The 22nd Historic Bluffton Arts and Seafood Festival runs Oct. 9-18, 2026. Free Street Fest on Calhoun Street Oct. 17-18; shuttle from Red Cedar Elementary.

Last checked Oct. 12, 2026. Dates, times and prices come from the Historic Bluffton Arts and Seafood Festival, its events calendar and the Town of Bluffton’s calendar. This page is updated for each year’s festival at the same address.

The 22nd Historic Bluffton Arts and Seafood Festival runs Friday, Oct. 9, through Sunday, Oct. 18, 2026, in Old Town Bluffton. The week of boat tours, dinners and concerts ends with Street Fest on Calhoun Street on Saturday, Oct. 17, and Sunday, Oct. 18, and fireworks over the May River on Saturday night. Street Fest admission is free.

Know before you go

  • Festival week: Oct. 9-18, 2026
  • Street Fest: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 18; Calhoun Street; free
  • Fireworks: dusk Saturday, Oct. 17, at Rockin’ on the Dock, Oyster Factory Park, 63 Wharf St.
  • Parking: none downtown on Street Fest Saturday; shuttle from Red Cedar Elementary School
  • Organizer: blufftonartsandseafoodfestival.org (contact form)
  • Town of Bluffton: 843-706-4500

What the festival is

The festival began in 2005 as a one-day event, grew to a weekend in 2006 and has filled a full week every October since 2007, according to its history page. It celebrates the May River, its seafood and the historic Bluffton Oyster Company, and it says one of its aims is to raise awareness of protecting the river. The Town of Bluffton lists it among the events the town supports.

The 2025 festival ran Oct. 11-19, according to the town calendar. The festival has always fallen in mid-October; the 2027 dates have not been posted.

Street Fest, Oct. 17-18

Street Fest is the part most people come for. The festival’s Saturday listing describes:

  • A juried art show of more than 100 local and regional artists from 10 states: oils, pastels, acrylics, watercolor, photography, pottery and ceramics.
  • Local seafood and Lowcountry food from area restaurants.
  • A tailgate area with craft beer, wine and college football on screens.
  • Bands on two stages through the day.

Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. The festival lists its address as 45 Calhoun St., and posts a 2026 street festival map (PDF). The 2026 artists are listed on its site.

Saturday, Oct. 17, hour by hour

  • 8 a.m.: Old Town Oyster Run 5K from Oyster Factory Park, professionally timed, with an awards party after. Register on RunSignup. Packet pickup is 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 15, at Wright Family Park; 3 to 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16, at Palmetto Running Company; and 6:45 to 7:30 a.m. race morning at Oyster Factory Park.
  • 10 a.m.: Street Fest opens on Calhoun Street.
  • 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.: Take a Kid Fishing Tournament at Wright Family Park. The festival says it has hosted as many as 85 young anglers.
  • 6 to 9 p.m.: Rockin’ on the Dock at Oyster Factory Park, 63 Wharf St.: the J. Edwards Band, roasted local oysters from the Bluffton Oyster Co. at $20 a bucket, and fireworks at dusk.

On Sunday, Children’s Art in the Park runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. under the DuBois Park pavilion, 67 Lawrence St., with art stations and prizes.

Earlier in festival week

Still to come when we checked, from the events calendar:

  • May River boat tours, daily through Sunday, Oct. 18, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. One-hour skiff cruises leave on the hour from the public dock at the end of Calhoun Street, 110 Calhoun St. $35 a person, subject to availability; reservations with Capt. Chris at 843-304-2878.
  • May River oyster farm tours, 10 a.m. to noon Tuesday, Oct. 13, and Thursday, Oct. 15, from the same dock, $35.
  • Palette and Plate live art dinner, 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 13, at Okàn, 71 Calhoun St., $140.
  • Author Night, “History Alive,” 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 14, at the Rotary Community Center, 11 Recreation Court, $15.
  • Symphony Under the Stars, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 15, at Martin Family Park, 68 Boundary St. The Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra plays, rain or shine. Free.
  • SIPS Party, the 10th annual, 5 to 9:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16, at Palmetto Bluff Farm.

Parking, shuttles and road closures

The festival says there is no parking in downtown Bluffton on Saturday of Street Fest, except for 5K runners. Its maps page sends drivers to a shuttle parking lot at Red Cedar Elementary School: from Bluffton Parkway, turn onto Red Cedar Street, then take the second right onto Box Elder Street. Handicap buses run from the same lot. The page also carries the shuttle bus route and a separate bus route for Rockin’ on the Dock.

Expect Calhoun Street to be closed to cars and parking for Street Fest. The festival has not posted a 2026 closure list. The last closure notice the town published, for the 2016 festival (PDF), closed Calhoun Street between May River Road and Bridge Street from noon Friday to about 6 p.m. Sunday, and May River Road between Bluffton Road and Goethe Road from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Our getting around guide covers town parking the rest of the year.

What to know

  • Go early. Street Fest opens at 10 a.m. both days and Old Town fills fast.
  • Rain: Symphony Under the Stars is rain or shine. The festival had posted no rain plan for Street Fest when we checked; watch its Facebook page.
  • Kids: the fishing tournament and Children’s Art in the Park are the two events built for them.
  • Book ahead: dinners and boat tours are ticketed and limited.

More October events are on our things to do this month page, and Old Town’s shops and restaurants on our Old Town Bluffton guide.

Frequently asked questions

When is the Bluffton Arts and Seafood Festival 2026?

The 22nd Historic Bluffton Arts and Seafood Festival runs Oct. 9-18, 2026. Its biggest days are Street Fest on Calhoun Street, Saturday, Oct. 17, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 18, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Is the Bluffton Seafood Festival free?

Street Fest admission is free, according to the festival. Some festival-week events are ticketed, such as the May River boat tours at $35 a person and the $140 Palette and Plate dinner; the Symphony Under the Stars concert is free.

Where do you park for the Bluffton Arts and Seafood Festival?

The festival says there is no parking in downtown Bluffton on Saturday of Street Fest except for 5K runners. It runs shuttle buses from a parking lot at Red Cedar Elementary School, off Red Cedar Street and Box Elder Street, with handicap buses available.

What time are the fireworks at the Bluffton Seafood Festival?

Fireworks are at dusk on Saturday, Oct. 17, at Rockin’ on the Dock in Oyster Factory Park, 63 Wharf St. The party runs from 6 to 9 p.m. with live music and roasted local oysters at $20 a bucket.

How long has the Bluffton Arts and Seafood Festival been running?

The festival began as a one-day event in 2005, became a weekend in 2006 and has run for a full week every October since 2007. The 2026 festival is the 22nd.