The Grand Strand Fall Events Guide 2026: 71 Confirmed Festivals, Fairs & Fall Happenings

New: Browse the interactive Fall Events Hub 2026 for this weekend's festivals, concerts, markets, and happenings.

Fall is the locals' season on the Grand Strand. The summer crowds thin out, the water's still warm enough to stand, and the calendar fills up with the good stuff: seafood festivals, car shows, oyster roasts, art fairs, and small-town Saturdays that don't need a single decoration to be worth the drive.

This is MBU's fall events directory for 2026 — 71 confirmed listings from Little River down to Pawleys Island and inland to Conway, organized by zone. Plus a Worth-the-Drive sidebar: three more upcoming events — and one just-wrapped favorite — up in Loris and Aynor, just outside our normal map. Every listing has a Get Directions link so you can tap and go. Where a date or detail was still being nailed down at press time, we say so right in the listing.

One note on what's not here: Halloween has its own guide. Our Grand Strand Halloween Guide hits the blog September 30 — anything with a costume contest and a haunted house lives there, not here. And bike events live on the Rally Rider Hub — except the Fall Rally itself, which is big enough to anchor this whole guide.

Pick your zone, pick your weekend, and go make fall count.

Ten days of bikes, bands, and backroads — the Fall Rally is the season's anchor. Photo: Mike Letterman / Myrtle Beach Unlocked

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Myrtle Beach Central

The rally's still rolling, Broadway's got horsepower, and the Boardwalk hosts one of the fastest flat courses on the East Coast. Central's stacked this fall.

Sep 25–Oct 4 — Myrtle Beach Fall Rally. Rally-wide across the Grand Strand. Get Directions. All day; schedules vary by venue. Free to attend; some concerts and rides ticketed. Ten days of guided rides, live music, vendor villages, bike shows, and rally events. If you're reading this guide the day it drops, the rally is happening right now — daily band lineups, ride routes, and everything else live on the Rally Rider Hub.

The rally brings the whole Strand out. Photo: Mike Letterman / Myrtle Beach Unlocked

Oct 2–4 — Vintage Market Days of Coastal Carolina: "Team Vintage." Myrtle Beach Sports Center, 2115 Sports Center Way. Get Directions. Fri–Sat 10am–4pm, Sun 10am–3pm. $10; kids 12 and under free. Upscale vintage-inspired indoor/outdoor market: original art, antiques, clothing, jewelry, handmade treasures, home decor, outdoor furnishings, and gourmet treats.

Sat Oct 10 — Myrtle Beach Mini Marathon & Coastal 5K. Start at 8th Ave N and Ocean Blvd; finish on the Boardwalk. Get Directions. Half marathon 7am; 5K 7:15am. Mini Marathon $85; Coastal 5K $57 (registration; prices rise closer to race day). The 17th annual flat-and-fast oceanfront race — 13.1 miles of ocean views, surfboard finisher medals, and a post-race celebration at Grand Strand Brewing Company. nspromos.com

Nothing beats a race morning on the oceanfront. Photo: Mike Letterman / Myrtle Beach Unlocked

Oct 15–17 — Cruisin' the Beach Car Show. Broadway at the Beach, 1325 Celebrity Circle. Get Directions. Thu–Fri 8am–6pm; Sat 8am–5pm. Free admission for the public. Three-day judged car show: modern, classic, muscle, and vintage cars and trucks, Top 100 awards, the one-of-a-kind Top Gun Surfboard Best of Show award, plus vendors with parts, clothing, memorabilia, food, and drinks.

Oct 15–18 — St. John's Greek Festival. St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church, 3301 33rd Ave N Ext. Get Directions. Thu–Sat 11am–9pm; Sun 12pm–7pm. Adults $5; children 10 and under free. Annual Greek food and culture festival: authentic Greek dishes and homemade pastries, live music, traditional Greek dancing, vendors, church tours, and children's activities. (Date confirmed in 2026 guides — we couldn't find the church's official 2026 page, so confirm before you go.)

Oct 16–18 — Myrtle Beach Jazz Festival. 2501 N Kings Hwy (the former mall site across from the Convention Center). Get Directions. Fri 4–11pm; Sat 2–11pm; Sun 2–8pm. General admission from $8/day; 3-day and VIP passes available. The 10th annual three-day festival: local, regional, and nationally recognized jazz artists, food and beverage vendors, a festival marketplace, and VIP experiences. Bring a lawn chair. Note: this is the first year the festival charges admission. myrtlebeachjazzfest.com

Evening concerts hit different on the Boulevard. Photo: Mike Letterman / Myrtle Beach Unlocked

Ongoing — Grand Strand Brewing Company. 819 N Kings Hwy, downtown Arts & Innovation District. Get Directions. Sun–Thu 12–8pm; Fri–Sat 12–9pm. Free entry; food and beer for purchase. Downtown's craft brewery and one of the friendliest rooms on the Strand: house-brewed Beach Easy witbier, Airbrush Hazy IPA, and Salty Golfer pineapple blonde; a dog-friendly beer garden with live music most weekends; and weekday deals worth planning around — smash-burger-and-a-pint Mondays 4–6pm ($22), $6 pints plus 10% off an appetizer Tuesdays 4–8pm, and a trivia pregame Wednesdays 4–6pm ($18) ahead of Movie & TV trivia at 6pm. Their Oktoberfest is on tap this fall. Two dates to circle: Sun Oct 18, 2–5pm — Sundays on the Plaza, the free 3rd-Sunday concert series they co-present on Nance Plaza, steps from the taproom; and Tue Nov 25, 6:30pm — Suds & Sweets: Cupcake Edition, a cupcake-and-beer pairing night at the taproom (check with the brewery for tickets). grandstrandbrewing.com

Downtown's craft brewery — cold beer, live music, and a beer garden made for fall afternoons. Photo: Culture Magazin

Sat Oct 10–Sun Oct 11 — SERVPRO Myrtle Beach Fall Showdown. Pelicans Ballpark (TicketReturn.com Field), 1251 21st Ave N. Get Directions. Two-game fall exhibition series: the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers take on the Clemson Tigers. Whether you're cheering for the Chants or pulling for the Tigers, it's a full weekend of college baseball right here in Myrtle Beach. milb.com/myrtle-beach

Fri Oct 2 — Emo Night at Wiseguys. Wiseguys Bar & Grill, 2002 N Kings Hwy. Get Directions. Emo Night takes over Wiseguys — grab your crew, throw on the eyeliner, and scream your favorite emo songs like it's 2007 again. (Single source — confirm details with the venue before you go.) wiseguysmyrtlebeach.com

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Little River

The fishing village keeps it simple and does it well: shrimp, waterfront, and a 5K.

Oct 10–11 — Little River ShrimpFest. Historic Little River Waterfront, 4469 Mineola Ave. Get Directions. 9am–5pm both days. $10 per person per day at the gate; children 12 and under free. Little River's signature fall seafood festival under the live oaks: fresh local shrimp and seafood from the waterfront restaurants, two stages of live music, stilt walkers and balloon artists, a kids' zone, and 150–200+ vendors. Water taxi runs from Grande Harbour Marina. No pets at the festival. littlerivershrimpfest.org

Morning on the waterfront before the crowds roll in. Photo: Mike Letterman / Myrtle Beach Unlocked

Sat Nov 7 — Rotary Club of Little River 5K (18th Annual). Little River Waterfront, Mineola Avenue. Get Directions. 8am start. $45 + fees ($50 after Oct 1). Flat waterfront course, part of the Grand Strand Running Club Grand Prix series and the first leg of the Rotary Holiday Challenge. Finisher medals and post-race snacks. Online registration only; closes race morning at 6:30am. RunSignup

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North Myrtle Beach

Barefoot Landing throws the Oktoberfest, Cherry Grove flies the kites, and House of Blues stacks the fall calendar.

Sat Oct 3 — OktoberFest! at Barefoot Landing. Barefoot Landing, 4898 Hwy 17 S, Dockside Village. Get Directions. 12–6pm. Free entry; $10 wristband for merchant specials (100% benefits the Humane Society of North Myrtle Beach). The 6th annual OktoberFest: German and fall-inspired food and drink specials, free live music from Radio Source (12–2:20pm) and Band On Fire (3–6pm), an Every Dog is a Wiener Dog costume contest at 2:30pm, and shopping specials at participating merchants. bflanding.com

Bring the pup — the dog costume contest is the main event for some of us. Photo: Mike Letterman / Myrtle Beach Unlocked

Fridays & Saturdays through Oct 23 — Fall Live Music Series. Pepsi Stage, Barefoot Landing, 4898 Hwy 17 S. Get Directions. Fridays 5–8pm; Saturdays 2–5pm. Free. Live tunes on the Pepsi Stage all fall — grab a bite, find a seat, and let somebody else do the singing. bflanding.com

Oct 15–18 — Rumble in the Jungle King Mackerel Tournament. Captain Archie's, 2200 Little River Neck Rd. Get Directions. Captain's meeting Thu 6pm; fishing Fri–Sat 7am–5pm; awards brunch Sun 9am. $400 registration (through Oct 15); spectators free. Two-day king mackerel tournament with live-streamed weigh-ins — a Kingfish Cup Series event. Alternate weather dates Oct 22–25. rumblekmt.com

Fall is king mackerel season. Photo: Mike Letterman / Myrtle Beach Unlocked

Oct 24–25 — Grand Strand Kite Festival. The Point at Cherry Grove, 6300 N Ocean Blvd. Get Directions. 11am–4pm both days. Free admission and parking. The 9th annual festival hosted by Klig's Kites: two days of professional and recreational kite displays and family-friendly beach fun.

Fridays through Dec 18 — Waccamaw Farmers Market (North Myrtle Beach). 925 1st Ave S (between City Hall and the Horry County Library). Get Directions. 10am–3pm. Free entry. Weekly market from the Waccamaw Market Cooperative: local produce, seafood, baked goods, crafts, and more. Accepts cards, WIC, and SNAP. waccamawmarkets.org

House of Blues fall shows. House of Blues, 4640 Hwy 17 S. Get Directions. myrtlebeach.houseofblues.com. The fall calendar runs from rock to rap to country:

• Sat Oct 17 — Clutch (US Fall Tour) with Slomosa and Blood Vulture. 6:30pm. Ticketed.
• Sat Oct 31 — Earl Sweatshirt & MIKE (Home on the Range Tour). 7pm. Ticketed.
• Fri Nov 6 — GWAR. 7pm. Ticketed.
• Sat Nov 7 — Trina & Bubba Sparxxx. 7pm. Ticketed.
• Sun Nov 8 — Jackson Dean. 7pm. Ticketed.
• Sat Nov 14 — Whitechapel (20th Anniversary Tour) with Chelsea Grin, The Acacia Strain, and Netherwalker. 6pm. Ticketed.
• Fri Nov 20 — Big Green Tractor (Nashville's Tribute to Jason Aldean). On sale now. Ticketed.
• Fri Nov 27 — Cozy Worldwide. On sale now. Ticketed.

The first six came from secondary listing sources and a couple of start times conflict across listings — confirm date and time with the venue before you buy. The last two were announced on the venue's own Instagram.

Night shows on the Strand. Photo: Mike Letterman / Myrtle Beach Unlocked

Sat Nov 21 — Fall Festival Fundraiser (Kind Keeper No-Kill Animal Rescue). Klig's Kites, 4505 Highway 17 S. Get Directions. 11am–2pm. Ticket info TBD. Community fall festival fundraiser hosted with the Witches of Windy Hill: puppies, stew, crafts, and vendors supporting two local causes. (Third-party listing only — confirm details with the organizer before you go.)

Ongoing through Oct — ICONIC at Alabama Theatre. Alabama Theatre, 4750 Hwy 17 S. Get Directions. 7pm most nights. From ~$89. The theater's signature production: popular music and theatrical variety acts, big voices and bigger production numbers, in a room built for it. alabama-theatre.com

Fri Oct 9 — Rodney Carrington. 7pm (doors 6:15pm). $49.50–$199.50 VIP. One of the top-grossing touring comedians of the last twenty years — stand-up, music, and zero filter. Mature audiences only. Box office: 843-272-1111.

Sat Oct 10 — Elvis: Aloha From Myrtle Beach starring Travis Powell. 7pm. Ticketed. The King, channeled. (Third-party listing — confirm with the box office before you go.)

Fri Oct 16 — Dan Tyminski Band. 7pm. Ticketed. Bluegrass royalty — the voice behind "Man of Constant Sorrow" leading his own band. (Third-party listing — confirm with the box office before you go.)

Sat Oct 17 — The Bronx Wanderers. 7pm. Ticketed. A family band doing the hits from the 50s to today, Vegas-polished. (Third-party listing — confirm with the box office before you go.)

Sat Oct 24 — Twitty and Lynn: A Tribute to Conway and Loretta. 7pm. Ticketed. Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn's own grandkids doing their grandparents' songbook. (Third-party listing — confirm with the box office before you go.)

Nov 2 onward — The South's Grandest Christmas Show. 7pm. Ticketed. The Alabama's Christmas production takes over the stage in November — check the theater's calendar for the full run. (Dates from third-party listings — confirm with the box office before you go.)

Big room, big voices. Photo: MyrtleBeach.com

Ongoing through Oct — Music & Memories. Greg Rowles Legacy Theatre, 701 Main St. Get Directions. Nightly, 7pm. $25 tickets (fall promo). The house show: a different high-energy mix nightly — all genres, world-class singers and musicians, state-of-the-art sound, lights, and a video wall. gregrowleslegacytheatre.com

Fri Oct 2 — The Highwaymen Show: American Outlaw Tribute. 7pm. Ticketed. Cash, Jennings, Kristofferson, and Nelson — the outlaw country songbook done right.

Fri Oct 9 — Vincent Ingala in Concert. 7pm. Ticketed. Contemporary jazz sax with real soul.

Sun Oct 18 — Always Celine. 7pm. Ticketed. The Celine Dion songbook, power ballads and all.

Fri Oct 23 — Giggle & Grooves: Live Sing-A-Long. 10:30am. Ticketed. A family morning show — bring the kids.

Sun Oct 25 — Tony Danza: Standards & Stories. 7pm. Ticketed. The Taxi and Who's the Boss star does an evening of standards and storytelling.

Nov–Dec — Christmas on Main. The theater's Christmas production takes over in November — check the calendar for dates. (Exact November start date unconfirmed — confirm with the box office.)

Tony Danza brings standards and stories October 25. Photo: Greg Rowles Legacy Theatre

One heads-up for longtime festival goers: the Irish Italian International Festival retired after 21 years. The City of North Myrtle Beach replaced it with a new signature festival, NMB Live!, which took its Main Street slot on September 26. Don't go looking for the old one.

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Myrtle Beach North End

The North End's not empty anymore — the Carolina Opry alone could fill your October.

Ongoing through Oct — The Carolina Opry. The Carolina Opry Theater, 8901 N Kings Hwy. Get Directions. 7pm. Adults $49.30–$66.45; kids $11.65–$29.95 (taxes and fees included). The award-winning variety show: two hours of high-energy music, comedy, and dance with state-of-the-art lights and sound. Thirty-eight seasons in and still the room everybody measures the rest against. thecarolinaopry.com

Ongoing through Oct — Time Warp. Same theater, same ticket link. 7pm. The best of the 60s, 70s, and 80s with multimedia screens, special effects, and elaborate costuming — a fast, loud trip back through the decades that made American pop music.

Sat Oct 3 — Rumours ATL: A Fleetwood Mac Tribute. 7pm. A decade-plus on the road doing Fleetwood Mac right. Prices vary by concert — see the theater's site.

Sun Oct 4 — Creedence Revived: The World's Premier CCR Tribute. 7pm. Swamp rock, note for note. Prices vary by concert.

Sat Oct 10 — Indigo Girls with special guest Linda Perry. 7pm. Folk royalty, one night only. Prices vary by concert.

Sun Oct 18 — Top of the World: A Carpenters Tribute. 7pm. Soft-rock nostalgia done with real care. Prices vary by concert.

Sun Oct 25 — An Evening with Bill Engvall. 7pm. "Here's Your Sign" — the blue-collar comedy tour rolls through town. Prices vary by concert.

Nov 2 onward — The Carolina Opry Christmas Special. 7pm, with select 1pm matinees. Adults $53.50–$80.50; kids $29.95–$50. The Christmas show takes over the room in November and doesn't let go till December — check the calendar for matinee days.

The room everybody measures the rest against. Photo: The Carolina Opry

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Myrtle Beach South End

Market Common carries the South End this fall: British classics, a food tasting, and art in the garden.

Sat Oct 3 — Myrtle Beach BRITFEST. 961 Johnson Ave, Market Common District. Get Directions. 9am–4pm. Free for spectators; $35–$50 vehicle registration. The 13th annual British car and motorcycle show from the Grand Strand British Car Club: 150+ British classics on Johnson Ave, plus English tea, a best hat contest, auto jumble, basket raffles, and food trucks. Rain or shine. grandstrandbritishcarclub.com

Sat Oct 10 — Fall Taste of the Market Common. 4017 Deville St. Get Directions. 11am–3pm. $1 tasting tickets (cash only); tastings run 1–5 tickets each. The semiannual food tasting: 40+ appetizers, entrees, desserts, and specialty items from Market Common restaurants, plus a live DJ, spin-the-wheel swag, and a vote-for-your-favorite with $300+ in restaurant gift cards up for grabs. marketcommonmb.com

Oct 10–11 & Nov 14–15 — Art in the Park. Valor Memorial Garden, 1120 Farrow Pkwy, Market Common District. Get Directions. 10am–4pm. Free. The Waccamaw Arts and Crafts Guild's free outdoor art show: 50+ local and traveling artists selling paintings, woodworking, photography, jewelry, pottery, glass, metal, and more. Two weekends — October and November. artsyparksy.com

Saturdays through Dec 19 — Valor Park Farmers Market. Valor Park, 1120 Farrow Pkwy, Market Common District. Get Directions. 10am–3pm. Free entry. Weekly Waccamaw Market Cooperative market: local produce, honey, eggs, meats, baked goods, plants, and handmade goods. waccamawmarkets.org

Fri Oct 16 — The Grand Strand Chef's Table. International Culinary Institute of Myrtle Beach, 920 Crabtree Ln. Get Directions. An evening celebrating the area's culinary scene: inventive tasting plates from local chefs and James Beard-recognized talent, wine, spirits, craft beer, live chef demos, and hands-on culinary experiences — from The Local Palate, Visit Myrtle Beach, the James Beard Foundation, and the International Culinary Institute. (Date confirmed in Visit Myrtle Beach's October guide — ticket price and hours weren't published, so confirm before you go.)

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Carolina Forest

Carolina Forest is thin on the fall calendar — two November markets made the cut, both still being nailed down. If you know of more, tell us.

Sat Nov 21 — Carolina Forest Holiday Fair. Carolina Forest Recreation Center, 2254 Carolina Forest Blvd. Get Directions. 10am–3pm. Free to attend. The 2nd annual holiday fair: 100+ local vendors with handmade gifts, festive decor, sweet treats, and one-of-a-kind finds, indoor and outdoor. (Secondary listing only — confirm before you go.)

Sat Nov 21 — The Parks of Carolina Forest Fall Market. 1081 Huger Park Ave. Get Directions. 10am–3pm. Fall market in the Parks of Carolina Forest community. (Details thin — organizer and pricing not published, so confirm before you go.)

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Socastee

Same story as the North End: no fall events we could confirm for 2026. Socastee, we're looking at you — drop what you know in the comments.

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Murrells Inlet / Garden City

The Inlet does fall the way it does everything else: on the water, with a plate of something. Surfside Beach joins in, and we stretch down to Georgetown for the boat show.

Just wrapped: the 51st Annual Atalaya Arts & Crafts Festival (Sept 25–27) at Huntington Beach State Park — 100+ artisans in and around Atalaya Castle. If you missed it, put it on next year's calendar. It always lands the last weekend of September. southcarolinaparks.com

White tents under the palms at Atalaya Castle. Photo courtesy of SCPRT

Oct 3–4 — Brookgreen Gardens Harvest Home Weekend. Brookgreen Gardens, 1931 Brookgreen Drive. Get Directions. 9:30am–4pm. Included with garden admission; small pumpkins $5 / large $9; scarecrow kits $7. The annual fall weekend in the Arboretum: pumpkin patch and decorating, scarecrow building, hay maze, craft activities, live music (Doug & the Doc; Sea Cruz Duo), food trucks plus Harvest Restaurant, The Old Kitchen, and Courtyard Cafe. brookgreen.org

Sat Oct 3 — Surfside Beach Fall Family Festival. Surfside Drive. Get Directions. 10am–4pm (rain date Oct 4). Free admission. The town's annual family festival: 125+ arts and crafts vendors, festival food favorites, a Kids Zone, and two stages of live entertainment — Nor'Eastah (10am–1pm, Memorial Park) and Gary Lowder and Smokin' Hot (1–4pm, main stage). Complimentary shuttle to town parking lots. Roads along Surfside Drive close 6:30am–5pm festival day. surfsidebeach.org

Small-town festival weather. Photo: Mike Letterman / Myrtle Beach Unlocked

Oct 17–18 — 37th Annual Georgetown Wooden Boat Show. Front Street, Georgetown — down in Georgetown. Get Directions. Sat 11am–6pm; Sun 11am–4pm. Free. 100+ classic wooden boats on land and water along Front Street and the Harborwalk: the Wooden Boat Challenge build-and-row race, corrugated boat regatta, kids' model boatbuilding, knot tying, maritime arts and crafts, food, and live music. The largest annual fundraiser for the SC Maritime Museum. Kickoff fundraiser Friday night: Goat Island Yacht Club Regatta, 6:30–9pm, $100/person. woodenboatshow.com

Saturdays, 9am–1pm — The Growers Market of Georgetown. 120 N Fraser Street, Georgetown — down in Georgetown. Get Directions. Free. Sustainable-farmer market with fresh local produce, micro-greens, and kids' activities. (The organizer's posts were active through late September 2026, but there's no explicit fall-2026 season page — confirm before you drive down.)

Sat Nov 7 — 22nd Annual Murrells Inlet Oyster Roast. Wicked Tuna, 4123 US-17 Business. Get Directions. 11:30am–3pm. $40 all-you-can-eat oysters + oyster bucket + event koozie (advance purchase strongly recommended — this sells out); admission free. All-you-can-eat oysters with live music, libations, local craft vendors, and other food options. Benefits Murrells Inlet 2020 inlet preservation. Rain or shine. thewickedtuna.com

Oyster season on the MarshWalk. Photo: Mike Letterman / Myrtle Beach Unlocked

Tuesdays through Dec 15 — Surfside Beach Farmers Market. Memorial Park, corner of Surfside Drive & Willow Drive. Get Directions. 10am–3pm. Free. Town-sponsored weekly market: fruits and vegetables, honey, farm-fresh eggs, meats, baked goods, artisanal soaps, plants, jewelry, pottery, knife sharpening. surfsidebeach.org

Starting Nov 27 — Wonderland of Lights on the MarshWalk. Murrells Inlet MarshWalk, 4025 Hwy 17 Business. Get Directions. Evenings. A walk-through holiday light display along the MarshWalk with a Santa Village and vendors on select evenings. (The MarshWalk's own calendar confirms it returns in November 2026; the Nov 27 start comes from a secondary listing — confirm on marshwalk.com.) marshwalk.com

Nov 27–29 — Brookgreen Gardens Nights of a Thousand Candles. Brookgreen Gardens, 1931 Brookgreen Drive. Get Directions. 4–9pm. Adults $40 non-members / $35 members; children 4–12 $20 / $15. More than 2,700 hand-lit candles and millions of lights, live holiday music, seasonal food and beverages, and a nightly tree lighting in the Arboretum. Buy tickets only through Brookgreen or Leap Event Technology — and buy early; this is the one holiday ticket that sells out on the Strand. (2026 dates and prices confirmed by WMBF — re-verify on brookgreen.org before you plan around it.) brookgreen.org

Evening light worth the drive south. Photo: Mike Letterman / Myrtle Beach Unlocked

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Pawleys Island

Arrogantly Shabby? No — Pawleys does fall the way it does everything: quietly, with good music and better food.

Oct 1–17 — Pawleys Island Festival of Music & Art. The Reserve Golf Club of Pawleys Island, 18 Reserve Drive. Get Directions. 7–9pm (gates 5:30pm). $40–$185 per concert. Three weeks of concerts under the festival tent: Trouble Man, a Marvin Gaye tribute (Oct 2); Girl Named Tom (Oct 3); The Landsharks, Jimmy Buffett tribute (Oct 8); Trial By Fire, Journey tribute (Oct 9); Kings of Queen (Oct 10); The Good Life, Tony Bennett tribute with Joe Gransden (Oct 15); Seals & Crofts 2 (Oct 16); CeCe Teneal's Divas of Soul (Oct 17). The Wine & Food Gala on Oct 1 is already sold out. Food trucks and beverage tents; lawn seating, so bring your own chair. Buy tickets only via pawleysmusic.com or etix.com — the festival warns third-party tickets may be invalid. pawleysmusic.com

Monthly (fall 2026: Sep 27 & Oct 25) — Hammock Shops Village Farmers Market. Hammock Shops Village, 10880 Ocean Hwy. Get Directions. 11am–3pm. Free. Monthly Waccamaw Market Cooperative market: local produce, honey, eggs, meats, baked goods, artisanal soaps, plants, jewelry, coffee, pottery. (Dates from the organizer's listings — confirm the November date on waccamawmarkets.org.)

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Conway

Conway's the fall MVP on the northern half of the Strand: BBQ, craft fairs, homecoming, and a football stadium that fills up on Saturdays.

Oct 2–3 — Smoke on the Waccamaw. Billy Gardner Sports Complex, 1515 Mill Pond Rd. Get Directions. Fri 6–10pm; Sat 9am–4pm. $2 tasting tickets. The 5th annual BBQ festival from the Waccamaw Shrine Club and Conway Parks & Rec: Friday night soup cook-off, Saturday Southern BBQ Network-sanctioned cook-off with public voting, live music from Downbeat Band and 35 Knotz, craft vendors, and $6,500+ in payouts to the top 10 cook teams. Benefits Shriners Children's.

Sat Oct 3 — Labor of Love Craft Fair. First United Methodist Church, 1105 5th Ave. Get Directions. 9am–2pm. Free entry. The 4th annual fair from the church's United Women in Faith: 40+ indoor and outdoor vendors and direct-sales reps, food trucks, homemade soup by donation, and the church pumpkin patch. Proceeds support local missions.

Saturdays through Dec 5 — Conway Farmers Market. Under the Main Street bridge, downtown Conway. Get Directions. 8am–1pm. Free entry. The weekly Saturday market from the Waccamaw Market Cooperative: locally grown produce, honey, eggs, meats, baked goods, plants, and handmade goods. waccamawmarkets.org

Saturday morning at the market — fall produce season is the best one. Photo: Vecteezy

Oct 3, Oct 16, Nov 7 & Nov 14 — Coastal Carolina Chanticleers Fall Home Football. Brooks Stadium, 100 Chanticleer Dr E. Get Directions. Kickoff times TBA. Oct 3 vs Georgia Southern (Family Weekend / Hall of Fame); Oct 16 vs Appalachian State (nationally televised Friday night); Nov 7 vs Old Dominion (Homecoming / Black Out); Nov 14 vs Arkansas State (Senior Day / Salute to Service). Single-game tickets on sale now. goccusports.com

Football season's in full swing. Photo: Mike Letterman / Myrtle Beach Unlocked

Wed Oct 28 — CCU Farmers Market & Sustainability Fair. Prince Lawn, Coastal Carolina University, 100 Chanticleer Dr E. Get Directions. Free entry. A Waccamaw Market Cooperative farmers market on Prince Lawn, paired with a sustainability fair. (Hours not published — check waccamawmarkets.org before you head over.) waccamawmarkets.org

Fri Nov 6 — CCU Homecoming Parade. Downtown Conway. Get Directions. Free. Coastal Carolina's Homecoming parade rolls through downtown — part of Homecoming week with the golf tournament Nov 6, football vs Old Dominion Nov 7, and the alumni brunch Nov 8. (Parade time not yet published — check coastal.edu/homecoming.) coastal.edu/homecoming

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Worth the Drive: Loris & Aynor

Loris and Aynor sit outside our normal coverage map — but when the chicken bog is this good, you drive. Three upcoming fall events (and one just-wrapped favorite) in two small towns that do Saturdays right.

Just wrapped: the 46th Annual Aynor Harvest Hoe-Down (Sept 19) in Aynor Town Park — parade at 10am, 140+ craft booths, music till 5pm, chicken bog and boiled peanuts all day. It's the oldest continuously running community festival on Horry County's fall calendar, so put next year's third Saturday of September on your calendar now. aynorhoedown.com

Small-town Saturday at the Hoe-Down. Photo: Grand Strand TV

Sat Oct 17 — 47th Annual Loris Bog-Off Festival. Downtown Loris, Main Street. Get Directions. 9am–5pm. Free. The granddaddy of chicken-bog cook-offs: the Top Bog Cooking Competition still anchors the day, surrounded by 200+ vendors, two entertainment stages, a huge kids' area, and a fireworks finale with a free concert from a national act. The Loris Bog Off Chicken Run 5K takes off that morning around the Loris High School facility — race, then eat. lorischamber.com

Chicken bog is serious business in Loris. Photo: Grand Strand Magazine

Sat Nov 7 — Celebrate our Veterans on the Farm. 5 Star Farm, 3315 Hwy 746, Loris. Get Directions. 11am–4pm. $10 (3 and up; 2 and under free); free admission for veterans. A farm day for the whole crew: pet and feed the animals, kids' activity area, plus vendors and food trucks. (Single listing source — confirm details with the farm before you go.)

Thu Nov 26 — Light up the Farm / Movie Night. 5 Star Farm, 3315 Hwy 746, Loris. Get Directions. Gates 5pm. $10 (3 and up; 2 and under free). Thanksgiving-night tradition: meet Johnnie the Christmas Camel, watch the farm's tree and lights come on, then a movie under the stars with a Christmas sing-along around the fire pit. Bring a blanket. (Single listing source — confirm details with the farm before you go.)

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What did we miss?

Seventy-one listings in the zones, plus the Worth-the-Drive sidebar for Loris and Aynor — and we'll be the first to admit the list still isn't finished. New events are still being announced, and the small stuff — the neighborhood bar's first fall cookout, the church putting on its first craft fair — doesn't always make the internet. Socastee came up empty, and that's on our research, not on the town.

So tell us. If you know a fall event, festival, fair, or happening on the Grand Strand that isn't in this guide, drop it in the comments. If we can confirm it for 2026, we'll add it.

Got a buddy planning a fall trip to the beach? Send this their way — that's how the good weekends get found.

Happy fall, y'all. Go make it count.

#MyrtleBeachUnlocked #GrandStrand #FallEvents #MyrtleBeach #VisitMyrtleBeach