If sand, sun, and seafood sound like a dream, the Hilton Head Island Seafood Festival should be on your radar. Held annually in February, the community event gathers the best restaurants, chefs, and spirit brands together for a week of family-friendly fun. Hilton Head Island Seafood Festival welcomes visitors to experience the culinary creations of award-winning chefs, local culinary favorites, and celebrated winemakers and brewmasters of coastal South Carolina.
Preparing for its 18th celebration in 2025, here’s what to expect during one of Hilton Head’s largest festivals.
Food, Family, and Festival Fun in HHI
There are two things the Carolinas always get right regarding food: barbeque and seafood. From fresh takes on oysters to succulent pig roasts, the chefs at the Hilton Head Island Seafood Festival showcase the best of Southern cuisine. Throughout the week-long festival, events are held at venues throughout the Hilton Head Island area. Each night offers a theme unique from the next, with eclectic tasting, cooking demonstrations, and live music to enjoy.
The Hilton Head Island Seafood Festival is also a great way to explore the range of dishes you’ll find locally. A few standout businesses from the 2024 festival delivered down-home cooking, with dishes made from the soul. Chef B’s Eatz, based in Bluffton, features savory seafood macaroni and cheese and mouthwatering Gullah fried rice. Mama Joy’s Kitchen is another Black-owned restaurant in the area, birthed out of the pandemic, that serves unforgettable Southern classics like collard greens, oxtails, fried pork chops, and more.
Hilton Head Island Seafood Festival is only a preview of the region’s diverse yet undeniably rich culinary landscape. Plus, with local craft vendors, children’s activities, and live performances, this festival getaway is well-deserved after surviving the winter.
Bubbles, Bourbon, and Non-Alcoholic Delights
Although you’ll be tempted to eat your way through each day of events, save room for a few spirited creations. From big-name brands to locally crafted concoctions, the mastery of mixology is as much on display as the food. Whether you enjoy a hearty mezcal, infused rums, or ready-to-drink canned cocktails, there’s a libation to complement your Southern eats. During the festival, try local spirits from Hilton Head Distillery, the only one of its kind on the island.
If you don’t drink alcohol or are in your sober-curious era, there are still plenty of unique beverage experiences that cater to everyone. Rhoot Man Beverage Company is the creation of founder Sidney Lance, a collection of all-natural beverage enhancers with fun flavors like strawberry banana and pineapple cilantro.
Festival Fare for A Good Cause
On the surface, the festival might appear to be solely about the inevitable food and fun. However, Andrew Carmines’ vision for the festival is rooted in serving and supporting the work of local organizations. As the owner of Hudson’s Seafood and founder of the festival, Carmines humbly takes on the charge of putting together this massive, multi-day event that is amplified by and for the community.
Each year, The David M. Carmines Memorial Foundation, named after Carmines’ late brother, donates funds to causes that benefit the Lowcountry. In addition to ticket sales, a silent auction, wine tastings, and other optional activities help contribute to their mission. According to the festival’s website, the foundation donated 1.2 million dollars to local charities this year alone.
Through a shared love of food and family, the Hilton Head Island Seafood Festival spotlights some of South Carolina’s best offerings while ensuring locals and visitors can continue to enjoy the serenity of coastal living for generations to come.
