By Lanier Laney
Some of these popular events will sell out ahead of time, so if you plan to have out of town guests come for a visit, be sure and buy tickets ASAP.

October
<strong>• 18th Annual Beaufort Shrimp Festival</strong>
When: Friday, Oct. 5, at 6 p.m., and Saturday, Oct. 6, at 8 a.m. for the 5K or 11 a.m. for food and activities. Where: Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park, downtown.
What: Celebrating local wild caught shrimp. The South Carolina Shrimper’s Association partners with Main Street Beaufort each year to bring awareness to thousands. Restaurants compete for the coveted Silver Cup and bragging rights for best shrimp dish each year. Some festival goers take part in the Shrimp Heading Competition and some children touch their first shrimp in the Shrimp Peeling Competition. Sea Island Rotary organizes the rubber shrimp race each year and live entertainment, a children’s area, craft market, and 5K run round out this popular festival.
Details: Call 843-525-6644 or downtownbeaufort.com.

<strong>• Festival of the Sea!</strong>
When: Saturday, Oct. 20, from 12-5 p.m.
Where: Paris Avenue in the Old Village of Port Royal.
What: ARRRGH! This year it is a Pirate Themed Festival. FREE admission. The 3K Walk the Plank for CODA will kick off the festival. Live music and radio remotes. Enjoy seafood, burgers, BBQ and more, with your favorite cold beverages. Visit the local shops and check out craft and artisan booths, collector car display, kid activities and much more! Don’t miss this opportunity to visit the Pirates of Port Royal, or become one of them. Bring your eye patch!
Details: oldvillageportroyal.com.

<strong>• Annual Fall ArtWalk</strong>
When: Saturday, October 20, from 5-8 p.m.
Where: The art walk is sponsored by the Guild of Beaufort Galleries.
What: Stroll the art center and enjoy the works of local and talented artists.
Details: 843-525-8500 or visit the guildofbeaufortgalleries.com.

<strong>• Bridging Cultures &amp; Generations Through Music</strong>
When: Saturday, October 20, at 7:30 p.m.
Where: Battery Creek High School Performing Arts Center.
What: The Charleston Symphony Orchestra Spiritual Ensemble performs. The program includes “Circa 1871, An Ode to the Fisk University Jubilee Singers,” student singers from two local high schools, presented by ARTworks, funded by the National Endowment for the Arts.
Details: Tickets $17, students and groups of 10 or more, $12, children under 12, $7. Call 843-379-2787 or visit artworksinbeaufort.org.

<strong>• Historic Beaufort Foundation’s Fall Festival of Houses and Gardens</strong>
When: Friday, October 26 through Sunday, October 28.
What/Where: During the Fall Festival of Houses and Gardens, visitors are invited to explore Beaufort from a rare vantage point: a selection of private homes, gardens, and plantations normally not open to the public welcome visitors inside. The houses represent three centuries of Beaufort architecture for which the city is justly famous. These self-paced walking tours offer a distinctive opportunity to observe how contemporary lifestyles are lived within the framework of our unmatched architectural heritage.  Isabella Reeves does a wonderful job of putting it all together.
Details: For tickets go to www.historicbeaufort.org/fall-festival.php.

<strong>• Ghost Tours</strong>
When: October 12, 13, 19, 20, 21, 26, 27 and 28.
Where: Walking tours begin at 6:50 p.m. and leave every 20 minutes from Cannon Park (across the street from 611 Bay Street). Each tour lasts approximately one hour.
What: The Exchange Club of Beaufort’s 20th Annual Beaufort Ghost Tours. Take a carriage ride or walking tour through Beaufort’s historic district while listening to costumed storytellers tell haunting tales of the area. One of the oldest ghosts in America is said to live in “the Castle,” a 19th century renovated estate located on the Point.
Details: Carriage Tours are $20 per adult, $10 per child ages 3-11. Carriage tours leave every 20 minutes between 6:30 and 8 p.m. from the parking lot at 1006 Bay Street. Each tour lasts approximately 45 minutes. Walking Tours are $12 all ages. Get tickets by calling 843.524.4678. All proceeds benefit CAPA.

NOVEMBER

<strong>• PaddleFest 2012 </strong>
When: Saturday, November 3, 11 a.m. registration and set up;
1 p.m. Start Time.
Where: Hunting Island State Park Lagoon
What: Three and 6 mile kayak, canoe, outrigger canoe and paddleboard races which begin and finish in the Lagoon near Parking Lot J. All events will start together. There are categories (kinds of boats) and divisions (age groups) for everyone! Awards ceremony and cookout will follow the events at Parking Lot J.
Details: Register in person at Higher Ground, 2121 Boundary Street, or visit www.active.com. Call 843-379-4327 or email higherground@hargray.com or visit www.HigherGroundBeaufort.com.

<strong>• Music to Your Mouth Culinary Festival  </strong>
When: Nov. 17, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Where: Palmetto BluffVillage Green &amp; Riverfront.
What: Food demos by noted chefs and wine and beer and food tastings. The Culinary Festival is a gathering of culinarians, winemakers, growers, and artisans, brought together to accentuate the abundance of ingredients from our surrounding waters, woods and local farms.  They showcase their finest nibbles and nectars and take our guests on a sensory experience that can only be called Music to Your Mouth.  The festival features live music, cooking demonstrations, a market area, Hargray’s “Game Day” tent (for your college football fix), and new this year a Beer Garden and the “What’s Shakin’ Bacon Forest.”
Details: $25 of each ticket goes directly to Second Helpings.

<strong>• Beaufort Homes for the Holidays</strong>
When: November 17-18
Where: In the Habersham neighborhood to benefit St. Peter Catholic School Endowment Fund.
What: The tour includes eight private homes decorated for the holidays by local interior designers.
Details: Call 843 522-6510 or stpeters-church.org for tickets.