Hammock Coast Birding Festival
The Hammock Coast Birding Festival is an annual bird-watching festival based in Pawleys Island, Georgetown County, South Carolina. Per the festival website, the 2027 edition is the fifth annual event and runs Feb. 4-7, 2027, with packet pickup on Feb. 3. Registration for the 2027 festival opens Oct. 26, 2026, with Golden Ticket sign-ups starting at noon that day. Check the festival website before you go, because the 2027 schedule is published there separately.
| Question visitors ask | Hammock Coast Birding Festival 2027 |
|---|---|
| County | Georgetown County |
| Official site | hammockcoastsc.com |
When is the Hammock Coast Birding Festival 2027?
The Hammock Coast Birding Festival 2027 takes place Feb. 4-7, 2027, according to the festival website. Packet pickup is set for Feb. 3, 2027. The Friday, Feb. 6 keynote dinner is one of the scheduled events.
The festival website says the 2027 schedule has been published there. Check before you go, since the schedule and dates are subject to the festival's own announcements.
How much does the Hammock Coast Birding Festival 2027 cost?
Per the festival website, the all-inclusive registration costs $375 per person, plus incidental registration fees. It includes tickets to the two evening meals, including the Friday keynote address by Emmy winner Dr. Patrick McMillan, an official festival long-sleeve T-shirt, an exclusive art print, and access to as many tours, events and lectures as the attendee can fit into the schedule.
The Golden Ticket costs $545 per person, plus incidental registration fees, and is limited to 30 attendees. It includes everything in the all-inclusive registration plus a day with Dr. McMillan on Thursday, Feb. 4, or Saturday, Feb. 6, with 15 slots on each day. The a-la-carte option costs a $79 registration fee, plus incidental fees, and includes a ticket to the Friday, Feb. 6 keynote dinner, a festival T-shirt, and the option to buy individual tours, events and lectures.
When does registration for the Hammock Coast Birding Festival open?
Per the festival website, registration for the Hammock Coast Birding Festival 2027 opens Oct. 26, 2026, starting with the Golden Ticket at noon that day. All-inclusive registration opens on or after Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026, at noon. A-la-carte registration opens on or after Monday, Nov. 16, 2026.
The website warns that some tours, lectures and events may already be full when a-la-carte registration opens. The Golden Ticket sold out in four minutes at the 2026 festival, so buyers who want it should expect quick sales.
Which tours are part of the Hammock Coast Birding Festival 2027?
The Hammock Coast Birding Festival 2027 tours take place at the Tom Yawkey Wildlife Center, Black River Cypress Preserve, Hobcaw Barony, Huntington Beach State Park and Brookgreen Gardens. All-inclusive and Golden Ticket registrants receive a Brookgreen Gardens 7-day pass. The festival also offers a landfill tour in Georgetown County, which the website describes as the county's highest peak. Visitors ride by van, and the website says the tour offers close views of bald eagles and gulls.
New for 2027, the Hammock Coast Birding Festival adds two owl prowls at Brookgreen Gardens led by Kristina Wheeler, two walks and talks with author Cacky Rivers, new photography sessions and lectures by Colin Hocking, and a painting session on feathers led by artist Ron Navroski.
Hammock Coast Birding Festival: questions visitors ask
When is the Hammock Coast Birding Festival 2027?
The Hammock Coast Birding Festival 2027 runs Feb. 4-7, 2027, with packet pickup on Feb. 3, according to the festival website. Check the website before you go for any schedule changes.
What is the Golden Ticket at the Hammock Coast Birding Festival?
The Golden Ticket costs $545 per person, plus incidental fees, and is limited to 30 attendees, according to the festival website. It includes a day with Dr. Patrick McMillan on Feb. 4 or Feb. 6 with a four-hour tour at the Tom Yawkey Wildlife Center, a catered lunch at Wicklow Hall, and a jetty tour at Huntington Beach State Park.
Who is the keynote speaker at the Hammock Coast Birding Festival?
Emmy winner Dr. Patrick McMillan gives the Friday keynote address at the Hammock Coast Birding Festival, according to the festival website. The keynote dinner is on Friday, Feb. 6, 2027.
Does the Hammock Coast Birding Festival include a boat tour?
Yes. The festival's first off-Hammock Coast tour is the North Cape Romain Birding Cruise, run by Coastal Expeditions, the 2027 presenting sponsor. It is limited to 36 participants and goes into the Class 1 Wilderness in the northern part of Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge, according to the festival website.
Can I attend only a few tours at the Hammock Coast Birding Festival?
Yes. The a-la-carte option costs a $79 registration fee, plus incidental fees, and includes the Friday, Feb. 6 keynote dinner and a T-shirt, according to the festival website. Individual tours are bought separately, and some may be full by the time a-la-carte registration opens on or after Monday, Nov. 16, 2026.
Is the landfill tour part of the Hammock Coast Birding Festival?
Yes. The festival website lists a landfill tour in Georgetown County, which it calls the county's highest peak. The tour is made by van, and the website says it offers close views of bald eagles, gulls and other birds.
Is there a film screening at the Hammock Coast Birding Festival?
Yes. The festival website says it will show the conservation film "Purple Haze," about Purple Martins, with a question-and-answer session with the filmmaker. The website does not give a date or time for the screening, so check before you go.
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