Cookin’ on the Creek BBQ Festival

Date update: the most recent Cookin’ on the Creek BBQ was on June 5, 2026. We’ll post the 2027 date here once the organizers announce it. Until then, the details below describe the last event.

Cookin’ on the Creek is Edisto’s early-summer barbecue weekend, held at Bay Creek Park beside the marina at the western end of Edisto Beach. The 2026 festival ran Friday and Saturday, June 5–6, pairing a Friday-night wing contest with Saturday barbecue sampling, and admission was free.

At a Glance

• When: 2026 edition held June 5–6; 2027 dates not yet announced
• Where: Bay Creek Park, 3706 Docksite Road, Edisto Island
• Cost: Free to enter; barbecue samples were $1 each while they lasted, with beer and wine for sale
• Organizer: Edisto Chamber of Commerce
• Good for: Food lovers, families, and anyone starting a June beach week

How the 2026 Weekend Played Out

The festival split cleanly into two moods. Friday, June 5, from 6 to 10 p.m., was the Wing Showdown with live music, an evening crowd that drifted in after check-in day at the rental. Saturday, June 6, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., was the daytime portion: barbecue sampling, People’s Choice voting, and a “Butt” competition sanctioned by the South Carolina BBQ Association.

That Saturday window is short. If barbecue is the reason you came, get to the park close to 11, because samples were sold only while supplies held out.

Why the Creek Matters

Bay Creek Park is the Town of Edisto Beach’s waterfront park on Big Bay Creek, right beside the marina. It’s home to the Wednesday market from April through October and to many of the island’s biggest weekends, from the Fourth of July fireworks to the Christmas Holiday Market. A festival listing says Cookin’ on the Creek proceeds go back to the park itself, so a plate of barbecue here helps support the place that hosts so much of the island calendar.

A Few House Rules

• No outside coolers. Plan to buy drinks on site.
• Leashed pets were allowed in 2026, which is not true of every Bay Creek Park event.
• Bring a folding chair or blanket if you want to sit through a set of music.
• Carry small bills; $1 samples go faster when you aren’t waiting on change.

Is It Worth Planning a Trip Around?

For most visitors, Cookin’ on the Creek is a great reason to pick one June weekend over another rather than a reason to drive in for a single afternoon. It’s free, relaxed, and over by mid-afternoon Saturday, which leaves the rest of the weekend for the beach. If you’re already weighing a late-spring trip, lining it up with the festival adds a lively evening and an easy lunch without much effort.

Plan Your Visit

• Getting there: Everyone arrives on SC-174, which becomes Palmetto Boulevard in town. Turn onto Docksite Road near the west end of the beach town; the park sits next to The Marina at Edisto Beach.
• Bike or cart: The paved bike path follows Docksite Road and Jungle Road, so renters in the beach town can pedal over. Golf carts stick to secondary streets and can’t drive along Palmetto Boulevard.
• Make a day of it: Spend Saturday morning in Edisto Beach State Park, eat at the festival, then pick up produce on the way home at King’s Farm Market on SC-174.
• Evening plans: Friday dinner can be the wings; Saturday night, try one of the island’s seafood restaurants, many within a short drive of the park.
• Weather: June afternoons get hot. Check the Edisto weather page and bring a hat.

FAQ

When is Cookin’ on the Creek in 2027?

The organizers haven’t posted 2027 dates yet. The festival has been a Friday–Saturday event in early June; watch the Chamber’s festival page or the Cookin on the Creek Facebook page for the announcement.

Does it cost anything to get in?

No. Entry was free in 2026. You paid only for what you ate and drank, with barbecue samples at $1 apiece.

Can I bring my dog?

In 2026, yes, as long as the dog stayed on a leash. Rules can change from year to year, so check before you go.

Where do I park?

Parking is around Bay Creek Park and the marina on Docksite Road and fills up at peak times. If you’re staying in the beach town, biking over is the easy answer.

Details from the Edisto Chamber of Commerce as of October 2026; confirm with the organizer at 843-869-3867 before you go. More island happenings are in our Edisto Island events calendar.