Seafood Fest closes out week with large crowds on Hilton Head Island

Lexie Hu and Khin Paing were busy sampling various seafood delicacies at the Hilton Head Island Seafood Fest on Saturday.

The two were standing over their plates nibbling and dancing at the same time as though they couldn’t make up their minds which was better — the music or the food.

“The barbecue shrimp is the best,” Hu said.

New to the festival, the two had driven from Savannah that morning to try out the event held at Shelter Cove Community Park.

Both said they were pleasantly surprised to find not only great food and music but “great parking as well.”

“And I got all this for $6,” said Paing, waving her hand across her plate.

In fact, Saturday’s festival seemed to be a big hit with many who turned out for the final day of the week-long event. Mild weather and the promise of favorites such as oysters on the half shell and crab claws brought out residents and visitors by the thousands, possibly even setting a record, organizers said.

“We’ve had at least 5,000 to come through the gate (so far),” said Island Recreation Association’s executive director Frank Soule.

The event raises money for the David M. Carmines Memorial Foundation, the MD Anderson Cancer Research Center, the Island Recreation Scholarship Fund and the American Cancer Society — a fact that wasn’t lost on Maryellen Neumann, of Hilton Head.

Neumann and her husband, son, his wife and Neumann’s two grandchildren were sitting at a table enjoying the food and entertainment. The festival, she said, was a regular event for them.

“We love seafood, so this is great,” she said. “And it’s for a great cause.”

This story was originally published March 5, 2016 at 5:09 PM with the headline "Seafood Fest closes out week with large crowds on Hilton Head Island."