Tybee Island Seafood Fest 2026: Dates, Oyster Roast & Festival Day

Tybee Island Seafood Fest is a new fall event on Savannah's beach, and 2026 is its first year. The short answer: it runs November 8-15, 2026. All week, participating Tybee restaurants serve seafood specials. On Friday, November 13, there's an Oyster Roast and Lowcountry Boil at Hotel Tybee. On Saturday, November 14, the main festival runs from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the Tybee Pier and Pavilion. If you can only go once, make it Saturday.

TL;DR: Tybee Seafood Fest 2026

• Dates: Sunday, November 8 through Sunday, November 15, 2026. This is the first year, per the Savannah Area Chamber and WTOC.
• Restaurant week: participating Tybee restaurants and shops run seafood specials and festival menus all week.
• Oyster Roast and Lowcountry Boil: Friday, November 13, at Hotel Tybee. It benefits Heads-Up Guidance Services (HUGS), a local nonprofit for children and families.
• Festival day: Saturday, November 14, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., at the Tybee Island Pier and Pavilion. Expect live bands, seafood vendors, a Kids' Zone, and a shrimp-peeling contest.
• Still to be announced: ticket prices and the list of participating restaurants. Watch tybeeseafoodfest.com.
• Getting there: Tybee is about 20-25 minutes from downtown Savannah on US-80. All parking on the island is paid.

What Is the Tybee Seafood Fest?

It's a weeklong celebration of the island's seafood, launched in 2026. It spreads across a full week and ends in one big day by the ocean.

The idea is simple. Eat your way around the island all week, then come to the pier on Saturday for music, vendors, and a crowd. Mid-November is quiet on Tybee, so the festival also gives people a reason to visit after summer ends.

Because it's a first-year event, some details are still coming. The official site, tybeeseafoodfest.com, is where updates will appear. Check it before you book around a specific event.

When Is Tybee Seafood Fest 2026?

The festival runs November 8-15, 2026. The Visit Savannah event listing and local news coverage agree on these three parts:

• November 8-15 (all week): restaurant specials at participating businesses across the island.
• Friday, November 13 (evening): Oyster Roast and Lowcountry Boil at Hotel Tybee.
• Saturday, November 14, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.: the main Tybee Seafood Festival at the pier.

The Oyster Roast's start time hadn't been posted when we wrote this, so confirm it on the festival site. For the rest of the month in town, see our Savannah in November guide.

What Happens on Festival Day?

Saturday is the main event. It runs 10 hours, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., at the Tybee Island Pier and Pavilion, where Tybrisa Street meets the beach on the island's south end. Organizers list:

• live bands through the day and evening
• fresh seafood from food vendors
• local vendors, arts, and crafts
• a Kids' Zone, games, and family entertainment
• a shrimp-peeling contest

Whether the festival grounds are free or ticketed hadn't been announced at the time of writing. Plan on paying for food, drinks, and parking either way.

The pier area is also the center of Tybee's shops and bars. That makes it easy to walk out onto the pier, spend time on the beach, and come back for the evening bands.

What Is the Oyster Roast and Lowcountry Boil?

It's the festival's Friday night event: an oyster roast and Lowcountry boil with live entertainment on November 13 at Hotel Tybee, 1401 Strand Avenue. It raises money for Heads-Up Guidance Services, a nonprofit that supports children and families.

A Lowcountry boil is the coast's big one-pot meal: shrimp, smoked sausage, corn, and potatoes, boiled together and served in a heap. Paired with roasted oysters, it's a classic Georgia coast gathering.

A charity event like this will likely need its own ticket, and space may be limited. Watch the festival site for ticket details. For more on local oysters, read our guide to oysters in Savannah.

Local tip: Make a weekend of it. Book a room for Friday night, walk to the oyster roast, and wake up a few blocks from Saturday's festival. You'll avoid the US-80 traffic on festival morning. You'll also skip the hunt for parking near the pier, which is the hardest part of any big Tybee event.

Which Restaurants Are Participating?

The list of participating restaurants hadn't been published when we wrote this. The festival says participating businesses will offer exclusive seafood dishes, special menus, and festival-inspired experiences all week.

Check tybeeseafoodfest.com closer to November 8 for names and menus. Weeknights will be much calmer than Saturday, so the restaurant specials are the best way to enjoy the festival without the crowds.

Staying in Savannah and want seafood on the nights you're not on the island? Browse our Savannah seafood restaurants. Tubby's Tank House on River Drive in Thunderbolt sits on the water east of downtown. The Chart House on West Bay Street looks over the Savannah River.

Is Tybee Seafood Fest Good for Kids?

Saturday is built with families in mind. The festival lists a Kids' Zone, games, and all-ages entertainment. Earlier in the day is usually easier with young children, before the evening music crowd arrives.

The Friday oyster roast feels more like a grown-up night out, so check any age rules before bringing kids. For more family ideas, see our Savannah with kids guide.

How Do You Get to Tybee From Savannah?

One road leads to the island: US-80 East, across the marsh and over the Lazaretto Creek bridge. On a normal day it's about 20-25 minutes from the Historic District. On festival Saturday, give yourself extra time.

All parking on Tybee is paid, and lots near the pier fill first. If you plan to drink at the oyster roast or festival, take a rideshare, and book your ride home before the evening crowd leaves. Our Tybee Island day trip guide covers the drive, parking, and beach basics. For help choosing a stretch of sand, see our Savannah beach guide.

What Else Can You Do on Tybee That Week?

Mid-November days on the coast are often mild, so the water is still worth a morning:

• Dolphin cruise: Captain Derek's Dolphin Adventure runs out of Lazaretto Creek, just before the island. Our Tybee dolphin tours guide compares the options.
• Paddle to Little Tybee: Sea Kayak Georgia runs guided kayak trips to the undeveloped barrier island across the creek. Confirm the fall schedule directly.
• Climb the lighthouse: the Tybee Island Light Station is Georgia's oldest lighthouse. Check hours before you go.

Evenings get cool and breezy by the ocean, so bring a layer for Saturday night by the pier.

Where Should You Stay?

For the full festival, staying on Tybee is hard to beat. Hotel Tybee hosts the Friday event, and the pier is a short walk away on the south end. Book early, since a new festival can fill a small island faster than you'd expect.

Staying in Savannah gives you more choices and better rates, with the drive as the tradeoff. Our Tybee Island vs. Savannah guide walks through that choice. You can also browse the full Savannah hotels directory. If you loved October's costume weekend on the island, our Tybee Pirate Fest guide covers Tybee's other big fall festival.

Bottom Line: Tybee Island Seafood Fest 2026

The first Tybee Seafood Fest runs November 8-15, 2026. It has a week of seafood specials at participating island restaurants, an Oyster Roast and Lowcountry Boil at Hotel Tybee on Friday, November 13, and a festival day at the Tybee Pier and Pavilion on Saturday, November 14, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Ticket prices and the restaurant list were still to come at the time of writing, so check tybeeseafoodfest.com before you go. For the best experience, stay on the island Friday night, park once, and use a rideshare if you're drinking.