Beaufort Shrimp Festival is this weekend. A special guest will make an appearance
Eat fresh-caught shrimp. Talk to shrimp boat captain Forrest Gump. Better yet, get your picture taken with him. Listen to great music. Run in a 5K race.
The Beaufort Shrimp Festival is this weekend. In its 27th year, the festival was started by local shrimpers to celebrate their bounty and the many ways to prepare it, and it’s just gotten bigger and bigger.
“The shrimpers association got together and created a festival where shrimpers would cook and serve their shrimp dishes,” said Linda Roper, the city’s Downtown Operations and Community Services director.
Top chefs and restaurants prepare the shrimp now. A 5K race has been added. And lots of music.
Here’s what you need to know about the two-day event that will attract thousands of people to Beaufort.
The festival begins Friday
It’s at Waterfront Park from 5 to 10 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Admission is free.
There will be dozens of shrimp dishes
Dishes will be prepared by four top restaurants and chefs. They will be sold at nine booths in the park. Each restaurant will have four to five dishes. Portions will be small and cost less than $10. The idea is that people will sample more than one dish, Roper said. People will be able to watch as dishes are prepared.
Tickets will be sold on site
Food and beverage tickets will be on sale from 3 to 9:30 p.m. Friday and 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday at the Waterfront Park pavilion. Tickets cost different amounts depending on how much you want to eat or drink.
There’s a big arts and craft market
40 vendors will be set up. The arts and crafts market begins at noon Friday.
The music is free
Mayor Stephen Murray will welcome the crowd at 6:30 p.m. Friday. The Tams, who perform at 7 p.m., are Friday’s main show. The Dixie Land Jazz Ensemble will perform at 3 p.m. Saturday.
Forrest Gump will be in town
“Keep an eye out for a special guest you may see walking around Waterfront Park,” the city says in its promotion of the Shrimp Festival. “Here’s a hint, ‘Life is like a box of chocolates.’ ”
That special guest is Paul Dengler, an impersonator of Forrest Gump, the iconic character in the 1994 film of the same name played by Tom Hanks. Beginning Friday morning, look for Forrest roaming around downtown. He’ll be on hand for the entire festival.
Filming for “Forrest Gump,” which starred Hanks, Gary Sinise, Sally Field and Robin Wright, occurred in the fall of 1993 at sites including Beaufort, Fripp Island, Hunting Island and Yemassee, as well as in Savannah.
Run in a race
A 5K run/walk begins at 8 a.m. Saturday. It’s called Run Forrest Run because it follows the course where “Forrest Gump” was filmed, including historic downtown Beaufort and Woods Memorial Bridge. In the movie, Forrest runs across the swing bridge, which can be seen from Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park. Register for the race on site prior to the 8 a.m. start or on the festival’s website. Take your picture with Forrest at the start/finish line.
Watch a funny shrimp race
The popular Sea Island Rotary Shrimp Race, in which highly trained and motivated rubber shrimp mount inner tubes and take to the water, is at 2 p.m. Saturday.
Check out https://beaufortshrimpfestival.com for a complete list of Shrimp Festival events.
