The Historic Bluffton Arts & Seafood Festival Returns October 9-18

Historic Bluffton turns into one big outdoor celebration for ten days every October, and this is the week it starts. The Bluffton Arts & Seafood Festival opens October 9 and runs through October 18, 2026, marking 22 years of this festival in the heart of Old Town Bluffton.

What's happening and when

The festival spreads across ten days, with most of the food, music, and events centered around Calhoun Street and other spots in Historic Bluffton. It opens with the Daufuskie Island History & Artisans Tour on Friday, October 9, from 8 a.m. to noon, a boat trip over to Daufuskie to see the island's history and meet local artisans. Through the following week, local restaurants serve up Lowcountry seafood as part of the celebration, and there is an "Eat in the Street" evening on Calhoun Street, a four-course dinner outdoors with wine and live music.

Everything builds toward the final weekend. On Saturday, October 17, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, October 18, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Calhoun Street closes for the juried fine art show and street fest. More than 100 artists from ten different states set up to show and sell their work, alongside food from the area's favorite restaurants and live music through both days.

Why I love this one

I have lived here long enough now to know which events are made for tourists and which ones are made for the people who actually live here. This festival is both, and that is rare. Old Town Bluffton is already one of the most charming parts of the Lowcountry, with its oak-lined streets and historic homes along the May River. For ten days in October, it gets even livelier, and you see neighbors, shop owners, and visitors all mixing on the same street.

It is also one of those events that shows new residents and people thinking about moving here what the Lowcountry is really about. Not just the water and the weather, but a town that still throws a 22-year-old street festival with its own history teacher and its own seafood and its own art show, and keeps doing it the same way every year.

My tips if you go

Parking in Old Town Bluffton fills up fast on the street fest weekend, so I would plan to arrive early or park a little farther out and walk in. Wear shoes you can stand in for a while, bring cash for the smaller vendors, and if you want the Daufuskie tour, book it ahead since those spots go quickly. And if you are new to the area, this is a wonderful, low-pressure way to meet people and get a feel for Old Town Bluffton before you decide if it is the neighborhood for you.

Connect with me

Warm regards,
Loni Lueke
The German Realtor, eXp Realty Luxury

If you are thinking about buying a home in Bluffton, on Hilton Head Island, or in Beaufort, reach out anytime. I am always happy to walk you through a neighborhood before you fall in love with it at a street festival.

This article was created with the help of AI and reviewed by Loni Lueke, The German Realtor.