Hilton Head Island hosts seventh annual Lantern Parade

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, Ga. (WTOC) - Crowds gathered on Hilton Head Island on Saturday for the seventh annual Lantern Parade, held in chilly weather.

Lanterns and community

Organizers say the annual Lantern Parade and Festival is a show of the history, natural beauty and community of Hilton Head Island.

Everyone walking in the parade held or wore a lantern. The lanterns showcased the island’s wildlife and crowd-favorite characters.

“It’s so cute, they’ve been complimenting us when we were walking around,” Ella McCarthy, a parade attendee said.

“It’s nice that Hilton Head has something like this where families can come out and all be safe together,” said Cheyanne Goon, a parade attendee.

Attendees said they hoped to see lanterns shaped like a shark, a sea turtle, a dog and dolphins.

Attendees make their own lanterns

Some attendees also made lanterns.

“I was like, let’s do jellyfish, umbrellas are a perfect option, so we went to Walmart, got all of our supplies, and it took a lot of tape, but we got it going,” McCarthy said.

Four marching bands performed during the parade.

Returning and first-time attendees

For some, the parade has become a tradition.

“We saw Yoda last year, he was pretty cool, so they are going to have to top that,” said Goon.

Others attended for the first time. One attendee drove two hours from Charleston. Loretta Ricker said: “She has a place down here and she invited me down, this is our first time, lovely, love the place.”

After the parade

When the parade reached Coligny Beach, live music and food trucks continued the event. Parade watchers then moved to Lowcountry Celebration Park, where live music and food trucks closed out the celebration.