SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
The Beach's longest-running event is back!
This annual celebration heralds the unofficial arrival of the summer season by welcoming back visitors and locals with a great weekend full of family fun events. From exciting live music to awe-inspiring displays by the U.S Army's Golden Knights, there's a ton to enjoy — and don't forget the main event, the annual Sun Fun Parade!
Trial By Fire Tribute to Journey
U.S. Army Golden Knights
SUN FUN PARADE
CASSETTE REWIND
swinging' medallions
the tonez
A Cammy Award-Winning Group with a high-powered horn section, the Tonez feature seven vocalists, and every note of every performance is totally live – no recorded tracks.
MORE SUN & FUN EVENTS
The Sun Fun Festival is just the start of the great events happening around the Myrtle Beach area. With Cinco de Mayo and other spring happenings in full swing, you can find tons to do this weekend along the Grand Strand. Check out all the latest events by visiting VisitMyrtleBeach.com!
THE HISTORY
Decades of Sun, Fun & Excitement!
The Sun Fun Festival has quite a history in our beach town, with the inaugural event held in the summer of 1951 to welcome tourists back to Myrtle Beach for the summer season.
The early festivals featured family-friendly activities in and around the Myrtle Beach Pavilion, like parades and human checkerboard games. The first Miss SC pageant was held here in 1952, judged by bestselling author Mickey Spillane, who called Murrells Inlet home, followed by the Miss Sun Fun and Miss Bikini Wahine pageants sponsored by Hawaiian Tropic.
Back then, it’s said that there was even a “local law” enacted just during the festival that required everyone to wear shorts or a bathing suit. If not, they would be fined, which served as a fundraiser to help build the area’s first hospital, Ocean View Memorial Hospital.
Our event consistently named one of the Southeast Tourism Society’s Top 20 Events, would continue to thrive for 60 years, with parades, live music, sandcastle contests, and more. The event took a sabbatical for a few years in 2011, returned to the beach in 2016, and today continues a great tradition enjoyed by generations of beachgoers.
MORE PHOTOS
Take a walk down memory lane with tons more photos of Sun Fun Festival Days of the past in our photo gallery.
MORE PHOTOS
Take a walk down memory lane with tons more photos of Sun Fun Festival Days of the past in our photo gallery.
PARADE INFO
Don't miss out. Be part of the Fun!
Sign your business or organization up to participate in the parade today!
The 2023 Sun Fun Parade will take place Saturday, May 6 at 10 a.m. with a route that travels between 8th Avenue North and 16th Avenue North on Ocean Boulevard in downtown Myrtle Beach.
If your marching band, youth group, nonprofit, social club, business or other organization would like to be involved, all you need to do is click below and fill out the registration form.
There is no cost to participate in this year's event and you could even win a cash prize!
