Fall is a favorite time here in the Lowcountry. The temperature gradually changes as we say goodbye to another hot and humid summer and count the reasons we can’t wait until fall in Beaufort as we look forward to all-things-autumn.
Searching for signs of autumn here can be like finding a needle in a haystack. In reality, there isn’t much seasonality in the Lowcountry, and summer nearly turns immediately into winter at the blink of an eye. But, we take what we can get; at least the nights are cool.
Fall brings slightly cooler temperatures, more comfortable outdoor activities, community oyster roasts, festivals, ghost tours, pumpkin patches and lots more to the Beaufort area.
Let’s look at a few of the reasons we can’t wait for fall in Beaufort.
Fall Festivals
The Beaufort area is home to some fun fall festivals including the Beaufort Shrimp Festival, the Habersham Harvest Festival and Port Royal’s annual Oktoberfest celebration. Each offer tons of family entertainment, lots of fantastic local food and lots of fun things for kids too. See more about Beaufort’s festivals.
Ghost Tours
Every fall, the creepy side of Beaufort really comes out and shows its scary face durning the annual Beaufort Ghost Tours, sponsored by CAPA. Take a walking or carriage tour through downtown’s Point neighborhood and hear ghostly stories of Beaufort’s past and meet plenty of ghouls along the way. More information.
Pumpkin Patches
Nothing says fall fun like visiting a local pumpkin patch to find the perfect gourd. The Beaufort area is home to a few of them, along with some corn mazes and hayrides too! You can grab your own pumpkin from Dempsey Farms on Lady’s Island or visit Carteret Street United Methodist Church in downtown for some pumpkin shopping in one of the biggest patches around. Then take the kids to Lowcountry Produce out in Lobeco for some fall fun and over to Holiday Farms in Ridgeland for even more!
Oyster Roasts
Fall means oyster roasts here in the Lowcountry and there’s lots of them. Every fall, we enjoy the fun with friends not only in backyards, but there are several community oyster roasts where you can eat all the oysters, chili, hot dogs and beer for the price of your ticket. Make friends with our Event Calendar so you can see when this year’s Oyster Roasts are coming when they are announced.
College Football
Yep, we adore college football here in the Lowcountry. Every fall we gear up for USC and Clemson games and are rarely let down through the season. It’s a rabid thing, and Saturdays are pretty much treated like holidays. Also, many local households are divided with each having attended the other college. It gets quite interesting. The SEC is definitely home to some of the best football.
Fall Bazaars
Each season, Beaufort area churches host their annual fall bazaars and three or four of them are hosted by our historic churches in downtown. You’ll find lots of homemade goodies and a variety of foods, kids games, inflatables, gently-used goods on sale, silent auctions and lots more. Stay in touch with our Event Calendar to see when this year’s bazaars are coming when they’re announced.
Cooler Weather
It goes without saying, Lowcountry summers are hot and they can be long and brutal. When fall arrives, we can breathe again. Searching for signs of autumn here in the Lowcountry can be like finding a needle in a haystack, but fall brings slightly cooler temperatures and that means being more comfortable outdoor activities.
Thanksgiving
Southerners and Thanksgiving absolutely go together like peas and carrots. We love to cook, we love our friends and family, we love football and we love spending time together around the table. So when fall arrives, we start looking forward to making memories at our southern Thanksgiving dinner. Roasted or fried turkey, cornbread or oyster dressing, sweet potato casserole and homemade pecan and pumpkin pies are likely finds on a Thanksgiving table here in the south.
Shelling at Hunting Island
Fall is definitely the best time to enjoy shelling along the beautiful beach at Hunting Island. The beach is more plentiful with shells, with storms out in the ocean churning up the waters quite often and washing some beautiful angel wings, whelks, cockles and olive shells ashore. A bonus: It’s not 115° outside either! Average fall beach temperatures hover in the low to mid 80s, making it quite comfy for a long walk.
Now, you have no excuse not to get out and explore Beaufort this fall! We’ll see y’all!
