29th Annual North Myrtle Beach St. Patrick's Day Parade & Festival - March 11 on Main Street

The 29th Annual North Myrtle Beach St. Patrick’s Day Parade & Festival will be held March 11 on Main Street. The parade begins at 9:00 a.m. and the festival will be held 11:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.

The one-day rain or shine event attracts more than 30,000 people annually.

The festival offers 150-plus food, arts and crafts, nonprofit, and other vendors.

The North Strand Optimist Club organizes the parade, and all entry fees go back into helping the youth of our community.

Alan Connie and Amber Campbell have been selected as Grand Marshals for the St. Patrick’s Day Parade. (Separate release will highlight their accomplishments.)



The St. Patrick’s Day Festival offers three entertainment stages. The current entertainment lineup is as follows:

Community Stage - Main Street & Oak Drive:

11:15 AM:  Triple Toe Cloggers

11:45 AM: Parade Awards

12:15 PM:  Conway Celtic Pipers

12:30 PM: Academy of Dance and Fine Arts

1:00 PM: Coastal Carolina Shields Pipe & Drums

1:15 PM: North Myrtle Beach School of Performing Arts

2:15 PM – 4:00:  Caroline Dare Band

Main Stage - Near Flynn’s Irish Tavern:

11:00 AM: Band on the Rum

11:45 AM: Coastal Carolina Shields Pipes & Drums

12:00 PM:  Band on the Rum

12:45 PM: Wake & District Public Safety Pipes & Drums

1:00 PM: Barleyjuice

2:15 PM: Leprechaun Contest

2:30 PM:    Shepard’s Pie Eating Contest

2:45 PM:   Barleyjuice

Green Stage - Near Duffy’s Seafood Shack

11:00: Miracle Max and the Pet Monsters

1:45 PM – 4:00 PM:  Bantum Rooster



Two contests are also part of this year’s festival:

29th Annual St. Patrick's Day Parade & Festival Leprechaun Contest

Show off your love of all things Irish by competing in the 29th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade & Festival Leprechaun Contest. Entries will be judged on originality, creativity, appearance, enthusiasm and energy. Participants must be 18 years or older, must register, must be dressed in a leprechaun/Irish-themed costume, and must grant permission to the City of North Myrtle Beach to publish photos for promotion and sign a release of liability. The contest is open to the general public and no purchase is necessary to participate.

Contestants must register at the Main Stage at Flynn's Irish Tavern before 2:00 p.m. Preregistration is also available at the Festival Information Booth (corner of Hillside Drive and Main Street) before 1:30 p.m. Meet at the stairs of the Main Stage at 2:00 p.m. Contest begins at 2:15 p.m.

29th Annual St. Patrick's Day Shepherd's Pie Eating Contest

First to clear their plate without using their hands wins bragging rights and a stylish plaque. Register at the Main Stage at Flynn’s Irish Tavern before 2:00 p.m. Preregistration is also available at the Festival Information Booth, corner of Hillside Drive and Main Street before 1:30 p.m. Meet at the stairs of the Main Stage on festival site at 2:15 p.m. Contest begins at 2:30 p.m. 



EVENT PARKING: 

Parade & Festival Parking:

Spectators gathering to watch the parade should be in place by 8:20 a.m.  Main Street will close to vehicular traffic promptly at 8:30 a.m.  The parade will begin at 8:50 a.m.
Ocean Boulevard will be open to vehicular traffic until 8:30 a.m. and is expected reopen around 11:30 a.m., immediately following the parade.  Main Street from Ash Street to Ocean Blvd. will remain closed after the parade and become the festival area.

On-site Public Parking:

Open Grass Lot between Barefoot Church and BB&T: 601 Main Street, North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582

McLean Park: 93 Oak Drive, North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582

Grass lot on the corner of 2nd Avenue North and Ocean Blvd.; 200 N. Ocean Blvd., North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582

Off-site Parking/Pick-ups

Buses will run continuously from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.

Coming from Little River on Hwy 17:

Ocean Drive Elementary School – 901 11th Avenue North, North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582

Corner of 8th Avenue North & Ocean Blvd.

Corner of 12th Avenue North & Ocean Blvd.

Corner of 14th Avenue North & Ocean Blvd.

Corner of 17th Avenue North & Ocean Blvd.

Coming from Hwy 31 via Robert Edge Parkway:

Ocean Drive Elementary School- 901 11th Avenue North, North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582

*Buses provided are not wheelchair accessible. Please use the provided Handicap parking areas for wheelchair accessible parking.

Handicap Parking

Open Grass Lot between Barefoot Church and BB&T: 601 Main Street, North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582
WDPE TV 15 is the Media Sponsor. Easy 105.9 is the Radio Sponsor. The North Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce is the St. Patrick’s Day Parade Presenting Sponsor.

Police Officer Donald Keith Williams Earns City's 2016 Safety Employee Of The Year Award

On February 21, Police Officer Donald Keith Williams was presented with the City's 2016 Safety Employee of the Year Award.

His nomination for the award documented how, immediately following the passage of Hurricane Matthew through North Myrtle Beach, he took the initiative and asked his supervisors to allow him to work closely with the Street Division to deploy four-way stop signs at major intersections throughout the city where traffic signals had failed. This action prevented many vehicle accidents and it also allowed Police Officers stationed at the intersections to return to normal patrol duties.
On another occasion Officer Williams used his experience and skills to assist a wrecker service struggling to remove a heavily damaged vehicle from a dangerous situation. When Officer Williams arrived on scene, he recognized several safety issues and stepped in to assist. With his help the vehicle was safely recovered in about 15 minutes.

We congratulate Officer Williams on receiving this award, and we thank him for his commitment and innovation in always seeking "Safety First" for himself, his co-workers, and the public.
Left to right in the accompanying photo are City Safety Specialist Joe Turner, Police Officer Donald Keith Williams, and Public Safety Director Jay Fernandez.

Community Blood Drive Feb. 24

Did you know that 1 pint of blood can save up to 3 lives?

Please join CENTURY 21® Thomas, Thomas Beach Vacations and Boulineau’s Food Plus on Friday, Feb. 24, from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at a community Blood Drive. The event will be held at CENTURY 21 Thomas, 625 Sea Mountain Highway in the Cherry Grove section of North Myrtle Beach.

Please schedule your appointment in advance by going to www.redcrossblood.org (sponsor: CENTURY 21 Thomas) or call 800-733-2767. Let’s continue to build North Myrtle Beach and save lives as we support the American Red Cross!

City Close to Completing Removal of Damaged Sand Fencing Posts From its 9 Miles of Beach

When the last beach renourishment project was accomplished along the City's nine miles of beach, sand fencing was installed along the completed project. The fencing helps keep people off the dunes and it also plays a role in catching and retaining sand for the dunes.

Hurricane Matthew destroyed or severely damaged a lot of the sand fencing. Crews have been removing the fence posts and are nearing the end of that work. New sand fencing will be installed when the next beach renourishment project has been completed. The fencing sits on the dune structure.

City officials have been working hard toward the next beach renourishment effort. The Army Corps of Engineer's Design is 95% complete, and the Mayor and City Council have met with the City Manager to review the proposed emergency renourishment.

Repairs to Dune Walkovers & Beach Access to Begin in March

Repairs to Hurricane Damaged Dune Walkovers and Beach Accesses Projected to Begin in March and Completed by Easter Weekend

North Myrtle Beach, SC - February 14, 2017 - The City of North Myrtle Beach has issued a request for bids to repair dune walkovers and/or beach accesses damaged by Hurricane Matthew. Although damage to dune walkovers and beach accesses occurred all along the City’s nine miles of beach, a disproportionate amount of the damage was concentrated in the Cherry Grove section of the city. It will take two to three weeks for contractors to submit their bids to the City. If the bids come in at or under the City’s estimate, a contractor will be selected and the work will begin in mid-to-late March. The goal is to complete the repairs prior to Easter weekend. A large percentage of the cost to repair dune walkovers and beach accesses damaged by Hurricane Matthew may in time be reimbursed by FEMA but the City must first expend the money from its own resources. This was also the case with the much larger costs associated with the collection and disposal of hurricane related vegetative and other debris from streets, parks and other venues in North Myrtle Beach. “The upfront costs of hurricane debris removal, the repairs to dune walkovers and beach accesses, overtime, and other hurricane related costs has put some temporary pressure on the City’s budget,” said City Manager Mike Mahaney, “but the City has  been able to meet those demands by adapting to the situation. We have been able to stagger repair and other projects so that they can be accomplished without having to seek additional revenue. And we are very fortunate that in the foreseeable future a decent percentage of our hurricane related expenditures will be reimbursed by FEMA.”

Saturday Swim Lessons at NMB Aquatic & Fitness Center - January 28 - March 11

North Myrtle Beach, SC – January 25, 2017 – Sign up today at the Customer Service Desk at the NMB Aquatic & Fitness Center for Saturday Swim Lessons- January 28-March 11* (No Classes Feb.11).

Saturday Infant/Parent Lessons (6mos-3yrs)           
Fees: AFC Member: $26/session (*6 classes), Non-Member: $33/session (*6 classes)
8:30-9:00am

Saturday Pre-School Lessons (3-5yrs)
Fees: AFC Member: $26/session (*6 classes), Non-Member: $33/session (*6 classes)           
Sat Level 1 - 9:05-9:35am           
Sat Level 1 - 10:15-10:45am           
Sat Level 2 - 9:40-10:10am           
Sat Level 3 - 10:50-11:20am

Saturday Youth Lessons (6-14 yrs)
Fees : $30.00 /session (*6 classes) Non-member: $44.00/session (*6 classes)           
Sat Level 1 - 9:05-9:50am 
Sat Level 2 - 9:55-10:40am 
Sat Level 3 - 4:10:45-11:30am 

Call 843-281-3744 for more information.

North Myrtle Beach Planning Commission Meeting Agenda For January 24, 2017

MEETING -- 5:00 P.M.

MORNING WORKSHOP -- 9:15 A.M.

City Hall - 1018 Second Avenue South - North Myrtle Beach, SC

1. CALL TO ORDER

2. ROLL CALL

3. COMMUNICATIONS

4. APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES for January 10, 2017

5. OLD BUSINESS

6. NEW BUSINESS – "Consent Items"

7. NEW BUSINESS – "OFFICIAL PUBLIC HEARING ITEMS

A. MAJOR PLANNED DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT AMENDMENT MJPDD-16-04:
Following the council workshop last month, a revision to the Major PDD Amendment considered in November 2016 regarding the Barefoot Resort Planned Development District to allow changes to the approved development. The request involves reconfiguring Tract IMF-3 located in the Dye Estates by changing the approved residential uses from detached to attached, increasing the approved density and creating a new parking lot design.

8. ADJOURNMENT
Please Note: This is the basic agenda for the meeting and workshop. We will provide access to accompanying documents later in the week when they have been completed.