Hilton Head Island Seafood Festival 2026: Events, Chefs, Schedule and Experiences
The Hilton Head Island Seafood Festival offers a week of flavor, culture and connection
Story by Michaela Satterfield Roberts
The 19th annual Hilton Head Island Seafood Festival is one of the few food festivals at which food adds the flavor, but something else is what really matters.
Giving back to the Lowcountry by promoting both sustainability and charity is the heart of the event, which runs from Feb. 23 to March 1. Event director Kelly Smith says she expects a turnout of around 10,000 people if previous festivals are any indication.
A wide range of activities fill the week-long event calendar, from wildlife experiences to intimate dinners and tastings. A mix of local, regional and even national chefs will host classes and offer demonstrations throughout the week. Smith says much of the festival is family friendly – a rarity at most food and drink festivals.
- What Is the Hilton Head Island Seafood Festival?
- Lowcountry Heritage and Sustainability
- Celebrity Chefs and Culinary Highlights
- Kardea Brown and the Gullah-Geechee Connection
- Featured Festival Recipe: Bluefish Flambé
- Seafood for a Cause
- Hilton Head Island Seafood Festival Events and Schedule 2026
- Why the Festival Matters to the Lowcountry
- Plan Your Visit
What Is the Hilton Head Island Seafood Festival?
The Hilton Head Island Seafood Festival is one of the Lowcountry’s signature culinary events, combining tastings, chef-led classes, outdoor adventures and community fundraising. While food is at the heart of the festival, its mission extends beyond the plate, supporting local charities and promoting sustainable seafood practices across the region.
Lowcountry Heritage and Sustainability
To promote the sustainability of Hilton Head and its waterways, festivalgoers have the opportunity to dive beneath the flavors on the surface into the landscapes where ingredients are sourced. For example, an all-in-one tour on the event schedule allows visitors to run the gamut of nature excursions in the Lowcountry. Setting out from Hudson’s Seafood House on the Docks, the tour will take guests on a journey that includes crabbing, shrimping, fishing and oystering.
“A lot of times you have to pick and choose — do I want to go fishing, do I want to go do one thing over another — and so we decided to create a tour where you actually get to do all of those things,” Smith says.
In the festival’s talent lineup is National Geographic Explorer Barton Seaver, a nine-time published cookbook author from Maine. Smith says Seaver’s emphasis on ocean conservation made him a natural choice to teach a master class at the event, adding that everyone who attends his class will receive a copy of his latest book, The Blue Food Cookbook.
“He knows so much — not just about how to cook — but how these creatures live in the water: how they grow and when is the best time to actually catch them,” Smith says.
Hudson’s Seafood House on the Docks president Andrew Carmines, with whom Smith worked to organize the event, is a local sustainability advocate whose aspirations align closely with Seaver’s. Smith says Carmines is passionate about protecting Hilton Head Island to preserve its environment for the future. Igniting this passion in others is one purpose of the festival.
The festival’s focus on sustainability reflects the Lowcountry’s deep connection to its waterways and working waterfronts.
Celebrity Chefs and Culinary Highlights
As if the opportunity to make a difference while experiencing Lowcountry fun at the same time weren’t enough, the seafood festival boasts an impressive roster of chefs and events.
Chef Marcus Samuelsson of the Food Network will offer his expertise in the form of a master class as well as a demonstration. He brings a remarkable resume to the table, which includes starring on the shows Chopped, Top Chef, and Iron Chef. Samuelsson’s portfolio of multiple restaurants encompasses New York City spots such as Hav & Mar, Red Rooster Harlem and Metropolis.
Making its debut this year, an event called Uncommon Cuts will expose attendees to some of the rarest meats and seafoods in the world at Chez Georges Bistro and Bar. At the helm of this occasion will be chefs David Carrier and Robert Owens, in addition to restaurant owner George Casalicchio.
Smith says one of the festival’s crown events is the Pig Pickin’ and Oyster Roast, which features a spread of everything from whole hog barbecue to local shrimp. The feast is set to the tune of live music by Bottles & Cans. Many other dinners, tastings, outdoor activities and after-parties comprise the rest of the calendar.
“It is a true celebration of all things culinary — all things Lowcountry wildlife,” Smith says, “but also I really hope they know that this is more than just coming out and having a good time. This is about raising money for all the incredible charities here in the Lowcountry.”
Kardea Brown and the Gullah-Geechee Connection
Food Network star Kardea Brown celebrates 30 years of the Gullah Celebration with a master class and festival appearance
Celebrity chef Kardea Brown is coming to Hilton Head Island this February for a pair of appearances that celebrate the food, stories and traditions of the Sea Islands. Brown will be part of both the Hilton Head Island Seafood Festival and the Hilton Head Island Gullah Celebration, which commemorates its 30th anniversary with events throughout February.
A Food Network favorite, New York Times bestselling author and Daytime Emmy Award winner, Brown is known for sharing the rich culinary heritage of the Gullah-Geechee culture through recipes rooted in family, memory and place. Her visit offers locals and visitors a rare chance to experience that perspective up close.
An intimate master class at the Omni
Brown’s first appearance is a Master Class with Kardea Brown from 2:30-3:30 p.m. on Feb. 27 at the Omni. Tickets are $120. Designed as a one-night-only experience, the class invites guests to slow down and gather close as Brown leads a live cooking demonstration featuring one of her signature recipes from The Way Home: A Celebration of Sea Islands Food and Family. Along the way, she shares the techniques, ingredients and personal stories that shape her approach to Sea Islands cuisine. Each guest will receive a signed copy of the book, making the hour feel less like a lecture and more like a conversation around a shared table. With limited seating, the experience is intentionally warm, personal and immersive.
Experience the Gullah-Geechee Village
Brown also will make a special appearance during the Saturday Seafood Festival as part of a new Gullah-Geechee Village Experience created in honor of the Gullah Celebration’s milestone anniversary. Festival goers can explore full-scale replicas of a schoolhouse, church and shrimp boat, browse Gullah artisans and retailers and watch live demonstrations on a dedicated stage. Brown will be joined by fellow celebrity chef B.J. Dennis, with both chefs bringing heritage foodways to life through cooking demonstrations and storytelling that connect past and present. Tickets to the Saturday festival are $20.
Featured Festival Recipe: Bluefish Flambé
Barton Seaver’s Bluefish Flambé Recipe
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Servings: 4
Cuisine: Seafood / Lowcountry-inspired
To whet appetites before the Hilton Head Island Seafood Festival, chef and seafood expert Barton Seaver shared this bluefish flambé from his new cookbook, The Blue Food Cookbook. Guests attending Seaver’s master class from 1-2 p.m. Feb. 27 at the Omni will receive a copy of the book. Tickets are $124.
Ingredients
1 1/4 pounds bluefish fillets, preferably from larger fish with fillets 3/4 inch thick or more, skin on
Salt
Freshly cracked black pepper
5 tablespoons butter
Zest and juice of 1 lemon (2 to 3 tablespoons juice)
2 tablespoons chopped soft herbs, such as parsley, chives, cilantro or fennel fronds
1/4 cup Pernod or Herbsaint
Directions
[1] Season the fish with salt and let it rest for 15 minutes. Coat the flesh side generously with black pepper, gently pressing it into the surface.
[2] Melt the butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. It may seem like a lot, but it becomes the base of the sauce. When the butter is foaming and just beginning to brown, place the fish skin-side down in the pan. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until the skin is crisp and the fish begins to color.
[3] Flip the fish and cook until just done, about 2 to 3 minutes more. Add the lemon zest. Turn off the heat, and carefully add the Pernod or Herbsaint.
[4] Return the pan to the heat, and carefully ignite the liquor by tilting the pan away from you toward a gas flame, or using a long match. Once the flames subside, add the lemon juice and herbs. Swirl the pan to combine.
Chef tips
Bluefish comes in a wide range of sizes, from small “snapper” blues to very large fish. Fillet thickness can vary significantly, so adjust cooking times as needed.
Bluefish has a thick bloodline, the dark strip of tissue just beneath the skin. While some cooks enjoy its rich flavor, others find it strong. If desired, remove it after cooking by peeling back the skin and gently scraping the dark tissue away with a knife. It will flake right off.
Be mindful of the flambé. It’s dramatic and delicious, but it is still an open flame. Stay focused and keep your eyebrows.
Seafood for a Cause
Since its inception, the festival has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for local nonprofits supporting health care, education, conservation and cultural preservation.
Perhaps an even bigger purpose for hosting the Hilton Head Island Seafood Festival is to raise money for worthy causes. Since the festival is hosted by the David M. Carmines Memorial Foundation, an organization created on behalf of Andrew Carmines’ late brother, charity gets the main spotlight at the event.
Every purchase made at the festival, from event tickets to cocktails to T-shirts, goes to local organizations. Smith says a wide range of organizations benefit, such as the Volunteers in Medicine Clinic and The Children’s Center.
“For as much money as we raise, we give it all away,” Smith says.
Hilton Head Island Seafood Festival Events and Schedule 2026
The 2026 Hilton Head Island Seafood Festival features a packed schedule of culinary events, outdoor adventures and family-friendly activities. To purchase tickets, visit HiltonHeadSeafoodFestival.com.
Lowcountry Experiences on the Water: Feb. 23-27, three tours daily; Departing from Hudson’s Seafood House on the Docks
Daufuskie Island History Experience: Feb. 23-28, various times; Daufuskie Island
Seafood Festival Try Archery: Feb. 23, 4-6 p.m.; Rowing and Sailing Center
Carmines Family Climb with Seafood Fest: Feb. 24, 4-6 p.m.; Island Rec Center
Family Fishing Night: Feb. 25, 4-6 p.m.; Hilton Head Island Rowing and Sailing Center
Secrets of the Craft with Brewer John Rybicki: Feb. 25, 4-5:30 p.m.; Lincoln & South Brewing Co.
Asado By the Sea: Feb. 25, 6:30-8:30 p.m.; The Beach House
Launch & Lunch: Feb. 26, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.; Rowing and Sailing Center
Zero Forks Given: Feb. 26, 6:30-8:30 p.m.; Omni Hilton Head Oceanfront
Pig Pickin’ & Oyster Roast: Feb. 27, 6:30-8:30 p.m.; Coastal Discovery Museum
Catch & Taste Pass: Feb. 28, 1-5 p.m.; Coastal Discovery Museum
Saturday Seafood Festival: Feb. 28, 1-5 p.m.; Coastal Discovery Museum
Saturday Tasting Tent: Feb. 28, 1-5 p.m.; Throughout Saturday Seafood Festival
After Party: Feb. 28, 4 p.m.; Lincoln & South Brewing Co.
Kegs + Eggs: March 1, 10 a.m.-noon; Lincoln & South Brewing Co.
Why the Festival Matters to the Lowcountry
Beyond tastings and ticketed events, the Hilton Head Island Seafood Festival reflects the spirit of the Lowcountry itself. It brings together chefs, shrimpers, conservationists, families and visitors around a shared appreciation for place and tradition. For many locals, it’s not just a festival. It’s a yearly gathering that celebrates the region’s identity through food, culture and community.
Plan Your Visit
To purchase tickets and explore the full event lineup, visit HiltonHeadSeafoodFestival.com.
