On Memorial Day weekend, May 23rd, 24th & 25th, the Original Gullah Festival invades downtown Beaufort and brings lots of cultural experiences, fabulous food, and tons of fun.
For 39 years, the Gullah Festival has celebrated the rich Gullah/Geechee heritage of the Sea Islands of the Lowcountry and honors the preservation of the Gullah culture and the descendants of enslaved Africans who lived in the Lowcountry region.
The Gullah Festival in Beaufort was established in 1986 to honor and recreate the atmosphere of a celebration called Decoration Day, now named, Memorial Day. As a result, every year during the festival weekend, there is a Decoration Day Play to commemorate the historic event.
The Festival provides a unique family friendly cultural experience for over 40,000 local, national and international attendees during the 3 day event. For 38 years, the event has been celebrating a rich history and will continue to share the Gullah experience.
The festival is highlighted by authentic arts and crafts, exhibits, Gullah presentations, music, workshops, Gullah dancing and traditional Gullah cuisine.
If the cultural side of the festival doesn’t get you, the food certainly will. Some people even go just to enjoy the variety of Gullah dishes and shop the vendor market for one-of-a-kind finds.
In addition to a festive Vendor Market and The Gullah Village, you can enjoy sweetgrass basket weaving demonstrations, concerts, lectures, school performances, African dancers and drummers, DJs, Gullah storytellers and Ring Shouters and lots more.
Also, there will be a performance by both Dr. Marlena Smalls and the Hallelujah Singers and Aunt Pearlie Sue & The Gullah Kinfolk, as well as a variety of other singers and Gullah Storytellers.”
The 2025 Gullah Festival Schedule of Events:
You can also visit this link for the full schedule of events.
For more information about the festival, please visit www.originalgullahfestival.org
Find more local Beaufort, SC events here.
