Bluffton Arts & Seafood Festival honors two town favorites at the head of the table

The Bluffton Arts & Seafood Festival was spectacular in its 15th year.

The fun began with the annual Bluffton State of Mind Supper Soiree on Calhoun Street, which had been blocked off.

My daughter Tat and I had volunteered to help serve the guests, along with many others. We arrived at 5 p.m. and joined Stacey, who is a veteran caterer and in charge of the servers, to help get ready for the arrival of guests at 6 o’clock.

The weather was gorgeous and the big, beautiful harvest moon was rising over the trees as we began to work. The Pearl Restaurant had prepared the main courses and The Cottage Restaurant was given the sweet ending to the soiree.

The two guests of honor for the soiree were Nancy Golson and Stiles Harper, who held court at opposite ends of the very long table.

Nancy and Stiles were to be served first and then the other guests, with delicious soup as a first course. We were all a bit nervous with the soup because no one wanted to spill any on anyone and, thank goodness, no one did.

Lights were strung up above the table and as it got a bit darker everything started looking very glamorous. Glasses were filled with wine and you could hear much laughter and chatting as the dinner continued.

There were several speeches, none too long, and music wafted throughout as several courses were served to the happy crowd. In the blink of an eye it was 9 o’clock and the end of a very festive soiree.

Nancy and Stiles agreed that it was a fabulous time and loved sharing it with their many friends. We all bid adieu and disappeared into the evening so proud of all of the “Bluffton” love that went into this marvelous event.

Sunday morning came and again there was much to do. There was to be lots of art on display throughout the town and all galleries were open to the public. La Petite Gallerie was very festive and bustling with customers. The gallery was showcasing its newest artist, Daurus Niles, a Gullah artist who makes beautiful jewelry and baskets.

Later in the afternoon, at 4 p.m., the Blessing of The Fleet took place on the May River at the end of Calhoun Street. There were lots of onlookers as the boats made their way by the public dock to be blessed. There was even a biplane flyover that was a thrill to all.

After all of that fun it was off to the Bluffton Oyster Factory for the season’s first oyster roast and Lowcountry boil. What a fabulous feast that was accompanied by great music by the band, Muddy Creek.

We hopped in the car — after all of the good food, hopping was a bit of a chore — because I had been invited by Eric Esquivel to the Latin Music Fest at Shelter Cove Community Park on Hilton Head Island, and I was very excited. What fun it was. There were so many people there and wonderful, live music.

Many vendors were offering all sorts of great food, drink and souvenirs. I must say there was nary a dull moment with all of the dancing and singing.

I was so glad we went because it was a marvelous ending to a very fun weekend. Thank you, Eric, for the invitation and we’ll talk soon.

F. Scott Fitzgerald

If you are interested in the life and times of F. Scott Fitzgerald and his wife, Zelda, you can experience a snippet of their lifestyle at their museum in Montgomery, Alabama. You can stay at an Airbnb on the property that was a sometime-home for them. Go to thefitzgeraldmuseum.org for information.

Pat Conroy Literary Festival

The Fourth Annual Pat Conroy Literary Festival takes place Oct. 29 through Nov. 3 at various venues in Bluffton and Beaufort and Hilton Head. For information go to www.patconroyliterarycenter.org.