On February 12, the community-wide Taste of Gullah festival will be held once again at the Arts Center.
It’s an exciting day of celebrating the entertainment, food, and art of the rich Gullah culture that remains an integral part of the history of Hilton Head Island.
The day includes:
- performances by the award-winning Voices of El Shaddai
- basketweaving demonstrations by Michael Smalls and Dino Badger
- a special presentation of “Harriet Tubman” orations by Cora Miller
- Gullah-inspired crafts
The abundance of fun, family activities will work up your appetite for some delicious Lowcountry specialties thanks to two food trucks: Melly Mel’s and Chef B. Eatz, featuring okra gumbo, red rice, fried fish, shrimp, slow smoked ribs and chicken. Beer, wine, soda and water will also be available as well.
This year, a special unveiling of a large-scale mural will be one of the highlights of the festival.
Through a series of workshops, children from the Arts Center, Penn Center, and the Boys & Girls Club of Bluffton learned about the Gullah/Geechee culture then conceptualized and created the mural with artist Amiri Farris. The mural will then travel to various cultural sites in Beaufort County through Juneteenth.
Also part of the festivities is the annual art exhibit and sale of The Aarts Ob We People inside the Walter Greer Gallery at the Art League of Hilton Head. The exhibit displays original work by acclaimed artists representing the life of Gullah people in the Lowcountry.
For more information on the Feb. 12 Taste of Gullah festival, please visit artshhi.com.
