Crescendo – An Annual Celebration of Art & Culture

SAVE THE DATE – CRESCENDO 2024 – OCTOBER 10TH THROUGH NOVEMBER 23RD. For more information about being a part of this year’s Crescendo, please email oca@hiltonheadislandsc.gov.

The Office of Cultural Affairs for the Town of Hilton Head Island and the Arts Council of Hilton Head will hold its seventh Annual Crescendo Celebration of Arts & Culture this year.

This regional event, organized in honor of October’s National Arts and Humanities month, highlights, and showcases the vast array of arts, culture and history organizations, individual artists, performers, and authors residing and working on Hilton Head Island.

Previous Crescendo celebrations have featured more than 100 unique arts and cultural programs, concerts, theatrical productions, museum and gallery exhibits, lectures, poetry readings, dance performances, historical tours, hands-on arts experiences, and educational offerings which are estimated to attract more than 10,000 people from all over the United States, Canada and parts of Europe.

Signature events for this year’s Crescendo will be announced soon!

• Tuesday, October 15^th: Annual Crescendo Community Celebration featuring live music, storytelling, and exhibitions by artists and cultural organizations at Shelter Cove Community Park. Special guest performance Charleton Singleton and Contemporary Flow.
• Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra presents Symphony Under the Stars at Lowcountry Celebration Park
• Historic Mitchelville Film Festival at Coligny Theatre
• Theatrical performances at the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, Lean Ensemble Theatre, and Sea Glass Theater
• Bob Masteller’s Jazz For All Ages – 10th annual festival
• Visual arts exhibitions at the Coastal Discovery Museum, Hilton Head Art League, Hilton Head Art Academy, and Island Recreation Center
• Nutcracker, presented by the Hilton Head Dance Theater
• Hands on programming and activities around the island
• Historical tours and presentations with the Heritage Library, Coastal Discovery Museum, Gullah Museum, and others
• Family Friendly activities and arts experiences.
• Poetry readings and special tours of the Poetry Trail
• Visit Hilton Head Island’s public art collection.
• Music, cultural, and food festivals
• Songwriter Series – weekly free concerts at the park – 5:30 – 7:30 on 10/24, 10/31, 11/7, and 11/14
• Lantern making workshops
• Saturday, November 23rd: Hilton Head Island Lantern Parade along South Forest Beach and ending at Lowcountry Celebration Park.

Add your organization’s events to this year’s Crescendo calendar – contact the Office of Cultural Affairs at oca@hiltonheadislandsc.gov.

National Arts and Humanities Month, first launched 30 years ago by Americans for the Arts, includes these goals: Focus on access to the arts at local, state and national levels, Encouraging individuals and organizations to participate in the arts, Allowing governments and businesses to show their support of the arts, and Raising public awareness about the positive impact of the arts and humanities in our communities and lives.

To find out more about 2024 Crescendo events, please email oca@hiltonheadislandsc.gov.

To sign up to participate in the Kickoff event on 10/15 (artists, organizations, not-for-profits, cultural agencies, etc.), please fill out this form.