It’s fall festival time in the Hilton Head SC area. Here are 15 to try in October
Bring out the pumpkin spice and apple cider, October is finally here.
What better way to enjoy the incoming autumn weather than by attending local events with friends and family?
To celebrate the changing of the seasons and all Beaufort County has to offer this October, here is a list of 15 local events to enjoy this month prior to Halloween.
Beaufort Shrimp Festival
The Beaufort Shrimp Festival is back again this year to celebrate shrimp season on Oct. 6-7 at the Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park and Downtown Beaufort. The 29th annual free-to-attend shrimp festival will feature a wide array of activities throughout both days and the ability for guests to “savor the best fresh-caught shrimp in the world,” detailed the festival’s website. Food, drinks, live music as well as an art and craft fair await those who attend. A schedule of events for each day of the festival can be found on the event’s designated website.
Lowcountry Fish & Grits Music Festival
The 2023 Fish and Grits Music Festival is set to take place on Oct. 7 this year on Hilton Head Island at Lowcountry Celebration Park. The family-friendly event is set to highlight the Gullah Geechee Culture in the area and will showcase local and international musical talent, crafts and indigenous cuisine with numerous local artisans and food trucks also being featured throughout the park. A portion of the proceeds from the event will be donated to the Hilton Head MLK Committee for Justice.
Tickets can be purchased online at https://www.freshtix.com/events/fish-and-grits-music-festival-2. Tickets purchased in advance for adults cost $15. “Day of” general admission tickets will cost $15 and children’s tickets, for ages 6-12, cost $5 regardless of the time of purchase.
Zinfest- A Zin Experience with Italian Flair
Following a two-year hiatus, Zinfest is back for the 15th year since the Italian-American Club of Hilton Head (IACHH) began hosting the ZinExperience. The popular wine tasting event will take place on Oct. 11 from 5:30 – 8 p.m. at the Shorehouse at the Omni Oceanfront Resort, which is located in Palmetto Dunes at 23 Ocean Lane, Hilton Head, SC 29928.
Sponsored by Wealthgate Financial, in cooperation with the IACHH, and Hilton Head Wine & Spirits in the Shops at Shelter Cove, attendees will have the opportunity to meet wine distributors from around the Lowcountry, who will be in attendance to showcase their Italian varietals with an emphasis on zinfandels. Guests will spend the evening sampling wines and enjoying hors d’oeuvres amid a scenic Hilton Head sunset. Zinfest will also be featuring radio personality Monty Jett.
Tickets to attend cost $30 per person and can be purchased either at the door, online in advance at https://www.iachh.org/events-1/2022/3/10/a-zin-experience-with-italian-flair, or by visiting Hilton Head Wine & Spirits at The Plaza in Shelter Cove.
Hardeeville Festival on Main
The 2023 Hardeeville Festival on Main will occur on Oct. 13-14 behind City Hall, which can be found at 205 Main Street in Hardeeville behind City Hall and will feature carnival rides, food, drinks and live entertainment. The free-to-attend event will also have a kid’s zone with games, inflatables, rides, free live music by Deas-Guyz and E5C4P3- The Journey Tribute, a corn hole tournament and more. The festival will also host a variety of stalls and vendors offering crafts, artwork and local products where attendees will have the opportunity to support local businesses.
Hardeeville Festival on Main will take place on Oct. 13 from 5-10 p.m. and Oct. 14 from noon-10 p.m. Live music will be from 6-9 p.m. on both days.
Hilton Head Island Octoberfest
The first annual Hilton Head Island Octoberfest will take place this year at Shelter Cove Harbour & Marina on Oct. 14 from noon to 5 p.m. The event is sponsored by Sam Adams and Rollers Wine & Spirits and will feature activities such as Samuel Adams beer trailers, 20 different breweries, authentic German cuisine, live music and a costume contest with additional prizes.
General Admission tickets are $10 and will include an entry free, a cup and one beer ticket, which will be valid for the purchase of one full beer. VIP Passport tickets are $50 and will include the entry fee, a cup and a sample of all beers.
Additional beer tickets will be available for purchase at the event. Tickets can be purchased online at https://events.humanitix.com/hilton-head-island-octoberfest/tickets.
Historic Bluffton Arts & Seafood Festival
The 19th annual Historic Bluffton Arts & Seafood Festival is set to take place on Oct. 14-22 this year and will showcase a variety of activities, such as the locally harvested seafood, Lowcountry cuisine, rich history, culture and art of the area and Southern hospitality found only in Bluffton, according to the festival’s website. The highlight of the week-long event is said to be the Street Fest, which will be held on Oct. 21-22. A broken-down schedule of events throughout the festival can be found online at https://blufftonartsandseafoodfestival.org/events/.
Rock N’ Ribs Music and BBQ Fest
The four-day Rock N’ Ribs event in Coligny on the south end of Hilton Head Island is set to take place this year from Oct. 19-22. The barbecue and rock n’ roll festival will benefit Second Helpings and the Carl Ruiz Foundation and festival activities will include multiple events, both ticketed and free. Each day has a packed schedule for those who enjoy both the food and music offered at the event. Interested guests can on online and visit https://rocknribshhi.com/the-experience/ for a day-by-day breakdown of events and proceed to https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/rock-n-ribs-2023-2149649 to purchase tickets.
Rib-Tickler Comedy and Music Showcase
Hosted by Rock N’ Ribs on Oct. 20th at 9:30 p.m., the Rib-Tickler Comedy and Music Showcase featuring local musical “funnyman and storyteller” Campfire Tyler and nationally touring comedian Sarah Tiana will take place at Coligny Theater on the south end of Hilton Head Island. For those wanting to attend, guests can use code “FUNNY50” at checkout when purchasing tickets for a 50% off deal.
7th Annual Gullah Food Festival
Attend the 7th annual Gullah Food Festival on Oct. 21 from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. at the Gullah Museum of Hilton Head Island. The museum is hosting the event and can be found at 12 Georgianna Drive on the island. Online ticket sales end on the day of the festival at 6 a.m. and can be found on the event’s website at https://www.gullahmuseumhhi.org/event-details/7th-annual-gullah-food-festival-1. Adult admission tickets cost $10 and child tickets, for ages 5-16, cost $5.
Italian Heritage Festival
The 13th annual Italian Heritage Festival is set to take place on Oct. 21 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Coastal Discovery Museum at Honey Horn, which can be found at 70 Honey Horn Drive on Hilton Head Island. The event celebrates Italian culture and cuisine in addition to supporting local charities and scholarships. This celebration of Italian Heritage is taking place in October, which is South Carolina’s official “Italian American Heritage Month.” This designation was signed into law in 2015 by Governor Nikki Haley to recognize the contributions of individuals who either came from Italy or whose Italian ancestors immigrated to the United States.
The festival will feature the ever-popular event of grape-stomping, a pizza-eating contest and a raffle for attendees. An inflatable “kids’ zone” area, local arts and crafts vendors, a silent auction, and live entertainment by the Hilton Head Big Band will also be featured at the event. Tickets for the festival are $6 per person, and admittance is free for children under 10 years old. The event will occur rain or shine and parking is free. Pets are not permitted. Tickets may be purchased at the gate or online at https://www.iachh.org/italian-heritage-festival.
Fall Festival of Houses and Gardens
Historic Beaufort Foundation’s 49th annual Fall Festival of Houses and Gardens is scheduled for Oct. 21-22 and will highlight different properties featuring the city’s architectural beauty and history. The festival is an opportunity where local property owners open their homes and gardens for public viewing. For more information regarding this year’s two-day event, visit previous Island Packet reporting.
Tours for the festival take place rain or shine, so attendees should plan accordingly. Tickets available to attendees for the Saturday tour are $65 for Historic Beaufort Foundation members and $75 for non-members. Tickets for the Sunday Brunch and former plantation and farmstead property tour are limited and priced at $130 for members and $150 for non-members.
Tickets may be purchased by calling 843-379-3331 or by visiting the festival’s website.
Pat Conroy Literary Festival
The 8th annual Pat Conroy Literary Festival will occur in Beaufort on Oct. 26-29 this year and will present a series of free and ticketed events including author discussions, writers workshops, a poetry reading, a screening of the film The Lords of Discipline and a musical performance.
A schedule of events for the festival can be found online at https://patconroyliteraryfestival.org/schedule/.
Registration for some of the events, including all workshops, is required. The event description page, listed above, provides attendance and registration instructions. Tickets for all paid events can be purchased at https://patconroyliteraryfestival2023.eventbrite.com.
If you do not wish to purchase tickets ahead of time, tickets will be available for all events, with the exception of workshops, at the door.
Historic Mitchelville Film Festival 2023
The 2023 Historic Mitchelville Film Festival will take place between Oct. 25-26 at Coligny Theater on the south end of Hilton Head Island. The two-day event aims to showcase a mix of short and long-form films that highlight the incredible stories of Black individuals and communities, detailed the event’s description. Ticket holders will have the chance to experience an opening ceremony, panel discussions, film showcases and an interactive Q&A session.
Tickets can be purchased as a single-day pass for $30 or a two-day pass for $60.
Night one tickets can be purchased at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/historic-mitchelville-film-festival-2023-night-one-tickets-686651963507.
Night two tickets can be purchased online at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/historic-mitchelville-film-festival-2023-night-two-tickets-698461375777.
Rhythm & Brews
The first-ever Rhythm & Brews festival is scheduled for Oct. 28 at Lowcountry Celebration Park at the south end of Hilton Head Island and will feature live music and unlimited tasting of 40+ craft breweries. The festival is an adult-only event for guests aged 21 and over, with no exceptions, with no children or pets allowed to attend.
Ticket options are sold as either general admission for $75 or VIP fro $150.
According to the festival’s website, general admission tickets include:
Festival Entry from 2-5 p.m.
Unlimited tastings from 40+ breweries, distilleries and some wine
Live music from headliner Miles Nielsen & The Rusted Hearts and openers Zach Stevens & Charlie Simpson
Keepsake tasting glass
Complimentary parking
Access to local food vendors selling plates at festival-friendly prices
VIP tickets will include:
Everything included in a general admission ticket
Early entry at 1 p.m. for an extra hour of tastings and music Shaded
VIP Pavilion
Light hors d’oeuvres
Bob Masteller’s Jazz For All Ages Jazz Fest
The 9th annual Bob Masteller’s Jazz For All Ages Jazz Festival will be hosted at Sonesta Resort in the Santee Ballroom Lobby on Hilton Head Island and will take place on Oct. 29-30. Tickets for each event can be purchased online at https://www.jazzforallages.com/tickets. Grammy-nominated Clint Holmes and Niki Haris will be presenting the music of Al Jarreau and Roberta Flack with Musical Director Christian Tamburr featuring special guest Grammy-nominated guitarist Keith Ganz on Oct. 29 for a three-hour event where doors will be opening at 7 p.m. On Oct. 30, The New Orleans Jazz Orchestra, honoring Aretha Franklin, will provide a concert from 7-10 p.m.
