Celebrating Bluffton 2025: a year of community events and connection

The Town of Bluffton has launched Celebrating Bluffton 2025, an expanded series of community events designed to give residents more opportunities to connect with neighbors and spend time with friends and family.

Since 2021, the town has continued to build out its calendar of town-hosted events as a way to bring people back together after the pandemic. This year, that calendar has grown further with the opening of Bluffton’s new Welcome Center in February. Located in the historic Squire Pope Carriage House at Wright Family Park, the Welcome Center now serves as a hub for education and community programming. It is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The events included in Celebrating Bluffton 2025 are intended to offer something for everyone. Whether it’s a family movie in the park, a river cleanup, or a long-standing tradition like the christmas parade, these gatherings give us all a chance to step away from our screens and daily routines and spend time with one another.

As Bluffton continues to grow, the town has prioritized events as a way to keep our sense of community strong. These events are meant to preserve and promote connection—whether you’ve lived here all your life or just moved to town.

Among the featured activities is the Movie in the Parks series, with family-friendly films shown monthly at various locations. On June 6th, Garfield the Movie will be screened at Buckwalter Place Park from 6 to 8 p.m.

May also includes several additional events:
• May 15th: Historic Preservation Symposium – Town Hall – 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• Every Thursday in May at noon: Historic Preservation Month lecture series at Wright Family Park, exploring Bluffton’s early families and landmarks.
May 8: “Who Was Squire Pope?”
May 15: “The Church of the Cross”

Summer brings more activities for children, including waterslide days, the Independence Day fireworks celebration, and the Mayor’s Cup 5K and concert on July 2nd. The Bluffton Concert Series continues with performances in August, October, and November. The year wraps up with the Town’s Christmas Tree Lighting, Santa’s Workshop, holiday movie night, and the annual Bluffton Christmas Parade.

We invite you to pack a picnic, grab a blanket, and join your neighbors at one of these free events. They are not only opportunities to enjoy our parks and public spaces—they are reminders of what makes Bluffton unique.

For full event details and updates, please follow the Town of Bluffton’s Government Facebook and Instagram pages. You may also contact Lyndee Simoneaux, the Town’s director of events and venues, at: lsimoneaux@townofbluffton.com.

On behalf of Town Council and staff, I look forward to seeing you at an event this year. Let’s continue to strengthen Bluffton’s connections—one gathering at a time.

Larry Toomer is the mayor of the Town of Bluffton. ltoomer@townofbluffton.com