Bundle up for this weekend's Beaufort Oyster Festival

The Beaufort Oyster Festival invades downtown Beaufort, SC this Saturday & Sunday, January 20th and 21st.Photo byBeaufort Area Hospitality Association

The annual Beaufort Oyster Festival is coming up this weekend. And, fittingly, just like you can't eat oysters until the colder months, this weekend is going to be one of the coldest that we've experienced in the past year.

The event is set for Saturday, January 20th and Sunday, January 21st in Downtown Beaufort, SC at the popular Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park, and it includes a bit of everything for everyone.

But, if you plan to attend the free event, you'll need to consider bundling up.

Saturday's high temperature in Beaufort will be around 45°, with a low of 24°. Sunday's high will be 44°, with a low of 31°.

The event opens with a 5K, appropriately named the "Oyster Boogie," through the streets of historic downtown, and the festival offers free admission, live music and lots more.

Saturday, January 20th 10am-6pm
Live Music from 4 local bands all day long.
10am - 12th Street
12pm - Southbound 17
2pm - The Boondockers
4pm - Shan Tan & The Oyster Reefers

Sunday, January 21st 11am-4pm
Live Music from 2 local bands all day long.
11am - Campfire Tyler
1pm - The Fabulous Clams
Cornhole Tournament - 1pm
Bring your own partner double elimination cornhole tournament to support the kids at Riverview Charter School. Minimum 20 teams participating. There will also be a second chance tournament for any team that goes 0-2.

Over 15 local organizations will also be on hand to help you learn about oysters, their history, oyster shell recycling, and the sustainability of oysters in our local aquaculture. Plus, you can even sign up for an Oyster Festival Eco-Tour with Coastal Expeditions.

On both days, the Beaufort Oyster Festival menu options will include steamed, raw, roasted and fried oysters, as well as other food options for those that love a festival but don't love oysters, which are definitely an acquired taste.

All oysters served at the festival are all locally farmed or harvested from local Lowcountry waters, lending support to area fishermen and the Lowcountry way of life.

One of the things you’ll notice about the Lowcountry is how much we enjoy having fun. Locals enjoy sharing a good time with our neighbors, and proof of that is the wealth of community festivals hosted each and every year.

In an area with so much history and tradition, we celebrate everything from the water, to food, to our lifestyle and our culture.

And, this weekend's Oyster Festival fits right in!

The massive two-day Oyster Festival is a celebration of community and the bounty of the sea. Two things very near to the heart of folks that call the Lowcountry their home.