How We Came, Hummed, and Conquered the Kazoo Factory
You can’t be in Beaufort, South Carolina, and not go on the Kaboozie Kazoo Factory tour.
When called ahead, and they told us the morning tours had a class of first graders on them. We didn’t want to wait until late afternoon—we were heading back on the road after the tour—so we just went for it. First graders and all.
And I’m telling you now: I’m so glad those kids were there. Just the right kind of chaos. So much more fun with curious, loud, delightful, and weirdly well-behaved kids. Zach probably needed more monitoring than the entire class. 😑
A guide ushered us into a small theater space for the opening film—featuring someone named Kanokie Kazan. We still don’t know who she was, but she had presence. Authority. Possibly a kazoo-based diploma.
The kids were riveted. Zach asked if there would be popcorn or explosions. There weren’t—and yet, not a single kid demanded a refund.
Then the real tour began.
They brought us into the museum, and let me just say—whatever you’re picturing, make it louder and tackier in the best way possible. This place was part history, part craft store fever dream, part patriotic kazoo shrine.
Let’s just take a moment to appreciate the American flag built entirely out of red, white, and blue kazoos. And no, you’re not hallucinating—that is a real thing I stood in front of. And yes, I felt feelings.
After the museum, we walked through the actual factory floor. Bright red tables. Bins full of kazoo parts. Equipment that probably once had a very specific OSHA manual.
Zach wanted to pull every lever. I wanted to frame the neon sign.
Then there was the gift shop.
Oh, the gift shop.
Socks. Stickers. Kazoos. Signs. Tote bags. Hoodies and so much more! If it could be kazoo-branded, it was. And yes—we bought things. No one escaped.
Kaboozie Kazoo Factory Tour Pics
There was something so wonderfully earnest about it all. No irony. No cool detachment. Just pure love for this funny little instrument that makes the world buzz.
We’ve done breweries, a soap factory, even a chocolate factory—but this might be the only one where I left with a musical instrument and the urge to redecorate in red plastic.
The Kaboozie Kazoo Factory keeps the world humming—and for one very weird and wonderful morning, we helped.
This was the last post I finished before a rogue bicycle attempted to assassinate me. The last post I wrote before I took a brief, unplanned hiatus… launched into the air with the greatest of ease, and folded sideways like a ragdoll who’d just seen their rent go up. A bicycle was involved. So was my dignity. I’ve since recovered, mostly, and shared the whole unraveling over here for anyone who enjoys gravity-based plot twists.