Art markets, live music & more: Things to do in Hilton Head area for Memorial Day weekend
Visiting Hilton Head, Bluffton, or Beaufort on Memorial Day weekend? While local beaches and backyard barbecues will be well attended during the holiday, a range of local events and activities will offer entertainment in the days leading up to Memorial Day.
Family fun at Hilton Head
Hilton Head Island will feature a variety of family friendly events over Memorial Day weekend:
- Shelter Cove HarbourFest: Live music and activities at Shelter Cove Marina & Harbour nightly from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., featuring local singer/songwriter Shannon Tanner and Cappy the Clown. Tanner will be performing his signature Family Show featuring songs for kids and adults. The one-hour show starts at 6:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. nightly.
Hilton Head Art Festival: Featuring dozens of artists selling paintings, photo prints, pottery, jewelry and more @ Shelter Cove from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.
Patriotic choir concert: Hilton Head Choral Society presents “America Sings!” in conjunction with Columbia-based brass quintet Category V Brass. Sunday 7:00 p.m. @ First Presbyterian Church. Tickets are $30 for adults and $15 for children.
SC Gullah festival features arts and crafts, live performances
The 40th edition of the Original Gullah Festival of South Carolina, held May 23–25 at Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park in Beaufort, will feature a lineup of performances, workshops, tours and educational sessions.
Admission to the festival is free. From traditional Gullah food, a vibrant arts and crafts market, live storytelling, vendors and music, the Gullah Festival is designed as a welcoming space for families, friends and cultural enthusiasts of all ages to enjoy the Gullah history of the Lowcountry.
A rundown of the schedule, vendors and everything visitors should know ahead of the event can be read here.
Memorial Day Celebrations
After a weekend of fun, wake up early Monday morning to pay tribute to deceased service members at one of these local celebrations:
- Beaufort: The city of Beaufort will host its annual parade on Monday, hosted by Beaufort County Veterans Affairs in partnership with the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War. The parade route starts in front of Beaufort National Cemetery, will head down Boundary Street, curve onto Bay Street and end at the intersection of Boundary and Bladen Streets. Parade will start at 10 a.m., followed by a ceremony at noon at the cemetery. Groups, floats and participants will start to line up at 9 a.m.
Bluffton: American Legion Post 205 is sponsoring the Bluffton Township Memorial Day Ceremony. Featuring Kathy Strong, a woman on a mission to purchase a memorial brick in every state. Strong selected Bluffton as her location for the state of South Carolina. She has already been to and purchased a brick in 44 states. 11 a.m. @ Veterans Memorial Park in Buckwalter Place Park.
Hilton Head: Annual Memorial Day Ceremony will begin at 9:30 a.m. @ Veteran’s Memorial in Shelter Cove Community Park.
