Surfside’s Activities October 2019

by the Town of Surfside Beach

Surfside Beach’s two-mile stretch of beach and town is a tiny gem in the crown of the Grand Strand. We may be small, but we are mighty when it comes to family-friendly events. Here’s some of the happenings for October:

This year we’re celebrating the 36th annual Surfside Beach Family Festival on Saturday, October 5. There will be over 120 food, informational, and arts and crafts vendors, as well as live entertainment from local bands. 

Free inflatables, face painting and balloon art can be found in Fuller Park, as well as a rock-climbing wall, train rides, a farm animal exhibit, super heroes and princesses, a jousting pit and fire truck tours for the kids. 

Don’t miss the fire department’s open house on Saturday, October 12, from 10am to 2pm. There will be fire prevention classes, firehouse subs, kids toys, a bouncy house, and weather permitting, a medical helicopter.

On Wednesday, October 16 from 8am to 10am, Tidelands Health will be conducting a Health Fair for the public at the Dick M. Johnson Civic Center located at 829 N. Pine Drive in Surfside Beach. Walgreens Pharmacy will administer flu shots (insurance cards required), lab work at a minimal cost, osteoporosis scans, vision screenings, blood pressure checks, and other services.

The Ralph Magliette Senior Citizens Advisory Committee will host its annual Senior Fair on Friday, October 18 from 10am to 2pm at the fire department, with over 50 senior related informational vendors, giveaways, and door prizes. SAFER (Surfside Area Fire and Emergency Responders) will be cooking hot dogs and hamburgers for attendees.

Now in its ninth year, the Halloween Rod Run Car Show will be held on Saturday, October 26 on Surfside Drive. The event is a fundraiser for the Myrtle Beach Car Club. In 2018, the event raised close to $8,000 which was donated to local charities. 

This year, there will be over eighty cars, and of course there will be candy for trick-or-treaters. The Myrtle Beach Car Club hosts around forty car shows yearly. More information can be found on their web site at www.myrtlebeachcarclub.com. 

In tandem with the Halloween Rod Run Car Show, is the Best of the Beach Balls Meatball Challenge. Area restaurants bring their meatballs and compete for the designation of “Best Beach Ball.” Last year’s winner was Angelo’s Steak and Pasta. Other fantastic area competitors included Scatori’s, Maggie D’s, and Franco’s.  This year, there will be vendors, raffles, and prizes. All proceeds will benefit the Champion Autism Network. Visit www.championautismnetwork.com/meatball-challenge/ for more information, to sponsor, or compete.

November 2 is Living History Day. Members of the Surfside Beach Historical Society and volunteers dressed in period outfits will give demonstrations of what life was like day-to-day on the historic Ark Plantation site. Patrons will enjoy hearing gospel choir music; listening to descendants of the plantation’s residents sharing traditional stories passed down through the generations; and partaking in a fish fry and a sweet potato pie contest. Sweet potatoes and indigo were major crops on the plantation.