October 2026 Hilton Head Island and Bluffton events calendar: festivals, markets and Halloween week

October is when the Lowcountry calendar fills up. Days run warm, usually in the 70s and 80s, the evenings finally cool off, and the big fall festivals land within a few weeks of each other. Fish and Grits and Rhythm & Brews share the first Saturday. Jeep Island takes the next weekend. Bluffton's Arts & Seafood Festival runs through the middle of the month, and the Concours d'Elegance starts on October 29 and runs into November 1.

Add the two weekly farmers markets and a pair of Halloween-week events on October 23, and there's something worth planning around on Hilton Head Island or in Old Town Bluffton on each weekend of the month. The guide below goes weekend by weekend, so you can screenshot a section and use it as your plan. If you're coming off last month, the September events calendar covers the run-up.

Quick Facts

• Month: October 2026, Hilton Head Island and Bluffton, SC
• Weather: warm days in the 70s–80s°F, cooler evenings
• Headline dates: October 3 (Fish and Grits + Rhythm & Brews), October 9–10 (Jeep Island), October 17–18 (Bluffton street fest and juried art show), October 29 – November 1 (Concours d'Elegance)
• Weekly: Hilton Head Farmers Market on Tuesdays, 9 AM–1 PM · Farmers Market of Bluffton on Thursdays, 12–5 PM
• Free to attend: Jeep Island main event, Historic Bluffton Arts & Seafood Festival, Blessing of the Fleet & Boat Parade, Pumpkin Patch at Shelter Cove, Safety Spooktacular
• Still TBA: Rock N' Ribs HHI (late October)
• Documented: September 25, 2026
• Validation: 10 of the 17 events below are confirmed on official event pages; the other 7 follow their usual timing, and their exact dates are traditionally announced closer in
• Verified: 2026-09-25 — sourced from hiltonheadisland.org, hiltonheadisland.com, jeepisland.org, runsignup.com, hiltonhead.com, blufftontraveler.com

Weekly All Month: Tuesday and Thursday Farmers Markets

The two markets give the month a steady rhythm, one on each side of the bridge.

• Hilton Head Farmers Market — Tuesdays, October 6, 13, 20, 27, at the Coastal Discovery Museum at Honey Horn. 9 AM–1 PM, free admission.
• Farmers Market of Bluffton — Thursdays, October 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, on Calhoun Street in Old Town Bluffton. 12–5 PM, free admission.

Both follow their usual weekly schedule. The specific October dates are typically confirmed closer in, so check before you drive over.

Local tip: The Thursday market on October 15 falls in the middle of the Arts & Seafood Festival's run, so expect Calhoun Street to be busier than a normal market afternoon. Go early in the window if you want room to browse.

Saturday, October 3: Rhythm & Brews, Then Fish and Grits

Two island events on the same day, and the times work in your favor.

Rhythm & Brews Festival (benefits Ales for ALS) runs 11:30 AM–2:30 PM at Shelter Cove Community Park, 39 Shelter Cove Lane. Tickets are $20 concert-only, $49 general admission and $69 VIP.

Lowcountry Fish and Grits Music Festival runs 12–6 PM at Lowcountry Celebration Park, 94 Pope Ave. It's ticketed; pricing is on the event site.

Local tip: The two overlap between noon and 2:30. If you want both, do Rhythm & Brews first while it's running, then head to Pope Avenue for the back half of Fish and Grits. The music there goes until 6, so you'll get the late-afternoon sets.

October 9–10: Jeep Island Weekend

Jeep Island spreads across Lowcountry Celebration Park, Lincoln and South, and The Bank. Kickoff and after-party events fill the Friday and Saturday evenings. The main event is Saturday, October 10, from 12–3 PM. The main event is free to attend, and some add-ons are ticketed.

The same Friday, October 9, the Historic Bluffton Arts & Seafood Festival opens across the bridge, so the weekend has an island option and a Bluffton option.

Local tip: If you're mostly curious, the free Saturday midday event is the easiest way in. The evening kickoff and after-party are where tickets come into play, so check jeepisland.org before you commit to a night out.

October 9–18: Historic Bluffton Arts & Seafood Festival

Bluffton's signature fall festival runs ten days across multiple locations in Old Town Bluffton, daily from 7 AM–10 PM. It's free to attend, with some ticketed sub-events. The headline weekend is October 17–18: the street fest and juried art show on Calhoun St., open Saturday 10–5 and Sunday 10–4. For more on the season around it, see the Lowcountry seafood festivals guide.

The Closing Stretch, October 16–19

Author Night and the Local Artist Showcase follow their usual slots, and their exact details are traditionally announced closer in. Rockin' the Dock brings seafood tasting, live bands and a fireworks finale to the Oyster Factory Park. Confirm the start time on the festival schedule before you plan dinner around it.

On the Island the Same Saturday

If you're staying on Hilton Head, the Italian Heritage Festival is typically held on October 17 at the Coastal Discovery Museum at Honey Horn, 11 AM–4 PM. It's ticketed, and the grape stomping and pizza competitions are included. The exact date is traditionally confirmed closer in.

Local tip: Run the 5K at 8, and you've got two hours to change and eat before the street fest opens at 10. On Sunday, the Blessing of the Fleet is the part of the week locals make a point of seeing, so find a spot along the May River before the boats come through.

Friday, October 23: Pumpkins and the Spooktacular

Halloween week starts with two free evening events, one on each side of the bridge.

• Pumpkin Patch at Shelter Cove Community Park — 39 Shelter Cove Lane, Hilton Head Island. 4–7 PM, with a costume contest at 5:45 PM. Free, with train rides and the rock wall sold separately.
• Safety Spooktacular — Oscar Frazier Park, Bluffton. 5–7 PM. Free.

Local tip: Both run on the same evening and overlap almost entirely, so pick the one closest to where you'll be at 5. If you want the costume contest, get to Shelter Cove before 5:45.

October 29–31: Concours, Jazz and Rock N' Ribs

The month ends with its most polished weekend.

Hilton Head Island Concours d'Elegance & Motoring Festival runs October 29 – November 1 at Port Royal Golf Club, Planter's Row Course, with related events at the HHI Airport. It's a multi-day motoring festival, and the main Concours day is November 1. Ticketed.

Bob Masteller's Jazz for All Ages Festival is typically held October 30–31 at the Sonesta Resort & Spa. It's a ticketed two-day festival, and the exact schedule is traditionally announced closer in.

Rock N' Ribs HHI is a one-night music and BBQ festival in the Coligny area. The date hasn't been announced yet beyond late October. Check rocknribshhi.com for the date and tickets.

Local tip: Concours tickets are sold by event and by day, and the main show on November 1 draws the biggest crowd. If you mostly want to see the cars, pick your day first and buy for that.

Beach Evenings: A Late-Season Turtle Note

Sea turtle nesting is winding down by October, but hatchlings may still be active through the month. That means beachfront lighting and obstruction rules can still apply late in October. Fill in your holes, take your gear off the sand at night, and keep oceanfront lights low. The current details are on the Town of Hilton Head's guidance, and the lights-out ordinance explainer covers what the rules ask of oceanfront homes.

Putting the Month Together

If you only have one weekend, October 17–18 packs the most into two days: a morning 5K, Bluffton's street fest and art show, the Blessing of the Fleet on the river, and the Italian Heritage Festival on the island. If you want something quieter, the Tuesday and Thursday markets and the weekday festival hours in Old Town Bluffton give you the season without the crowds. For more on this stretch of the year after the summer rush, the shoulder season guide is a good companion read.

This guide will be updated as the typical-date events confirm, starting with Rock N' Ribs.

Donna Gilmore is Director of Operations at COAST brokered by eXp Realty on Hilton Head Island. She lives in the Lowcountry and writes the monthly Hilton Head Island and Bluffton events guides here. Earlier guides: September events calendar | Fall festivals | Lowcountry seafood festivals.