4 th of July Fireworks are at three locations for your family to enjoy. Shelter Cove, Harbour Town, and Skull Creek Marina. They will begin at dusk. (Shelter Cove will not have fireworks on the 3rd). You can view the fireworks from the dock at Skull Creek and from three restaurants overlooking the Creek. Shelter Cove and Harbor Town provide a great view of their fireworks plus they offer outstanding restaurants and shopping. Broad Creek Marina also provides a great view of the Shelter Cove Fireworks. Show up early to find the best spot.

Each Thursday, Gatorland will give visitors of Hilton Head the opportunity to get up close and personal with the American Alligator that makes its home throughout the Lowcountry. The event will educate visitors on the history, lifestyle and habitat of the Alligator. Each performance gives visitors the chance to touch and interact with alligators as well. The show is held in the Coastal Discovery Museum.

For more information go to the Coastal Discovery Website or contact (843) 689-6767.

When: Every Thursday, June 7th - August 23rd, 2007.
Where: Honey Horn Plantation
Time: 9:30 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 1:30 p.m., & 3:00 p.m.

If you have a love for the outdoors, The Hilton Head/Bluffton area has a National Wildlife Refuge right at your fingertips. The Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge features over 100 archeological sites. The sites are full of history ranging from Archaic Period to the Mississippian Period. French and Spanish explorers originally settled Pinckney Island during the late 16th century. In 1708 an Indian trader, Alexander Mackay obtained over 200 acres on Pinckney but later bought the rest of the land in 1715. Pinckney Island obtained its name in 1736 when Mackay’s wife sold the island to Charles Pinckney. The Pinckney’s transformed Mackay’s island into a plantation. The Pinckney’s cleared the land and by the mid 1800’s they were in control of over 350 slaves.

The plantation housed the Union soldiers during the Civil War. On the 21st of August in the year 1862, Confederate soldiers attacked a Union regiment (New Hampshire Volunteers). Four Union soldiers were killed while another two were wounded. The Confederates suffered with eight of their men wounded. Following the war, the plantation was abandoned in the 1930s. In 1937, Ellen Bruce bought the plantation from the Pinckney family. Bruce restored the island to its former natural state. She planted trees and developed ponds for wildlife. The island served as a game reserve until 1975 when it was turned over to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. After being turned over Pinckney Island became a National Wildlife Refuge.

Today the Refuge is a sanctuary for many endangered and threatened animals including the American Alligator, Bald Eagle, Leatherback turtle, Loggerhead turtle, South Indian manatee, Short nosed Sturgeon, and Wood Stork. According to the Pinckney Island website “Large concentrations of white ibis, herons and egrets, as well as wading bird rookeries and osprey nests can be found on the refuge…. An active bald eagle nest is located on the refuge. Consequently, bald eagles are not an uncommon sight.” Visitors can get a good look at all the wildlife in the refuge by utilizing the walking trails and bike paths found within the sanctuary. The refuge entrance is 1/2 mile west of Hilton Head Island, SC off of U.S. Highway 278 going towards Bluffton. The refuge sign is in-between the two final bridges going off island. Enjoy the natural beauty of the Lowcountry by visiting the Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge. For more information visit the Pinckney Island website at http://www.fws.gov/pinckneyisland/ or contact (912) 652-4415.

Sponsored by the Coastal Discovery Museum, Turtle Talk is a presentation that seeks to inform guests about the behavior and habitat of the loggerhead turtle that makes its home in the waters surrounding Hilton Head. Guests will first receive a lecture from a well informed nature guide followed by an actual walk on the beach to view the loggerhead’s nesting grounds. Turtles will not be seen during the day because they are nocturnal and only come on shore at night to tend to their nests. If guests attend the Nighttime Turtle Talk, they might be able to catch a glimpse of the turtles nursing their nests along the shoreline. Reservations must be made in advance. More information is available at the Costal Discovery Museum website at http://www.coastaldiscovery.org/ or by contacting the museum at 843-689-6767 ext 223.

* Children under the age of 4 are not allowed

Daytime Turtle Talk
When: July 10, 17, 24 - August 7, 14
Time: 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM
Cost: $12.00 Adults, $7.00 child (12 and under)

Nighttime Turtle Talk
When: Every Tuesday and Thursday during the summer.
Time: 8:00 PM
Cost: $20 Adults, $15 child

Every Tuesday, beginning June 5th at dusk Fireworks are set off at Shelter Cove. Avoid the crowds and difficulty finding parking and head on over to the Shelter Cove Community Park to watch the fireworks this year. Thanks to the Island Recreation Association we have a different place to enjoy the fireworks and more. Everyone is invited to the Shelter Cove Community Park from 7-10 p.m. on Tuesdays for this “family friendly dance party.” The trio, Music Madness will begin playing at 7 p.m. The members of the band get the crowd involved with favorite dances like the Macarena, games and even a dance contest with prizes awarded. This event is kid-friendly with appearances of Spiderman and Superman but fun for the whole family.

Pack up your lawn chairs, coolers and sample food and beverages from local vendors.

Any proceeds raised benefit the Island Recreation Association’s scholarship fund. This fund guarantees that no child is denied recreational opportunities because of cost.

Each Thursday, Gatorland will give visitors of Hilton Head the opportunity to get up close and personal with the American Alligator that makes its home throughout the Lowcountry. The event will educate visitors on the history, lifestyle and habitat of the Alligator.

Each performance gives visitors the chance to touch and interact with alligators as well. The show is held in the Coastal Discovery Museum. For more information go to the Coastal Discovery website.

When: Thursdays June 7 – August 23
Where: Honey Horn Plantation
Time: 9:30 AM, 11 AM, 1:30 PM, 3 PM

Hilton Head Island is home to many celebrities. One local celebrity has been entertaining natives and tourists alike for the past 25 years. Gregg Russell has made a living and is most famous for his performances under the giant liberty oak tree in Harbortown.

During the summer, Gregg performs free nightly concerts just after sunset in Sea Pines Plantation. What has made Gregg so inspiring is his ability to get the crowd involved in his concerts. During each show, Gregg usually takes random children out of the audience and allows them to sing along with him. His love for children is apparent because each time a new youngster takes the stage, Gregg makes them feel like a million dollars.

Gregg’s performances are not only engaging for children but for everyone because they include games, interviews, and jokes. Gregg Russell is fun for the whole family. Russell’s performances are so entertaining because each one is different. Russell’s ability to pull from all aspects of entertainment has allowed him to perform for so long and make people come back to Hilton Head year after year.

Russell performs Sun-Fri. from 8-9:30 PM through September.

Come out to Shelter Cove Community Park on Hilton Head Island, Saturday June 2, 2007, and spend a day in the Bayou. The Costal Cajun Festival will feature authentic Cajun food including alligator, jambalaya, red beans and rice, and a Cajun favorite, crawfish.

The festival will feature live entertainment including Cajun and Zydeco music from the likes of Sauce boss, Chris Jones, Zydeco Zoo and a Crawfish Eating Contest. Arts and crafts will be on hand as well.

The Costal Cajun Festival begins at 11 AM and continues until 5 PM. Entrance fees are $5 dollars for adults but children under 12 get in for free. Shelter Cove is across from Palmetto Dunes located at mid island on Highway 278.