Its Finally Back! The North Myrtle Beach Annual St. Patricks Day Parade and Festival is returning this year on Saturday, March 19th! After a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, locals and visitors alike can return to Main St. and Ocean Blvd. to view the hundreds of golf carts, floats, and special groups showing their best St. Paddys spirit!
If youve never been - THIS is the year to go! After being shelved for so long, everyone is ready to make this St. Patricks Festival and Parade the best North Myrtle Beach has seen! Theres fun for everyone, no matter what age! Heres some tips and great things to expect:
Parking and Start Time -
Staging and line-up happens at 7:00am and the official start of the parade is 9am. You DEFINITELY want to get to a great spot early because Main St. will fill up quickly. You can park in the K1 Racing parking lot and walk down, but it is a bit of a hike (.08 Mile). Other parking includes: Corner of 2nd ave and ocean blvd & Corner of 1st ave and Ocean blvd. These are both paid parking through the city and youll need to use their parking app (instructions in the lot). McLean Park at 93 Oak Drive is also a good place to go and a beautiful park to boot. Shuttle Service is available at Ocean Drive Elementary School (901 11th ave N.) and J Bryan Floyd Community Center (1030 Possum Trot Rd).
What to Bring:
You want to be prepared for a lot of walking and standing so be sure to bring comfortable shoes or even chairs. Sunblock is also a great idea along with your best St. Paddys Shades! Water is a great idea. A bag, backpack, or large purse will very much come in handy because there will certainly be some great items to get from the over 120 vendors!
What to expect:
Over 100 floats that include local businesses, go karts, golf carts, bagpipers, bands, pageant winners, pop culture characters (in 2019, there was a stormtrooper battalion complete with Darth Vader and Boba Fett!), and much, much more.
Over 120 vendors featuring local craftsmen, hard to find items, local organizations, sports memorabilia, stuff for your house, clothing, and things you wouldnt expect to find! Its a blast to just walk through and see all the great things that people have made!
Three stages with fun and exciting musical acts. Entertainment starts at 11:00, so you can enjoy both the parade AND bands! The Community Stage features cloggers, the NMB School of Performing arts, local bands, and our very own Coastal Carolina Shields Pipes and Drums.
The Irish Stage is also a great place to be as it showcases traditional and not-so-traditional Irish music with acts that youll remember forever! One year featured a bagpiper who shot fire from his pipes!
The Ocean Stage delivers two popular bands that everyone loves - The Southside Saints and The Tonez. These two bands play a variety of music that just makes the day perfect.
Theres also a kids play area with rides and games as well as many food vendors serving up everything from Irish/Italian/Southern specialties to funnel cakes, pizza, and even deep fried Oreos (trust me, theyre awesome!!).
DO NOT miss out on this beloved even this year! If you book with Avista Resort, you are only 2 blocks away from the best seat in the house! See you there!
For more Parade and Festival info, Click HERE
Jason Coker is originally from the metropolis of Burlington, NC and is passionate about vacation experiences. An aficionado of music, sports, and all things geeky, Jason spends his free time performing music, grilling out, and relaxing with his son, daughter, and lovely wife, Amy.
