
Entertainment by Veteran’s Pride Entertainment
Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park
Tickets $10
6pm – 9pm
No entry after 8 pm and no re-entry is permitted.
Ages 13 – 17 only, Identification Required
Clutch Purses Only (6” x 9” size)
Appropriate Clothing Only
No outside food or beverages, or coolers
Monday, July 19
Festival Arts & Crafts Market
Promenade at Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park
12pm – 7pm
Motown Monday
Entertainment by Deas-Guyz
Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park
Tickets $15 Get yours!
Gates open at 7pm, Show starts at 8 pm
No pets, outside food, beverages or coolers
FREE Shuttle Service from the Beaufort County Government Center
Children age 5 and under are free
Tuesday, July 20
Festival Arts & Crafts Market
Promenade at Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park
12pm – 7pm
Island Time Tuesday
Entertainment by The Tsunami Wave Riders
Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park
Tickets $5 Get yours!
Gates open 7 pm, Show starts at 8 pm
No pets, outside food or beverages, or coolers
First Responder and Military Appreciation Night, Free admission with active duty ID
Wednesday, July 21
Festival Arts & Crafts Market
Promenade at Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park
12pm – 7pm
Talent Show
Hosted by The Preceptor Omega Chapter of Beta Sigma Phi Sorority
Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park
Tickets $10 (Get yours!) or free admission with 65th Annual Water Festival T-Shirt
Gates open at 6 pm, Show at 7 pm
No pets, outside food, beverages or coolers
Children age 5 and under free
Thursday, July 22
Festival Arts & Crafts Market
Promenade at Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park
12pm – 7pm
Lowcountry Supper
Headline Entertainment by Andrew Beam
Opening Act – Chris Jones
Featuring The Whistlers
Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park
Tickets $15 Get yours!
Gates open at 6 pm
Supper served 6 pm – 7:30 pm
No pets, outside food, beverages or coolers
Children age 5 and under free
Friday, July 23
Festival Arts & Crafts Market
Promenade at Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park
10am – 7pm
Bed Race
Starts at corner of Bay & Harrington Streets, Downtown
Spectators line the bluff on Bay Street down to Best Western Hotel
$25 entry per team
430pm check-in / 5pm start time
Rockin’ the River
Entertainment by Nightrain
Opening Act – Steel Rail Express
Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park
Tickets $15 Get yours!
Gates open at 7 pm, Show starts at 8 pm
Must be 18 or Older with valid ID to attend
No pets, outside food, beverages coolers or strollers
Free Shuttle service from Beaufort County Government Center
Saturday, July 24
Festival Arts & Crafts Market
Promenade at Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park
10am – 7pm
Water Festival Grand Parade
Organized by The Beaufort Lions Club
City of Beaufort traditional parade route
10am – Noon
Non-Profit Expo
Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park Pavilion
12pm – 4 pm, Free Event
Air Show
Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park
1pm – 4pm, Free event
Stunt planes, Parachutists and more
Commodore’s Ball
Entertainment by The Tim Clark Band
Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park
Tickets $10
Gates open at 7 pm, show starts at 8 pm
No pets, outside food, beverages or coolers
Children age 5 and under free
Sunday, July 25
Festival Arts & Crafts Market
Promenade at Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park
10am – 3pm
Blessing of the Fleet and Parade of Boats
Beaufort River at Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park Seawall
12pm – 2pm
FREE registration
Boats must register to be eligible for prizes
All applications must be at the judge’s table prior to Noon
Festival Ends at 3:00 pm
If you need any more information visit the Annual Beaufort Water Festival website.
READ: 12 Fun and interesting facts about the Beaufort Water Festival
