Third-generation, family-owned seafood market just steps from Old Town celebrates local shrimp, Lowcountry heritage and the people who keep the coastal seafood tradition alive

Russo’s Fresh Seafood, a third-generation, family-owned seafood market located just steps away from Old Town Bluffton, is proud to participate for the first time in the 22nd Annual Historic Bluffton Arts & Seafood Festival, taking place October 9–18, 2026, with a special Lowcountry Boil Night on Friday, October 16, from 6–8:30 p.m.

After a day exploring Bluffton’s historic streets, local art and coastal culture, festivalgoers are invited to make the short trip to Russo’s Fresh Seafood for an evening centered around one of the Lowcountry’s most treasured traditions: fresh, locally sourced seafood shared around the table with family, friends, and community. The event will be held in Russo’s beautiful brand-new on-site pavilion.

The evening will feature a classic Lowcountry boil highlighting wild-caught shrimp harvested from local waters, along with live music performed by Bottles and Cans Band. The celebration will recognize not only the food itself, but also the fishermen, shrimpers and generations of coastal families who make the Lowcountry seafood industry possible. A portion of the proceeds from every ticket sold will go back to the Historic Bluffton Arts & Seafood Festival, allowing Russo’s to celebrate the festival while directly supporting it.

“For our family, seafood has always been about much more than what ends up on the plate,” said Charles Russo III, owner of Russo’s Fresh Seafood Bluffton. “It’s about the people who catch it, the families who have built their livelihoods around our waters and the communities that come together around a great meal. We’re incredibly proud to partner with the Arts & Seafood Festival for the first time and to share our family’s tradition with Bluffton.”

Russo’s family seafood tradition began in 1946, when Charles and Antoinette Russo established Russo’s Seafood in Savannah. Eight decades and three generations later, the family continues its commitment to freshness, quality, and relationships with fishing families throughout the region.

That history makes the Historic Bluffton Arts & Seafood Festival a natural fit. The annual celebration highlights locally harvested seafood, Lowcountry cuisine, art, history, and the unique character of Bluffton while recognizing the importance of protecting the waterways that sustain the community.

Russo’s Lowcountry Boil Night will offer guests an opportunity to experience that mission firsthand — supporting a local family-owned business while enjoying seafood connected directly to the waters and hardworking people of the region, all accompanied by the sounds of Bottles and Cans Band.

“This is exactly what a seafood festival should celebrate,” Russo said. “Local seafood, local businesses, local families and the traditions that make the Lowcountry such a special place to call home.”

The 22nd Annual Historic Bluffton Arts & Seafood Festival runs October 9–18, 2026, throughout Bluffton, S.C., culminating with Street Fest October 17 and 18.

Russo’s Fresh Seafood Lowcountry Boil Night

Friday, October 16, 2026

6–8:30 p.m.

Russo’s Fresh Seafood Bluffton

246 Red Cedar Street, Bluffton, SC 29910

Additional event and ticket information is available through Russo’s Fresh Seafood Bluffton and the Historic Bluffton Arts & Seafood Festival.