News Release

The Town’s Office of Cultural Affairs announces Third Annual Hilton Head Island Lantern Parade

November 3, 2021

Hilton Head Island's third annual Lantern Parade will light up the Island’s coastline along South Forest Beach on the evening of Saturday, November 13.

Created by and featuring artist Chantelle Rytter, the Lantern Parade is a free event and an opportunity for residents and visitors to celebrate the history, ecology and people of Hilton Head Island. Everyone is invited to make a lantern and march in the parade, a marquee event for "Crescendo", the month-long celebration of arts and culture on Hilton Head Island presented by the Arts Council of Hilton Head.

Lineup for the parade begins at 5 pm at the Alder Lane Beach Access. At 5:45 pm, the parade will step off and travel north from South Forest Beach to Coligny Beach Park. Participants should park at the USCB parking lot off of Pope Avenue. A shuttle will take participants to the Alder Lane Beach Access. The official after-party will be hosted at the Tiki Hut by the parade’s hotel partner, Beach House Resort, and feature local band, Groove Town Assault.

"The goal of the parade is to bring all aspects of our community together and illuminate Hilton Head Island’s identity," said Jenn McEwen, Director of Cultural Affairs. "This event is a perfect community connector because it is accessible to all ages and skill levels. During the inaugural event we saw incredible creations by our community including a shrimp trawler, alligators, dolphins, lighthouses and more."

Participants must have a lantern to walk in the parade and are encouraged to get creative and freestyle a lantern project of their own. You can purchase sea turtle, butterfly and owl lantern making kits at the Coastal Discovery Museum gift shop. Lantern parade map and logistics can be found at culturehhi.org/portfolio/2021-lantern-parade/. Bikes, motor vehicles, pets and flying lanterns are prohibited in the parade.

Additionally, this year a drive-thru puppet safari will be held on Friday evening from 6-8 p.m. at Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park. The public is invited for free to come and drive thru and see the large scale lantern puppets up close from their car.

For more information on the Lantern Parade, visit culturehhi.org/portfolio/2021-lantern-parade/.

About the Artist

Chantelle Rytter is a community parade artist best known for founding the Atlanta BeltLine Lantern Parade with the Krewe of the Grateful Gluttons, of which she is the proud Captain. Chantelle, who lives in Atlanta, Georgia, has founded several other annual parades based on public participation; the Decatur Lantern Parade, the Grant Park Halloween Lantern Parade, the Parliament of Owls Parade, and the Sandy Springs Lantern Parade on the Chattahoochee River. Chantelle grew up in Baltimore, Maryland, and studied integrative arts at Penn State University. She lived in New Orleans, Louisiana, for ten years and fell under the spell of parade culture and the notion that creative play can be a civic gift.

Interviews with the artist and about the event may be scheduled through the Office of Cultural Affairs at 843-341-4703 or JennM@hiltonheadislandsc.gov.

About the Town of Hilton Head Island Office of Cultural Affairs

The Town of Hilton Head Island Office of Cultural Affairs works to promote and support Hilton Head Island as a vibrant cultural destination that enriches our diverse community. We strive for the island to be recognized as a vibrant and distinctive destination known for its unique arts and culture assets that serve a diverse community and create a richer quality of life. For more information, visit www.culturehhi.org.