The September 2023  passing of Jimmy Buffett, the genre and lifestyle-creating troubadour, did not slow down his dedicated fans, called Parrot Heads, from their mission to “Party with a Purpose.” In keeping with Buffett’s own dedication to charitable giving while taking time to enjoy a leisurely, margarita-fueled tropical lifestyle, the Coast of Carolina Parrot Head Club (CofCPHC), will celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2025. One of some 210 nationally recognized official clubs and one of three in South Carolina, the CofCPHC can boast of fundraising and delivering more than $550,000 to local charities and hosting some pretty epic parties in the process.

“That’s what we’re all about,” explains Bernie Williams, currently one year into his two-year term as president of the club. “When my wife Rosemary and I moved to Surfside Beach from West Virginia in 2018, we already loved Jimmy Buffett; we even owned a Margaritaville golf cart, but didn’t know about Parrot Head clubs. Shortly after we moved here we stumbled upon a club event and saw them giving away checks to local charities, and we said to ourselves, ‘We’ve got to get involved,’ and we’ve never looked back.”

The first “official” Parrot Head club, which morphed into Parrot Heads in Paradise (PHiP), an international organization, formed in 1989. The humanitarian group shares information, fosters charitable giving, and hosts social activities while promoting an international network of Parrot Head clubs primarily in the U.S., but also in Canada, Europe, the Caribbean and Australia. PHiP’s annual October gathering, Meeting of the Minds, is usually held in the Southeast, formerly in New Orleans, L.A., Key West, Fla., and most recently in Gulf Shores, Alabama.

Some of the 360 local club members attend this event and other out-of-state Parrott Head gatherings, though the club enjoys much stronger participation in their many local and regional events, pub crawls and monthly mixers. The club’s Throwback Shell Beach Party is its largest single annual-fundraising event. It draws attendees from all over the country and features three days of non-stop Caribbean-inspired music from morning to late night, with nationally known trop-rock bands, soloists and duos. This year’s September Throwback event raised approximately $35,000. 

“Our primary charity is the Children’s Recovery Center in Horry and Georgetown counties,” says Williams, “but we have a long list of local charities that we give to.”
So why be a Parrot Head?

“We love the music, the events, the charities, the chance to meet new people and make lifelong friends,” continues Williams. “Like Jimmy Buffet, we care about giving back to the community and protecting the environment…and having a good time. It’s just a great group.”

Interested in attending an event, becoming a member, or donating? Go to www.cofcphc.com or email president@cofcphc.com  An open membership drive and Parrot Head party will take place at Neal’s Creekhouse in Murrells Inlet, January 25, 2025, from 5-8 p.m.

In Jimmy Buffett’s own words: “Have fun, make money, and leave the world a better place.”