St. Patrick’s Day events are coming back to North Myrtle Beach after a 2-year hiatus

After being canceled two years in a row due to COVID-19 concerns, the annual St. Patrick’s Day parade and festival are returning to North Myrtle Beach

North Myrtle Beach City Council approved plans for the holiday events during a Monday meeting.

The festival, which offers food, vendors and live music, will be from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, March 12, on Main Street between Ocean Boulevard and Cedar Avenue.

City organizers expect more than 30,000 people to attend.

The parade is from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., on the same day. The North Strand Optimist Club is hosting the event.

Last year, drama ensued between city officials and a local business owner after the St. Patrick’s Day events were canceled.

The city issued a warning to Weldon Boyd, who owns Buoys on the Boulevard, after he made plans to organize a pub crawl that “escalated to a parade,” according to the city’s letter to Boyd.

In two Facebook videos, Boyd admitted to organizing a golf cart parade, but said the city was aware of his plans and gave him verbal permission to host it.

But officials said Boyd never received a permit for the event or got approval from council for the event, which is required by city law.

Here’s what you need to know about this year’s events:

Road closures for festival

• Main Street from Cedar Avenue to Ocean Boulevard from 5 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
  
  
• Hillside Drive from 1st Avenue South to 1st Avenue North from 5 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
  
  
• Oak Drive from 1st Avenue North to Main Street from 4 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
• The corner of Oak Drive and Pine Avenue from 5 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Road closures for parade

• SC 65 southbound lanes from 11th Avenue North to 2nd Avenue South from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m.
• 2nd Avenue North to 1st Avenue South and Main Street from Ocean Boulevard to Ye Olde Kings Highway from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.