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The Washington Summer Festival is set to return to the waterfront this weekend after a one-year hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The free two-day event features vendors, live music, rides, fireworks and other amusements. The festival is the Washington-Beaufort County Chamber of Commerce’s largest fundraising event, accounting for roughly half of its yearly budget.

The city is encouraging everyone who attends to follow CDC guidelines in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The Summer Festival is typically held in June, but this year the event was pushed back amid uncertainty about the pandemic. WBCCC Director Catherine Glover said it will effectively serve as a celebration of the start of the new school year.

The festival will run from 5-10 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 27, and from 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. on Saturday. Here’s a look at the schedule.

On Friday, all food, vendors and amusements will become available at 5 p.m. Summer festival T-shirts will be available before the festival at the Chamber of Commerce building, which is located at 102 Stewart Parkway, and during the festival near that same building. Food donations for Eagle’s Wings will be collected in front of the chamber during both days of the festival. The Castaways, a band that specializes in beach music, will perform on the Festival Park stage from 7-10 p.m. There will be a fireworks display at 10 p.m.

Saturday’s slate features pottery demos from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the Turnage Theater; all-you-can-ride amusements from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.; a ukulele circle at Festival Park from 10-10:45 a.m., and a drum circle from 11 -11:45 a.m. at the same location; Little Washington Sailing School boat rides from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the Sailing School dock; a “duckie race” for Beaufort County United Way at 3 p.m. a performance by blues artist DieDra Ruff from 4 – 6 p.m. on the Chamber deck; and a performance by The Monterio Experience from 7-10 p.m. on the Festival Park stage.