Longtime visitors to the Palmetto State have probably heard of chicken bog--a southern comfort food generally prepared with chicken, sausage, rice, and varying spices. Aside from South Carolina barbecue (and Grand Strand shrimp and grits), chicken bog may be one of our state’s greatest culinary contributions. Here locally, we celebrate this beloved dish annually during the Loris Bog-Off Festival. What began as a chicken bog cooking contest in 1980 has evolved into one of our community’s largest and most well-attended fall festivals. Throughout…

October is one of my favorite times of year in the Myrtle Beach area for so many reasons. The weather is agreeable (goodbye summer humidity), the beaches less crowded, and the Grand Strand knows how to host a killer Oktoberfest event. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the annual Myrtle Beach Oktoberfest event, scheduled for this Friday, October 12, 2018, and Saturday, October 13, 2018, at Grand Park at The Market Common. This is definitely one of the area’s larger festivals as it features over 50 vendors, kids activities and inflatables,…

Here along the Grand Strand, we’re no strangers to a good food festival. Depending on the season, you can find anything from Italian festivals to seafood festivals to food truck festivals and more. One of the longest-running food festivals in the area, however, is the annual Taste of the Town event. It features the opportunity to sample fare from some of the Myrtle Beach area’s finest restaurants, tapas style. This popular fall food festival is actually a fundraiser for St. Andrew Catholic School, and attendees are bound to see many locals…

The past couple years I’ve done a happy dance once May 1 rolls around. Not just because it’s around the time I’ll start swimming in the ocean, but because it marks the official start of farmers market season here along the Grand Strand. Before tourism was the number one industry in Horry County (where Myrtle Beach is located), farming and agriculture drove our local economy. While the area evolved as more and more people came to visit, it is still home to a number of outstanding farming operations that provide us with fantastic seasonal produce…

Held along the historic Little River waterfront, the ‘World Famous’ Blue Crab Festival is one of the largest festivals held along the Grand Strand each year. What started as a small gathering along the banks of the Intracoastal Waterway is now a premier festival that is projected to draw over 50,000 attendees to the area this weekend. The festival features live music; a kids zone; and around 300 arts, crafts, specialty food and business vendors. Beyond festival food, music and vendors, attendees also have the opportunity to enjoy amazing local…