What's on tap at the Beaufort Shrimp Festival

What's coming Saturday at the Beaufort Shrimp Festival

The Beaufort Shrimp Festival invades downtown Beaufort on Friday & Saturday. ESPB photo
The Beaufort Shrimp Festival invades downtown Beaufort on Friday & Saturday. ESPB photo

It’s almost time to eat! Main Street Beaufort and the South Carolina Shrimpers Association present the 23rd Annual Beaufort Shrimp Festival this Friday and Saturday at Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park in downtown Beaufort celebrating SC Wild Caught Shrimp and local food and fun in the Lowcountry.

Let’s hope the weather gods show us a good time. After the past few year’s with rain, they owe us Beaufortonians.

One of Beaufort’s larger and more popular events, the festivities kick off at 6pm on Friday and include live music along with several area restaurants previewing their shrimp dishes for Saturday’s competitions. All restaurants will be using SC Wild Caught Shrimp. Fortunately, you don’t have to wait until 6pm because you can browse and shop the festival’s Arts & Crafts Market starting at Noon.

It’s a party in the park you don’ t want to miss on Friday evening with live music on the Pavilion Stage featuring everybody’s favorite party band, Deas Guyz playing from 7 to 10pm.

The popular Shrimp Festival 5K starts on Saturday, October 1st at 8am.

The popular Shrimp Festival 5K starts on Saturday, October 1st at 8am.

Saturday:

The festival’s popular Run Forrest Run 5K (USATF certified course) will begin at 8am on Saturday morning. The Popcorn Shrimp Run for ages 7 and under will begin at 845am on Bay Street at Freedom Mall. (All require advanced registration.)

The event continues on Saturday at 11am with live music all day long, children’s games and activities, and arts and crafts vendors too.  Local restaurants are present putting their unique spins on fresh local shrimp to compete for the “Best Shrimp Dish” and “Best Booth Decoration” voted by a panel of judges, and the “People’s Choice”, which is chosen by festival attendees. The overall winner will be awarded the prestigious “Silver Cup.”  Also, adults will be able to participate in a shrimp heading competition and children in a shrimp peeling competition for various prizes.

Children enjoy a shrimp peeling competition at the Beaufort Shrimp Festival.

Children enjoy a shrimp peeling competition at the Beaufort Shrimp Festival.

Adults will be able to participate in a shrimp heading competition at 1pm and the kids get their own shrimp peeling competition too, both with various prizes.

The music line up is a good one, as always, with Debbie McDaniel along with Velma & Elaine taking the stage and getting the park dancing from 11am to 1pm, Souls Harbor from 130pm to 3pm and Steel Rail Express from 315pm to 5pm.

Don’t miss the Sea Island Rotary Club’s 7th annual Charity Shrimp Race and witness 5,000 rubber floating shrimp racing down the Beaufort River adjacent to Waterfront Park at 3pm. The first 10 shrimp to cross the finish line share in tons of prizes.

Visit the official Beaufort Shrimp Festival website for more information.

Don’t know where to park? Use our interactive downtown Beaufort parking map to make your visit easier. There are over 500 convenient, public access parking spaces throughout downtown.

This year’s Shrimp Festival looks to be one of the best yet!