Turtle Tide Art Project

Turtle Tide is the Edisto Chamber of Commerce’s public art project: local artists paint loggerhead turtle sculptures, the finished pieces spend turtle season on display around Edisto Island, and an auction at the end raises money for island nonprofits. The project is sitting out 2026; the Chamber says it is “taking a break this year to come back even stronger in 2027,” with a reveal planned for late May or early June.

At a Glance

• When: Next season 2027. Reveal in late May or early June (date not set); sculptures on display through turtle season, May–October.
• Where: Sites around Edisto Island
• Cost: Free to view
• Organizer: Edisto Chamber of Commerce, 843-869-3867
• Good for: Families, photographers, anyone curious about Edisto’s loggerheads

Why a Turtle?

Loggerheads nest on Edisto’s beaches every summer, and much of island life bends around them: lights off on the beach at night from May to October, holes filled in, nests marked and left alone. Turtle Tide takes that seasonal rhythm and turns it into a scavenger hunt. The sculptures go out at the start of nesting season and come in at the end. If you want to understand what the real turtles need while you’re here, read our sea turtle protection rules.

From Blank Sculpture to Auction Block

Each edition follows the same arc. Artists receive blank turtle forms, paint them, and the Chamber reveals the set. The finished pieces are placed at spots around the island for the summer and early fall. Then they’re auctioned, and each sculpture’s proceeds go to the nonprofit it was assigned to. The project began in 2022. In 2025 the lineup widened to include a dolphin, a deer and an oyster shell alongside the turtles.

The auction has usually been in October. In 2025 weather pushed it back, and it was held on December 12 at 3 p.m. during the Holiday Mix & Mingle Market at Bay Creek Park.

What the Auctions Have Raised

• 2022: over $60,000
• 2023: over $90,000
• 2024: over $97,000
• 2025: over $51,800

That’s more than $298,000 across the first four years. The 2025 beneficiaries were ALOE Canine Rescue, Edisto Art Guild, Edisto Beach Loggerhead Turtle Project, Edisto Belles, Edisto Island Community Clinic, Edisto Island Lions Club, Edisto Island Open Land Trust, Edisto Seniors, FRESPACE and New First Missionary Baptist Church. The list runs from the beach town to the island’s historic churches and its land trust, so the money stays spread across all of Edisto.

Plan Your Visit

When the turtles return, finding them is a good excuse to see more of the island than the beachfront. Mix the hunt with a drive up SC-174 to the Edisto Island Museum, a stop at King’s Farm Market, or an afternoon on the bike path between the marina and Jungle Road. Kids who get hooked on turtles can keep going with our things to do with kids, and photographers will find tips in our photography guide.

Turtle Tide isn’t a single-day event, so there’s nothing to plan a trip around in the usual sense. If you visit between June and October 2027, though, the sculptures will be part of the scenery, and the end-of-season auction is worth timing a fall trip for if you’re a collector.

FAQ

Is Turtle Tide happening in 2026?

No. The Chamber paused the project for 2026, so there are no sculptures on display and no auction this year.

When does Turtle Tide come back?

In 2027, with a reveal event in late May or early June. The Chamber hasn’t set a date yet.

Does it cost anything to see the turtles?

No. The sculptures are free to view wherever they’re placed. Bidding at the auction is the only cost.

Where does the auction money go?

Each sculpture is tied to a specific Edisto nonprofit, and that piece’s proceeds go to it. The 2025 list included ten island groups, from animal rescue to the community clinic.

Details from the Edisto Chamber of Commerce’s Turtle Tide page as of October 2026; check there or call 843-869-3867 for 2027 news. See every island happening on our Edisto Island events page.