Paint the town red, white and blue as the Grand Strand throws several patriotic parties for the Fourth of July. Featuring a military air show in North Myrtle Beach, a boat parade in Murrells Inlet, and free concerts and fireworks shows in Myrtle Beach, there are plenty of places to have a blast while celebrating Uncle Sam’s birthday. Here are five ways to have some All-American fun this Independence Day in the Myrtle Beach area:
Air Show: The Sixth Annual Salute from the Shore will be held Saturday at 1 p.m. in the Cherry Grove section of North Myrtle Beach. Attendees will experience a flyover by two F-16s from the U.S. 20th Fighter Wing based at Shaw Air Force Base. The beach flyover will cover the South Carolina coast, circling Patriots Point in Charleston before concluding the run south of Hilton Head at approximately 1:45. Several vintage military aircraft will follow the F-16s and will be visible over Cherry Grove Beach until about 2 p.m. Vacationers in Myrtle Beach and the South Strand will also be able to see the aircraft as the fly down the coast.
Baseball: Kick off your Fourth of July celebration one night early by enjoying America's pastime at America's favorite family vacation destination. The Myrtle Beach Pelicans, the Class A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs, gets the party started early with a Friday night game against the Salem Red Sox at TicketReturn.com Stadium across Broadway at the Beach. Enjoy the game and the between-innings entertainment, let the kids burn off some energy by running the bases after the game, then kick back and watch a fireworks display. First pitch is set for 7 p.m. and the fireworks begin about 15 minutes after the last out.
Boat Parade: The 32nd Annual Murrells Inlet Fourth of July Boat Parade is the highlight event for this small fishing village. A flotilla of vessels ranging from small John boats to state of the art yachts are adorned in red, white and blue and sail around the shores of the inlet so landlubbers can see the spectacle. The parade departs from Garden City Beach at noon Saturday and winds up at the Murrells Inlet Marshwalk, where revelers on wet and dry land meet to celebrate at the many waterfront bars and restaurants.
Fireworks: No matter what end of the Grand Strand you decide to celebrate the Fourth, you will be able to see fireworks. In North Myrtle Beach, Barefoot Landing puts on a huge display around Barefoot Lake, and Broadway at the Beach in Myrtle Beach also offers a free pyrotechnics display. For those who want to see fireworks light up the sky over the Atlantic Ocean, head downtown to the Myrtle Beach Boardwalk, where fireworks are launched from Second Avenue Pier. If you prefer a smaller crowd and a slightly more distant view, take a blanket down to the beach or watch from your balcony at the Paradise. All fireworks shows begin between 10 and 10:15 p.m.
Live Music: Before the big booming noises light up the sky, there will be live music playing at various venues around the Grand Strand. The Mark Roberts Band takes the main outdoor stage at Broadway at the Beach’s Celebrity Square district at 7 p.m., and several of the surrounding bars will be hosting Fourth of July parties with their own in-house entertainment. The Plyler Park stage on the Myrtle Beach Boardwalk hosts the Battle of the Bands on Friday night from 5 to 11 p.m. On Saturday night, A Nickel Bag of Funk hits the stage at 8 p.m. before the fireworks show.
(Posted: 6/25/15)
