Beaufort Water Festival 2026: Joe Nichols and Tyler Reese Tritt Headline Concert in the Park
Country meets the coast
Story by Mary Bell
For one summer night Beaufort’s waterfront will trade quiet harbor views for guitar riffs, country anthems and thousands of fans gathering for one of the most anticipated events of the year. On July 18 the annual Beaufort Water Festival returns to Waterfront Park with Concert in the Park, featuring country music veteran Joe Nichols and rising artist Tyler Reese Tritt for an evening that promises big performances, waterfront views and the kind of summer memories the Lowcountry does best.
A country veteran takes the stage
For Nichols, whose career spans more than two decades and includes hit songs like Brokenheartsville, Gimme That Girl and Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off, the performance marks his first visit to Beaufort, though not his first appreciation for South Carolina.
“I love South Carolina, top to bottom,” Nichols said. “I love the coast. Gosh, some of the most beautiful country is over there. And the people of South Carolina — always that Southern hospitality. Love everything about that. It’s a great state, a beautiful state.”
A longtime fixture in country music, Nichols said performing for devoted country fans remains one of the most rewarding parts of life on the road, especially in Southern communities where audiences bring an energy all their own.
Currently touring alongside country legend Hank Williams Jr., Nichols said sharing the stage with artists who helped shape the genre has been one of the highlights of his career. More than 20 years after launching his own success, he continues balancing fan favorites with newer material while making sure every performance feels fresh.
“We try every night to make the new stuff sound as familiar as possible and the old stuff sound as fresh as possible,” he said.
This year also marks the 21st anniversary of Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off, a song Nichols immediately recognized as something special when he first recorded it — though he admits he never expected it to have the staying power it still has with audiences today.
Concertgoers can expect a setlist filled with familiar hits, a few surprises and the same relaxed confidence Nichols has built his career on.
“Hopefully we’ll go a little deep with new stuff and throw in a couple of curveballs people aren’t anticipating,” he said.
With a career spanning more than 20 years, Joe Nichols takes the stage at Beaufort Water Festival’s Concert in the Park on July 18, bringing a lineup of country favorites and plenty of Southern charm to the waterfront. ©Riker Brothers 
From Brokenheartsville to Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off, Nichols has spent more than two decades building a career filled with crowd favorites. This July he takes the stage in Beaufort for one of the summer’s biggest festival performances. ©Jessica Crans
A rising voice in country music
While Nichols brings decades of chart success and veteran stage presence, Tyler Reese Tritt represents country music’s next generation, blending traditional influences with rock and pop elements as she continues carving out a style distinctly her own.
“I’d say it’s ’90s country meets rock, but I also have a little bit of that country-pop flair thrown into it,” Tritt said. “It’s a perfect blend.”
Like Nichols, Tritt will also be experiencing Beaufort for the first time, something she said immediately excited her when festival organizers first reached out.
“They reached out, and I looked up the festival,” Tritt said. “It just seemed like the perfect fit, and I was like, ‘Yep, that’s what we’re going to do.’”
While she has performed on stages across the country, community festivals remain especially meaningful to Tritt because of the nostalgia they bring.
Growing up, she looked forward each year to attending the North Georgia State Fair, memories that continue shaping the way she views festivals today.
“It’s so nostalgic now when I go to play other fairs and festivals because it feels like you’re back home,” she said. “You get the same feeling all over again — all the smells, the sounds, everything.”
That sense of familiarity is one reason smaller festivals continue to stand out, even in an industry often focused on bigger venues and larger crowds.
“It feels more like home, honestly,” Tritt said. “I like the big venues and major festivals too, but there’s something different about these smaller community festivals. They’re family-oriented, and I absolutely love that.”
Carrying on a family tradition
Music has always surrounded Tritt, but growing up around the industry gave her a front-row seat long before she ever stepped on stage herself. After years spent watching her father, country star Travis Tritt, perform, she realized during high school that she wanted to pursue a career of her own while staying true to the person she is.
One lesson from her father continues guiding her as her career grows.
“Stay authentically you,” she said. “Stay genuine and true to who you are because people will try to change you or make you sound like something you’re not.”
For Tritt, one of the most rewarding parts of building her career has been the connection she forms with audiences each night.
“Seeing people react to new music and getting to experience that shared love of music together is amazing,” she said.
More than just a concert
Though they are at very different stages of their careers, both artists share the same goal when stepping onto the stage: giving audiences an unforgettable night and a chance to leave the outside world behind for a few hours.
For Tritt, success is simple.
“Maybe they’ve had a tough week or something heavy on their heart, and for a little while they can just let go and enjoy themselves,” she said. “If people walk away saying they had a really good time, then I’ve done my job.”
Nichols feels much the same way.
“I hope they’re talking about coming back to another show,” he said.
Let the festivities begin
From waterfront concerts and family-friendly competitions to air shows, parades and longtime local traditions, the 2026 Beaufort Water Festival returns July 17-26 with 10 days packed full of entertainment and community celebration. In addition to the featured events each day, visitors can also enjoy the Festival Arts & Crafts Market at Waterfront Park throughout the week, making it the perfect excuse to arrive early, browse local vendors and soak in the festival atmosphere before the main event begins.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Friday, July 17
- Opening Ceremony, Parris Island Marine Band with fireworks, 7 p.m., Waterfront Park
Saturday, July 18
- Raft Race, 8:30 a.m.-Noon, The Sands, Port Royal
- Bocce Tournament, 8 a.m., Waterfront Park
- Badminton Tournament, 9 a.m., Waterfront Park
- Children’s Toad Fishing Tournament, 10 a.m.-noon, Downtown Marina Seawall
- Concert in the Park with Joe Nichols and Tyler Reese Tritt, 7 p.m., Waterfront Park
Sunday, July 19
- River Rally, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., local waters
- Children’s Day, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Waterfront Park
- Ski Show, 1 p.m., Waterfront Park
- Teen Dance (ages 13-17), 6-9 p.m., Waterfront Park
Monday, July 20
- Motown Monday with Deas-Guyz, 8 p.m., Waterfront Park
Tuesday, July 21
- Caribbean Night with Ragga Lox, 8 p.m., Waterfront Park
Wednesday, July 22
- Talent Show, 7 p.m., Waterfront Park
Thursday, July 23
- Lowcountry Supper with The Whistlers, 6-7:30 p.m., Waterfront Park
Friday, July 24
- Meet & Greet with Air Show Pilots, 1:30–3:30 p.m., Beaufort Executive Airport
- Bed Race, 5 p.m., Corner of Bay & Harrington
- Rockin’ the River with the Hot Red Chili Peppers and Chris Jones, 8 p.m., Waterfront Park
Saturday, July 25
- Water Festival Grand Parade, 10 a.m.-noon, Downtown Beaufort
- Non-Profit Expo, noon-4 p.m., Waterfront Park
- Air Show, 1-4 p.m., Waterfront Park
- Commodore’s Ball with The Catalinas, 8 p.m., Waterfront Park
Sunday, July 26
- Blessing of the Fleet & Parade of Boats,12:30-2 p.m., Waterfront Park
