Hilton Head Island Jam 2026

4th Annual

September 17–20, 2026 · Hilton Head Island, SC

Gettin' Down in a Pirate Town

Sponsorship Proposal · 2026 Season

What Is HHIJ?

Where Nashville Craft
Meets Lowcountry Soul

Now in its fourth year, HHIJ is the Southeast's premier songwriter festival — four days, eight iconic venues, thirty-plus songwriters, free for every person on the island.

Nashville's most decorated hitmakers alongside celebrated Lowcountry talent. An intimate, multi-venue celebration of original music and the stories behind the songs. No arena stages. No barriers. Just the writer, the guitar, and the room.

4th

Annual

5k+

Attendees

30+

Artists

8

Venues

4

Days

FREE

To Attend

Presented by the Town of Hilton Head Island · Supported by BMI

The Format

The Story Behind the Songs

"This Isn't a Concert.
It's a Conversation."

HHIJ is built on the songwriter format — the intimate, story-first tradition of Nashville's most storied writers' rooms. Artists share the story behind the hit, the co-write that changed their career, the verse they almost cut. Eight Hilton Head venues. All weekend long.

The writers behind #1 hits recorded by Garth Brooks · Keith Urban · Blake Shelton · Faith Hill · Morgan Wallen · Luke Bryan · Reba McEntire · Toby Keith · Dustin Lynch · Mitchell Tenpenny · Florida Georgia Line — performing in the round on Hilton Head Island. September 17–20, 2026.

The Audience

Why Hilton Head?

An Audience Worth Reaching

Hilton Head Island's residents are among the most affluent and established in the Southeast. HHIJ is free for festival-goers — which means your sponsorship puts your brand in front of the full island, without a ticket barrier limiting your reach.

59.9

Median Age

vs. 38.9 National Avg

$96.7K

Median Household Income

vs. ~$80.6K National

$152.9K

Avg Household Income

$652K

Median Property Value

vs. $303.4K National

79.3%

Homeownership Rate

vs. 65% National

68.3%

Residents Age 45+

Hilton Head skews significantly older, wealthier, and more property-established than virtually any comparable U.S. market — a high-value audience that turns out in force for live original music, right in their own community.

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2023 5-Year Estimates · datausa.io · censusreporter.org

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2023 5-Year Estimates

The Reach

No Ticket Barrier.
Maximum Reach.

Presented by the Town of Hilton Head Island, HHIJ is completely free to attend. That means your sponsorship puts your brand in front of full-time residents, seasonal homeowners, and September visitors — across four days and eight venues, from beachside tiki stages to fine dining rooms to the open-air main stage at Lowcountry Celebration Park.

Presented by the Town of Hilton Head Island Festival App (iPhone + Android) 8 Venues Across the Island Facebook + Instagram 6 Email Newsletters Regional Radio — BOB 106.9

Why Sponsor

Why Sponsor HHIJ?

Be Part of the Story

Core Sponsor Benefits

Brand Visibility

Logo at your venue, on the HHIJ website, festival app, email newsletters, and social media throughout the festival cycle.

Activation Opportunities

Engage directly with festival-goers at your venue — sampling, activations, branded materials — your presence, your way.

Multi-Channel Exposure

Six email newsletters, Facebook and Instagram, festival app, website, signage — the full HHIJ marketing footprint, all season.

Community Partnership

HHIJ is presented by the Town of Hilton Head Island. Sponsors are community stakeholders — not advertisers.

Association with Excellence

Your name alongside Nashville's Hall of Fame songwriters, GRAMMY nominees, and chart-toppers.

Why It Works

An Affluent, Established Audience

Hilton Head's residents are among the most affluent in the Southeast — high household incomes, ~79% homeowners, deeply rooted in the community.

No Ticket Barrier

Free to attend means your brand reaches the whole island — residents, homeowners, and September visitors — not a gated few.

A Full-Weekend Footprint

Four days, eight venues. Sustained presence across the festival cycle — not a one-night logo.

Built on Craft

Your name alongside the stories behind the hits — Nashville's most decorated songwriters, performing in the round.

Sponsorship

The Sponsor Package

The Sandbox VIP Deck Sponsor

Your front-row seat to the whole weekend — and your brand in front of the entire island. One simple package, limited quantities.

$5,000per sponsor · limited availability

4 passes to the Sandbox VIP Deck at Lowcountry Celebration Park
Food & open bar included — all weekend
Friday & Saturday · both main-stage nights
Signage in the Sandbox VIP Deck area
Inclusion on the HHIJ website, email newsletters, and social channels

Reserve Your Package

Non-exclusive · a limited number of packages are available for the 2026 festival.

2026 Artists

The Writers Behind the Hits

2026 Artists Include:

Jeffrey Steele

6× GRAMMY Nominee · NSHOF

Jeffrey Steele

With 65M+ BMI airplays, Steele is one of Nashville's most decorated writers. Twice BMI Songwriter of the Year, 3× NSAI Songwriter of the Year. "My Wish" · "What Hurts The Most" · "Knee Deep" · "Raise 'Em Up"

LOCASH

Nashville Country Duo · Multiple #1 Hits

LOCASH

Chris Lucas and Preston Brust close the main stage Saturday night and headline the adjacent LOCASH Golf Bash, benefiting Tunnel to Towers Foundation.

Earl Bud Lee

Writer of "Friends In Low Places"

Earl Bud Lee

Co-wrote Garth Brooks' "Friends In Low Places" — CMA & ACM Single of the Year. Blake Shelton's 2× Platinum "Who Are You When I'm Not Looking" · George Strait's #1 "One Night At A Time."

Dave Pahanish

3 #1 Billboard Country Songs

Dave Pahanish

Keith Urban's "Without You" · Toby Keith's "American Ride" · Jimmy Wayne's "Do You Believe Me Now." Shared the stage with Willie Nelson, Eric Church, and Little Big Town.

Angi Aparo

Multi-Platinum Songwriter

Angi Aparo

Sole writer of Faith Hill's multi-platinum "Cry" — one of country's best-selling singles of the 2000s. Credits span Tim McGraw, Miley Cyrus, and Big & Rich.

Marti Frederiksen

Songwriter, Producer & Performer

Marti Frederiksen

Written and produced for Aerosmith, Ozzy Osbourne, Mötley Crüe, Carrie Underwood, Faith Hill. Performed lead vocals for Stillwater in Cameron Crowe's Almost Famous.

Jesse Rice

Diamond-Certified Songwriter

Jesse Rice

Co-wrote "Cruise" by Florida Georgia Line — largest-selling country song of all time, Diamond certified, 24-week Billboard #1. Featured on Ashley McBryde's GRAMMY-nominated Girl Going Nowhere. A South Carolina native coming home.

Phoenix Mendoza

Warner Chappell Signee

Phoenix Mendoza

Written and recorded with Brantley Gilbert, Old Dominion's Trevor Rosen, Steve Wariner, and Raul Malo of The Mavericks. Featured on major film soundtracks alongside Chris Stapleton and Kix Brooks.

Ali Gregory

Nashville Songwriter · HHI Fan Favorite

Ali Gregory

Daughter of country artist Clinton Gregory. Building her own path with sharp songwriting and undeniable stage presence. A returning HHIJ fan favorite who knows how to bring a Lowcountry crowd to its feet.

+ More Artists

Full 2026 roster to be announced.

hiltonheadislandjam.com

The Venues

Eight Stages. One Island. All Weekend.

Every Venue. Every Vibe.

Lowcountry Celebration Park

Main stage. Open-air festival grounds. LOCASH closes Saturday night.

Presented by Town of HHI

Beach House Tiki Hut

Thursday kickoff and daytime sets. Beachside and easy.

Big Bamboo

Evening rounds and late-night blowouts.

Lincoln & South Brewery

Craft beer, live music, Lowcountry atmosphere.

Liberty Oak at Sea Pines

Harbor Town backdrop. Sea Pines Resort. Afternoon songwriter sessions.

FISH — Coligny Beach

Lagoon-side venue. Afternoon songwriter sets.

The Jazz Corner

Hilton Head's legendary jazz room. Thursday evening intimate rounds.

The Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa

The Westin HHI Resort & Spa

Oceanfront resort. The upscale evening experience.

Social Proof

Four Years and Growing

5,000+

Attendees · HHIJ 2025

30+

Artists · 2026 Festival

8

Venues Across HHI

4

Days of Free Programming

3

Years Consecutive Growth

HHIJ's reach extends well beyond the festival grounds. Regional radio promotion through BOB 106.9 drives consistent awareness across Hilton Head and the Lowcountry. The HHIJ email list and active social channels (@hiltonheadislandjam) build momentum from announcement through post-event recap — six newsletters hitting subscribers at key moments throughout the season. Participating artists amplify everything, bringing their national followings into the conversation and extending HHIJ's reach deep into Nashville and beyond.

Golf Bash

Also This Weekend

The LOCASH Golf Bash

The LOCASH Golf Bash runs alongside HHIJ at Atlantic Dunes by Davis Love III at Sea Pines Resort — benefiting the Tunnel to Towers Foundation. Same weekend. Same island. Additional reach.

Headliner

LOCASH

Venue

Atlantic Dunes by Davis Love III · 100 N. Sea Pines Drive, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928

Beneficiary

Tunnel to Towers Foundation

More Info

locashgolfbash.com

The Golf Bash is operated by Xzact Entertainment. HHIJ provides reference only.

Our Supporters

You're in Good Company

A Growing Community of Partners

HHIJ is proudly presented by the Town of Hilton Head Island and endorsed by BMI — and supported by a growing community of local and regional partners who believe in live original music and what it means to this island.