Historic Beaufort Foundation hosts the 52nd annual Fall Festival of Houses & Gardens Oct 16-18
September 15, 2026
Some of Beaufort’s most historic homes, churches and properties will open their doors to the public Oct. 16-18 for the 52nd annual Fall Festival of Houses & Gardens, an event that this year will focus on the city’s history during the Civil War and Reconstruction.
Hosted by the Historic Beaufort Foundation, the three-day festival offers visitors a rare chance to explore private properties and historic sites not generally open to the public. The annual event also serves as one of the foundation’s primary fundraisers supporting its efforts to preserve Beaufort’s architectural and cultural heritage.
Tickets and additional information are available through the Historic Beaufort Foundation. Historic Beaufort Foundation Fall Festival information(opens in new tab)
The festival begins Friday, Oct. 16, with an evening reception and discussion featuring Southern historians Dr. John McCardell and Dr. Steve Wise. The member-only event, scheduled for 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., will examine the Civil War and Reconstruction in Beaufort and take place at the Dr. Joseph Johnson House, known as The Castle, a circa-1861 property.
Saturday’s centerpiece, “Beaufort Transformed,” runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The walking tour will feature homes, churches and other sites connected to the Civil War and Reconstruction.
After federal troops captured Beaufort in November 1861, many local homes, churches and commercial buildings were occupied or repurposed as military headquarters, hospitals, quarters and other facilities during the war. The Saturday tour will explore several of those properties and their place in Beaufort’s history.
The weekend concludes Sunday with a Lowcountry Brunch & Tour at Frogmore Manor, a circa-1810 property on St. Helena Island. The property, once part of a much larger plantation, includes the historic manor house, barn and windmill/water tower. The barn is an example of early tabby construction.
The Sunday program will also explore the history of Penn School and its founders, Laura Towne and Ellen Murray, who purchased and lived at Frogmore Plantation after the Civil War. Historians Dr. Lawrence S. Rowland and Dr. Mollie Barnes are scheduled to discuss the history of St. Helena Island, Frogmore and the school.
The festival reflects a tradition that has continued for more than five decades, with homeowners opening private properties to help support preservation efforts in Beaufort.
Saturday tickets are $75 for Historic Beaufort Foundation members and $85 for nonmembers. Sunday’s brunch and tour are $175 for members and $200 for nonmembers. A 10% discount is available for Saturday-Sunday ticket bundles. The Friday evening program is limited to members and costs $200.
All tours and events will be held rain or shine, and tickets are nonrefundable. The foundation generally recommends that children younger than 12 not attend, although it will consider individual circumstances.
Tickets and additional information are available through the Historic Beaufort Foundation. Historic Beaufort Foundation Fall Festival information(opens in new tab)
