10-day Beaufort Water Festival starts today

In 1956, the inaugural Beaufort Water Festival ran for only a weekend.

Sixty years, later it's a 10-day festival, drawing large crowds each day for the variety of activities and entertainment.

This year is set to carry on that tradition, as the 60th Annual Beaufort Water Festival starts Friday in Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park.

The Arts and Crafts Market opens at noon and will run throughout the festival.

Tonight marks the opening ceremonies at 7 p.m. with entertainment by the Parris Island Marine Band, followed by fireworks at dusk. Admission is free, and a free shuttle service will run to and from Beaufort Town Center.

WHAT'S NEXT?For a complete list of events, go to http://bit.ly/water-festival-schedule.

PHOTOS, VIDEO To see photo galleries and videos of the day's events, go to http://bit.ly/water-festival.

GET SOCIAL WITH USTweet, Instagram or post photos to Facebook using #BeaufortH20Fest. We'll create reader photo galleries. Yours could be included.

PLAY BINGO, WIN A PRIZEOur bingo game is made up of well-known festival sights. Print the bingo card at bit.ly/waterfestbingo. The first player to snap photos of five of the sights that complete a row will win a $35 gift certificate to the Beaufort restaurant of their choice. Email your five winning photos -- in one email -- to rdamgen@islandpacket.com with the subject line BINGO.

This story was originally published July 16, 2015 at 4:42 PM with the headline "10-day Beaufort Water Festival starts today."