<b>Sunset parties to end with Blufftemberfest</b>

The 2016 Bluffton Sunset Party Series concludes at The Bluffton Oyster Factory Park Saturday, Sept. 17, with BlufftemberFest, a Bluffton-style Octoberfest celebration on the May River. BlufftemberFest will be held from 4-8 p.m. and will feature live music from OCD and La Bodega. There will also be a food court with German and American favorites from area restaurants plus all beers (German, craft, harvest and domestic ) will be only $4. Tickets will be available at the door for $5; children 12 and under get in for free.  Bluffton Sunset Parties are sponsored by River Dog Brewing Company, Coastal States Bank, Sport Clips, Advanced Integrated Controls, Bare Foot Wines, Hilton Head Honda, Angry Orchard Cider and I2 Recycle. For more information, call Bear Foot Sports at 843-757-8520.

<b>Art auction to benefit family</b>

As part of an effort to build a home for a local family, an UpCycled Art Auction will be held from 6-9 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 17, at The Shed at 809 Paris Ave. in Port Royal. This Lowcounty Habitat for Humanity’s UpCycled Art Auction is a celebration of local and regional craftsman who have repurposed, recycled, reclaimed or re-imagined materials to create art. There will also be food, fun and fellowship for all. The funds raised from this event will go toward building the ReStore house, which is in the Mossy Oaks Neighborhood and will become a family home for Crystal Johnson and her family.

"I am excited to be able to call a house a home,” she said, “a place for my children to be able to grow up in and one day look back on all the special memories we will make in our home. The group of people, volunteers, ReStore, office and board have been incredible with helping us succeed in the steps for us to make this long dream, hope, and  wish, to be homeowners, come true."

<b>Restaurants offer </b><b>special menus, prices</b>

Restaurants in Beaufort, Port Royal and The Sea Islands will be offering special-priced menus as part of Fall Restaurant Week, which is being held through Sunday, Sept. 18. This is an opportunity to discover new dining hot spots or revisit a few of your favorites. Restaurants taking part include Breakwater Restaurant &amp; Bar, Crosta, Fat Patties, Nautilus, Old Bull Tavern, Plums Restaurant, Q on Bay, Red Rooster and the Saltus River Grill. More restaurants are expected to join in. Visit www.BeaufortRestaurantWeek.com for a list of participating restaurants and their menus.

<b>Celebrity chef, Virginia Willis at Callawassie club</b>

A four-course dinner event featuring celebrity chef Virginia Willis and other notable chefs and food authors will take place from 6:30-9:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 9, at Callawassie Island Club. The evening, to benefit the Morris Center for Lowcountry Heritage, will include a silent auction, live music, dancing and an opportunity to learn secrets of Lowcountry culinary traditions. The evening is dedicated to the celebration of Lowcountry cuisine, a concept echoed alongside the Morris Center’s ongoing exhibit, “Roots: The Lowdown on Lowcountry Cuisine.”

Virginia Willis, praised by The Chicago Tribune as one of “Seven Food Writers You Need to Know,” will reimagine a popular Lowcountry entree for the dinner and oversee its preparation. Chefs Sallie Ann Robinson, BJ Dennis and Jim Spratling will add their Lowcountry expertise by creating signature dishes to complement the main course.  All the chefs will be on hand for discussion and book signings. Other highlights of the event include music, a bourbon tasting, craft beer and more. Tickets for the fundraiser can be purchased at www.morrisheritagecenter.org.

<b>Glass fusion class offered in Beaufort</b>

The Beaufort Arts Countil is offering a Glass Fusion/Sea Glass Beginner call for people who are interested in learning how to cut glass and assemble it into an artistic pattern that will be fused into an 8-inch square dish that you can take home and use. There will be discussions of different types of glass, safety, the science of glass fusing and the amazing potential of fused glass. All students must wear closed toe shoes. Safety equipment and glass cutting tools will be supplied. The cost of the class is $75. It will be held from 1-3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 10, at 916 Port Republic St. in Beaufort. Register at www.beaufortartscouncil.org/classes.

<b>Battle Ball coming </b><b>to waterfront park</b>

Battle Ball, a free family event sponsored by the Boys &amp; Girls Clubs of Northern Beaufort County, will be held from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 17, at Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park in Beaufort. Otherwise known as bubble soccer, the game allows each participant to compete in several games. Participants will be in their own bubble ball and bounce into one another, run full speed ahead and come out unharmed. There will be five lanes for adults and children over 42 inches tall. Children and adults can play all day for $10. All Boys &amp; Girls Club members with their club T-shirts on can play for free.

<b>Meet creatures of night at Hunting Island State Park</b>

Creatures of the Night, a free program at Hunting Island State Park, will be held at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 10, and Saturday, Sept. 24. These educational programs, presented by Gryphon Den, are devoted to creating awareness in humans of our natural world. It is both state and federally licensed to care for and present live educational programs on raptors and mammals. For more information, call 843-838-2011.

<b>Teens invited to submit films</b>

It’s time to get started on submissions for the 6th Annual Beaufort County Library Teen Film Festival. The movies must be directed, filmed and edited by teens ages 11-17 or in grades 6-12. Films cannot run more than 15 minutes, and each filmmaker may submit up to three films. Films can be on any topic but must be G or PG rated in language and subject matter or it will be disqualified. All editing must be done before submitting the film; title pages and credits must be included; films must be submitted in DVD format; and all music used in the film must be either an original score, in the public domain or used with permission from the copyright owner. Films will be judged and there will be a separate awards ceremony and public viewing of the films. Submissions are due by Friday, Oct. 14. The awards ceremony will be held at noon Saturday, Oct. 22, at the St. Helena Branch Library at 6355 Jonathan Francis Sr. Road on St. Helena Island. For questions or more information, contact Victor Kulik at 843-255-6560 or by email at Vkulik@bcgov.net.

<b>Library offers free </b><b>program for kids</b>

<b>Bluffton Branch Library, 120 Palmetto Way, Bluffton
</b>• Scratch Computer Coding for Kids
When: 4 pm. Monday, Sept. 12 and Sept. 26
What: Use coding and computer programming to create games. Ages 8+ (registration required). 843-255-6510, kbaxter@bcgov.net