Hilton Head St. Patrick’s Day Parade
South Carolina's oldest St. Patrick's Day parade: Pope Avenue, 2 p.m. on a Sunday in March. Route, closures and parking.
- Next dates: Sunday, March 14, 2027
- Sunday, 2 p.m.: parade at Lowcountry Celebration Park
- Tickets: Free to watch
- Hosted by: Hilton Head Island St. Patrick's Day Parade Committee
- Crowd: About 25,000 spectators
The Hilton Head Island St. Patrick's Day Parade is the island's biggest parade and, its committee says, South Carolina's oldest, founded in 1983 by Tom Reilley and friends. It draws about 25,000 spectators. It is free to watch, and it follows Pope Avenue on a Sunday afternoon in March.
The next parade is Sunday, March 14, 2027, at 2 p.m. Marching bands, pipe and drum groups, military units and floats from businesses and nonprofits take part. The practical questions are where the route goes, which roads close and where to park, covered below.
The parade route
The parade forms at Lowcountry Celebration Park and the Coligny Beach parking area, turns left onto Pope Avenue, then left onto Office Park Drive and ends at Park Plaza and the Courtyard Building. That is the route announced for the 2026 parade. The sheriff's office and the Town post the route again before each parade.
Road closures on parade day
These are the closures from the 2026 notice, and a similar pattern is likely each year. Build in extra time to cross the island that afternoon.
Eastbound lanes closed
No vehicles can use the eastbound lanes of Pope Avenue along the route.
Closed to through traffic
Both lanes onto Pope Avenue are closed to through traffic.
Side streets rerouted
College Center Drive and Office Way traffic goes to Office Park Road, and can only exit onto Greenwood Drive, not Pope Avenue.
Pope Avenue gate closed
Access to the Shipyard gate on Pope Avenue is closed, and no vehicles can enter the route from Cordillo Parkway.
Parking and getting there
There is no spectator parking at the staging area in the Coligny Beach lot; only vehicles in the parade can enter. Spectators are pointed to The Breeze Trolley, which ran one-way trips from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. from the USCB Hilton Head campus to the area near Lowcountry Celebration Park. Parking near the route fills early, so arrive well before 2 p.m., and see our Coligny parking guide for the lots nearby.
More events
What is on across the island.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the Hilton Head St. Patrick's Day Parade?
The next parade is Sunday, March 14, 2027, at 2 p.m. It is held on a Sunday in mid-March.
What is the parade route?
It forms at Lowcountry Celebration Park and the Coligny Beach parking area, turns left onto Pope Avenue, then left onto Office Park Drive and ends at Park Plaza.
Which roads are closed for the parade?
In 2026 the eastbound lanes of Pope Avenue were closed, Sea Pines Circle was closed to through traffic, side streets near Office Park were rerouted and the Shipyard gate on Pope Avenue was closed.
Where do I park for the parade?
The staging area at the Coligny Beach lot is for parade vehicles only. Spectators were directed to The Breeze Trolley, with one-way trips from the USCB Hilton Head campus from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Does the parade cost anything?
No, it is free to watch.
Local guides like this come standard for Guests of Partner Properties — one small part of what a Partner Property gives every guest.
Book Partner Properties