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Fall is for football, food and festivals! From culinary events and concerts to fright nights and pumpkin patches, the only problem you’ll have in Myrtle Beach is having too many festivities to fill your calendar. So, grab a pumpkin spice latte, your friends and family and head on over to any (or all of) these seasonal gatherings.
- Myrtle Beach Seafood Festival
Oct. 5-7th | Burroughs and Chapin Pavilion Place
The local seafood restaurants along the Grand Strand deserve a celebration. This family friendly event includes activities for the kiddos (bounce house, rock climbing wall, games, face painting), live entertainment, two beer stands, an all-you-can-eat oyster roast on Friday, a car show and a corn hole tournament hosted by Coastal Tailgating on Saturday. Tickets are not required, food is purchased directly from vendors.
- Brookgreen Gardens Harvest Home Weekend Festival
Oct. 6-7th | Brookgreen Gardens | 9:30am to 4:30pm
Head over to Brookgreen Gardens for a classic fall festival. Find the perfect pumpkin in the pumpkin patch and compete in a scarecrow building contest. The festival includes other fall favorites such as hayrides, food, live entertainment and a petting zoo in addition to having the entire gardens to explore. Tickets are $10-16 and can be purchased here.
- Myrtle Beach Oktoberfest
Oct. 12-13th | Valor Park at Market Common | 4pm to 9pm Friday and 11am to 7pm Saturday
Details: For the 12 year in a row, Myrtle Beach is throwing down for Oktoberfest. A mix of both Oktoberfest traditions and classic fall festival activities, Myrtle Beach’s celebration will consist of German beer and food, live entertainment, face painting, a pumpkin patch, pumpkin decorating, vendors, inflatables and much more.
- Little River Shrimp Festival
Oct. 13-14th | Historic Little River Waterfront | 9am to 6pm Saturday and 9am to 5pm Sunday
An expected 25,000 community guests and visitors are welcome to gather for the 14th annual Little River Shrimp Festival. Bring the whole family for a kids zone, face painting, stilt walking, balloon artists, two stages of live entertainment and approximately 200 art and craft vendors, business expos and community organizations. And, of course, the coup de grâce, all the shrimp and fresh local seafood you could want. General admission is $5. Tickets can be purchased day-of or online here.
- Taste of the Town
Oct. 19th | Myrtle Beach Convention Center
For the 35th year in a row, the Grand Strand is holding its premier fall food festival. The area’s finest restaurants will be serving tapas-style and giving out culinary awards along with live entertainment, a beer and wine garden and, for the first time, food trucks. Tickets are $5 if purchased in advance, online here or at the door for $6.
- 39th Annual Loris Bog-Off Festival
Oct. 20th | Downtown Loris | 9am to 9pm
Chicken bog is a lowcountry dish made from rice, chicken, onion, sausage and a special blend of spices. If you didn’t know, now you know. Judges will gather at this chicken bog cooking contest to determine who has the best around. Once you’ve had your fill of unique recipes, there will be over 200 vendors to check out, a car and tractor show, a kids area and two stages of live entertainment. The whole event culminates with a fireworks extravaganza.
- Atalaya Fall Festival and Haunted Castle
Oct. 26-27th| Huntington Beach State Park | 6pm to 9pm
Looking for some frightfully fun family entertainment this Halloween? The Atalaya Fall Festival is the perfect combination of spooky and sweet. The Atalaya “castle” serves as two haunted houses– one maze of creepy rooms and one for those enter, if you dare. There will also be carnival games, children’s crafts, spooky movies, marshmallow roasting and a bonfire. Admission to the park is free, however entrance to the event is $10 for adults, $7 for kids ages 6-15 and free for children 5 and under.
- Hippie Fest
Oct. 27th | Myrtle Beach Speedway | 12pm to 7pm
Spread good vibes this fall at Hippie Fest. Vibrant entertainment, bohemian shopping, a vintage hippie car show, DIY tie-dye, giant bubble garden and cirque performers are just a few of the groovy things in store for you. Tickets are $10 and must be purchased in advance here.
- Endless Summer Festival
Oct. 27th, Main Street North Myrtle Beach, 10am to 4pm
Bid summer adieu by celebrating that never-ending warmth Myrtle Beach falls are famous for. With fabulous entertainment, one of a kind specialty craft vendors, local food options and a children’s area with a community stage and carnival rides, there’s something for everyone. Did someone say free concert?
- 19th Annual Lip Rippin’ Chilympics Chili Cook Off
Nov. 4th, Wicked Tuna, Murrells Inlet, 11am to 6pm
The colder the weather, the better the chili and there’s no better place to fill up than a lip rippin’ chili cook off. Hosted by Surfrider, a nonprofit foundation dedicated to the protection of our oceans, waves and beaches, this event promises the best chili you’ve ever had along with local arts and crafts, music and beer sponsored by New South Brewery. Previous categories have included best overall, people’s choice, most original, best vegetarian, and best use of South Carolina products.
- 5th Annual Mythical and Medieval Festival
Nov. 10-11th, RH Acres
Here ye, here ye and huzzah! Myrtle Beach’s only renaissance festival is back in town. Enter a whimsical realm filled with a fairy forest, medieval combat, princesses, artisan’s village area and a fire show. Try your hand at medieval activities like ax throwing, Viking toss and fight circle. Don’t forget to dress the part. The best thing about this event? It benefits local nonprofit, Caleb’s Dragonfly Dreams, that provides positive activities to children that have been abused, abandoned, or neglected and reside in group homes or shelters. Admission is $10 for adults and $5 admission children. There is also a $75 VIP option. Daily tickets can be purchased online here.