Seafood festival to replace Oktoberfest in downtown Myrtle Beach

A new seafood festival on Oct. 15 will replace the longstanding Oktoberfest celebration in downtown Myrtle Beach after city council passed a resolution approving the event Tuesday.

Oktoberfest had grown through the years to be a popular event, luring thousands downtown for the street festival with live bands, beer and other entertainment.

Organizers for Oktoberfest in downtown Myrtle Beach could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

Palmetto Event Productions, in conjunction with the Downtown Redevelopment Corp., is organizing the seafood festival.

The event, along Ocean Boulevard between Eighth and Ninth avenues North, will include a beer and wine garden, children’s activities, a corn hole tournament and live entertainment including Jim Quick & Coastline and The Tams. It is free to attend and will run from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The first Myrtle Beach Seafood Festival will cost the city $3,715 in in-kind services, such as police presence. City manager John Pedersen said that the event is replacing Oktoberfest because members of the community wanted an event that was less focused on drinking.

“We were approached by a longtime business owner in the downtown area asking that we consider changing the nature of some of the events so that they are more family-friendly events,” Pedersen said during the council’s Tuesday morning workshop.

Oktoberfest celebrations in The Market Common will continue, city officials said.

This story was originally published July 26, 2016 at 3:52 PM with the headline "Seafood festival to replace Oktoberfest in downtown Myrtle Beach."