Historic Bluffton Arts & Seafood Festival
Bluffton’s October festival: a week and a half of river and seafood events in Old Town, ending in a Street Fest with 100-plus artists.
The Historic Bluffton Arts and Seafood Festival is a weeklong celebration of the town’s river, its locally harvested seafood, its art and its history. It runs through Old Town and the waterfront each October, and it is the one to plan a trip around if you want the town at its busiest. It is also what people mean by the Bluffton oyster festival: Oyster Fest, on the festival’s first Sunday, is the first oyster roast of the season.
What Happens at the Arts & Seafood Festival
The 2026 festival, the 22nd, runs October 9 to 18. Free events are marked; the rest are ticketed through the festival’s site.
Ducks Unlimited Fall Frenzy: Friday, October 9, 5 p.m., Martin Family Park. The May River chapter’s dinner, with drinks, raffles and a live auction for wetland conservation. Ticketed.
Supper Soirée: Saturday, October 10, 6 p.m. A four-course dinner with wine and music at tables down the middle of Calhoun Street, cooked by local chefs. $150, 120 seats; 2026 tickets are no longer available.
Art in the Park: Sunday, October 11, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Pop-up art on gallery lawns and porches and in Martin Family Park. Free.
Blessing of the Fleet: Sunday, October 11, 4 p.m. A boat parade on the May River with gospel music on the bluff at Wright Family Park. Free.
Oyster Fest and drone show: Sunday, October 11, 5 to 8 p.m., at the Oyster Factory Park. The season’s first oyster roast, with a shrimp boil, barbecue and live music from Crosstown Traffic. Bring canned goods for Bluffton Self Help’s food drive.
Daufuskie Island History & Artisans Tour: October 9, 10, 13, 14 and 16, four hours each. A boat trip to Daufuskie’s historic sites and artists’ studios. $145, reservations required.
Waddell Mariculture Center tour and dinner: Monday, October 12, tours at 5 and 5:30 p.m. $45, reservations required, closed-toe shoes.
Palette & Plate: Tuesday, October 13, 6 to 8 p.m., at Okàn. A dinner with live painting, music and wine. $140.
Author night, “History Alive”: Wednesday, October 14, 5:30 p.m., at the Rotary Community Center in Oscar Frazier Park. $15.
Symphony Under the Stars: Thursday, October 15, 7:30 p.m., Martin Family Park. The Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra, rain or shine. Free.
Russo’s Wild Caught Lowcountry Boil: Friday, October 16, 6 to 8:30 p.m., at Russo’s Fresh Seafood. $70.
SIPS party: Friday, October 16, 5 to 9:30 p.m., at Palmetto Bluff Farm. Bluffton Self Help’s fundraiser, with cocktails, food from Montage Palmetto Bluff, live music and auctions. It sells out every year.
Old Town Oyster Run 5K: Saturday, October 17, 8 a.m., from the Oyster Factory Park.
Street Fest: Saturday, October 17, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, October 18, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., on Calhoun Street. A juried art show with 100-plus artists from 10 states, food and live music. Free.
Take a Kid Fishing Tournament: Saturday, October 17, 10:30 a.m., Wright Family Park. Children’s Art in the Park runs both Street Fest days, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., at DuBois Park.
Rockin’ on the Dock: Saturday, October 17, 6 p.m. to dusk, at the Oyster Factory Park. A seafood tasting with roasted oysters ($20 a bucket), the J. Edwards Band and fireworks at dusk.
May River boat tours: daily October 12 to 18, one-hour skiff cruises from the Calhoun Street dock, $35. Oyster farm tours run Tuesday and Thursday at 10 a.m.
When and Where
Mid-October, in Old Town Bluffton along Calhoun Street and at the Bluffton Oyster Factory Park, with the Street Fest and Rockin’ on the Dock on the final weekend. The 2026 festival runs October 9 to 18, with the Street Fest on October 17 and 18. Tickets for the dinners and tours are on the festival’s own site, blufftonartsandseafoodfestival.org.
The waterfront park where the river events and Rockin’ the Dock take place. 63 Wharf Street.
More October Events
The Bluffton International & Craft Beer Fest has been held at the Oyster Factory Park in late October, after the festival. For the rest of the year, see the Bluffton events calendar, including Mayfest in May.
Frequently Asked Questions
Updated
When is the Historic Bluffton Arts and Seafood Festival?
In mid-October each year. The 2026 festival runs October 9 to 18, with the Street Fest on Saturday and Sunday, October 17 and 18, and Rockin’ on the Dock that Saturday night.
Where is the Bluffton Arts and Seafood Festival?
In Old Town Bluffton, along Calhoun Street, and at the Bluffton Oyster Factory Park on the May River.
Is there an oyster festival in Bluffton?
Oyster Fest, part of the Arts & Seafood Festival, is the season’s first oyster roast, with a shrimp boil and barbecue at the Oyster Factory Park. In 2026 it is Sunday, October 11, 5 to 8 p.m.
What is Rockin’ the Dock?
Rockin’ on the Dock is the festival’s Saturday-night party at the Oyster Factory Park: live music, a seafood tasting with roasted oysters and fireworks at dusk. In 2026 it is October 17 from 6 p.m.
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