North Myrtle Beach, SC – The 32nd Annual North Myrtle Beach St. Patrick’s Day Parade & Festival will be held March 12th on Main Street. The parade begins at 9:00 a.m. and the festival will be held 11:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
The one-day rain or shine event attracts more than 20,000 people annually.
Parade beings at 9:00 AM and will be broadcast LIVE on CW21 hosted by WPDE personalities, Ed Piotrowski and Jennifer Abney. PARADE ROUTE (NEW): Begins 2nd Ave N & Ocean Blvd, turn right onto 1st Ave S, right on Hillside Drive, left on Main Street, parade ends at Ye Old Kings Hwy.Scott Richards with Easy Radio will be stationed at the entrance of the horseshoe announcing parade participants. Judges will also be stationed at the Horseshoe to vote for their “Best” parade entries.
WPDE personalities, Ed Piotrowski and Jennifer Abney, will be announcing the parade at the Community Stage located at Main Street and N. Oak Drive.
The festival offers over 140 food, arts and crafts, nonprofit, and other vendors. There will be a Kids Area with games and rides sponsored by ISI North Myrtle. The Food Area, sponsored by HTC, will have delicious Irish treats as well as festival favorites.
The North Strand Optimist Club organizes the parade, and all entry fees go back into helping the youth of our community.
The St. Patrick’s Day Festival offers three entertainment stages. The current entertainment lineup is as follows:
Irish Stage sponsored by Flynn’s Irish Tavern
11:00 AM: The Fiddler and The Flutist
12:00 PM: Coastal Carolina Shields Pipes & Drums
12:15 PM: The Fiddler and the Flutist
1:30 PM: Tan & Sober Gentlemen
2:30 PM: Leprechaun Contest
2:45 PM: Shepard’s Pie Eating Contest
3:00 PM: Tan & Sober Gentleman
Community Stage sponsored by Freedom Boat Club (Oak Drive)
11:00 AM: Triple Toe Cloggers
11:30 AM: NMB School of Performing Arts
12:00 PM: Mark McKinney & Co.
1:30 PM: Coastal Carolina Shields Pipe & Drums
2:00 PM: Sweet Sweet
Ocean Stage sponsored by Best Home Property Services (Near Duffy’s Seafood Shack)
11:00 AM: Southside Saints
1:30 PM – 4:00 PM: The Tonez
Two contests are also part of this year’s festival: Show off your love of all things Irish by competing in the Leprechaun Contest. Entries will be judged on originality, creativity, appearance, enthusiasm, and energy. Or enter the Shepherd’s Pie Eating Contest where first to clear their plate without using their hands wins bragging rights, gift card and a stylish plaque. Register at the Main Stage at Flynn’s Irish Tavern before 2:00 p.m.
Traffic Info: The parade staging and line up will occur at 7:00 am on Ocean Boulevard from 2nd Ave North to 11th Ave North. Southbound lanes on Ocean Boulevard from 11th Ave North to 1st Ave South will be closed to traffic from 7:00 am-11:00 am. From 9:00 am-11:00 am the closure will include both southbound and northbound lanes from 2nd Ave North to 1st Ave South.
Main Street from Ash Street to Ocean Boulevard will be closed from 5:00 am - 6:00 pm. Main Street to Ocean Boulevard will be closed from 8:30 am - 11:00am for the parade. Main Street becomes festival area from Ash Street to Ocean Blvd after the parade until 6:00 pm.
The parade will begin at 9:00 am. Ocean Boulevard will be open to vehicular traffic until 8:30 am and is expected to reopen around 11:30 am, immediately following the parade.
FREE Event Parking
• Corner of 2nd Avenue North and Ocean Blvd. (Courtesy of Worley Family)
• Corner of 1st Avenue South and Ocean Blvd. (Courtesy of Worley Family)
• McLean Park: 93 Oak Drive
• Bi-Lo Shopping Center on Main Street
• Free shuttle service from: Ocean Drive Elementary School (901 11th Avenue North, NMB)
• Free shuttle service from: J Bryan Floyd Community Center (1030 Possum Trot Road, NMB)