Real Estate News, South Carolina

11th Annual Bluffton Arts and Seafood Festival

Bluffton Seafood Festival
Published on September 15, 2015

BEST PLACES TO LIVE IN SOUTH CAROLINA

The marshes of the Lowcountry of South Carolina are turning golden with the change of the seasons to Fall. It is harvest time and time to experience Bluffton to eat, drink and buy art. The 11th Annual Historic Bluffton Arts and Seafood Festival starts October 10 and runs through the 18th. Bluffton is a mainstay in the Sea Islands of South Carolina, located on the banks overlooking the May River. In its heyday was in the Antebellum era with the primary businesses being timber and riverboat shipping. As these modes of transportation changed the area has become popular for championship golf and a beach life at its coastal retirement communities gaining the region the crown as best places to live in South Carolina

The financial success of the area during the Antebellum era left Bluffton with a gracious plenty of historical Architecture and houses, this area is known as Old Town and has an active Historic Preservation group. The slogan for the Bluffton Arts and Seafood Festival is "Where Fine Art and the Bounty of the Sea Come Together." Bluffton is well known both for its artist community and as a source for fine seafood and Lowcountry cuisine. The seafood comes from the rivers and streams threading  the area as well as the Atlantic Ocean. Oysters, Shrimp, Fresh and Saltwater Fish are pillars of Lowcountry cooking. Another staple of the cuisine, rice was and is grown in the area as well as any vegetable imaginable.

During the festival you can enter a fishing tournament, take a tour of the Historic District, attend an Oyster Roast, see and purchase a plethora of fine art and crafts and watch an Iron Chef Competition between the some of the best chefs in the Sea Islands of South Carolina.

A sampling of Events from the 11th Annual Historic Bluffton Arts and Seafood Festival October 10 - 18, 2015

Saturday, October 10, 2015

  • INSHORE FISHING TOURNAMENT 7:00AM- 4:00PM Adult fishing tournament at the Oyster Company Park. Cash prize for the biggest fish. $25.00 Entry fee  
  • THE BLUFFTON HERITAGE DISCOVERY TOUR  10:00 AM - 4:00 PM Tour of Bluffton's historic properties. Self-guided tour, ticket prices to be announced.

Sunday, October 11, 2015

  • BOAT PARADE ON THE MAY  
  • BLESSING OF THE FLEET
  • GOSPEL MUSIC  - Church of the Cross  4:00PM
  • FRIENDS OF BLUFFTON ARTISTS 4th ANNUAL INVITATIONAL LOCAL ARTIST SHOWCASE - featuring local art, including oil and acrylic paintings and ceramics 11:00AM - 4:00PM

Thursday, October 15, 2015

  • WINE TASTING, 6:00PM - 8:00PM       Sippin Cow at Peppers Old Town

Saturday, October 17, 2015

  • 10K ROAD RACE & 5K FUN RUN       8:00AM – 10:30AM 

Sunday, October 18, 1:00-2:30 PM

  • The “ART OF CUISINE” IRON CHEF CHALLENGE  - top chefs from the Sea Islands compete to create the best seafood dishes.

Charming communities you won't want to miss exploring while at the festival:

HAMPTON LAKE

This gated community is centered around a 165 acre sparkling freshwater lake that is maintained as a premier bass fishery. Fishing, boating and kayaking are popular pursuits the site also has swimming pools, walking and biking trails and an Interpretive Center. Hampton Lake has won numerous Best in America Living Awards (BALA) including Best Community in 2008 and Best Community Facility in 2007. A good range of housing styles and property are available in Hampton Lake from villas to single family homes. Homesites are available. Hampton Lake is an active coastal retirement community with more than 40 social clubs and 700 residents. 

PALMETTO BLUFF

A highly rated golf resort and community on a site surrounded by three rivers, Palmetto Bluff has been developed with sustainability in mind. Marsh, Maritime Forests and open water are available for your outdoor pursuits. There is an Equestrian Center and Shooting Club on site and a number of restaurants on the property as well as a Spa. The community has its own private taxi to the Hilton Head Island beaches. Palmetto Bluff won Community Finder's 2014 Bliss Award for Best South Carolina Community of the Year

OLDFIELD 1732

An American-farmhouse themed community located partially in Bluffton and Okatie on the banks of the Okatie River; Oldfield 1732 is a private club community planned for outdoor life. Amenities include golf, tennis, fitness center, equestrian center and access to fishing, kayaking and boating. 

Fall is one of the best times to visit the Lowcountry, one of the best places to live in South Carolina. The first Oyster roasts of the season are on tap as well as some memorable fishing and celebrations of the harvest. Residents of the Sea Islands of South Carolina go back to alfresco living, weather is cooling and it is utterly pleasant outside. Come south for the season and see why you'll want to stay for the rest of your life.

If you're exploring Bluffton for the first time, ask for our free Bluffton relocation information to help you learn more about the Sea Islands.