Best 9 Spring Events on Hilton Head Island, SC  

As the Lowcountry blossoms with colorful hues waving under gentle breezes, each Hilton Head sunrise welcomes you to a season of renewal. The South Carolina island emerges as a haven for those seeking the perfect springtime escape. Picture yourself strolling along sandy shores beside blooming azalea walls, indulging in the delectable flavors of fresh seafood, and attending lively festivals celebrating the island culture. This is Hilton Head in the springtime. Make the most of your time in the sun and sea with the island’s best spring events. 

Chamber Restaurant Week

Restaurant Week would be a seasonal highlight on an island as famous for its world-class dining as it is for beaches and golf! Over 50 of the 200 and counting dining venues participate, opening your pathway to try new and exciting restaurants and bucket list favorites you haven’t made it to yet. 

Restaurants develop prix fixe menus showcasing their cuisine. Find a mix of fan-favorite shrimp and grits to new experimental entrees. The venues span from Hilton Head’s prized fine dining restaurants to the casual waterfront cafes. Bluffton area restaurants are included. 

The 2024 edition kicks off on January 28 and runs until February 4. See the participating restaurants and their menus.

Music & Taste on the Harbour

Join the sea god Neptune on select Thursdays throughout the spring for a splendid evening of song and merriment on the island. Locals come to Shelter Cove Harbour & Marina to listen and dance away the afternoon to live music performances. Enjoy the best of local bands as you dine with specialty appetizers whipped up by the eight Shelter Cove Harbour restaurants. 

Seating is limited, so patrons are encouraged to bring chairs, but outside coolers are not allowed. This event is free, with music and food specials from 6-9 pm. Music & Taste is a pet-friendly outdoor event. 

Shelter Cove Harbour is a village-like retail area with a Mediterranean vibe about mid-island. It’s across from the Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort.

Hilton Head Marathon, Half-Marathon, and 5k

Palmetto Running Co presents a running event prized for its scenic views and crossings. Choose your distance: 5k, Half Marathon, or Full Marathon, and start moving past beautiful lagoons and island landscapes. Longer distances run the Cross Island Parkway. 

Half and full Hilton Head Marathon runners start at 8 am, with the full having a six-hour cut-off limit. This is a Boston Marathon qualifier event. 

After a successful finish, join the party at the line. Runners receive two complimentary beers to get into a tropical state of mind. Food, music, and drinks will cool you right down after your run.

There are also more perks for runners. Marathon participants get a commemorative hoodie, while 5k runners get a full-zip hoodie. Finishers get medals, as do the top three male and female finishers, and age group awards in decade brackets starting at 20 and over. Elite runners may qualify to start in the elite runner corral. 

Hilton Head Island Seafood Food Festival

The culinary excellence sizzles into February with the renowned Hilton Head Island Seafood Festival. But this isn’t your ordinary seafood festival; this is seafood done South Carolina style, which means favorites like crab fried rice, fried fish, and shrimp in so many ways.

Events throughout the festival range from a Pig Pickin’ and Oyster Roast to the Seafood and Champagne Sunday Brunch. The Saturday festival has arts and crafts vendors, while the VIP ticket Zero Forks Given takes place at sunset at the Omni Hilton Head Oceanfront Resort.

Tickets support local foundations and charities across the Lowcountry region. Costs vary based on the event but range from $15 to $150.

Bravo! Piano Hilton Head International Piano Competition

Listen to classic and jazz piano in a multi-day extravaganza of music presented by the Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra. Leading artists worldwide come to present workshops and perform as duos, quartets, and quintets while showcasing the piano’s incredible versatility. It culminates in a grand finale performance with three concertos. 

During the week, there is a young pianists’ competition with prizes for the top three judged finishers and two medalists. First place wins $10,000. They compete in rounds, with knocked-out competitors participating in master classes with other experts.  

The 2024 event takes place from February 29 to March 4. 

Southern Tennis Escape

Hit the courts for a premier tennis event. The Van der Meer Shipyard Racquet Club hosts the Southern Tennis Escape, an invitational with top-tier players. However, players of all skill levels are welcome to play in doubles matches. Some call it the “adult spring break” and one of the best tournaments they play in.

All players are guaranteed at least two matches in each event. The three-day tournament runs through the weekend and is scheduled for March 15-17. Spectators are welcome to the courts, with finals played on Sunday. Tennis attire is required. Entries typically sell out well before the February entry deadline. 

Hilton Head IrishFest

Call on the luck of the Irish at the Lowcountry’s oldest St. Patrick’s Day parade. Around 25,000 come into town for the event–or about two-thirds of town residents. It’s known for having some interesting quirks and antics swirled in as floats and marchers make their way down the road.  

The family-friendly Hilton Head Island Irish Fest and St. Patrick’s Day are hosted around March 17, before or after, depending on when it falls on the weekend. The Irishfest concert is held the day before at Celebration Park and includes food and live performances. The parade marches down Pope Avenue in an explosion of green and Celtic music.  

Hilton Head Island Wine & Food Festival

Keep the good times and delicious dishes rolling into the high spring season. Hilton Head Island Food & Wine Festival is another benchmark event on the social scene. Called the loveliest time in the Lowcountry, sip and savor wines from around the world for an entire week at venues and events across the island. 

The festival includes sumptuous wine and tasting dinners, the signature Grand Tasting, and the Public Tasting at Celebration Park, featuring 250 wines. The proceeds of the public wine auction benefit a college scholarship fund for students studying hospitality and tourism at the University of South Carolina-Beaufort. The actual International Wine Competition takes place a few months before the festival, with the gold winners featured at the Stay Gold special event. If you’re not a wine fan, don’t worry; there is also a beer and spirits garden.  

The 2024 edition will be March 24-30. Costs vary based on the events you attend, and tickets are a must.

RBC Heritage Golf Tournament

The star of the spring season ends the social calendar in style and class. RBC Heritage is a prestigious PGA Tour Signature event held only in South Carolina. Top golfers worldwide descend annually in April at the Harbour Town Golf Links in Sea Pines Resort. 

This massive tournament comes a week after the Masters in Augusta and carries an impressive $20 million purse. It’s also broadcast worldwide. RBC Heritage has a massive economic impact on Hilton Head Island and the state. Island residents get front-row seats and housing in this prestigious tournament.

It has a festive feel, drawing on Scottish traditions, starting with the Citadel Pipe and Drum band parading around the Harbour Town Yacht Basin. Fans and players alike come bedecked in colorful red and green plaid, a signature look for the event. People prize its family-friendly fun atmosphere and the friendly Lowcountry hospitality.

The Heritage Classic Foundation runs the event and donates proceeds to charities around the Lowcountry, with $2 million and counting donated in 2023. The 2024 event runs April 15-21. It is a ticketed entry event. 

Having fun on Hilton Head

Life on Hilton Head Island finds harmony between nature’s beauty and Southern hospitality’s warmth. Whether you own a home on Hilton Head or are just visiting for the season, you will surely enjoy these classic island events. So, pack your sunglasses, embrace the island spirit, and prepare for a springtime adventure that promises relaxation, recreation, and a touch of Lowcountry charm.