Crescendo: Celebrating Arts, Culture & History

Crescendo Logo

The 2019 Crescendo Celebration features more than 75 unique arts and cultural programs, concerts, theatrical productions, museum and gallery exhibits, lectures, poetry readings, dance performances, historical tours, hands-on arts experiences, and educational offerings which are estimated to attract more than 65,000 people from all over the United States, Canada, and parts of Europe.

Kicking off October 10th with the Opening Celebration, the program will amaze and excite attendees until the curtains close on November 15, 2019. Several marquee events are planned including performances, parties and the Hilton Head Island Concours d’Elegance & Motoring Festival.

View more information about all of the great events taking place during this fall’s Celebration below. Mark your calendars and enjoy the show!

Marquee Events

orient

Murder on the Orient Express

October 1st - 27th, 2019

All aboard for the exciting fall production of "Murder on the Orient Express" at the Arts Center, October 1- 27. Special Crescendo weekend October 19 - 22. Save $5 by calling and mentioning Crescendo at 843-842-2787 or online at artshhi.com and enter Crescendo19 in the special code, valid during the Crescendo weekend. 

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Crescendo Festival

Crescendo Opening 

October 10, 2019

Join the Arts & Cultural Council of Hilton Head for the Crescendo Opening Celebration on Thursday, October 10, 2019 from 5:00pm-7:00pm at the Shelter Cove Community Park. As the sunsets over the Broad Creek enjoy live entertainment provided by the Junior Jazz Foundation, Hilton Head Dance Theatre, Gullah Storyteller Louise Cohen, and the Performing Arts Consortium. Cora Miller will guide you through the evening with an action painting by Amiri Farris, ticket giveaways, refreshments and a myriad of arts & cultural displays.

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Jazz

Jazz For All Ages

October 30 - 31, 2019

LIVE Oceanside at The Sonesta Resort SANTEE BALLROOM on Hilton Head Island A centennial Celebration of Nat king Cole “Straighten Up and Fly Right”
featuring Multi-Grammy nominated vocalists Jane Monheit & Clint Holmes with Special Guest trumpet phenomenon Dominick Farinacci, all under the musical direction of world-renowned vibraphonist, composer and educator, Christian Tamburr. As well as the premier of the brand new Deas Guyz Orchestra featuring Reggie Deas. 

 

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charli

CharliFest

November 2, 2019 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM

A celebration of life, music, critters and love for Charli Bobinchuck. Funds raised go to the Charli's Critter Fund at Community Foundation of the Lowcountry.

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Hilton Head Island lantern parade

Lantern Parade

November 9, 2019

A parade of our community in light. Every participant will have a lantern to march. Each lantern will be a representation of our history, our ecology, our recreation or ourselves.

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nutcracker

The Nutcracker

November 15 - 24, 2019

Celebrate the beginning of the holiday season with the Hilton Head Dance Theatre's production of The Nutcracker for a performance the whole family will enjoy! 

 

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  • Crescendo Events
    1. Benefit / Party / Reception / Parade>

      Opening Reception for "Inspired Threads"

      10/3/2019

      Bill Bogle Artist Reception

      10/09/2019

      An Evening of the Arts

      10/12/2019

      4th Annual Gullah Food Festival

      10/19/2019

      ISCA Art Auction 

      10/25/2019

      Palmetto Animal League Collaboration

      10/28 - 11/02/2019

      Flights & Fancy Aeroport Gala

      11/1/2019

      Nutcracker 5k

      11/2/2019

      Autoweek's Design Among the Stars

      11/2/2019

      Murray Sease Artist Reception

      11/06/2019

      Hilton Head Island Lantern Parade

      11/9/2019

    2. Concours >

      Savannah Speed Classic

      10/26 -10/27/2019

      Flights & Fancy Aeroport Gala

      11/1/2019

      Concours d'Elegance

      11/1/ - 11/3/2019

      Car Club Showcase

      11/2/2019

    3. Concert/Music >

      Dixieland Jazz Society of the Lowcountry Jam Session

      The Last Sundays of Crescendo

      HHSO OPENING NIGHT

      10/20/2019

      HHSO OPENING NIGHT

      10/21/2019

      Jazz Fest: Centennial Celebration of NAT KING COLE featuring Multi-Grammy Nominated Vocalists JANE MONHEIT & CLINT HOLMES

      10/30/2019

      Jazz FEST: The DEAS GUYZ ORCHESTRA featuring the incomparable REGGIE DEAS ~ An Evening of Soul, R&B, Motown and More...

      10/31/2019

      LAVON STEVENS Presents JAZZ in the KEY of Life featuring Louis Spencer

      10/10, 10/17/19, 10/24/19, 10/31, 11/7, 11/14/2019

      The KEVIN BALES Centennial Blues Band

      10/11 - 10/12/2019

      DEAS GUYZ 

      10/13, 10/20, 10/27, 11/3, 11/10/2019

      The MARTIN LESCH Band "A Journey Through Jazz"

      10/14, 10/21, 10/28, 11/4, 11/11/2019

      The JAZZ CORNER Ensemble  "FAT TUESDAY" A Celebration of New Orleans & Beyond…

      10/15, 10/22, 10/29, 11/5, 11/12/2019

      BOBBY RYDER Swings The Great American Songbook ~ Music of the Rat Pack ERA

      10/16,10/30, 11/13/2019

      The AIMEE NOLTE Quartet featuring Nicki Parrott, Justin Varnes & Taylor Roberts

      10/18 & 10/19/2019

      Legendary BLUESMAN EARL WILLIAMS Honors Classic Jazz & Blues

      10/23 & 11/6/2019

      Vibraphonist JOE DOUBLEDAY'S SHOWTIME Band

      10/25 & 10/26/2019

      Grammy Nominated Jazz Vocalist KATE McGARRY with The Christian Tamburr Quartet

      11/1 & 11/2/2019

      World-Renowned Trombonist, Composer, Arranger & Conductor WYCLIFFE GORDON's Quartet

      11/8 & 11/9/2019

    4. Concert/Music Cont. >

      Ray Ushikubo - International Piano Competition Winners’ Recital

      10/10/2019

      Ray Ushikubo

      10/10/2019

      Concert Truck

      10/10,10/11,10/12/2019

       

      Barbershop USA

      10/12 - 10/14/2019

      Classical Music Concert with Iris Sheperd and Chee-Hang See

      10/12 - 10/13/2019

       

       

      Lantern Parade Making shop and Kick off

      11/8/2019

      The JOSHUA BOWLUS Quartet SWINGS Disney!

      11/15/2019

      Music of the Grateful Dead

      11/15 -11/16/2019

      Cranford Hollow

      TBA

    5. Exhibit >

      The Artist's Gallery at Island Recreation Center

      9/15 - 2/1/20

      Inspired Threads

      9/23/2019

      Bill Bogle Exhibition

      10/1 - 10/26/2019

      Gayle Miller Exhibition

      10/07 – 12/05/2019

      Gallery Walks "Inspired Threads"

      10/11 10/25/2019

      Vintage Auto Film Exhibition

      10/31/2019

      Murray Sease Exhibition

      11/05 - 11/30/2019

      SC Governor's School Showcase

      11/7/2019

      Richard Grant Exhibition at Island Rec Center

      11/15/2019

      Amiri Farris Exhibition

      Entire Crescendo

      Arts Ob We People - Wall of Art

      Mondays - Saturdays of Crescendo 

      Our Prince of Scribes Exhibition 

      Daily 

    6. Literary/Presentation/Other >

      I Was Born to Be in a Library - Pat Conroy as Reader

      10/16/2019

      Confessions of Madness, The Discussion

      10/23/2019

      "The Samuel Project"

      10/27/2019

      An Evening With our Prince of Scribes 

      10/30/2019

      Halloween Open Mic Night

      10/31/2019

      IWN General Meeting

      11/4/2019

      If These Walls Could Talk

      11/13/2019

    7. Theater/Dance >

      Murder on the Orient Express

      10/10-12, 10/15-19, 10/22 - 26

      Murder on the Orient Express

      10/13, 10/20,10/27/2019 (Sundays)

      The Humans

      10/17 - 10/27/2019

      The True Story of the Three Little Pigs

      11/5/2019

      The Capitol Steps

      11/8, 11/9, 11/10/2019

      MSYT Godspell

      11/12 - 11/24/2019

      The Nutcracker

      11/15. 11/17, 11/22, 11/24/2019

    8. Tour >

      Marsh Tacky Horse Tour

      10/11, 10/18, 10/25, 11/1, 11/8, 11/15/2019

      Roots of Reconstruction Tour

      10/11, 10/25, 11/8/2019

      Ghosts & Myths of Hilton Head Island

      10/24,10/25,10/26/2019

      Fort Mitchel Tour

      Mondays of Crescendo

      Costumed Tours at Zion Cemetery & Baynard Mausoleum, a site on the National Register of Historic Places

      Thursdays of Crescendo

      Bike Tours In A Historic District

      Wednesdays of Crescendo

      Hilton Head Haunted History Tours

      Wednesdays of Crescendo

      Heyward House Historic Tours

      Monday - Saturday during Crescendo

       

    9. Workshop/Classes >

      Indigo Exploration

      10/17/2019

      Cold Connections - Jewelry Making Workshop

      10/19-11/9/2019

      Rediscovering The Discovery of America

      10/22/2019

      Genealogy Research - Where to Start for Free

      10/23/2019

      Historic Markers & Sites on Hilton Head Island

      10/29/2019

      Lantern Making Workshop

      11/6 - 11/7/2019

      Lantern Making Workshops

      Varied

      Discovery Night at the Museum

      Thursdays of Crescendo

    Presenting Sponsors