The 15^th annual Hilton Head Island Seafood Festival is back to its original February schedule and this year’s festival is shaping up to be bigger and better than ever. The coastal region’s weeklong Lowcountry experience offers a mix of celebrity chefs, local chefs, sommeliers, mixologists, local seafood, artisans, musicians and more who come together for a classic Lowcountry cultural and heritage experience.

A group of star-studded celebrity guests will be in town for the festival including James Beard Foundation award-winning chefs, Andrea Reusing and Hugo Ortega; Bravo TV, Top Chef favorites, Brother Luck and John Tesar; Celebrity author/journalist/television host, Steven Raichlen; Master Sommelier, Larry O’Brien; TV personality, Shep Rose; Josh Peeples, Winemaker & Proprietor; Gullah Geechee Chefs/Authors, Matthew Raiford and BJ Dennis and Actor/Foodie, Luis Guzman. A complete listing of talent participating in this year’s festival can be found online here, talent line-up.

Several events are already sold out and some new events have been added to the festival this year, including the Daufuskie Island History and Artisans Excursions, Callawassie Island Tour of Homes, Fireworks Cruises and more. Most of this year’s events will take place outdoors, with a complete schedule of events found online HERE, (event schedules and talent subject to change).

An insider tip: the Master Class tickets left available are the festival “secret steals”, as these intimate sessions are fantastic learning experiences, offering guests tasting bites, paired with beverages and include autographed copies of celebrity guest chef/author’s cookbooks.

Celebrity Chef Dinner, Salt Water Supper, Thursday, February 24, 6 – 9 pm, The Omni Oceanfront Resort, Shore House
There are only a few tickets left available for this oceanside five-course, wine paired celebrity chef dinner. The Reception for the event is a feast in itself, featuring an Oyster Bar from Hudson’s Seafood and an unbelievable Charcuterie Display, from acclaimed Master Butcher, Michael Sullivan, paired with wines and Open Bar. Each dinner course is an opportunity to sample cuisine from some of the most renowned chefs from around the country, paired with wines from official festival winery La Crema by Master Sommelier, Larry O’Brien and some critically acclaimed, limited release 98 point rated wines from Hilton Head Island native, Josh Peeples family of wines at 2100 Hoffman Lane. The dinner also features a first-ever live auction, with one of a kind luxury travel and culinary experiences.
 
Master Classes, Friday, February 25, 10 am – 3:30 pm, The Omni Oceanfront Resort, Shore House
An outdoor intimate setting of learning experiences with celebrity guest chefs/authors: Andrea Reusing, Hugo Ortega and Matthew Raiford. Each of the chef/author classes include an autographed copy of the presenter’s most recent cookbook. Master Sommelier, Larry O’Brien with Jackson Family Wines, will showcase a tasting of La Crema wines, paired with guest celebrity chef, John Tesar’s culinary creations.
 
Secrets of a Pitmaster, Friday, February 25, 4 – 5:30 pm, Coastal Discovery Museum, Honey Horn Plantation with Michael Sullivan, Robert Owens and Steven Raichlen, which includes an autographed copy of Raichlen’s Project Smoke book and ticket with early access to the Pig Pickin’ & Oyster Roast event that follows.

Pig Pickin’ & Oyster Roast, Friday, February 25, 6 – 9:00 pm, Coastal Discovery Museum, Honey Horn Plantation
This quintessential Lowcountry celebration is of the festival’s most popular events, with very limited tickets left available. Guest Chefs and Pitmasters Include: Chef Tim Nelson of Whiskey Room, Robert Owens of Grand Champion BBQ, Matthew Raiford The CheFarmer, Chef Clayton Rollison of Callawassie Island Club, John Tesar, Jake Wood of Lawrence BBQ in North Carolina, Philippe Feret, Owner/Baker Social Bakery, The Sea Pines Resort, Executive Chef Scott Bodkin of Fish, Lee Lucier of Local Pie, Andrew Carmines of Shell Ring Oyster Co. & Hudson’s Seafood House on the Docks and many more!
 
15th Annual Hilton Head Island Seafood Festival, Shelter Cove Harbour & Marina, Saturday, February 26, 1 – 4:30 pm
The headliner event with nearly 100 food, beverage and artisan booths, hundreds of unlimited wines, beers and spirts tastings with a souvenir glass and $10 in culinary credits in RFID wristband, with additional credits for purchase available throughout the festival. A perfect afternoon for the entire family, waterfront on the newly renovated Shelter Cove Harbour & Marina, featuring family friendly activities and a FREE ticket for 21 & under, with special wristband. Participating restaurants include: The Sea Pines Resort, Scott’s Fish Market, Top Dawg Tavern, The Social Bakery, Hudson’s Seafood House on the Docks, Grand Champion BBQ, Odd Birds Cafe & Market, Tito’s Latin American Kitchen and more added daily.

• Main Stage Live Music from Jojo Squirrel, 1 – 4 pm; Jevon Daly’s Kid Show, 4:15 – 5 pm; and live music from RetroRoxx, 5:00 – 7:00 pm
• The Taste of the South Cooking Demo Stage features chef and beverage demonstrations/tastings, with tasting bites for the first 100 people in the audience session: 1:15 pm with Matthew Raiford, Gullah Geechee Chef/Farmer/Author ; 2:15 – 3:00 pm with Steven Raichlen, Author/Journalist & TV Host; 3:15 – 4:00 pm with Brother Luck, Bravo TV’s Top Chef Finalist.
• NEW this year – celebrity author’s book signings will take place immediately after each cooking demonstration at Southern Tide on Shelter Cover Harbour & Marina.
• 15^th Anniversary Fireworks Celebration Finale – following the festival at 6:30 pm; Fireworks Cruises available from Outside Hilton Head.

Andrew Carmines, President of the David M. Carmines Memorial Foundation that hosts the festival, has a 15^th Anniversary goal in mind. “We are making up for 2021 lost charitable donations to local charities in our area, with the cancellation of this year’s festival. Many of these charities have come to depend on our foundation’s annual donation and most of these non-profit organizations were hit hard with lack of fundraising activities during the pandemic in 2020 and 2021. Our foundation goal is to reach a cumulative total of over $1 million dollars in charitable giving proceeds from ticket sales with the 2022 festival. We have planned exciting new changes this year to help us meet the huge donation goal, and we are especially proud of the fact that 100% of all proceeds from the festival goes directly back to local charities”, said Carmines. Since the foundation’s inception in 2004, over $850,000 has been donated to local area charities. The economic impact of the festival is estimated at $8 million dollars for Hilton Head Island and continues to grow every year.
The Hilton Head Island Seafood Festival’s schedule of events and tickets are available online, to purchase tickets, volunteer or for more details go to HiltonHeadSeafoodFestival.com.