Your Insider’s Guide to the 2025 Original Gullah Festival in Beaufort, SC

The Original Gullah Festival returns to Beaufort, South Carolina, from May 23 to 25, 2025, celebrating its 40th anniversary. This vibrant event honors the rich Gullah Geechee heritage through music, art, storytelling, and cuisine, offering attendees an immersive cultural experience.

Whether you are a first time visitor, this celebration offers a unique and enriching experience for all.

🗓 Friday, May 23 – Culture, Community & Celebration

📍Gullah Village – Hands-On Workshops

Deepen your understanding of Gullah heritage with these immersive workshops. Each session is $40 per person and includes materials.

11:00 AM – 12:30 PM
🎵 Gullah She'ke're' Musical Instrument Making – Workshop Area A
🪡 Gullah Geechee Quilt Making – Workshop Area B
🪆 West African Doll-Making – Kiddie Village

1:00 PM – 2:30 PM
🧺 Sweetgrass Basket Weaving – Workshop Area A
🧵 I Be Crocheting Workshop - Workshop Area B

📍Tabernacle Baptist Church – Reflective History

10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
🕊️ Lest We Forget – Times To Remember (Walkthrough Exhibit)
901 Craven Street, Beaufort
RSVP Here. Donations Welcome.

🎤 Main Stage Events – Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park

10:00 AM – 10:15 AM
🥁 Drum Call – Spiritual Vibrations

10:20 AM – 2:30 PM
🎶 Beaufort County School Performances

• Robert Smalls Leadership Academy Choir
• Robert Smalls Leadership Academy Step Team
• Whale Branch Middle School Choir
• Battery Creek High School Band
• Brenda Singleton – Visual Artist Puppet Show

🎉 9:00 PM – 12:00 AM

Friday Night All White Attire Party
📍 Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park Pavilion – Bay Street, Beaufort
Dance the night away with DJ Sissy the Entertainer and live music from the Fresh Vibe Band. Enjoy a Gullah Caribbean meal under the stars.

🎟️ $55 online | $60 at the gate

🗓 Saturday, May 24 – Heritage, Artistry & Live Music

📍Gullah Village – Interactive Workshops

Get creative and connect with Gullah traditions in these hands-on sessions. Each workshop is $40 per person and includes materials.

11:00 AM – 12:30 PM
🎵 Gullah She'ke're' Musical Instrument Making – Workshop Area A
🧵 Gullah Geechee Quilt Making – Workshop Area B
🪆 West African Doll Making – Kiddie Village

1:00 PM – 2:30 PM
🧺 Sweetgrass Basket Weaving – Workshop Area A
🥁 Drumming: Connecting Heart, Soul, Rhythms – Workshop Area B

📍Tabernacle Baptist Church – Reflective History

10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
🕊️ Lest We Forget – Times To Remember (Walkthrough Exhibit)
901 Craven Street, Beaufort
Admission: Free Will Offering

🎭 3:00 PM – Decoration Day Musical Performance

A full-stage musical starring Aunt Pearlie Sue and the Gullah Kinfolk, exploring the Gullah roots of Memorial Day.

📍 USCB Center for the Arts, 801 Carteret Street, Beaufort 🎟️ Tickets $55

🎤 Main Stage Events – Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park

10:00 AM – Drum Call – Spiritual Vibrations
10:20 AM – Aunt Pearlie Sue and the Gullah Kinfolk
11:00 AM – Official Welcoming Ceremony
Hosts: Mother Cleopatra Stokes, Geneva Smalls, Sharon Joyce Millen, Scott Gibs
12:10 PM – Wona Womalon African Dancers & Drummers
12:45 PM – Louise Cohen – Gullah Storyteller
1:10 PM – Gullah Geechee Ring Shouters
1:50 PM – Dani’s Dance Dynamics
2:35 PM – Dr. Marlena Smalls & The Hallelujah Singers
3:15 PM – Queen T – Gyenyam African Drummers and Dancers
4:00 PM – Beth Inabinett and The For The Funk Of It Band
4:35 PM – Natasha Robinson “Geechee Gal” – Gullah Storyteller
5:05 PM – Deninufay African Drummers and Dancers
5:50 PM – Wade Johnson Band
6:25 PM – Laurence O. De Weever “Cactus-Raconteur” – Storyteller
6:50 PM – Paulette Gary African Dancers & Drummers

🎶 Saturday Night Concert – 8:00 PM to 9:30 PM

Enjoy a soulful, high-energy performance by the Terence Young Band on the main stage as the sun sets over the river.