The seventh annual Hilton Head Island Lantern Parade will step off at sunset November 22 from the shore at Alder Lane beach access. An estimated 1,500 parade participants will carry their illuminated sculptures along South Forest Beach while thousands of onlookers take in the sunset and a sea of bright lanterns.
Lantern creativity will be on full display with a variety of creatures, shapes, sizes, humor, movement, colors, and lighting options. Interwoven in the procession of lanterns will be Black Sheep Ensemble, Soda City Band, Atlanta Drum Academy, and the US Marine Corps Dirty Boots Brass Band delivering the beat and energy for the gathering.
The parade started in 2019 with a partnership between the Town of Hilton Head Island and the Krewe of Grateful Gluttons from Atlanta. Together, the organizations work together to seamlessly blend logistics, safety, beauty, creativity, and community into one spectacular event. Each year the event grows in attendance and participation, making it one of the biggest events on the island.
CH2 writer, Brooke Peck, enjoys the 2024 Hilton Head Island Lantern Parade, where her son snapped this adorable photo.
Chantelle Rytter, owner of Weird Gone Pro, is the creative genius behind the annual parade. She is leader and head artist of the Krewe of the Grateful Gluttons, which was founded in 1999 in New Orleans as a Mardi Gras Parade Krewe. After a move back to Georgia in 2001, she permanently rehomed the Krewe to Atlanta and now they are responsible for spearheading the creative portion of the Lantern Parade. Members of the Krewe handcraft and transport the energetic puppets to Hilton Head each year. For this year’s parade, the Krewe will bring 28 members to parade and share 24 exquisite puppets with spectators.
Asked about her creative motivation for the island’s parade, Rytter said it was easy, because “The natural world at Hilton Head is just so rich.” Since the beginning, her popular sea creature lanterns have included a large loggerhead sea turtle, bright seahorses, and a variety of interactive shore birds. She designs and builds a new animal each year. She and the Krewe enjoy raising up (figuratively and literally) the sea animals and is excited to unveil this year’s newest illuminated creations – horseshoe crabs.
Crafting these large sea creatures requires impeccable detail and Rytter jokes they are “mostly made out of time.”
To design a lantern creature, Rytter said she starts with a scale-sized drawing and tries to keep the proportions accurate because it’s easy to get too big. Interior framing is constructed from willow, bamboo, and cane. Most are wrapped in fabric, secured with glue, and covered in lots of patience.
Rytter rehearses with the creatures during the fabrication process to check their movability because beauty and crowd interaction are both valuable. Each creation takes 20 to 50 hours depending on the puppet type. Finally, packability is an important concern because the lanterns need to travel to distant parade locations easily and without injury.
Rytter’s largest parade is the Atlanta Beltline Lantern Parade, which snakes its way down the city’s Beltline Trail each May. In the first 10 years of its existence, it attracted crowds with an estimated 60,000 people at its peak on the Eastside Trail. It was moved to the Southwest Trail a few years ago and still attracts 15,000 annual participants.
Rytter and the Krewe hold lantern parades throughout the year in and around Atlanta. Recently, she’s expanded to plan parades in Tennessee and Florida.
Even though she’s participated in more than 100 parades, Rytter said she still gets goose bumps seeing communities come together to celebrate creativity, energy and joy. “We all have a common calling to delight one another,” she said. “We love to make other people smile.”
Her parades unite people and deeply connect them to the places where they experience that joy. Each year, immediately after the Hilton Head Lantern Parade, her Atlanta Krewe starts talking about coming back the following year because their experience is “soul satisfying.”
Office of Cultural Affairs
Lantern parade logistics and planning are handled by the Office of Cultural Affairs at the Town of Hilton Head. Formed eight years ago, the department supports diverse arts and cultural nonprofit groups and their programs on the island. Natalie Harvey, director of cultural affairs, said they are a “cheerleader for diverse arts and cultural opportunities.” The organization works to give accolades and support to the island’s talent and manages resources, including the town’s public art collection.
Another department goal is to introduce folks to new experiences. The Lantern Parade is a great example of various island organizations inviting people of all ages to create lanterns and participate in the parade.
Alana Adams, education director at the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, spearheads the effort to invite and provide opportunities for students at local schools to participate. Hilton Head Creative Arts Elementary and Hilton Head Island Elementary IB are provided lantern craft supplies from the Office of Cultural Affairs to create lanterns and participate in the parade as well. Additionally, community groups like Pockets Full of Sunshine, Sea Turtle Patrol, Boys and Girls Club, and Mitchelville all craft lanterns to carry in the evening parade. “It’s wonderful to have a community of all ages to participate together,” Harvey said. “It’s a great celebration.”
She is also quick to point out that the Lantern Parade is a heavy lift requiring help across several Town of Hilton Head departments, including code enforcement, the facilities team, and traffic management. The Island Recreation Association organizes the food and drink offerings at Lowcountry Celebration Park for the parade’s after party. Numerous volunteers also contribute their time to help make the event a big success.
2025 Lantern Parade Details
Parade participants start from Alder Lane Beach Access at 5:30 p.m. and gradually work their way north towards the Tiki Hut. Participants are reminded that this is not a race, but instead a slow-moving stream of people, music, and lanterns. New this year, the parade makes a left turn at the Tiki Hut and exits the beach there. The parade crosses South Forest Beach Drive, moves through the beach parking lot, and on to the finish in Lowcountry Celebration Park. The party there features live music from Groove Town Assault, with food trucks, beverages, and plenty of room to interact with their favorite lanterns and handlers, and to just sit in awe of the creativity of others.
Parking is a challenge for this well-attended event, so it is recommended to arrive early. Available lots include Coligny Beach parking lot, the former Wild Wings and Aunt Chiladas, along with First Baptist Church, St. Luke’s Anglican Church, and Providence Presbyterian Church. Shuttles and additional parking are available at USCB Hilton Head campus at 1 Sand Shark Drive, with Breeze buses continuously running to and from Lowcountry Celebration Park throughout the evening. Because the parade kicks off at sunset and is held in the dark, attendees are encouraged to bring flashlights or fully charged cell phones to help them safely navigate uneven ground.
If you want to avoid the beach, Celebration Park is a great place to enjoy the festivities. Food trucks will be set up from 3 to 9 p.m. Groove Town Assault will begin playing around 5:45 p.m. until 8 p.m., with an intermission for the “puppet jam” when the parade arrives in the park. A jumbotron will also be set up in the park for livestreaming of the parade.
Want to enjoy the parade from your own home? Tune into the Beaufort County television station for livestreaming of the event from the comfort of your couch. For more information, visit culturehhi.org.
Lantern Making Workshops
Numerous lantern creation workshops are planned across the island in November. The public is invited to participate in crafting lanterns to bring as parade participant or attendee. Below are details for upcoming lantern-making events. Note that reservations and payment are required for some events; confirm details with each location.
• Carolina Coffee & Crumbs, (843) 342-4800
Open to the public and free for everyone to attend. Bring your own materials or use what’s provided. Instruction by Emily Holyoak. No registration required.
Tuesday, Nov. 18, 5-7 p.m. Free
Wednesday, Nov. 19, 5-7 p.m. Free
• Coastal Discovery Museum, coastaldiscovery.org
We provide all the necessary supplies, including lights. Just bring your creativity.
Thursday, Nov. 13, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Jellyfish, ages 13+, $40
Saturday, Nov. 15, 10-11:30 a.m. & 2-3:30 p.m. Family Workshop, $20 per lantern, $5 per adult
Thursday, Nov. 20, 5:30-7:30 p.m., ages 13+, $40
• Full Spectrum Studio, fullspectrumstudio.org
Wednesday, Nov. 5, 4 -6 p.m., $25
Wednesday, Nov. 12, 6-8 p.m., $25
Wednesday, Nov. 19, 4-6 p.m., $25
• Hilton Head Library, beaufortcountylibrary.org/hilton-head-branch
Tuesday, Nov. 18, Homeschoolers’ Art Studio, ages 8+. Free
• Sandbox Children’s Museum, thesandbox.org
Friday, Nov. 21, 11 a.m
Want to construct your own lantern at home? Paper lanterns kits and instructions are available online or at craft stores. Also, check out Rytter’s lantern parade website and free patterns and instructions at weirdgonepro.com/lantern-parade-resources. Let your creativity flow!
