Delicious delicacies: Beaufort Oyster Festival is this weekend. Is admission still free?
High temperatures will only be in the low 40s but Waterfront Park in Beaufort will be the hottest place to be in the Lowcountry this weekend with the Beaufort Oyster Festival scheduled Friday and Saturday.
Thousands will enjoy the meaty seafood harvested from local oyster beds and known for its sweet and salty flavor, prepared in a variety of ways including traditional roasted, steamed or on the half shell.
The two-day event features one of the most popular local seafoods in the Lowcountry and highlights the oystering culture and agri-tourism economy while providing local businesses a January boost during the slow season.
For those who steer clear of the popular mollusks, other kinds of food will be available including barbecue and desserts. You can view the menu and get additional information at the Beaufort Oyster Festival Facebook page.
In addition to the food, music, a 5K race and boat tours also are on the menu.
Saturday’s events are 10 a.m.-6-p.m. and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday.
If you need to get across the Beaufort River, you may want to note that the Oyster Boogie 5K begins at 8 a.m. at Bay and Newcastle streets with the run proceeding through historic downtown Beaufort and across Woods Memorial Bridge. Registration was scheduled to end at 5:59 p.m. Thursday.
Gate entry is free but the Beaufort Area Hospitality Association, which sponsors the event, advises people to avoid long lines by purchasing food and drink tickets on-line ahead of time at beaufortsc.org.
Oysters are a keystone species in the salty estuaries that surround Beaufort and the festival is a chance to learn more about them. Organizations like the Port Royal Sound Foundation, which runs the Maritime Center on the Okatie Highway, will be on hand giving demonstrations and providing educational information. Beginning at 2 p.m. Saturday, Coastal Expeditions will offer boat tours of oysters beds and you can book a seat ahead of time.
A cornhole tournament is scheduled at 1 p.m. Sunday and bands will be playing throughout the weekend, beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday with 12th Street followed by Southbound 17, Boondockers and Shan Tan and the Oyster Reefers. On Sunday, it’s The Fabulous Clams and Campfire Tyler.
It will be chilly, with highs in the low 40s expected on both Saturday and Sunday.
For more information
beaufortsc.org.
This story was originally published January 18, 2024 at 11:42 AM.
