Real Estate News, South Carolina

13th Annual Bluffton Arts & Seafood Festival

Oysters
Published on October 16, 2017

It’s here! The long awaited annual return of the delicious Historic Bluffton Arts and Seafood Festival. The Lowcountry event will be held in the cultural district of Bluffton SC, well known for its quirky art community and natural river beauty. The festival is a week long event offering a myriad of activities, showcasing the locally harvested seafood, delicious Low Country cuisine, rich history, culture and art of the area and Southern hospitality found only in Bluffton. This is one of the reasons why Bluffton real estate is red hot.

The highlight of the festival is the Streetfest which includes a juried fine art show featuring over 100 artists from 10 different states displaying and selling their art, delicious food provided by the area's premier restaurants and caterers and great music and entertainment on Saturday, October 21st and Sunday, October 22nd.

Folks exploring South Carolina coastal real estate can explore these events next weekend too:

SATURDAY OCTOBER 21, 2017

OLD TOWN OYSTER 10K ROAD RACE & 5K FUN RUN at Bluffton Oyster Factory Park

Run through Old Town Bluffton and enjoy scenic river and marsh views. Compete in a fast-paced 10K or complete the 5K with the entire family! Both events will be professionally chip timed.  Awards presentation and After-Party immediately follows.  Music, Corn Hole, Neck Massages, Coffee, Cold Beer, Oyster Shooters, May River Mimosas, and much, much more.

KAYAK & PADDLE BOARD TOURS ON THE MAY RIVER

There will be two tours available: an "early bird" tour at 8:00AM for $20.00 and a 10:00AM tour for $25.00 per person. Price includes kayak or paddle board and 1 1/2 hour tour around the May River. Anyone that has a kayak or paddle board and wants to "tag along" can do so for free. There is a 17 person maximum for each tour, so be sure and call 843-684-3296 for reservations.

MAY RIVER BOAT TOURS WITH MAY RIVER EXCURSIONS

Join Capt. Chris and his crew for a one hour guided "Skiff" cruise on the May searching for local wildlife, discussing history and soaking up the tidal estuary air. $20/ per person...subject to availability. All trips leave on the hour every hour from the county dock at the end of Calhoun Street. Please call Capt. Chris for reservations and more information. 843-304-2878

ART & SEAFOOD STREET FEST IN HISTORIC BLUFFTON 10:00AM – 5:00PM

Enjoy a juried art show featuring over 100 local and regional artists from 10 different states, displaying an array of fine art: oils, pastels, acrylics, photography, pottery, ceramics, water color and much, much more. Local seafood and low country cuisine served by area restaurants. Cherish our Waterways and Low Country Environmental Exhibits. History of Bluffton at The Heyward House Museum and Welcome Center. Featured artists include Michael E. Allen, Suzanne Aulds, Michele Blank, Elizabeth Borowsky and John Crum.

FOR KIDS - ART IN THE PARK 11:00AM – 4:00PM DuBois Park on Boundary Street

Children's art activities under the pavilion will be conducted by May River Montessori as part of their 30 year anniversary celebration. Visit the stations around the pavilion and create your very own masterpiece. Prizes, games, pirates,fun and much, much more for the budding artists of all ages.

MUSIC & ENTERTAINMENT - Popular Lowcountry bands will entertain on three stages throughout the day.

SUNDAY OCTOBER 22, 2017

PADDLE BATTLE BLUFFTON 10:00AM - 1:00PM Bluffton Oyster Factory Park

Bluffton's premier paddle sports race is on! The "Paddle Battle" will consist of a 3 mile recreational or 6 mile elite Open Race followed afterwards by a separate kids' sprint race. The Paddle Battle Open race will have divisions for SUPs (Stand Up Paddle Boards), Kayaks and Canoes. The Entry Fee for the 3 or 6 mile open race is $40.00. On-site registration, participant check-in and board drop off will open at 10:00am. Pre-race meeting will be at 11:30am and the race will start promptly at 12 noon. Awards will be given.

ART & SEAFOOD STREET FEST 10:00AM – 4:00PM HISTORIC DISTRICT BLUFFTON

Enjoy a juried art show featuring over 100 local and regional artists from 10 different states, displaying an array of fine art: oils, pastels, acrylics, photography, pottery, ceramics, water color and much, much more. Local seafood and low country cuisine served by area restaurants. Cherish our Waterways and Low Country Environmental Exhibits.

TWO DAYS OF DELICIOUSNESS

Come hungry! Here’s some of the delicious food vendors serving up Lowcountry favorites:

  • Bluffton Oyster Factory - Fried Shrimp, Steamed Shrimp, Fried Oysters, Seafood Gumbo
  • Bruster’s Real Ice Cream - Home Made Ice Cream, Hot Apple Dumplings w/Ice Cream
  • Butcher's Market and Deli - Hand Made Italian Sausage and Chicken Andouille Sausage Hogies
  • The Crazy Crab - Bacon BBQ Shrimp, Crab Cake Sandwich, She Crab Soup
  • The Island Fudge Shoppe - Fudge, Chocolates, Caramel Apples
  • Mulberry Street Trattoria - Sausage & Peppers, Hot Dogs, Seafood Salad
  • Palmetto Kettle Corn  - Kettle Corn By The Bags
  • The Pearl - She Crab and Popcorn Chowder
  • Red Fish - Lobster Mac and Ceviche
  • River Dog Brewing Company - Craft Beer
  • Southern Spice - Bratwurst, Fries, Shrimp n Grits
  • The Sugaree - Fried Clams, Lobster Rolls, Crab Chowder

South Carolina coastal real estate in and around the Lowcountry is one of the most desirable sectors of the market. It even attacts the big names. Recently announced, Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville is a 55+ active adult retirement community to be built on the west side of Hilton Head Island. The tropical themed community will revolve around island living with a lime twist. Latitude Margaritaville will feature over 3,000 homes with a wide range of home designs and floor plans starting in the low $200’s.

Folks are draw to the Bluffton real estate market because of the fantastic sunny weather, lower cost of living and exciting coastal lifestyle. Within a half hour, folks have access to five star beaches, extraordinary boating and fishing and dozens of championship golf courses.  Tucked between Savannah and Charleston, big city cultural events are not far away either.  Some have called it "the last true coastal village of the South.” New home communities are popping up all the time and the average home price in Bluffton is low, at around $250,000.

Hampton Lake is one of the top selling resort-style communities in the area. Its fresh water lakes provide a beautiful setting. Amenities include a comprehensive wellness center and impressive swimming pools at the Lakeside Amenity Village, a Boathouse and lakeside restaurant, miles of nature preserves and walking trails. The jewel of the community is the 165 acre freshwater lake that includes 7 miles of navigable waterways and 15 miles of shoreline. Home prices range the low $300’s to over $900,000. Logan Homes is one of the top South Carolina custom home builders at Hampton Lake.