3 Aug 3-day Atalaya Arts and Crafts Festival to shine again at Murrells Inlet state park Once again, Atalaya Castle at Huntington Beach State Park on South Carolina’s Hammock Coast® will come alive with handmade artwork, live music, and local cuisine during the Atalaya Arts and Crafts Festival. More than 100 artists and craftsmen are expected to exhibit their work outside, in the castle’s courtyard, and inside the castle’s rooms at the 51st annual Atalaya Arts and Crafts Festival, set for Sept. 25-27, 2026, at the state park in Murrells Inlet. “The Atalaya Arts and Crafts Festival is one of the largest and oldest festivals of its kind,” said Mike Walker, an interpretive ranger at Huntington Beach State Park. “With incredible diversity and variety of both art and artists, only the best of the best is featured during this juried art show.” The popular arts and crafts festival is back at Huntington Beach State Park Sept. 25-27, 2026. (Photo courtesy of SCPRT) The three-day Atalaya Arts and Crafts Festival, which will take place from noon to 5 p.m. on Friday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, is hosted in Atalaya, the former home of New York philanthropist Archer Huntington and his wife, artist Anna Hyatt Huntington, the acclaimed sculptress who established Brookgreen Gardens in the 1930s in Murrells Inlet. Admission is $10 for adults 16 and older, and free for children ages 15 and under. The Huntingtons built their Moorish-style winter home during the Great Depression, with a maze of rooms surrounding a water tower, a lush courtyard lined with palmetto trees and adjacent to a spacious sculpture studio. “This spectacular setting — the Atalaya Castle, a National Historic Landmark — has to be seen to be believed,” Walker said. “And as the former residence of a world-renowned artist, Anna Hyatt Huntington, it is a very fitting site for such a festival.” This year’s festival sponsor is Brookgreen Gardens. Plan a visit and explore the connection to the Atalaya Castle and Huntington Beach State Park while visiting the Hammock Coast. Visitors to the Atalaya Arts and Crafts Festival will also be treated to live music performed by accomplished local musicians on an outdoor stage, as well as a food court with seafood, barbecue, and other culinary delights. “Come for the arts and crafts, stay for the entertainment, food, and scenic beauty,” Walker said. “Live musical performances and a variety of food trucks and vendors offering local delicacies will be featured.” South Carolina State Park Service Marketing Manager Gwen Davenport said that the Atalaya Arts & Crafts Festival is an event people should not miss. “I love the variety of arts and crafts and the quality of the arts and crafts on display,” she said. “I also love that we hold this festival in the former home of artist Anna Hyatt Huntington. Not only do you get to come to an art show, but you also get to explore the castle and home of the Huntingtons.” Located along U.S. 17 in Murrells Inlet, Huntington Beach State Park offers tens of thousands of visitors every year a chance to enjoy one of the most pristine beaches on South Carolina coast. The 2,500-acre park’s freshwater lagoon, salt marsh and maritime forest are outstanding examples of the state’s natural coastal environment, and the park is widely regarded as one of the best birding sites along the East Coast. Its natural history is highlighted in the park’s Environmental Education Center. Arts and crafts can be found outside and inside Atalaya Castle at the Murrells Inlet State Park. (Photo courtesy of SCPRT) South Carolina’s Hammock Coast® is located between Myrtle Beach to the north and Charleston to the south and is made up of the beach communities of southern Garden City, Huntington Beach, Litchfield Beach, Pawleys Island, and DeBordieu Colony near Georgetown. Huntington Beach State Park is one of the Hammock Coast’s top attractions. Daily admission for the festival is $10 per adult (age 16 and older). Admission may be purchased at the festival gate in the park. Dogs and pets of any kind are not permitted through the festival gates. Please also note that stroller and wheelchair access can be difficult due to uneven surfaces, stairs, crowds, and narrow hallways. “This is a very professional show with artisans and craftspeople from all over – not just the local area or South Carolina for that matter,” Davenport said. “Come shop and look around and your ticket will get you in for the entire weekend –in case you need to see if a certain piece of artwork will fit in that special place in your home.” For more information about the Atalaya Arts and Crafts Festival, call Huntington Beach State Park at 843-237-4440. Or visit the festival’s website. By Clayton Stairs / tourism manager for the Georgetown County Chamber of Commerce and South Carolina’s Hammock Coast® 0 Hammock-All, Litchfield, Murrells Inlet, Pawleys Island
