Bluffton Mayfest is the Saturday before Mother's Day, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Old Town, free. The 2026 festival was May 9; 2027's date is not posted yet.

Last checked Oct. 12, 2026. Facts come from the Rotary Club of Bluffton’s Mayfest pages and the Town of Bluffton’s calendar. This page is updated each year at the same address.

Bluffton Mayfest is held the Saturday before Mother’s Day, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Old Town Bluffton, and admission is free. It is organized by the Rotary Club of Bluffton. The 2026 festival was Saturday, May 9. The club had not posted a 2027 date when we checked; Mother’s Day 2027 is May 9, so the usual pattern points to Saturday, May 8, 2027.

Know before you go

  • When: the Saturday before Mother’s Day, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (May 9 in 2026; 2027 not yet posted)
  • Where: Old Town Bluffton, around Calhoun Street and Martin Family Park, 68 Boundary St.
  • Cost: free admission
  • Parking: shuttle from Red Cedar Elementary School
  • Dogs: welcome on a leash
  • Organizer: Rotary Club of Bluffton, 843-540-7957, blufftonmayfest@gmail.com

When and where

The Rotary Club’s history of Mayfest says the festival is held the Saturday before Mother’s Day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Old Town Bluffton. The town calendar listed it at Martin Family Park, 68 Boundary St., from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, May 9, 2026 and Saturday, May 10, 2025. The club posts a Calhoun Street map on its directions page.

The town lists Mayfest among the events it supports.

What’s at Mayfest

The club’s Mayfest page announces its 47th anniversary edition with more than 130 artists and food vendors. The festival is known for:

  • Arts and crafts from local and regional artists. Each year has a featured artist; the club’s page names painter Karen Magill.
  • The Ugly Dog contest, which the club calls one of the original and oldest contests of its kind in the nation.
  • The pie-eating contest.
  • Shrimp salad sandwiches made and sold by the women of the Church of the Cross. The club says they sell out early every year.
  • Music and local food along the street. The club posts the lineup on its entertainment page.

The festival grew out of the Bluffton Village Festival, according to a history the club reprints on its history page.

Parking and shuttle

The club’s directions page sends drivers to a shuttle parking lot at Red Cedar Elementary School:

  • From Hilton Head Island: west on U.S. 278 (William Hilton Parkway) for 6.8 miles, left on S.C. 46 (Bluffton Road), first exit at the traffic circle onto Bluffton Parkway, left on Red Cedar Street, then the second right onto Box Elder Street.
  • From I-95: Exit 8 to U.S. 278 East for 9.7 miles, right on Buckwalter Parkway for 2.7 miles, left on Bluffton Parkway for 2.9 miles, right on Red Cedar Street, then the second right onto Box Elder Street.

Handicap buses are available from the Red Cedar Elementary lot. Our getting around guide lists public parking in the Historic District.

Dogs, kids and strollers

Mayfest is one of the few events where the family dog is encouraged to come, the club says, as long as it is leashed and well behaved around others. There are water stations for dogs around the festival. The club describes the day as built for all ages and says you can enjoy it without spending anything.

Selling at Mayfest

Vendors apply online on a first-come, first-served basis through the club’s vendor page. The posted fees are $180 for a 10-by-10-foot arts and crafts space, $260 for a 10-by-20-foot food space and $310 for a food truck space. Vendors have no access to electricity.

What to know

  • It is the day before Mother’s Day. Our Mother’s Day page has brunch ideas for the next morning.
  • Rain: the club had posted no rain plan when we checked.
  • Volunteer: the club asks for volunteers on its volunteer page.

More spring events are on our things to do guide and, in the run-up, our things to do this month page.

Frequently asked questions

When is Bluffton Mayfest 2027?

The Rotary Club of Bluffton had not posted the 2027 date when we checked. Mayfest is held the Saturday before Mother’s Day, and Mother’s Day 2027 is May 9, so the usual pattern points to Saturday, May 8, 2027.

What time is Bluffton Mayfest?

10 a.m. to 5 p.m., according to the Rotary Club of Bluffton and the Town of Bluffton calendar.

Is Bluffton Mayfest free?

Yes. The Rotary Club of Bluffton says admission is free.

Can I bring my dog to Bluffton Mayfest?

Yes. The organizers say leashed dogs that behave well around others are welcome, there are water stations for them, and the festival holds an Ugly Dog contest.

Where do you park for Bluffton Mayfest?

The Rotary Club directs visitors to a shuttle parking lot at Red Cedar Elementary School, off Red Cedar Street on Box Elder Street. Handicap buses run from the same lot.