HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. — For 27 years, a beloved community Thanksgiving dinner has brought together hundreds of volunteers on Hilton Head Island, becoming a cherished tradition.

At the heart of this event is Hudson’s Seafood Chef Eric Seaglund, who prepares a special recipe for the 80 turkeys and nearly 1,000 pounds of meat that will be served at the 26th annual feast this year.

“It’s all about friendship and fellowship, with everyone enjoying themselves,” Seaglund shared. “The sense of reward at the day’s end is truly special.”

Seaglund, along with Hudson’s staff, dedicates their time to make this event successful. They are joined by a team of 325 volunteers, whose slots fill up within days of opening each September.

This longstanding tradition began 27 years ago and has only been interrupted once, during the COVID pandemic, underscoring its importance to the community.

Now, it is enjoyed by many who add it to their calendar each year.

They come for the fellowship and the food.

Close to 1500 people will reportedly fill the restaurant this year.

Andrew Carmines of Hudson’s said, “The reason why they started the dinner is because an article came out in the newspaper that said lonely locals have no place to go for Thanksgiving. So, I think that’s really the true meaning of it. I mean, you see a lot of the same families here every year.”

Families come from not just Hilton Head, but all over South Carolina. There’s even a few northerns who come back every year to share the “family style” meal with a bunch of new friends.

“There’s nothing more rewarding than seeing the faces of the people that really don’t have anywhere else to go for the holiday and aren’t going to be able to afford to do a Thanksgiving dinner,” said Carmines. “But then there’s the other side of it where we have people that choose to be here, and they leave a nice donation.”

The meal is free, but donations come in in droves to support local food-based charities like Deep Well, Second Helpings and Bluffton Self Help.

The goal is to make sure everyone has a meal not just on Thanksgiving, but every day.

“To do something that that speaks to the true nature of the holiday is it’s just a really special thing,” said Carmines.

The dinner runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day at Hudson’s Seafood on Hilton Head Island.

Last year, the meal raised more than $16,000 for those in need.