Of all the towns on all the coasts in all the world, Coastal Living partied in ours

A few months ago, in the doldrums of what passes for winter in the South, a party was planned to take place in Beaufort.

That happens often enough to be insignificant, but considering that the party planners were based at Coastal Living Magazine’s headquarters in Birmingham, it takes on a new meaning.

Specifically, the editors of Coastal Living needed a place to have a party to celebrate the magazine’s 20th year of publication. What better place than Beaufort on the last weekend in April?

Editor Steele Marcoux and her staff clearly answered “none.”

“Beaufort represents everything we love about coastal life: the friendly charm of a small town, a deep connection to the water, and a sense of enduring style, from its hundreds of years old neighborhoods to its newer communities, like Habersham,” said Marcoux.

And so, last Saturday evening, long after the Blue Angels had finished with the skies above, 20 tables for 20 guests each were aligned on the streets of Habersham under stringed lights and – naturally – a crescent moon. Strummed chords flowed from the musician’s hands as easily as the bourbon from the bartenders. Neighbors and community members gathered in their spring seersucker pants and sleeveless dresses to help the magazine’s small staff of mostly young women celebrate their achievement.

Coastal Living’s parent company is Time, Inc., and it has a sister publication in Southern Living. Keep in mind their coverage of beach communities extends from Kennebunkport, Maine, to the Turks and Caicos. Presumably the budget for celebrating a landmark achievement in a competitive business that is increasingly digital is relatively high. They could have chosen a spot like Virginia Beach or St. Augustine or any other well-known spot in between.

But given a choice – and their history with the area – they chose us.

“We have a longstanding relationship with Habersham that dates back to the very beginnings of our Idea House program and some newer relationships with shop and business owners at local spots,” said Marcoux.

All of that relationship-building culminated in Beaufort’s number-one ranking as America’s Happiest Seaside Town in a 2013 issue of Coastal Living. And it won’t stop anytime soon. As far back as 1981, an article about Beaufort in the Christian Science Monitor warned readers of the “awakening of a sleepy southern town.”

In the digital and social media age, more people than ever are aware of the treasures here. We welcome political candidates on the national scene, celebrities from nearby filming locations and, yes, large-circulation magazine editors.

You can come to Beaufort to learn, to relax and to party – every excuse is a good one. Even kindergartners learn the importance of sharing, so those of us lucky enough to be natives need to embrace the awareness, use and appreciation of our town by others.

The folks at Coastal Living are certainly making good memories here. And if you missed this 20th anniversary party, you might not have to wait too long for another.

“I can promise you we will be back.” said Marcoux, after ticking off a list of meals eaten, views beheld and carriage rides taken.

We hope their return trip – party or not – is sooner rather than later.

This story was originally published May 4, 2017 at 5:46 AM with the headline "Of all the towns on all the coasts in all the world, Coastal Living partied in ours."