The Myrtle Beach Can-Am Days is a week-long celebration that will take place between March 10th and 18th this year. This festival has been in Myrtle Beach for over four decades and is a favorite of the locals and tourists alike. Throughout the week there will be events that celebrate our neighbors to the north including concerts, sporting events, beach activities and more.

The festival is aligned with Ontario’s school holiday in order for families to be able to visit Myrtle Beach without missing out on work or education. This festival has been known to attract over 100,000 tourists and snowbirds who like to take advantage of the warmer weather the Grand Strand has to offer.

It would be a great idea to go ahead and start making your reservations now since the hotels do fill up rather quickly during this week! Myrtle Beach South Beach has a variety of resorts to choose from and would love to play host to you and your family for this exciting event!

For a full list of the week’s events please visit Grand Strand Events – Can-Am Days

The activities all start on Thursday, February 16th where the Spirit Airlines Runner’s Expo will take place at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center from 5:30pm until 9pm. The expo is free and open to the public (parking is $3), and runners are encouraged to pick up race bibs, runner shirts, and visit sponsor and vendor booths in exhibition area during this time. Official marathon merchandise will also be available.

On Friday the 17th, the expo begins again at the convention center at 11am and lasts through 9pm that night. At 5:30pm, families can partake in the 1-mile Ripley’s Family Fun Run that begins and ends outside Ripley’s Aquarium at Broadway at the Beach. This run supports Horry County Schools and a Traveling Trophy goes to the school that has the largest number of participants. Following the family run, the RBC Bank 5k Race begins at 7pm on the 29th Avenue side of Broadway at the Beach. Awards will be presented after the 5k race throughout different age divisions.

Bright and early the next morning the big events begin! At 6:30 on Saturday the 18th the guns will sound to start the Dasani Half Marathon and the Bi-Lo Myrtle Beach Marathon. Both races will begin near the corner of Grissom Parkway and 21st Avenue and will end in the parking lot of BB&T Coastal Field. Awards will also be presented after both of these races.

Later Saturday night, The House of Blues at Barefoot Landing will be hosting a post-race party free to all registered participants of any Marathon weekend event and all volunteers. ($20 for guests and non-participants. Tickets will be available at the Expo or at the door. This party is restricted to those ages 21 and over. Free food and refreshments will be available from 5PM until 7PM and entertainment will be provided!

Ripley’s Aquarium will also play host to a post-race party on Friday night after the Family Fun Run and 5k from 6-8pm. Race bibs may be used in lieu of tickets for entrance into the party where free, light refreshments will be served. All ages are welcome to come have fun at Ripleys!

The Myrtle Beach Marathon supports the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of South Carolina and the Horry County Chapter of the American Red Cross. Since it’s first year, the Myrtle Beach Marathon has assisted these charities in raising almost $3 Million.

For more information on any of these events, please visit www.mbmarathon.com

Of course, Broadway at the Beach is one of the best spots to hit this night. With a $35 cover, you can celebrate the night away at all seven of the bars and clubs in Celebrity Square. Complete with music at all venues, a balloon drop, champagne toasts and confetti cannons, Broadway is the place to be for this holiday!

If you are planning on spending New Year’s Eve a little further north, 2001 Nightclub is having four (yes FOUR!) whole nights of celebration. So have fun ringing in the New Year 2001 Style with four nights of partying in Next Level beginning with The Coastline Band on Wednesday, December 28th, Craig Woolard on Thursday the 29th, The Attractions on Friday and The Mark Roberts Band on Saturday! And that only covers one of the clubs inside 2001! In the Starlight Room they will be going a bit country with Most Wanted playing live music on Friday night and the Nathan Farrow Band on Saturday night!

Heading south, Hot Fish Club and Gazebo in Murrells Inlet is having their annual New Year’s Eve bash with free admission! This party includes a huge bonfire in the backyard, which has proved to be a favorite of locals and tourists alike. Live music will be provided by Millenia Funk’n Band, playing Funk, Rock, Alternative and Dance music all night long. A champagne toast will be made at midnight along with a huge balloon drop! There will also be door prizes and give-a-ways throughout the night. Festivities began at 9:30pm.

If you have the kids with you for the holiday, Myrtle Beach has plenty of places providing great activities that are family friendly.

The Children’s Museum of South Carolina is offering a “Noon Year’s Eve” party! Beginning at 9:00am, kids can join in on making their own party favors until the big balloon drop and toast at noon! Admission is only $5.00 a person and the kids will absolutely love celebrating the holiday this way!

Now if you still want to enjoy an adult holiday, you can drop the kids off at Ripley’s Aquarium for their New Year’s overnight party. Kids ages 6 – 12 are invited for a fun night of karaoke, dancing, crafts, movies and more from 8pm until 8am. Pizza and drinks will be provided along with a ball drop at midnight! Tickets are $70 per child and reservations are required!

With all of these options, you should have more fun on New Year’s Eve than you’ve had all year! So put on your party hats and dancing shoes and make your way to Myrtle Beach to ring in the new year!

See Brookgreen Gardens in Murrells Inlet come to life as more than 5,500 hand-lit candles and sparkling lights are placed throughout the gardens. Stroll through while hearing the sounds of holiday carolers, hand bells, and cheer from family and friends. More than 30 acres of the gardens are open to the public creating a magical wonderland that will leave you awe struck as you stroll through ten unique garden areas.

The gardens have always been a magical spot on the coast of South Carolina, and the lights make it that much more spectacular. Nights of a Thousand Candles is one of the state’s premier holiday festivals and is not to be missed!

The event is taking place December 9-10 and 15-17 from 3pm until 10pm each night. Adult tickets are $16, while children’s tickets are $7. All children age three and under are free. Live music will accompany the lights each night and there will be hot cider and other refreshments available. The Brookgreen shop, Keepsakes, will also be open each night of the event.

Be sure not to miss out on this spectacular holiday event!

This year, the Grand Strand is providing plenty of opportunities for the kids to see Santa in his sleigh. Starting December 3rd and lasting through December 17th, there will be an abundance of Christmas cheer as Santa makes his way down the beach.

To make things easier for you while you’re visiting, we have listed the parade dates and locations here for you:

Saturday, December 3rd: Broadway at the Beach is first on our list with the parade beginning at 11am. Starting at the Visitor’s Center on 21st Avenue, the line of guests including Sharkee from Ripley’s Aquarium, the Myrtle Beach Fire Department, Legends in Concert, Splash from the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, and of course, Santa Clause, will make their way around Celebrity Square. Every guest and participant is encouraged to bring a new, unwrapped toy to donate to the Toys for Tots campaign.

Saturday, December 3rd: After the Broadway parade, grab some lunch then make your way north to the North Myrtle Beach parade which begins at 5:30 on Main Street, makes its way to Ocean Boulevard then ends at 2nd Avenue North. The annual Christmas tree lighting will also take place during this event!

Saturday, December 3rd: Also at 5:30, the Aynor Christmas parade will take place downtown. Spots are still open for floats in the parade, which provides a great way to advertise your business! The tree lighting ceremony will take place at the conclusion of the parade, where cookies and hot chocolate will be offered!

Sunday, December 4th: For those visiting on the south end of the Grand Strand, the Murrells Inlet parade begins at 3pm at Booty’s store and continues down to Morse Landing Park where Santa will be there to greet the kids! The tree lighting ceremony will take place following the parade along with live music in the park!

Saturday, December 10th: One of the Grand Strand’s most anticipated parade’s starts at 10am in downtown Conway. Viewing starts on 16th Avenue and Main Street and continues around the square down Fourth Avenue to Wright Blvd. Festive floats, beauty queens, Shriners, community businesses and Santa Claus will all be included in this great parade! Stick around afterwards for an exciting BBQ Cook-off from 11am – 3pm.

Saturday, December 10th: Surfside Beach’s Christmas parade will begin at 2pm on Ocean Boulevard and Surfside Drive. There are over 100 entries in this great parade featuring the one and only Santa Claus!

Saturday, December 17th: Wrapping up this winter’s series of parades will be the Longs Christmas parade with marching bands and floats by local businesses, organizations and other groups. You can still apply until December 2nd to be a part of this great parade beginning at 11am on Saturday!

As you can see, there are so many fun ways to spend your weekends leading up to the holidays. Be sure to catch at least one of these great parades!

“Christmas on Ice” features new singers, new dancers, new songs AND new skaters this year for an exciting, unforgettable, one-of-a-kind show! There is no other show like this in Myrtle Beach, and Christmas on Ice is a great attraction for the whole family to experience.

The show’s songs include White Christmas, Winter Wonderland, Chestnuts Roasting, Jingle Bells and so many more holiday classics all performed while amazing dancers and skaters tear up a 40-foot ice rink and winter wonderland stage.

This show is sure to be a huge hit, but don’t worry about not getting a seat because the Palace Theatre features a main auditorium with over 2600 seats. They are also having two showings of Christmas on Ice each day from now until December 31st!

So whether you’re in town for the holidays or live here year-round, The Palace Theatre’s showing of Christmas on Ice is something you will definitely want to experience.

1. Kicking us off, one of the biggest names in country music hits the stage this Saturday, November 19th. Josh Turner is coming back to town, and you’ll want to get your tickets NOW because this is sure to be a sold out show. The Florence, SC, native frequents Myrtle Beach and always leaves a lasting impression.

2. On Sunday, November 20th, All That Remains, Hatebreed and Souls Harbor will crash the stage with a full-blown heavy metal rock concert that definitely has the potential to take your breath away! Tickets are only $22 to see all three of these great bands!

3. Three days later, on the 23rd, you can experience four bands for only $18.50! Unearth and Chimaira with Skeletonwitch and Molotov Solution will bring you another loud, heart-pounding, heavy metal concert!

4. Mac Miller brings his “Blue Slide Park Tour” to the Grand Strand on the 25th of November. This American rapper from Pittsburgh is influenced by legends such as Lauryn Hill and The Beastie Boys. Tickets for this show are going for a mere $20!

5. Head back in time on Saturday the 26th with Frontier, a Journey cover band as they visit the House of Blues at 8:30pm. This is one of the least expensive shows with tickets going for $12.50, and we think it’ll be one of the best concerts to see this season!

6. Bringing in December will be the band Bush, with hits such as “Glycerine” and “Everything’s Zen.” This British, alternative band definitely has some loyal followers that will turn the night of December 2nd into your best one of the week!

7. On December 3rd, Anthony Hamilton will grace House of Blues with his presence and legendary R&B feel. Hamilton is known for collaborating with Grammy recording artists such as Nappy Roots, Jadakiss and 2pac. Catch him for only $35!

8. New Year’s weekend is bringing in two great shows with Slippery when Wet – a Bon Jovi tribute band on the 30th, and country-rock singer Corey Smith on New Year’s Eve. Either of these shows is sure to complete your holiday weekend!

For more information on these shows or to purchase tickets, visit www.HOB.com/venues/clubvenues/myrtlebeach.com

Capriz is an all-new Italian feast restaurant brought to you by the same people who brought you Rioz. You’ll want to come hungry and ready to pace yourself for this one! Complete with an all-you-can-eat buffet of a variety of salads, cold meats, asparagus, eggplant, tortellini pasta and more, the salad bar is a great kick-off to this feast. After that, get ready for more pasta than you could ever imagine! Once you flip your card from red to green, servers will be showing up at your table left and right with different choices of pasta at every turn. From gnocchi with pesto sauce to rigatoni alla vodka to your traditional spaghetti with meatballs, you probably won’t even have room for the last course – dessert! All three courses are included in this $18 dinner!

Good Time Charley’s, located on the other side of Broadway right outside of Celebrity Square, is open for lunch and dinner. Our favorite part about good time Charley’s is the live music on the patio! At Charley’s they are committed to serving you unique draft beer, great food and tons of fun. The menu, complete with salads, sandwiches, burgers, seafood, chicken and steaks, is sure to leave you feeling like you had not just a good time, but a great time at Good Time Charley’s!

If you’re looking for a place to go to watch the game on Sunday, Tilted Kilt is a great new option at Broadway. With flat screen televisions in every corner, on every wall, you won’t miss a second of game-day action. Complete with over 20 draft beers to choose from, an array of choices on the lunch and dinner menus and servers you may not want your boyfriend’s around, the Tilted Kilt is definitely an experience you’ll be remembering for years to come.

Last but definitely not least is Carlos’n Charlie’s. Combining the Mexican festive entertainment with the American lifestyle, “CnC” brings you great Mexican food, frosty drinks and entertainment that will have you laughing for days. In a laid-back, casual setting, guests are free to do as they please as they are entertained by their surroundings – dancing on chairs, comical skit performances, singing and more. The servers work as a team, paying close attention to detail and entertaining guests individually to ensure that each person leaves with an unforgettable memory of the restaurant.

As you can see, Broadway is growing like never before. Don’t hesitate to try these four great new restaurants while you’re in town. Your taste buds will thank you!

1. Barefoot Landing – Starting on the north end of the strand, Barefoot has all the essentials you could need from little gifts for co-workers, clothes for the kids, kitchen supplies, golf accessories for Dad and more! Barefoot is great for a long day of shopping considering the great amount of ways to take a break. Check out one of the local restaurants or finish your day off with a show at the Alabama Theatre or House of Blues!

1. Myrtle Beach Mall – This indoor mall, located between Restaurant Row and North Myrtle Beach, has a ton of great stores for your shopping needs. Stores include American Eagle, Bath and Body Works, Belk, Bass Pro Shop, JC Penny, Rack Room Shoes and many more.

1. Tanger Outlets – There are two outlet locations along the Grand Strand. The first is located on Bypass 17 towards North Myrtle Beach, and the other is on Highway 501 towards Conway. Both locations have an array of stores with great deals every day. Some stores included are Ann Taylor Factory Store, Coach Factory, Fossil, Justice, Michael Kors, Old Navy, Pacific Sunwear and so many more.

1. Coastal Grand Mall – The biggest mall on the Grand Strand, located just off Bypass 17 near the airport, offers more than 100 stores like Ulta, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Cache, Bed Bath & Beyond, Old Navy, Jos A. Banks, Yankee Candle and Books-A-Million. They also have a great food court where you can feed your hunger while you shop, plenty of places to sit down and take a break and even a 14-screen movie theatre to help you zone out from the stress holiday shopping can bring.

1. Hammock Shops – This last stop takes us down south to Pawley’s Island off of Business 17. Here, you are sure to find interesting items you wouldn’t find at your normal mall. As one of the area’s most treasured landmarks, the Village and its more than 20 delightfully different specialty shops and restaurants are clustered beneath moss-draped oaks that are surrounded by beautiful gardens. Hammocks, benches and rockers encourage you to relax and enjoy your day.

We hope this guide takes at least a little bit of stress out of your holidays! Happy Shopping!

Here is a quick line-up of November’s events in Myrtle Beach!

• Ripley’s Aquarium Festival of Trees kicks off on the 1st and is a 2-month event with over 50 abundantly decorated trees placed throughout the aquarium.

• Waccamaw Arts and Crafts will hold two Art in the Park events in November with the first one being the weekend of the 5th and 6th and the second being the following weekend – 12th and 13th. Both will take place in Chapin Park, located at 1400 N. Kings Highway.

• The 30th Annual Dickens Christmas Show & Festival is a four-day event lasting from November 10th through the 13th featuring arts and crafts vendors, Christmas décor, toys, gifts and more all themed around the 19th Century Victorian Holiday Marketplace. The festival starts at 9am on the 10th and lasts through Sunday afternoon at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center.

• Broadway at the Beach will kick off their holiday events on November 19th with the 17th annual tree lighting accompanied by live music, mascot appearances and other special surprises topped off with Fireworks! Then beginning November 20th, Broadway will continue to celebrate the holidays with light displays, visits from Mr. & Mrs. Clause, face painting, street entertainment and more!

• On Thanksgiving morning, November 24th, the Surfside Turkey Trot will take place with events beginning at 7am. A 10k, 5k and 1-mile race will take place with all runners receiving a shirt, great food and a spectacular view of the ocean while running.

• The last weekend of November brings us the South Carolina State Bluegrass Festival. On Saturday, November 24th some of the top names in bluegrass music will grace Myrtle Beach with their presence and stay through the weekend. The concert schedule includes such bands as Dailey & Vincent, The Lewis Tradition, Beachley & Scott Band and many more. Tickets for daily admission or a three-day package special can be purchased at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center where all concerts will take place.