COMMODORE JOSH SCHOTT

68th Annual Beaufort Water Festival

story by MEGAN THIBAULT MORRIS          photos by CHARLOTTE BERKELEY

The Beaufort Water Festival tradition lives on this year, led by the 68th Commodore Josh Schott and First Lady Brooke Schott.

Becoming Commodore is a time-honored designation, achieved by investing years of service to bringing the annual Water Festival’s ten days of events, sporting activities, and Lowcountry celebrations to the community.

Rising through the ranks and learning all aspects of the Festival is just what Josh and Brooke have accomplished. While they’ve both officially been volunteers for more than a decade, they were part of the Water Festival as they watched parents, Wilmot and Julie Schott, achieve the same designation almost two decades prior.

Wilmot was the 54th Commodore, making he and Josh the first father-son duo in Water Festival history.
“I couldn’t be prouder to see my son as the Commodore,” says Wilmot. “It is awesome to see him involved with the community and leading the Water Festival. He is a remarkable young man and I thank God every day for him. I wish he and Brooke all the best with this year’s Water Festival.”

Wilmot’s wife, Julie, was a Pirette in 1974 while in high school and then a Pirette leader before becoming First Lady. Brooke followed in her footsteps as she was a Pirette in 1998 and then Pirette director for six years. Josh and Brooke’s daughter, Ava, was a Pirette in 2023, and she and her brother, Joshua, have volunteered alongside their parents as the third generation of the Schott family intertwined with the Water Festival family.

“We love the Water Festival and what it means to our family and our community,” says Commodore Schott. “We hope that everyone has a chance to be involved, have fun, and create lasting memories as we celebrate Beaufort.”

There are hundreds of volunteers that the Commodore oversees, along with a full year of planning for the July festivities to bring one of the largest volunteer-led festivals to life. It’s as much work as a full-time job, one that pays out with remarkable friendships and memories. That is why the Commodore chose this year’s theme, “A Summer to Remember.”

The Schotts also created the annual Water Festival t-shirt design with the downtown bridge. They love it as a symbol of Beaufort and the perspective it gives, both looking out over the Henry C. Chamber waterfront park, Water Festival’s location, and the perspective one gets while waiting for it to open and close to boat traffic, an almost daily occurrence.

Amidst the dozens of events – there is something for everyone – Josh says his favorite (a difficult choice to make!) has to be Opening Night, when the Festival kicks off, the park fills, the Parris Island Marine Band plays, and the fireworks signify the start of another year of the ongoing tradition. Brooke’s favorite night is Motown Monday, when Deas Guyz fills the air with classic Motown hits. Both have fond memories of other events they attended as children and teenagers too – notably, the Teen Dance, Raft Races, and Fishing Tournament.

One event that is also very special to Josh and Brooke is the Commodore’s Ball. That is when they were announced as the new Commodore and First Lady to kick off the 68th year and danced on stage with their family, donning red and white “Commodore colors.” It’s also the event when, twenty years ago in 2004, Josh proposed to Brooke, and they became engaged!

As avid boaters, the Schotts love being on the water and living the Lowcountry lifestyle, which is why they uniquely had their photos taken on the Beaufort sandbar. After all, the Water Festival was established as a celebration of the annual shrimping season and living life among the beautiful Lowcountry landscape and waterways.

It is only fitting that Josh’s first role as “Director” was for the Water and Air events under Tank Morris, who went on to be the 65th Commodore, and his first “Coordinator” role was for the same events under the 60th Commodore Bill Damude.

Josh also served as a coordinator of Public Relations, Productions, Sports, Parks, Sponsors, and Sales and Merchandise. The structure of the organization and planning has been refined over time, something Josh has great respect for.

“It’s been rewarding to see the Water Festival evolve over time and the well-oiled machine it has become. Everyone is dedicated to fulfilling their volunteer roles each year, and the leadership and communication skills I’ve developed through the organization has greatly helped me succeed in my career.”

Josh has been an employee of Dominion Energy for 19 years since it was SCE&G. He currently serves as a lineman/relief supervisor and has extensive experience in taking care of the community’s power needs, often putting in overtime to respond to downed lines and calls for service. Brooke is a manager of The Kitchen, and the two are fully immersed in serving their community through work and volunteerism.
As champions of the Water Festival volunteers, Josh and Brooke are excited at the opportunity to steer the ship wheel in 2024. They encourage everyone to partake in the festivities and have “A Summer to Remember!”