Enjoying a white Christmas doesn't have to involve snow. White sand works just as well, and Myrtle Beach has plenty of that to go around, as well as lots of holiday fun in store for the whole family. Celebrate the holidays in the comfort of the Long Bay Resort and experience Christmas time on the Myrtle Beach oceanfront. The Grand Strand turns into a warm winter wonderland with a long list of family friendly holiday events, festivals and shows to check out during your stay:
Nov. 2-Dec. 31, Christmas Shows: Get your entire family in the Christmas spirit by visiting one of our local theaters for their annual Christmas shows. Opening Nov. 2 are the Alabama Theatre's “The South's Grandest Christmas,” The Carolina Opry's “Christmas Show of the South,” and the Palace Theatre's “Christmas Wonderland.” Legends in Concert also hosts holiday-themed shows featuring popular Christmas music artists like Nat King Cole.
Nov. 12-14, Dickens Christmas Show & Festivals: Experience an Olde English Christmas at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center. Shop at a 19th century village market complete with costumed vendors selling period wares. Based on Charles Dickens' classic novel “A Christmas Story,” this event features antique and handmade gifts, arts and crafts, holiday decorations and more. Exhibits highlight the history of Christmas pasts and other holiday novelties, and several off-site events are at local theaters, restaurants and attractions throughout the season.
Nov. 26-28, 46th Annual South Carolina State Bluegrass Festival: Tune up your fiddle and rosin up your bow for this traditional bluegrass music event. This Thanksgiving weekend event features some of the biggest names in bluegrass, acoustic and gospel music performing for three days at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center, this festival attracts large crowds to see such artists as Daly & Vincent, Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver, and many others.
Nov. 26-Dec 31: Christmas Wonderland: The new North Myrtle Beach Sports and Recreation Center is magically transformed into a Christmas Wonderland during the holidays. Held from Nov. 26 through Dec. 31, this festival features a wide range of Christmas activities for the whole family, but the highlight is the Hayride Lights Extravaganza. Guests can snuggle up in a wagon and ride through the high-tech light display while holiday music plays in concert with the dazzling light show. Held from 5:30 to 10:30 p.m., the Christmas Wonderland also features a 3D Walk to the North Pole, a Christmas Under the Sea Puppet Show, Rudolph's Buddies Petting Zoo, the Great Christmas Paintball Challenge, and the Cirqu-Du-Elf circus act, as well as live music, Santa photos and fireworks. Admission is free but some activities require a small fee.
Nov. 28, Intracoastal Christmas Regatta: If you’ve never seen a Christmas parade on the water, here’s your chance. Vessels ranging from small john boats to luxury yachts decorate their ships and line up to light up the Intracoastal Waterway with Christmas cheer. The parade sails out at 5 p.m. and slowly flows downstream from Little River Inlet to Dock Holiday's, arriving at approximately 7 p.m. for a dockside party.
Dec. 3-19, Nights of a Thousand Candles: Brookgreen Gardens is home to the holiday event of the year on the Grand Strand. See the Christmas lights and experience the holiday spirit at this botanical sculpture garden at night. For nine evenings only, guests can stroll through the scenic sculptures and plant life and enjoy the 5,500 lights, holiday decorations, Christmas caroling and other performances.
Dec. 4-6, 29th Annual Springmaid Beach Winter Arts & Crafts Show: Looking for that hard-to-find item to finish your list? You’ve come to the right place as arts and crafts vendors from all over the East Coast set up shop at this traditional event to sell their wares and provide special gift ideas for patrons.
Dec. 5-23, Breakfast with Santa: The most important meal of the day is especially critical to Santa, who has to fuel up before traveling around the world with only cookies and milk to snack on. Santa is carbo-loading in Myrtle Beach before he flies the friendly skies, and you can join him at any of these “Breakfast With Santa” events: Hard Rock Cafe in Myrtle Beach, the North Myrtle Beach Community Center on Dec. 12 (9 a.m. to 1 p.m.), Market Common on Dec. 5, 12 and 19 (9 a.m. to 10 a.m.), Surfside Beach at the Golden Egg on Dec. 19 (9 to 10:30 a.m.), and the Childrens Museum of South Carolina on Dec. 23.
Dec. 5, Broadway at the Beach Tree Lighting: The most popular place in Myrtle Beach for entertainment, dining and shopping also becomes the hot spot for Christmas celebrations Sunday at sunset. Live musical performances and an appearance from the jolly ol' elf himself highlight this holiday event.
Dec. 13, 12th Annual Christmas Towne: The Myrtle Beach Convention Center is the site for a true Christmas celebration with all the trimmings. Free photos with Santa, kids play area, and the city of Myrtle Beach's official tree lighting ceremony, are among the festivities scheduled for this free event.
Dec. 26-31, Beach Ball Classic: For the 35th consecutive year, the biggest high school basketball tournament in the nation comes to the Myrtle Beach Convention Center for six days of fantastic hoops action. The Beach Ball Classic attracts some of the top teams and talent to the Myrtle Beach Convention Center for a showcase so basketball fans can see the future stars of college basketball and the NBA.
Of course, after a full day and night of taking in the local holiday sights, come back and relax at Long Bay Resort, your vacation home away from home this holiday season.
(Posted: 11/2/15)