The Original Gullah Festival in Beaufort, SC
Beaufort’s Memorial Day weekend festival of Gullah music, food, crafts and history on the waterfront, May 28 to 30, 2027.
- Next dates: Friday, May 28, to Sunday, May 30, 2027
- Hosted by: The Original Gullah Festival of South Carolina, Inc.
- Riverboat cruise: The Original Gullah Riverboat Cruise is Thursday, May 27, 2027, the night before the festival; tickets through the festival
- Phone: (843) 525-0628
The Original Gullah Festival is Beaufort’s celebration of Gullah Geechee culture, held every Memorial Day weekend at Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park. It has run for more than 40 years: 2026 was the 41st festival, and it drew tens of thousands of people to the waterfront.
This is not the same event as the Hilton Head Island Gullah Celebration, which runs through February on the island. The Beaufort festival is one long weekend in May, about 45 minutes to an hour from Hilton Head.
What’s On at the Gullah Festival
Expect storytelling and dancing, with jazz, blues, reggae and African drumming on the stage. The vendor market sells arts and crafts, and the food court serves local cooking and Gullah favorites.
History is part of the program. Lest We Forget and The Decoration Day Play are the festival’s teaching segments, and in 2026 the weekend closed on Sunday with a worship service in the morning and fireworks over the river at night. The full schedule for 2027 is on the festival’s site.
Getting to the Gullah Festival from Hilton Head
Downtown Beaufort is about 32 miles from the bridges at the north end of Hilton Head and 42 miles from Coligny: 50 minutes to an hour on US 278 and SC 170. Parking downtown is in the public lots along the waterfront park and behind Bay Street, and they fill on festival days, so come early.
Make a day of it with our Beaufort day trip guide. Penn Center on St. Helena Island, a museum of Gullah Geechee history, is about 15 minutes past downtown, and our Gullah Geechee culture page covers the history on Hilton Head itself.
Beaufort's waterfront park, behind the shops on Bay Street downtown.
Frequently Asked Questions
Updated
When is the Gullah Festival in Beaufort, SC?
Memorial Day weekend. In 2027 it runs Friday, May 28, to Sunday, May 30, at Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park in downtown Beaufort.
Where is the Original Gullah Festival held?
At Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park, on Bay Street in downtown Beaufort, South Carolina.
Is the Gullah Festival the same as the Hilton Head Gullah Celebration?
No. The Original Gullah Festival is one weekend in May in Beaufort. The Hilton Head Island Gullah Celebration runs through February on Hilton Head.
What is there to do at the Gullah Festival?
Live music from jazz and blues to reggae and African drumming, storytelling and dancing, a vendor market of arts and crafts, a food court of Gullah favorites, and history programs including The Decoration Day Play.
How far is the Gullah Festival from Hilton Head?
About 32 to 42 miles, 50 minutes to an hour by car, depending on where on Hilton Head you start.
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