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BY MOLLY PHILLIPS
ith craft bazaars, period reenactments, decor competitions and even a maritime Christmas parade, there is no shortage of entertaining diversions during a winter trip to the Grand Strand’s shores. Several events are so unique and memorable that they deserve a spot in any group’s Christmastime trip to Myrtle Beach. These festivities will enchant, delight and make visitors fall even more in love with the South’s favorite beach town.
ORIGINA L BENJA MIN’S CA L A BASH SEA FOOD GINGERBREA D L A N E COMPETITION
The Original Benjamin’s Calabash Seafood has been an icon in Myrtle Beach for more than 30 years, serving fresh-caught seafood from the Atlantic Ocean and the brackish inland waters of the Intracoastal Waterway. The restaurant features lighthouse-inspired architecture and nautical decor and serves lightly battered, deep-fried seafood known regionally as Calabash. The Original Benjamin’s takes its art forms seriously. At the restaurant, one can find dozens of model ships on display that have been handcrafted or meticulously restored by the restaurant’s master shipwright, Jimmy Frost. The collection includes sailboats, famous ocean liners and naval war ships. During the holiday season, however, it’s a different art form that draws crowds: gingerbread homes. The Original Benjamin’s Gingerbread Lane competition is a spectacle not to be missed, and participants have come from states away to enter their creations in the lineup. Over the years,
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the contest has seen everything from houseboats to lighthouses to White House replicas and beyond. Some participants have been entering the competition year after year for over a decade. Groups that want to see the gingerbread houses can visit anytime from the Saturday before Thanksgiving to January 1. O R I G I N A L B E N J A M I N S .C O M
I N T R ACOA STA L CH R IST M A S R EGAT TA
On the Saturday following Thanksgiving, a colorful parade of holidaydecorated vessels ushers the season into the Carolinas’ Grand Strand of beaches. Known as the Intracoastal Christmas Regatta, the spectacle begins parading at dusk from Tilghman’s point to Dock Holiday’s Marina and is best viewed from the deck of one of the area’s riverside restaurants. Many have regatta-themed holiday specials available during the parade. Boat owners take great pride in decking out their vessels year after year for the maritime march, often selecting themes to guide the decorations. Boats have appeared as tropical islands, Vegas show stages, Santa’s sleighs and much more. Typically, the event also features a charitable component, and attendees help raise support for a designated yearly cause, such as the local Humane Society or Christmas toys for underprivileged children. L I T T L E R I V E R C H A M B E R .O R G
2020 MYRTLE BEACH HOLIDAY PLANNING GUIDE Courtesy Alabama Theatre