Looking for a place to enjoy Thanksgiving dinner with others this year? Please join us on Thanksgiving Day, November 27th for the 26th Annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner of Hilton Head at Hudson’s Seafood House on the Docks. A traditional thanksgiving meal is served family-style from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. All are welcome!

The event is held thanks to a partnership between St. Andrew-by-the-Sea United Methodist Church and Hudson’s Seafood, sponsors, and hundreds of volunteers.  There is no charge for the meal but donations received will go to three local organizations that support food insecurity in the Lowcountry: The Deep Well Project, Bluffton Self Help, and Second Helpings.

This year’s menu: roasted turkey breast, orange maple glazed ham, bacon braised collards with black eyed peas, tart cranberry conserve, garlic mashed potatoes, sweet potato souffle, gibblet gravy, cornbread stuffing, fresh bread and choice of: banana pudding, pumpkin or apple pie.

For more information, please visit communitythanksgiving.com or follow Annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner on Facebook or @communitythanksgiving on Instagram.

Some Frequently Asked Questions:

Can I make a reservation?  No.  Folks will join the line when they arrive.  Wait times vary from year to year depending on arrival time, weather, and crowd size.  Diners must be in line before 3 p.m. to receive a meal.

Will there be activities for children? Yes, Santa and Mrs. Claus will be present for visits, photos, and crafts.  

What if I have limited mobility?  Golf cart shuttles will be running from the parking lot to the restaurant entrance throughout the event.  Seating is available for folks with mobility challenges to utilize while their family members wait in line.

What’s the history of this annual event? The idea for Annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner began in 1998 because of an Island Packet article that described lonely locals who had no place to go on Thanksgiving Day.

Early the following year, Brian Carmines, then-owner of Hudson’s, Allan LaCoe, and Betsy Doughtie, the former Executive Director of The Deep Well Project, met to discuss opportunities to organize a community-wide event. St. Andrew By-The-Sea United Methodist Church soon signed on to spearhead the volunteer organization, and Hudson’s offered to host the first dinner. Five hundred meals were served that Thanksgiving Day in 1999.

We look forward to welcoming everyone on Thanksgiving Day!

Brooke is a Hilton Head freelance writer and shares her best tips for island life with her Instagram @hifromhhi followers.

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