How to park for free, get 40% discounts for shopping small in Beaufort this weekend
Downtown Beaufort will kick off its holiday shopping season on Friday and the city is offering sharply discounted shopping tickets and free parking to shoppers.
The city and downtown businesses say Bay Street offers a more relaxed alternative to the big box store rush that typically follows Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving.
Visitors are being enticed to spend the long weekend shopping small, on Bay Street, where they can explore local art while enjoying the slower pace of the city’s historic downtown on the Beaufort River.
Here are a few tips for shopping in Beaufort this weekend:
How to get big discounts with Downtown Dollars
Buy some “downtown dollars.” They’re a good deal.
Through the Downtown Dollars Program, the city is subsidizing holiday shopping. Shoppers can buy Downtown Dollars at a 40% discount. Businesses will accept the certificates and then turn them into the city, which will reimburse them.
Sarah Sutton, the city of Beaufort’s downtown manager, says it’s one way for the city and shoppers to support local merchants, especially when they are dealing with a large stormwater drainage construction project.
“They truly are the heart and soul of Beaufort,” Sutton said.
Downtown Dollars will be for sale from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday and from 1 p.m. -5 p.m. Saturday at the clock on Bay Street and West Street Extension.
Where to park (for free!) while shopping in Beaufort
There are easy ways to get around the Bay and Charles streets intersection, which is closed due to the construction.
One option is parking at the marina parking lot at 1006 Bay Street and walking from there. A bonus: the city is providing free parking this holiday season. The lot is within easy walking distance to downtown businesses. If you choose to, park, then sneak into the downtown’s backdoor through Waterfront Park.
A second option is to park a bit farther away from Bay Street. To get visitors to the Bay Street corridor, the city will be operating two free golf cart shuttles, which also begin on Friday. For example, park on Port Republic, Craven and Scott streets.
To receive two hours of free parking on the parking meter, check the weekly code the city posts regularly on its Main Street Beaufort and City of Beaufort Facebook pages. Use that code when using the ParkMobile parking app on your phone.
Another option is to park in the parking lots on 500 Carteret Street or the library, 311 Scott St., and using the same process.
Beaufort Arsenal with art, live music and Santa
Check out the Beaufort Arsenal at 703 Craven Street from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday when artists will be on hand. There will also be interactive art experiences throughout the downtown area. The special event will highlight Beaufort’s thriving creative community and invites shoppers to support local artists and makers. The afternoon will feature 17 talented artists offering fine art, handcrafted goods and unique gifts available only in Downtown Beaufort.
There also will be live music. And don’t forget to grab a photo with Santa.
“This weekend shows how truly special downtown Beaufort is during the holidays,” Sutton said. “When you shop local, you are supporting neighbors, friends and family. Without the downtown businesses, the city would not be what it is.”
This story was originally published November 28, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
