Hundreds roll in for Atlantic Beach Bike Fest. Attendees make their own parties
Hundreds of motorcycles roared into the Myrtle Beach Mall on Friday night.
The bikes lined the roadways and filled parking spaces outside the Hooters restaurant and in front of Bass Pro Shops on the first day of the Atlantic Beach Memorial Day Black Pearl Cultural Heritage and Bike Festival.
Music blared from speakers as people danced and set up chairs to watch the scene unfold.
Marie “Hershey” Bunch, of North Carolina, sat near her motorcycle, enjoying “looking at bikes and old cars.”
She is a repeat attendee, like many of the others who come with their bike clubs from as far away as Washington and Texas.
The mall is a short distance from Atlantic Beach, which has hosted the festival — often referred to as simply Black bike fest or Black bike week — for more than 40 years. It’s held every year over the Memorial Day weekend, bringing thousands of bikers to the Myrtle Beach area.
But while bikers and vehicles poured into Atlantic Beach and neighboring North Myrtle Beach, it was a different story along Ocean Boulevard in Myrtle Beach.
The boulevard didn’t reflect a typical Friday night, especially on a holiday weekend and what is considered the kickoff to the summer tourist season. Memorial Day is considered one of the busiest times for Myrtle Beach.
Bikers coming to this year’s festival said they are avoiding Myrtle Beach because of the coastal city’s traffic controls that limit the number of vehicles in the downtown tourist district by making the busy section of road one way and closing others.
Maryland resident Reese Tibbs has been coming to the bike fest since about 2005. But he almost didn’t come this year because of the efforts law enforcement have gone to to keep bikers off the roads and away from Myrtle Beach.
It’s a sore spot for Tibbs, especially when last weekend during the Myrtle Beach Spring Bike Rally, there were no barricades. Because of that, “people are making their own parties,” Tibbs said. Like the one at the Myrtle Beach mall.
But Tibbs doesn’t have praise for North Myrtle Beach’s “loop” either.
North Myrtle Beach implemented a traffic chute and closed side streets in the Atlantic Beach area. This year’s chute, which helps direct people into Atlantic Beach, seems to be longer than in year’s past. The chute starts around 37th Avenue South on Highway 17 and ends around 27th Avenue South. The far right lane of the highway is blocked off with barricades. Those who get into the barricaded area have no way to get out other than to go into Atlantic Beach, loop through the area and exit around 27th Avenue South.
Those in the mall parking lot said they will eventually make their way into Atlantic Beach, where vendors are set up along Atlantic Street and a stage with live music performances is along Ocean Boulevard.
The festival continues through Monday.
This story was originally published May 22, 2026 at 10:33 PM.
