<strong>By Pamela Brownstein</strong>

<strong></strong><a href="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/DSC_0056.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-17990" alt="" src="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/DSC_0056-199x300.jpg" width="199" height="300" /></a>During the 10 days of Water Festival, Thursday night’s combination of delicious food and live music draws large crowds each year.

Volunteers serve the contents of a traditional Lowcountry Boil — steamed shrimp, corn on the cob, sausage — under a tent as folks shuffle through in three lines.

Many thanks to all of those who he<a href="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/DSC_0053.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-17989" alt="" src="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/DSC_0053-150x150.jpg" width="150" height="150" /></a>lped prepare, cook and serve the amazing food for this giant community picnic. This year, more than 1,200 pounds of shrimp was boiled in anticipation of the more than 3,000 hungry attendees.

And a big personal thank you to the Pirettes. I saw the girls assist a woman in a wheelchair in line, and came to throw away our plates after our meal was done. But Ashely Chance, a rising junior at Whale Branch Early College High School, was so helpful to our family. She pushed our daughter in her stroller so my husband and I could have our hands free to get plates of food and wrangle our toddler, Wolfe, through the crowds. She followed us all the way through the park and to our seats in the grass, and was very sweet, and we were grateful.

<a href="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/DSC_0048.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-17986" alt="" src="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/DSC_0048-150x150.jpg" width="150" height="150" /></a>Once our family of four was settled, we all enjoyed the yummy food. Our 11-month-old daughter tried her first piece of shrimp, and Wolfe, 2, ate several pieces of watermelon. My husband’s plate was piled high with the shells of peeled shrimp, and the tasty sausage was my favorite, and better than I remembered.

It was a warm evening, but tolerable in the shade, and all around us families and friends ate together and kids played and listened to the tunes of the local band, the Blue Dots. Then everyone was entertained by The World Famous Whistlers, and it was a wonderful way to end a lovely evening that highlighted the food and fun that makes Beaufort great.

<a href="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/DSC_00512.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-17987" alt="" src="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/DSC_00512-199x300.jpg" width="199" height="300" /></a><a href="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/DSC_00521.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-17988" alt="" src="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/DSC_00521-199x300.jpg" width="199" height="300" /></a>

[caption id="attachment_17991" align="aligncenter" width="300"]<a href="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/DSC_0062.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-17991" alt="Alex, Bowen, Danielle Troutman, Jack and Henry enjoy shrimp, sausage, corn, cole slaw, watermelon and lemonade during Water Festival last Thursday in Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park." src="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/DSC_0062-300x199.jpg" width="300" height="199" /></a> Alex, Bowen, Danielle Troutman, Jack and Henry enjoy shrimp, sausage, corn, cole slaw, watermelon and lemonade during Water Festival last Thursday in Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park.[/caption]