A Local’s Guide to Main Street: Shops, Music, Ice Cream & Strolls
Table of Contents
🌴 Main Street: The Heartbeat of North Myrtle Beach
When the sun dips low and the salt air hums with energy, Main Street North Myrtle Beach comes alive. It’s the kind of place where generations have made memories — from shag dancing under the neon lights to late-night ice cream runs with sandy feet. It’s a street that has rhythm, color, and the kind of coastal charm that refuses to fade.
Whether you’re visiting for the first time or returning to your favorite beach home, Main Street offers a slice of true local life — a mix of small-town friendliness and seaside fun. Here, music pours out of open doors, locals greet you with a wave, and every corner hides a story.
🛍️ Local Shops & Hidden Treasures
Start your day exploring the boutiques and specialty shops that line the street. From souvenirs to handmade jewelry, there’s something for every type of shopper — especially those who love discovering local gems.
Pop into Hope Taylor & Company for coastal-inspired décor and gifts that feel like sunshine in a bag. Stop by Christmas Mouse for a little year-round cheer, or browse Retro Active for nostalgic beachwear and classic vinyl records. Each shop reflects a piece of North Myrtle Beach’s personality — easygoing, creative, and welcoming.
And don’t miss Gay Dolphin Gift Cove just down the road — a long-standing favorite that’s part shop, part time capsule, where every shelf holds a bit of Carolina history.
🎶 Live Music & Dancing Under the Stars
By evening, Main Street becomes the stage for one of the most beloved Carolina traditions: **shag dancing**. The music drifts out from Duck’s Beach Club and Fat Harold’s Beach Club — both legends in the world of beach music. Locals and visitors alike fill the dance floors, their steps light and smooth, keeping a rhythm that’s been part of this community for decades.
The sound of classic Motown and 60s beach tunes sets the tone, and even if you don’t know the steps, you’ll find yourself tapping your foot and smiling. For those who prefer to listen, there’s always live music spilling into the night air — from jazz and acoustic guitar to local rock bands on outdoor patios.
If you happen to visit during the Music on Main Concert Series, you’ll experience Main Street at its best: families with lawn chairs, the smell of popcorn and saltwater, and a sky that glows like a watercolor painting behind the stage lights.
🍦 Sweet Stops & Cool Treats
No Main Street evening is complete without a little sweetness. Follow your nose to Melt, a beloved artisan ice cream shop serving flavors like toasted coconut, sea salt caramel, and lemon cheesecake. Each scoop tastes like summer — creamy, rich, and made right here in North Myrtle Beach.
If you’re more of a traditionalist, head to Sweet Frog Premium Frozen Yogurt or OD Pavilion Ice Cream for a walk-up cone and a classic boardwalk feel. Grab a bench, people-watch, and let the rhythm of the evening carry you away.
🎉 Festivals, Parades & Local Fun
Main Street is also the heart of North Myrtle Beach’s most festive moments. From the colorful Irish Italian International Festival each September to the shimmering Christmas parades that roll through town in December, the street is where the city comes together to celebrate.
You’ll find outdoor markets, art vendors, food trucks, and local performers turning every block into a community gathering. Check out the Events Calendar for upcoming celebrations that might line up with your stay.
🚶♀️ A Sunset Stroll You’ll Never Forget
As the night winds down, take a slow walk toward Ocean Boulevard. The sound of waves meets the laughter of people heading home, and the street lights cast a golden glow on the storefronts. It’s a walk that feels like stepping through time — a blend of nostalgia and pure coastal joy.
Stop at OD Pavilion Amusement Park for a quick ride or a funnel cake before heading back. The ocean breeze follows you down Main Street, wrapping around your shoulders like an old friend saying, “See you tomorrow.”
🏖️ Stay Close to the Magic
Main Street isn’t just a destination — it’s a feeling. A heartbeat that connects North Myrtle Beach’s history with its vibrant present. And when you stay nearby, that magic becomes part of your daily rhythm.
Book your vacation with Thomas Beach Vacations and choose from oceanfront rentals, pet-friendly homes, or cozy condos within walking distance of Main Street.
✨ Plan your stay at NorthMyrtleBeachVacations.com or call (866) 249-2100. Because the best souvenirs aren’t the ones you buy — they’re the ones you live.
🍀🍝 A Taste of Two Worlds: The 21st Annual Irish Italian International Festival
Walk down Main Street in North Myrtle Beach on a September morning, and you’ll hear it before you see it. A fiddle riff slides over the crowd, followed by the warm tenor of an Italian ballad drifting out from the next block. Laughter rises, the smell of garlic knots mixes with corned beef and cabbage, and suddenly you realize—this is no ordinary Saturday. It’s the Irish Italian International Festival, and it’s back for its 21st year, promising a day where two beloved cultures meet in one joyous celebration.
🎶 Main Street Comes Alive
On Saturday, September 27, 2025, from 10 AM to 4 PM, Main Street transforms into a pedestrian paradise. Roughly 15,000 people will gather—families with strollers, college kids clutching cannoli, old friends leaning on railings with pints in hand. It’s all free to enter, and whether the sun is blazing or the rain decides to join, the festival goes on.
Everywhere you look, there’s movement. Artisans line the sidewalks with colorful crafts, vendors hand out festival favorites, and jugglers, musicians, and street performers thread through the crowd, turning every corner into its own stage.
🍀 Irish Tunes & Italian Serenades
The festival splits its soul between two stages. On the Irish Stage, sponsored by Flynn’s Irish Tavern, the day begins with The Byrne Brothers (10:00–11:30), followed by the thunder of the Coastal Carolina Shield Pipes and Drums. Later, Clovers Revenge takes the mic, leading into the rollicking finale by Barleyjuice from 2:00 to 4:00 PM.
Meanwhile, the Italian Stage, sponsored by Freedom Boat Club, carries its own rhythm. Anthony Bucciero kicks things off, followed by Thomas Road, then the crowd shifts for the spaghetti showdown at 1:30. The day closes with Chris Taylor and The Rumor, serenading festival-goers until the final note fades into the evening air.
🍝 The Famous Spaghetti Eating Contest
At the heart of the Italian side lies the festival’s crown jewel: the Spaghetti Eating Contest, proudly sponsored by Ledo Pizza. Contestants, hands tied behind their backs, dive face-first into steaming plates of pasta. The rules are simple: first to finish wins bragging rights and a prize. The spectacle begins around 1:30 PM at the Italian Stage on Hillside Drive—but if you’re hoping to compete, sign-ups are open from 10 AM to noon at the Info Booth. It’s free to enter, but spots fill quickly, and you’ll want to show up hungry.
🎨 Vendors, Crafts, and Competitions
This isn’t just a feast for the ears and stomach—it’s a full marketplace. Artists and crafters display handmade treasures, and food vendors compete for the titles of Best Entrée and Best Dessert. Non-food vendors aren’t left out either; their booths transform into works of art, vying for the title of Best Decorated Booth. It’s part competition, part carnival, and part cultural showcase.
🚗 Parking & Practical Tips
The city makes it easy with free parking scattered around:
Lot beside Convenience Store & More (250 Main Street)
McLean Park (93 Oak Drive)
1st Ave North & Ocean Blvd. Lot
1st Ave South & Ocean Blvd. Lot
Arrive early to snag a good spot and give yourself time to wander before the stages get busy. The event runs rain or shine, so bring a hat or an umbrella—and maybe a little patience, as 15,000 folks can pack Main Street in a hurry.
✨ Why This Festival Matters
For over two decades, the Irish Italian International Festival has been more than an event—it’s a North Myrtle Beach tradition. It’s the one day a year where Celtic reels blend with Italian arias, where neighbors and tourists alike gather under strings of flags to share stories, food, and laughter. It’s a cultural handshake, a reminder that the Grand Strand thrives not just on sand and surf, but on the people and traditions that bring its streets to life.
🏖️ Stay Close to the Celebration
The best way to enjoy the festival? Pair it with a beachside stay. After a day of music, food, and laughter, nothing beats retreating to a cozy ocean-view condo or a spacious vacation home just minutes from Main Street.
Let Thomas Beach Vacations be your host. Book your festival getaway now at NorthMyrtleBeachVacations.com
or call us at (866) 249-2100. Come for the culture, stay for the ocean breeze—and leave with memories worth toasting to.
Lights by the Sea: Drone Show — North Myrtle Beach 2025
Stroll down to the Horseshoe on an October evening and you can feel Main Street thrum before you ever spot the stage lights. The salt air carries a little chill, the gulls take up their usual posts on the lampposts, and the crowd hums with the kind of anticipation only small towns and big nights can conjure. This is Lights by the Sea: Drone Show—the night when guitars, neighbors, and a sky full of dancing lights turn our beachfront into a story worth retelling.
Event at a Glance
They’re calling it Black ’n’ Blue Rock the ’Shoe: two rockin’ concerts at the Horseshoe with a drone light show sweeping above all of Main Street. Think hometown block party with an ocean soundtrack.
The Lineup: Two Bands, One Sky
- Blue Monday – 7:00 PM: A high‑octane opener that blends rock and soul the way only a beach town band can.
- Drone Show – 8:00 PM: Music yields to the night sky as hundreds of lights take flight in choreographed formations.
- Black Glass – 8:30 PM: Guitars return for a closing set that sends you home with a grin and a chorus stuck in your head.
Where to Go: The Horseshoe on Main
Location: Horseshoe at Main Street — 11 S Ocean Blvd., North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582
The Horseshoe is our coastal front porch, a natural amphitheater where the Atlantic whispers just beyond the dunes and the music bounces down Main Street. Show up early to find your perfect patch of sidewalk or sand‑adjacent turf.
The Drone Show: When the Sky Starts to Sing
If you’ve never watched a drone show over the waterline, picture fireworks that learned to dance. Points of light sweep and tilt in living patterns—sea turtles, palmettos, heart‑beats—so precise you can hear the collective “whoa” ripple through the crowd. Kids point. Grandparents lean in. Couples share a quiet moment as the sky sketches a love letter to the Grand Strand.
What to Bring & Chair Policy
Free event for all. Bring your chairs. For everyone’s comfort, chair set‑up is allowed no earlier than 2:00 PM.
- Layer up—October evenings by the ocean can trade warm for breezy in a heartbeat.
- Pack water and a light snack; leave room for dancing.
- Give yourself time for parking and strolling—half the fun is seeing half the town.
City Contacts for Questions
- Brandy Cloos, Special Events & Programs Supervisor — brcloos@nmb.us | 843‑280‑5673
- Kaitlyn Nimmons, Special Events & Programs Supervisor — ktnimmons@nmb.us | 843‑281‑3733
Make It a Beach Night with Thomas Beach Vacations
After the last chord fades and the drones glide home, you’ll want an easy landing. Curl up in a cozy oceanfront condo or spread out in a beach home a quick hop from Main Street. Wake to a sunrise that looks like it was painted just for you.
Book with Thomas Beach Vacations: NorthMyrtleBeachVacations.com or call (866) 249‑2100.