Things to Do in North Myrtle Beach in May: Festivals, Events & Celebrations

There is a moment that happens in early May on the North Myrtle Beach coastline that is difficult to describe to anyone who has never experienced it. The crowds of spring break have eased. The hard heat of July has not yet arrived. The ocean is somewhere between cool and inviting — just right for the first real swim of the year. And all along Ocean Drive and Main Street and the causeways and the waterfront, things are beginning to hum. Bike engines. Beach music. The smell of fresh seafood drifting from Little River. That particular brand of Southern spring energy that only happens here, in this stretch of the Grand Strand, when May rolls in.

May is arguably the most underrated vacation month on the entire South Carolina coast. The temperatures are warm without being punishing — typically in the mid-70s to low-80s, with sea breezes that take the edge off. The Atlantic hovers around 70°F, perfectly swimmable for anyone who is not afraid of a little refreshment. Most importantly, May is when North Myrtle Beach becomes an event destination in the truest sense of the phrase. Literally every weekend in May offers something worth building a trip around.

Between the OD Beach Music Festival kicking off summer the first Saturday of the month, hundreds of thousands of motorcycle riders descending on the Grand Strand for Bike Week, the PGA Tour setting up shop at the Dunes Golf and Beach Club, two days of fresh blue crab and live music at the Little River waterfront, and a Memorial Day weekend that always feels like the true arrival of summer — May along the Grand Strand delivers more per calendar day than almost any other time of year. Add in Cinco de Mayo parties, Mother’s Day brunches on the water, and Kentucky Derby viewing parties with mint juleps in hand, and you have a month that does not know how to take a day off.

Here is everything happening in North Myrtle Beach in May 2026 — and why every single one of these events is worth the trip.

Why May Is the Best-Kept Secret on the Grand Strand

Ask any local and they will tell you the same thing: May is when the coast wakes up, but before it gets crowded. Families who have been coming to Cherry Grove Beach for decades know that you can still find a stretch of sand that feels like your own in early May. Walk Ocean Drive on a Tuesday evening and the restaurants are open, the music is going, but you do not have to wait forty minutes for a table.

There is also the simple matter of the weather. May mornings in North Myrtle Beach are made for coffee on the deck, a long walk along Crescent Beach, or a round of golf before the sun reaches its peak. By afternoon, the temperatures invite you into the water. By evening, the patios are full and the live music starts early. It is the rhythm of a beach town at its best — unhurried, warm, and quietly alive.

For families traveling with kids, May offers another gift: school calendars are wrapping up, but the massive summer tourism wave has not fully broken yet. You get the best of both worlds — a beach that is lively and active, with enough room to breathe. For couples, the spring light and the festival atmosphere make May one of the most romantic months on the calendar. And for groups traveling for the specific events — Bike Week riders, golf fans, food festival devotees, music lovers — May is simply unmissable.

Ocean Drive Beach Music Festival — Saturday, May 2, 2026

There is no better way to open May in North Myrtle Beach than the Ocean Drive Beach Music Festival, held the first Saturday of every May in the parking lot between Main Street and First Avenue South — the heart of the Ocean Drive neighborhood where beach music and shag dancing were practically invented.

The 9th Annual Ocean Drive Beach Music Festival returns on Saturday, May 2, 2026, with gates opening at 10 a.m. and live music running all day long. Co-produced with 94.9 The Surf and the City of North Myrtle Beach, this is a true community event that draws beach music lovers from across the Southeast. The festival features a rotating lineup of beloved regional and national acts — bands like Band of Oz, Jim Quick and Coastline, and other artists who have been playing these Carolina shores for decades. Bring your own cooler (up to 48 quarts) and chairs; no glass is permitted.

The festival takes place in the open-air lot just steps from the beach, and the setup is perfectly low-key: a big stage, a warm May sky, a crowd full of people who know the words to every song, and the kind of easy coastal happiness that does not require explanation. Advance tickets run around $75 and are worth purchasing ahead of time — day-of admission is $100 cash if tickets remain available.

The night before, a kickoff party runs at the OD Arcade & Lounge, featuring beach music trivia and live entertainment — a great warm-up if you are making a full weekend of it. First Avenue South between Ocean Boulevard and Hillside Drive closes to vehicle traffic for the festival, so plan your parking accordingly and arrive ready to dance.

Cinco de Mayo on the Grand Strand

In 2026, Cinco de Mayo falls on Tuesday, May 5, but the Grand Strand’s Mexican restaurants and beach bars have never needed an excuse to stretch a celebration across an entire weekend. Whether you are looking for a proper fiesta or just the perfect margarita to accompany a warm May evening, the North Myrtle Beach area has you covered.

Taco Mundo Kitchen y Cantina at Barefoot Landing in North Myrtle Beach has become one of the most popular Cinco de Mayo destinations on the Grand Strand. The waterfront patio setting is hard to beat — the Intracoastal Waterway glitters in the background while live music pumps and the margaritas keep coming. Their street-style tacos and gourmet seafood-forward menu give the holiday a distinctly coastal South Carolina twist. Expect specials, live entertainment, and a crowd that is genuinely in the spirit.

Down the strand in Myrtle Beach, Señor Frog’s at Broadway at the Beach goes all-out for Cinco de Mayo with outdoor seating, live music, dancing, and a drink menu built around the occasion. Their Cinco de Mayo 5K Run at Broadway at the Beach (typically held the Sunday nearest the holiday) offers a more active way to celebrate before settling in for tacos and refreshments. Nacho Hippo at The Market Common is another beloved local spot for creative tacos, loaded nachos, and festive drink specials — they consistently run Cinco de Mayo parties with live music and giveaways.

For a more upscale take on the evening, New York Prime in Myrtle Beach has hosted a Cinco de Mayo dinner event featuring their signature steaks and cocktails with a festive flair. And local favorites like Roca Roja Cantina and Fiesta Mexicana run their own specials throughout the week — the kind of neighborhood Mexican restaurants that are always packed on Cinco de Mayo for very good reason.

ONEflight Myrtle Beach Classic — PGA Tour, May 7–10, 2026

For a destination long known as the Golf Capital of the World, having a PGA Tour event on the calendar every May feels exactly right. The 3rd Annual ONEflight Myrtle Beach Classic returns to the Dunes Golf and Beach Club from May 7–10, 2026, bringing 120 of the world’s top professional golfers to a Robert Trent Jones-designed oceanfront course that has already earned raves from the tour’s most discerning players.

This is not just a tournament — it is the kind of week that transforms Myrtle Beach into a proper golf capital in the way that the title has always implied but rarely been demonstrated at this level. The $4 million purse and 300 FedExCup points on the line ensure a competitive, star-studded field. And the winner earns a spot in the PGA Championship field the following week — making this tournament a launching pad for some of the most dramatic storylelling in professional golf.

General admission tickets start at $44 for the Wednesday practice round and $65–$71 for tournament days. Children 15 and under are admitted free with a ticketed adult. For military and first responders, the tournament offers complimentary practice round tickets and a 25% discount on tournament rounds — a classy gesture that reflects the community spirit of the event. Premium hospitality in the Live Oaks Lounge on the 17th tee offers panoramic views of four holes and is one of the better ways to watch professional golf you will find anywhere on the tour calendar.

For golf travelers, pairing a round on one of the area’s legendary courses with a day watching PGA Tour professionals attack the same coastal turf is a rare combination. The Grand Strand’s dozens of world-class golf courses are never more alive than in May, and the Myrtle Beach Classic gives the whole trip an electric backdrop.

Myrtle Beach Bike Week Spring Rally — May 8–17, 2026

It started in 1940 as a small gathering of riders on the South Carolina coast — a hot dog roast on the sand, by some accounts — and 87 years later, the Myrtle Beach Bike Week Spring Rally has grown into one of the largest motorcycle events in the entire country. The 87th Annual Spring Rally runs May 8–17, 2026, drawing upwards of 300,000 to 500,000 riders and enthusiasts to the Grand Strand over 10 consecutive days.

The sound arrives first. By the second week of May, the low, rhythmic rumble of motorcycles threading down Ocean Boulevard and Kings Highway becomes the constant soundtrack of the coast. Every parking lot, every restaurant, every beachside bar fills with chrome and leather and the particular community warmth that defines the motorcycle culture. Riders come from every state in the country — and many points beyond — to ride the coastline from Murrells Inlet to Georgetown to Wilmington, to meet old friends, and to feel the specific freedom that only a coastal highway on a warm May morning can deliver.

The rally is spread across dozens of venues all along the Grand Strand. Some of the most well-known Bike Week gathering spots include Suck Bang Blow in Murrells Inlet — a 40,000-square-foot outdoor venue with live bands, a burnout pit, barbecue, and the kind of atmosphere that defines what a biker rally should feel like. The Beaver Bar, Jamin’ Leather, The Rat Hole, and the various Harley-Davidson dealership events along the strip all run daily events throughout the week. North Myrtle Beach’s own biker-friendly bars and restaurants throw their doors open wide — many running happy hour specials, vendor setups, and live music throughout the rally period.

One of the most beloved traditions during Bike Week is Crude’s Famous Veteran Ride — a free group ride that gathers for breakfast at Golden Egg in Surfside Beach at 8 a.m. and heads out at 10:30 for a 150-mile round trip down to Moncks Corner, SC. Past years have seen over 250 bikes participate, and no registration is required. All motorcycles and cars are welcome. For non-riders, Bike Week is still a genuine spectacle worth seeing — the sheer volume and variety of machines rolling through the streets is something that photographs cannot fully capture.

A practical note for travelers who are not attending Bike Week but are visiting during this period: expect increased traffic along Ocean Boulevard and Kings Highway, particularly on weekends. Plan accordingly, book accommodations early, and lean into the energy rather than fighting it. North Myrtle Beach’s beachfront and Intracoastal Waterway neighborhoods offer a slightly quieter backdrop while still putting you close to all the action.

Kentucky Derby Watch Parties — Saturday, May 2, 2026

The Kentucky Derby — the 152nd running of the race in 2026 — takes place on Saturday, May 2 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, with post time scheduled for the early evening. And while the mint julep crowd in the infield at Churchill Downs gets all the national attention, the Derby has also become a legitimate social event all along the Grand Strand, with restaurants and venues hosting viewing parties that are every bit as festive as anything happening in Kentucky.

Greg Norman Australian Grille at Barefoot Landing in North Myrtle Beach hosts an annual Kentucky Derby Extravaganza in their Shark Pub — the waterfront setting along the Intracoastal Waterway makes it one of the more atmospheric Derby viewing experiences you will find outside of Louisville. Expect big-screen coverage, Derby-themed cocktails, and the kind of festive energy that the race naturally generates. Reservations are recommended.

Captain Archie’s in North Myrtle Beach has become a local favorite for Derby viewing — their parties feature full race coverage on big screens, a hat contest, Derby-themed drinks, and a lively crowd that makes the two minutes of the race itself feel like a proper event. For an upscale option with a charitable twist, the annual Habitat for Humanity Derby Day event at Grande Dunes Resort Club combines a live broadcast of the race with music, games, gourmet food, and proceeds benefiting local families — a combination of celebration and community that perfectly captures the Grand Strand spirit. The Hard Rock Cafe in Myrtle Beach also hosts Derby parties with mint juleps and themed menus.

The Derby watching tradition on the beach has also developed its own local dress code — not full Churchill Downs regalia, but a nod in that direction. You will see elaborate hats at the more formal viewing events, and more than a few people who use the occasion as an excuse to dress slightly better than a beach vacation usually requires. It is one of May’s most charming social moments on the Grand Strand.

Mother’s Day in North Myrtle Beach — Sunday, May 10, 2026

Mother’s Day on May 10 has a particular quality in North Myrtle Beach that simply cannot be replicated at home. There is something about the combination of warm ocean air, a waterfront table, and a plate of food that somebody else prepared that makes celebrating Mom on the beach feel like an especially good idea. The Grand Strand’s restaurant community rises to the occasion every year with special menus, extended brunch hours, and the kind of attention that makes a Sunday in May feel like a real occasion.

Greg Norman Australian Grille at Barefoot Landing offers a beloved Sunday brunch running from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. that becomes especially popular on Mother’s Day. The menu leans into coastal-meets-Australian fusion — Tasmanian shrimp and grits, the Australian omelet, fresh seafood preparations — served with waterfront views that make even a simple breakfast feel like a special occasion. Reserve well in advance.

The Gospel Brunch at House of Blues in North Myrtle Beach is one of the Grand Strand’s most beloved Sunday traditions, and on Mother’s Day it becomes something else entirely. A hearty Southern-style buffet — fried chicken, biscuits and gravy, scrambled eggs, carving stations, sweet bread pudding — served alongside live gospel music that has the room clapping along before the first plate hits the table. It is joyful and communal in exactly the way that Mother’s Day should be. Bistro 90 runs its full menu with Chef’s specials, and California Dreaming in North Myrtle Beach opens early on Mother’s Day for families who prefer a more casual brunch setting.

Beyond the table, Mother’s Day in North Myrtle Beach offers experiences that are harder to find anywhere else. A morning walk along Windy Hill beach before the day gets moving is a gift in itself. A spa treatment at Cinzia Spa at North Beach Plantation turns an afternoon into something genuinely luxurious. And for families staying in one of the area’s oceanfront rentals, the day can unfold entirely at your own pace — breakfast on the deck, a swim, an afternoon at the golf course or outlet shops, dinner watching the last of the May sun fall into the marsh. That is the quiet power of a beach vacation: Mother’s Day becomes something Mom actually gets to enjoy.

World Famous Blue Crab Festival — May 16–17, 2026 (Little River)

Just a few minutes north of North Myrtle Beach, the small fishing community of Little River hosts what has become one of the most consistently excellent food and music festivals in the entire Southeast. The 44th Annual World Famous Blue Crab Festival takes place Saturday, May 16 and Sunday, May 17, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day at the Historic Little River Waterfront, 4468 Mineola Avenue.

The festival has been awarded the Best Annual Event/Festival on the Grand Strand by readers of The Sun News for more than a decade straight — and when you spend an afternoon there, you understand immediately why. The setting is something that cannot be manufactured: moss-draped live oaks, the smell of salt water and steaming seafood mingling on a May breeze, 275-plus vendor spaces lining the waterfront, and a single live music stage that runs beach music from morning until the gates close. It is a genuine community festival that families plan their vacations around, year after year.

The food is the centerpiece and the mission: only local seafood is featured, and the blue crab — caught from the waterways just outside of Little River — is prepared fresh in every form imaginable. Crab cakes. Steamed whole crabs. Crab stew. She-crab soup. If your family includes anyone who has never eaten a properly steamed blue crab with a beer at a picnic table while a beach band plays fifty feet away, this is the weekend to change that. Admission is $10 per person; children 12 and under get in free. Satellite parking with a shuttle is available, and it is wise to use it — the festival draws around 33,000 visitors across the weekend and parking near the waterfront fills fast.

For those who want to start the day with a run, the World Famous Blue Crab 5K is held on the morning of May 16 at Vereen Memorial and Historical Gardens, winding through trails and boardwalks over the scenic marsh. All finishers receive a custom Blue Crab medal. It is one of the more beautiful 5K routes in South Carolina and a meaningful way to earn your afternoon of fried seafood.

Memorial Day Weekend — May 23–25, 2026

Memorial Day weekend is when North Myrtle Beach officially declares summer open for business. The permanent population of the city runs around 20,000 people — but over Memorial Day weekend, the daily population swells to more than 100,000. The restaurants are packed, the beaches are crowded in the best way, and the energy of the opening weekend of summer hangs over everything like a promise being delivered.

In Myrtle Beach, the city honors the holiday with genuine intention. A patriotic parade and family picnic at The Market Common features live music and military exhibits and displays. The Jack Platt Veterans’ March with Battlefield Cross Ceremony takes place on May 25 at 9 a.m., moving from 16th to Ninth Avenues North along Ocean Boulevard — a solemn and moving tribute that draws residents and visitors together. The weekend is also marked by a military appreciation that runs throughout the Grand Strand, with numerous restaurants offering discounts for active and retired service members.

Memorial Day weekend also coincides with the Atlantic Beach Memorial Day Black Pearl Cultural Heritage and Bike Festival in nearby Atlantic Beach, which draws thousands of additional motorcycle enthusiasts to the area. North Myrtle Beach’s Public Works Department manages traffic flow with dedicated lanes and increased law enforcement presence, ensuring the weekend runs safely for the massive influx of visitors. If you are driving to or around North Myrtle Beach during Memorial Day weekend, build extra time into your travel plans and embrace the fact that you have arrived at the busiest, most energetic beach weekend of the first half of the year.

The Brookgreen Gardens Memorial Day 5K takes place on the evening of May 25, winding through the oak-canopied trails and gardens of Brookgreen in Murrells Inlet. There are few more beautiful evening runs in South Carolina, and it is a meaningful way to close out a weekend that carries real weight alongside its celebration.

Barefoot Landing in North Myrtle Beach typically runs live music and special events throughout the Memorial Day weekend, with the waterfront complex at its most vibrant. House of Blues, the outdoor stages, and the surrounding restaurants all extend their hours and programming to match the energy of the weekend. Book your reservation early — Memorial Day in North Myrtle Beach fills every table within walking distance of the water.

The Beaches of North Myrtle Beach in May

North Myrtle Beach is made up of five distinct beach sections, each with its own character, and May is the month when all of them are at their most accessible and most beautiful. The water temperatures climb from the upper 60s in early May to the low 70s by Memorial Day — cold by midsummer standards but absolutely swimmable, especially for anyone who understands that the best beach days are the ones where the water still has a little bite to it.

Cherry Grove Beach is the northernmost section, known for its quieter family atmosphere and the Cherry Grove Pier — a great spot for watching the sunrise or trying your luck at some early-season fishing. In May, Cherry Grove has just enough activity to feel alive without any of the elbow-to-elbow crowding of August. The stretch of wide sand is ideal for long morning walks.

Ocean Drive is the historic heart of North Myrtle Beach, birthplace of the shag dance, and where the OD Beach Music Festival brings thousands of visitors to Main Street on the first Saturday of May. The section feels especially alive in May — the music spilling out of Fat Harold’s and Duck’s Beach Club, the restaurants along the strip crowded but not overwhelming, the beach itself surprisingly uncrowded given the energy of the surrounding streets.

Crescent Beach sits in the middle of North Myrtle Beach’s five sections and offers some of the widest, most sweeping stretches of sand on the entire Grand Strand. It is a perennial favorite for families with oceanfront rentals who want space and access without sacrificing proximity to the activity zones. In May, Crescent Beach is at its best — warm, bright, and wide open.

Windy Hill is the southernmost section of North Myrtle Beach, sitting closest to the broader Myrtle Beach resort corridor. In May, Windy Hill offers a natural bridge between the quieter neighborhoods to the north and the activity of the main resort strip to the south — ideal for visitors who want a quieter beach base with easy access to the wider range of Grand Strand attractions and events.

Taste Around NMB & Ongoing Events Throughout May

Running from May 1 through May 25, Taste Around NMB is a self-guided restaurant touring event that gives visitors a structured reason to explore North Myrtle Beach’s dining scene. Participants visit a curated selection of the city’s most popular restaurants, collecting stamps or entries as they go, for a chance to win prizes. It is exactly the kind of ongoing event that makes a multi-week May stay feel like a genuine local adventure rather than a standard beach trip — and it introduces visitors to restaurants they might not have otherwise discovered.

The Garden Tea Party at McLean Park runs on Saturday, May 10, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. — a charming family event where children dress in their best tea party attire and enjoy lunch, sweets, and garden activities. It falls perfectly on the Saturday before Mother’s Day, making it an ideal anchor for a family Mother’s Day weekend in North Myrtle Beach.

Barefoot Landing’s Spring Live Music Series runs on Fridays and Saturdays throughout May on the Dockside Village Stage — free admission, waterfront setting, free lawn chairs provided while supplies last. It is one of the more reliably pleasant free events on the entire Grand Strand, the kind of thing you discover on your first night and find yourself returning to every evening of your stay. The Myrtle Beach Pelicans minor league baseball team is also in season throughout May, with home games at Pelican Stadium offering one of the best casual sports experiences on the coast — discounted beers on certain nights, kids’ activities, and the easy rhythm of summer baseball under the May sky.

The theater and entertainment scene along the Grand Strand also operates year-round, with the Carolina Opry and the Greg Rowles Legacy Theatre running their evening shows throughout May. Both offer high-caliber live performances that make for an excellent way to spend a May evening when you want something other than a beach bar or a festival crowd.

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