The Annual Georgetown Wooden Boat Show is hosting their 33rd event  October 16 and 16. Head down to Historic Georgetown along Front Street to witness the incredible waterfront affair.  The event is put on by the Harbor Historical Association and all proceeds benefit the South Carolina Maritime Museum.

Always on the 3rd weekend of October, the show features more than 100 classic wooden boats to view on both land and in the water. But it doesn’t stop there. They have model boatbuilding, knot tying, maritime art and crafts, food, music and more.  One of the most popular events is the “Wooden Boat Challenge”.

On Saturday, from noon to 4 p.m, teams of two will compete to build a rowing boat within the four-hour time limit. The competitors will then test their boats’ nautical ability in a rowing relay along the Georgetown waterfront on the Sampit River. This event is both intense and exciting to watch!

But there is much more to enjoy throughout the weekend. Kicking off the weekend on Friday, Oct. 14, is the Goat Island Yacht Club Regatta, which raises funds for the South Carolina Maritime Museum with both live and silent auctions.

The main events start Saturday and include:  

• Wooden Boat Exhibit | 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. | Ranging from kayaks to yachts, experience all sorts of incredible boats displayed on both land and water.
• Wooden Boat Challenge | Boatbuilding 12 noon to 4p.m. | Race 5 p.m.
• Knot Tying with Dan “The Knot Man” and the Spirit Knot Tyers
• The Ship’s Store: Poster Signing and T-Shirts
• Kid’s Model Boatbuilding
• Educational Exhibits
• Awards Ceremony: 4 p.m. | An awards banquet will be held for boat exhibitors, boatbuilding competitors, sponsors, and guests.
• Beer Garden & Food Court

On Sunday, at 11 a.m., the show will pick back up from where it started and run until 4 p.m. Sunday’s main events are:

• Wooden Boat Exhibit | Ranging from kayaks to yachts, experience all sorts of incredible boats displayed on both land and water.
• Knot Tying with Dan “The Knot Man” and the Spirit Knot Tyers
• Opti Pram Regatta: 11 a.m. | Young sailors (8-12) who participated in the S.C. Maritime Museum’s Youth Sailing Program will show off their skills in races from the docks at Francis Marion Park. 
• Corrugated Boat Regatta: Boat Preview – 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. | Regatta – 2:30 p.m. | Participants will test their creativity by designing boats out of corrugated cardboard. This is a hysterical must-see event!
• The Ship’s Store: Poster Signing and T-Shirts
• Educational Exhibits
• Maritime Related Art, Crafts, and other commercial exhibits

This free event is as good as it gets. It embodies so much of our Lowcountry culture and supports and excellent cause. If you’ve got the time, be sure to head down to Historic Georgetown on Oct. 15-16 to enjoy a historical and cultural show like no other.