Stepping out for the 40th time on Sunday, March 16, at 2 p.m., the annual Hilton Head Ireland St. Patrick’s Day Parade promises many of the expected sights and sounds along Pope Avenue – a plethora of pipe and drum bands, scores of sporty cars, and gobs of giggly, green-outfitted kiddos and grownups.
There could be a few surprises as well. Those are never announced, as the leprechauns simply make them appear for spectators on parade day.
A perennial favorite, the Wienermobile is one of the largest and most eye-catching entries in the parade
Leading the procession will be this year’s grand marshal, Diane Reilley, whose selection was announced in a sash presentation ceremony February 11 at Reilley’s Grill & Bar, the home base for the parade since its beginnings. In addition to her accolades as a dedicated volunteer for decades, Diane has been married to Tom Reilley, founder of the parade, since 1977, the year they arrived on Hilton Head Island.
“We knew our grand marshal this year had to be someone super special, someone we knew would represent the parade in the highest regard,” said Gabrielle Muething, chair of the parade, in her remarks during the sashing ceremony. “We chose someone who – like all of our previous grand marshals – has served our community in many ways, with never a thought about getting recognition for helping others, for serving the neglected, and supporting numerous people in need.”
Town of Hilton Head Island Mayor Alan Perry and his wife Kathy hitch a cool ride in the lineup at the parade staging area
Just five years after arriving on the island, the Reilleys opened their own restaurant – Reilley’s Grill & Bar, across the street from its current location on Greenwood Drive– in December 1982. Diane spent many days and nights in the kitchen, cooking for customers, and making a special horseradish cheese spread for happy hour snacks.
Only three months later, the first St. Patrick’s Day Parade was held just across the way from the restaurant.
Hilton Head’s first pharmacist, Joe Capin, was the 1992 Grand Marshal, and has been in nearly every parade since then
“In 1983, when Tom decided to gather some friends and let them know about his new venture, Reilley’s Grill & Bar, by parading down the street, he had no idea he was starting a tradition,” Muething said. “Now, 39 parades later, the event has become one of the most beloved on the island, and the oldest St. Patrick’s Day Parade in South Carolina.”
The parade is also the largest free family-friendly event on the island, drawing some 35,000 spectators and hundreds of participants.
Staff and volunteers from Hilton Head Humane bring adoptable pups to walk the parade route with them
On May 15, the afternoon before the main event, a free Irish concert will be held at the Tiki Hut stage at the Beach House at Coligny Circle, from 3 to 6 p.m. The headliner is Syr, a Celtic folk rock band from Columbia, who will be joined by S.W.I.G. Kirk O’Leary and at least one pipe and drum band.
Parking is available in the beach parking lot across from the Beach House. Attendees are invited to bring beach chairs and blankets, but pets and coolers are not allowed. Food and beverages will be available for purchase onsite.
Muething has been a volunteer for the parade committee since its very early years, along with a small cadre of other longtime volunteers.
Grand Marshal 2025 Diane Reilley poses with her eldest daughter, Erin Reilley Booth, who has served on the parade committee for many years
“We love planning every one of them,” Muething said. “I have three favorite moments each year. The first is exactly at 2 p.m., when the first of the entries heads to the starting line. The color guard gets in place. The crowd hushes. And a beautiful voice rises into the silence, singing our national anthem.”
The second moment is when the first of many pipe and drum bands turns onto the route. “The pipes sing sweetly and the drums match your heartbeat – that’s when the event really becomes a parade to me,” Muething said. “And I think about after the parade, when we’ll see these bands converge at Reilley’s and play en masse. Everyone is Irish after experiencing this phenomenon!”
The Battery Creek High School Marching Band impressed spectators with their music and their dance moves
Muething’s third special moment is “when the last entry has headed toward the crowd full of joyful people and tired children, and I take a last look at the empty staging area and feel like singing, ‘People stay just a little bit longer. We want to play, just a little bit longer.’ Then I join the committee, hopping in our golf carts and heading down the parade route, waving to the crowd and thanking them for being here and loving this parade as much as we do. Their smiles and waves tell us all we need to know … it’s time to start planning the next parade and make it even more memorable.”
As is the case for previous grand marshals of the parade, Diane Reilley was selected in part for her service to the community. She has long had a yearning to help others, especially children and animals. Twenty years ago, she began volunteering through their church, St. Francis, with the Mustard Seed organization in Jamaica, first helping collect clothing and other necessities to be shipped out. The organization provides housing and care for children with mental and physical disabilities. It wasn’t long before she was going to Jamaica once a year on mission trips to help build and paint houses, make repairs – and once, she even helped dig a well. Her recent efforts have focused on Jacob’s Ladder, a program for older teenagers.
Past grand marshals congratulate the 2025 Grand Marshal Diane Reilley at her sashing ceremony February 11 at Reilley’s Grill & Bar. From left are Gloria LaCoe, 2020; David Lauderdale, 2019; Reilley; and Stan Smith, 2023
For someone who loves animals, volunteering to help rescue and shelter strays was an easy choice. First with Hilton Head Humane Association, then Rogue Rescue, and now Palmetto Animal League, Reilley has helped save hundreds of lives from certain death.
Volunteers with Second Helpings dressed like food products to emphasize their message
As for community involvement, as her son Thomas said during the sash ceremony, Reilley has “filled a lot of cups … as she has filled mine.”
Registration is open for participants from businesses, schools, churches, and other groups at hiltonheadireland.org. Volunteers are also needed and welcome to register on the website.
Members of the Shipyard Men’s Club share some kazoo shenanigans along the parade route
