Coastal Uncorked moves locations, dates

Coastal Uncorked is moving.

Organizers have moved the annual food and beverage festival from the first weekend in June to Labor Day weekend – and from Ocean Boulevard to Broadway at the Beach.

The Myrtle Beach Area Hospitality Association, which organizes Coastal Uncorked, changed the festival dates from the weekend of June 5 to accommodate the Carolina Country Music Fest being held that same weekend.

The music festival kicks off with an evening concert June 4 and runs through June 7. About 15,000 people a day are expected to attend, with 35 acts scheduled to perform, including Lady Antebellum, Eric Church, Rascal Flatts, Colt Ford, Big & Rich, Kellie Pickler, Corey Smith, Hunter Hayes and others.

“As I’ve said before, Carolina Country Music Fest looks like it’s going to be a phenomenal event for the area,” hospitality association President Stephen Greene said. “And it looks like it will continue to be on that weekend going forward. Obviously I think the Carolina Country Music Fest offers big national attention and is a good way to kick off the summer season.”

Coastal Uncorked will now be held Sept. 4 to 6 in Celebrity Square at Broadway at the Beach.

“We think Labor Day is real good for us,” he said. “It’s a good opportunity to close out the summer.”

Greene also said that the growing event needed more space, causing them to look at Broadway as a new location.

“[Broadway] was looking to do more events like this ... and it gives us the opportunity to offer a lot of amenities,” he said, citing free parking for attendees and space to park trucks for the events and indoor bathrooms at the nearby clubs, which he said he intends to be part of the festival. “Plus it gives us access to more walk-up traffic with people coming through Broadway on Labor Day weekend.”

A “Chocolate under the Moon” event -- featuring desserts, a moonshine challenge and live music -- will be held Sept. 4. A Brews ‘N the Beach event, called Brews ‘N the Boulevard last year, will feature craft beer, live music and food for sale from local vendors Sept. 5.

The popular Grand Tasting Tent, with wine samples and hors d’oeuvres, will be held Sept 6.

Missing from the lineup this year is the tasting trolley, which took festival participants to a number of hotels and restaurants along Ocean Boulevard to sample food and drinks.

Greene said the hospitality association is looking at having the tasting trolleys as a standalone event sometime in the spring.

Details still are being finalized for timing of the events, Greene said, and tickets are expected to go on sale next week.

Attendees will be able to buy tickets to each event or a three-event package at a discounted rate.

This story was originally published April 30, 2015 at 11:18 AM with the headline "Coastal Uncorked moves locations, dates."