7 Fun Fall Festivals and Events on the Hammock Coast
What’s on your agenda this fall? How about browsing hundreds of works by artists and craftsmen? Does autumn mean hayrides and pumpkin carving for you? Or would you prefer sampling wines from some of the world’s top vineyards? The Hammock Coast hosts an array of unique and entertaining fall festivals and events. Check out a few of our favorites.
Celebrate the Arts
The 44th Atalaya Arts and Crafts Festival will be held Sept. 27-29 at the Atalaya Castle at Huntington Beach State Park near Murrells Inlet. Featuring nearly 100 of the finest artisans, the juried art show provides artistic beauty in a beautiful natural setting. Enjoy fine art, quality crafts and local food, along with the musical offerings of several of the area’s finest musicians.
Raise a Glass
Sample more than 100 wines at the 20th Pawleys Island Wine & Food Gala on Oct. 3 at The Reserve Golf Club of Pawleys Island. Renowned vineyards provide the vino, while eight of the area’s top chefs prepare delicious hors d’oeuvres. The evening includes a three-hour dessert tasting, silent auction and complimentary wine glass. Find a selection you want to take home? You're in luck as wines will be available for purchase.
Enjoy Sights and Sounds
While the Wine & Food Gala serves as the primary fundraiser for the Pawleys Island Festival of Music and Art, it’s not the only event. The Pawleys Island Festival of Music and Art brings three weeks of cultural entertainment and musical performances to the coast. Set Oct. 4-19, headliners this year include Pablo Cruise and the Marshall Tucker Band.
More Than Pumpkin Spice
The Brookgreen Gardens Harvest Home Weekend Festival on Oct. 5-6 includes a huge pumpkin patch, hayrides, live entertainment and scarecrow building contest. In fact, it's one of Brookgreen’s largest family events of the year. Bring the kids out from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. to get in on the fun. Hayrides start at 10 a.m. and cost $4 per person. Or, pick out a pumpkin to paint ($4 for small; $9 for large).
Take a Look at Timeless Watercraft
The Georgetown Wooden Boat Show, set Oct. 19-20 at the South Carolina Maritime Museum, is one of the Southeast Tourism Society’s Top 20 Events. The show features more than 140 classic wooden boats displayed on land and water, children’s model boatbuilding, knot tying, maritime art and crafts, food and music. A special attraction is Saturday’s Wooden Boat Challenge when teams of two race to build a rowing skiff within a 4-hour time limit, then test their boats for seaworthiness on the Sampit River. Sunday is filled with family-friendly activities like the Corrugated Boat Regatta and an Opti Pram Regatta.
Boo!
Dress up the kids in their best costumes for Halloween on the MarshWalk on Oct. 31. Festivities begin at 5 p.m. with kids Trick-or-Treating along the MarshWalk. The annual Children’s Costume Contest starts at 6 p.m. at the Pirate Statue in front of Drunken Jack’s. Prizes are awarded for Most Creative, Best Group, Funniest, and Scariest. Adult contest begins at 7 p.m. with more than $4,000 in cash and prizes.
Meanwhile … At HQ
If you’re into cosplay, anime and comics, mark your calendar now for the Grand Strand Comic Con on Nov. 16-17 at the Highway 17 Bypass in Murrells Inlet. The event features more than 100 vendors, artwork, virtual reality and more. Guests include cosplay favorites, voice actors and artists. There will also be food trucks, gaming tournaments and a cosplay contest.
Whatever your favorite pastime, there’s a festival for it on the Hammock Coast this fall. Book a charming South Carolina vacation rental with great amenities for a great fall getaway.