Coastal Companion

Your ultimate guide to the coast

Hilton Head Art Festival on Memorial Day Weekend

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An exciting new juried fine art show will debut Memorial Day weekend at Shelter Cove Harbour on Hilton Head Island, S.C.

The Hilton Head Art Festival at Shelter Cove Harbour will take place May 23 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and May 24 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free and open to the public.

This two-day event brings together an eclectic mix of the nation’s most talented artists, as well as leading local and regional artists, who will collectively display over $15 million in artwork. The artists were juried by an independent panel of expert judges and hand-selected from hundreds of applicants based on quality and diversity. All of the artwork on display is original and handmade in America.

“In addition to a local contingency of artists, we’re looking forward to bringing a troupe of high-quality artists from around the country who have never exhibited in the Hilton Head area before,” says festival promoter Howard Alan.

“We’re delighted to host the Hilton Head Art Festival, an outstanding new festival that promises to delight area residents and visitors alike,” said Bret Martin, vice president of operations at Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort on Hilton Head Island, S.C. “With its casual waterfront setting, Shelter Cove Harbour will serve as an ideal location to showcase original work by talented artists and artisans from around the country.”

The artists will line Shelter Cove Harbour with their professional display booths, transforming the waterfront shopping and dining destination into a first-class outdoor art gallery. The public can meet and talk with the artists personally, asking questions about their art and inspiration. The artistic media represented include paintings, sculpture, photography, glass, wood, jewelry, collage and ceramics.

The Hilton Head Art Festival at Shelter Cove Harbour makes the arts accessible to a broad audience. Prices range from $25 hand-designed earrings to $20,000 metal sculptures. The event appeals to family and friends as a free and fun weekend activity, as well as serious art buyers interested in enhancing their collections.

Howard Alan comments, “In spite of today’s economy people are still investing in art because art heals, art soothes; this is art that is handmade in America.”

For details about Hilton Head Island Art Festival, click here.
Artist

Hilton Head Island Sea Food Festival 2009

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Come to Hilton Head Island for the annual seafood festival on Saturday April 25th. This event offers lots of fun for the whole family. If you love seafood – you can’t miss this one! But there’s not only delicious seafood to eat, there’s also a Bocce Ball Tournament, Crab Races,  Kid’s Zone and live entertainment. Visit the Seafood festival website for more.

Hilton Head Island Seafood Festival

Take a look at this video for more information about
Hilton Head Island Sea Food Festival 2009.

Right Whales Spotted Off Hilton Head Island

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On Friday Nov 28, Jennifer Gentzel, spotted two North Atlantic right whales while on a fishing trip with the family, reports the Island Packet.

The right whale is the world’s most endangered large whale, so Jennifer, a Hilton Head Island resident, and here family were lucky to see two right whales swimming next to their boat.
(Click here to read the story)
According to NOAA, the population is estimated to total no more than 600 right whales and out of those only 300-350 can be found in the North Atlantic Ocean.

In the winter, a small part of the population consisting of adult females and young calves migrates to a well-known calving ground in the shallow waters between Savannah, Georgia and Cape Canaveral, Florida. The peak period is December to March. Females give birth to only one calf every three to five years. Calves nurse for about nine months. Calves average 15 feet in length, and a full grown right whale can reach up to 50 feet in length and weigh up to 70 tons.

The life span and duration of reproductive activity for the right whale is not known. It’s also difficult to tell how old right whales can get. It’s believed that they live at least 50 years.

The right whale has no dorsal fin, an arched jaw, and growths on their heads called callosities. They were named right whales because the whalers thought it was the “right” whale to hunt. They swim slow, they’re big and they float when killed.

Nowadays major threats include collision with ships, distrubance by other boats, entrapment or entanglement in fishing gear, habitat degradation and pollution.

26th Annual Heritage Days Celebration – St. Helena Island, SC

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26th Annual Heritage Days Celebration: “Promoting Tolerance in a Changing World” at the Penn Center on St. Helena Island. Tours, art exhibitions, theatrical productions, symposiums, food, music and more showcasing the unique cultural heritage of the Gullah people of the Sea Islands.
The Annual Penn Center Heritage Days Celebration is held every second weekend in November to celebrate and showcase the unique cultural heritage of the Gullah people of the Sea Islands. Other public programs include the Community Sing held every third Sunday from September to May to highlight the African American tradition through song. (843) 838-2474.
Penn School National Historic Landmark District, P.O. Box 126, St. Helena Island, South Carolina 29920
www.penncenter.com

Hilton Head Island Concours d’Elegance & Motoring Festival

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Four Glorious Events. One Incredible Destination.
Home to one of the top four Concours d’Elegance events in the nation, this event is the only one of its kind on the East Coast. With four distinct events, the Motoring Festival offers something for everyone with everything from a vintage track event to a Centennial celebration of the Great Savannah Races of 1908, 1910 and 1911 to a handful of select regional car clubs competing for awards to vintage motorcycles, Pre-WWII trucks and a number of cars from the personal collection of Nicola Bulgari, 2008’s Honorary Chairman, this event is a not to miss! The weekend culminates with the Concours d’Elegance, the centerpiece of the Motoring Festival, with over 150 of the world’s finest vintage automobiles competing for the coveted title of ‘Best of Show.’

For more information or to purchase advanced discounted tickets for the 2008 Motoring Festival, visit www.hhiconcours.com.