Are you hungry yet? A Taste of Beaufort kicks off downtown today
Ladies and gentlemen, start your tastebuds: one of the Lowcountry's favorite foodie events, A Taste of Beaufort, returns Friday and Saturday to downtown Beaufort.
The annual festival, sponsored by the Beaufort Regional Chamber of Commerce, features the savory offerings of 13 area restaurants and will be held at Beaufort's Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park.
Admission is free to the event that also features live music and arts and crafts.
In addition to the food vendors attendees have come to expect, Hank's Lowcountry She Crab Soup, Bella Napoli and Roadhouse Ribs will be making their first appearance at the festival, said Janessa Lowery, events manager with the chamber.
"We're quite excited about that," she said.
Festival weekend kicks off at noon Friday with the opening of the Arts & Crafts Market. Up to 50 vendors will offer a variety of handmade, local and unique goods, followed by food sales at 6 p.m.
The musical group Deaz Guys will entertain from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Pavilion Stage.
On Saturday morning, the popular 5k Crab Crawl Bridge Run/Walk begins at 8 a.m. in downtown. There will also be a Kids' Fun Run beginning at 8:45 a.m. Registration information for the Crab Crawl is available at www.runsignup.com.
At 11 a.m., live entertainment, the Arts & Crafts Market and food sales begin and continue through 5 p.m.
The musical lineup includes The Madhatters Band from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m;, Steel Rail Express from 1 to 3 p.m. ;and Men in Beaufort (MIB) from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Pavilion Stage.
"We are looking forward to showcasing the delicious cuisine found here in Beaufort at our annual Taste of Beaufort festival this weekend," said Blakely Williams, president and CEO of the Beaufort Regional Chamber of Commerce. "This family-friendly event is the perfect way to celebrate the best of what our local restaurants have to offer as well as the beauty and charm of our town."
Festival admission is free. Tickets for food and beverage will be available for purchase.
This story was originally published May 4, 2018 at 9:30 AM with the headline "Are you hungry yet? A Taste of Beaufort kicks off downtown today."