How to for March 7: Hilton Head St. Pat’s Parade + mind your Ps and Qs

Your how-to for the week of March 7.

Be active . . .

Step out on Hilton Head for the St. Pat’s parade

If you’re not one of the hundreds marching in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade on March 13, be among the thousands who park and walk over to Pope Avenue to celebrate one of Hilton Head’s favorite traditions.

Started in 1983 (there wasn’t a parade in ’84, making this the 33rd annual), the little community parade has grown to about 150 entries of floats, a wide range of bands, dancers, and Shriners. The parade has been listed as one of the Southeast Tourism Society's Top 20 Events for March.

Crowds swell to about 25,000 spectators, so get there in time for the 3 p.m. start.

Be joyful . . .

Sea Pines Resort welcomes HHI Wine & Food Festival

Raise your glass and make a toast to a week of good cheer, thanks to the Hilton Head Island Wine & Food Festival. The 31st annual celebration starts March 7 at 6 at the Wine and Cinema event at Custom Audio Video, 48 Pennington Drive in Bluffton.

All other activities are at Sea Pines Resort and include knowledge sessions on Tuesday through Friday at the Plantation Club, the Sip and Stroll on Thursday at Harbour Town, the Grand Tasting at the Harbour Town Clubhouse on Friday and the Public Tasting on Saturday at Harbour Town.

Known as ‘the largest outdoor wine tasting,” the Public Tasting features more than 250 wines from all the world, along with the island’s top chefs at the Sysco Outdoor Gourmet Challenge, live jazz entertainment and the waiters’ race.

When: Monday, March 7 through Saturday’s public tasting (gates open at 11 a.m. and tasting starts at noon)

Where: Bluffton (March 7) and Sea Pines Resort

Cost: Varies

Details: www.hiltonheadwineandfood.com or call 843-686-4944

Hilton Head hosts international piano competition

Get ready to be wowed by 20 of the world’s most talented pianists who will perform at the Hilton Head International Piano Competition.

The 21th annual event showcases musicians ages 18 to 30 who will compete in four rounds for $34,000 in cash prizes, the chance to perform at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall, a return engagement as soloist with the Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra and other performance opportunities.

The first two rounds are Monday through Thursday at the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, 14 Shelter Cove Lane. The semifinals on Saturday and the finals on Monday, March 14, are at First Presbyterian Church of Hilton Head, 3001 Meeting St.

Each of the three finalists will perform a complete concerto, chosen from the 2016 approved concerto list, with the Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra.

For tickets, prices and details, go to www.hhipc.org.

Palmetto Quilt Guild has you covered

Celebrate the Palmetto Quilt Guild’s 25th anniversary at its biennial Quilt Festival 2016. More than 150 quilts - that will be pre-judged - will be on display from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday/Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at Hilton Head Island Beach and Tennis Resort, 40 Folly Field Road.

Quilts also will be on sale, along with more than 200 handcrafted items such as aprons, teddy bears and other fabulous fiber art.

Admission is $7 at the door. For more information, go to www.palmettoquiltguild.org.

How I connect

Be involved . . .

The Sea Island Fly Fishers meeting: 6 p.m. March 9, Bay Street Outfitters, 825 Bay St., Beaufort. 843-441-4023

The Opera Lovers of Hilton Head, “The Green Table”: 1 p.m. March 9, The Seabrook, 300 Woodhaven Drive, Hilton Head Island. 843-715-2610

Christopher Paul Stelling: 8 p.m. March 10, Roasting Room Lounge and Listening Room, 1297 May River Road, Bluffton. 843-715-1479

“Low Country Birds in Transition” presented by Diana Churchill: 3 p.m. March 10, Coastal Discovery Museum, 70 Honey Horn Drive, Hilton Head Island. Free. 843-689-6767. www.hiltonheadaudubon.org

Life Lessons Over Lunch with Andy Stanley: Noon to 1:15 p.m. Thursdays, Mangiamo’s, 2000 Main St., Hilton Head Island. 843-422-4669

Hilton Head Sail and Power Squadron Winter Seminars: Tides and Currents: 9-11 a.m. March 12, Mariner’s Compass, Hilton Head SHARE Center, 70 Shelter Cove Way, Hilton Head Island. $40. 631-559-9263. www.hhsps.org

Beaufort Agility Club: 11 a.m. March 12, Beaufort Dog, 1307 Boundary St., Beaufort. $20 per session. 843-812-5394

. . . Be helpful

Benefiting Friends of Caroline Hospice: Looking for volunteers to assist the manager and assistant manager in the overall operations of the store. Some tasks include running the cash register, sorting and pricing incoming merchandise and staging merchandise areas. A weekly commitment is requested, but not required. 843-525-6257

Needs volunteer drivers for deliveries on Hilton Head Island from Monday through Friday. Drivers pick up prepared meals and then deliver them to clients. Drivers typically drive one day a week for a month or every other month. Drivers use their own vehicles. Training provided. 843-689-8334. www.mowblufftonhhi.com

Needs volunteers to help take care of cats at Petsmart in Bluffton. Volunteers go every day to clean the cages for the eight cats and give them fresh food and water. Takes about 2 hours, depending on how much time the volunteer wants to spend socializing with the cats. If you are able to make a firm commitment to do this once a week, call 843-681-8686

Be heard . . .

The Beaufort County Natural Resources Committee will meet at 2 p.m. to consider an agreement with USCB for water quality lab services.

The Beaufort County Planning Commission will meet at 6 p.m. to consider text amendments to the county comprehensive plan.

The Bluffton Development Review Committee will meet at 1 p.m. to review final development plans for Hampton Lake Phase 4 and a Walmart approval at Crossroads project.

The Bluffton Town Council will meet at 6 p.m. to discuss ATAX Committee funding recommendations.

This story was originally published March 5, 2016 at 7:00 PM with the headline "How to for March 7: Hilton Head St. Pat’s Parade + mind your Ps and Qs."