The irony behind the fact that I sit here writing this piece looking out a window onto a winter wonderland is not lost on me. Winter Storm Enzo just rolled through our region leaving behind-in most cases anyway-a beautiful sight to see and enjoy for a day or so.  Most of us have made our way outside for a rare winter frolic or slide down a slope.  Meanwhile, those of you who thought you had left this behind ‘back home’ will just have to deal for another day or so. The good news is this only happens twice or so per decade, not per month.

Two days of treacherous travel conditions is enough to make a Southern Belle cry uncle and beg for a Spring thaw. In fact, I don’t think they are alone.  A couple of days are not only enough, but a decent reminder to a lot of you of some of the reasons why you live here in the first place.

The good news is, we are unlikely to see anything like Winter Storm Enzo again this year. Lord, I hope not, anyway. And we can get on with what it is that we do around here in February, that’s start making our way back outside to enjoy…the beautiful weather.

That’s where this discourse intersects with the Hilton Head Seafood Festival.  My favorite event of the year on the island.  Correct me if I am wrong, but it is also one of the most popular.

The dates are February 17 through the 23rd this year. Once again, the stage is being set to not only offer attendees some of the best culinary experiences this island offers every year, but also raise a significant amount of money for area charities. The latter being a very big part of this event every year, arguably the biggest.  Raising money for the David Carmines Memorial Foundation is the whole reason this event was put together once upon a time in the parking lot at Hudson’s Seafood.

The old timers and Pepperidge Farms remember.

The classics return.  Saturday’s ‘Main Event’ at Honey Horn is one of the island’s finest celebrations of the year. Live music, great food and drink and a beautiful afternoon.  Equally as important, and I stress it every year, is the Friday night Pig Pickin and Oyster Roast.  Most years it is the first to sell out. The locals know.  A majority of the tickets for that get snapped up in the Fall as soon as they are made available.  I would call it the most beautiful event of the year, except that the Friday night event at Concourse d’Elegance sure does give this one a run for its money.  It’s well worth looking into.

Thursday night’s Zero Forks Given in the courtyard at the beautifully remodeled Omni Beachfront Resort is another favorite.  Tickets do remain for that one.

New this year, Asado by the Sea. A beachside grillfest being held at the-also beautifully redone-Beach House Resort at Coligny Circle.  If we can steal a beautiful evening back from Mother Nature, this will be the most under the radar events of the week.  It is being held on Wednesday night, February 19th.

Beyond that, there are master classes to teach you knife skills, there are small, intimate tasting events and the annual Sunday morning “Kegs and Eggs” at Lincoln and South Brewery.  Very obviously something for everyone that week in all kinds of price ranges.

If you can’t tell, I look forward to this week every single year. It not only gives me opportunity to spend the better part of a week on the island, but it has also begun to serve as my ‘green flag’ on the Spring season.  I cannot wait.

Now if you will excuse me, I’m going back to my window to watch the neighbor trying to shovel snow off of their front steps with a plastic dust pan.  

Thanks, Enzo.  Be a stranger, why don’t cha.

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