For Fair and Festival Food Lovers, the Grand Strand Is the Place to Be This Fall
When planning to attend a festival or fair, most of us look forward to at least checking out — and maybe even indulging in — the food and drink offerings. (And let’s be honest: For large swaths of us, the food and drink offerings are in and of themselves the main attraction.)
Of course, this fair/festival food allure is entirely warranted. After all, whether your favorite fair/fest food is the corn dog, the kettle corn, the funnel cake, the turkey leg, the meat on a stick or something else entirely, it’s almost always worth the price … and well worth the wait in line, too.
So, what could make fair/festival food even better? When the fair or festival is itself centered around food — and on the Grand Strand, this is a regular occurrence. In fact, even this autumn alone, there’s a long list of festivals in the Myrtle Beach area where food is the leading focus.
6 Fun Fall Food Fests on the Grand Strand
Does all this fair food-focused talk have you hungry for a fall food festival? To satisfy your cravings for both food and fun, head for one of these food-focused festivals set for this autumn on the Grand Strand — and be sure to bring your appetite:
1. Beach ’n Chili Fest
Scheduled for September 29–October 1, 2023, this free-admission festival at Myrtle Beach’s Burroughs & Chapin Pavilion Place offers plenty of hot reasons to attend. Among them, the Beach ’n Chili Fest will feature 500-plus flavors to taste during the International Chili Society’s World Championship Chili Cook-Off, live music and other entertainment on the festival’s main stage, food trucks, a cornhole tournament, a cruise-in car show, and a family fun zone with attractions like bounce houses, face painting, slides and games — all served up in a scenic oceanfront setting.
2. Taste of the Town
Set for October 10, 2023, Taste of the Town has been the Grand Strand’s premier culinary event for nearly 40 years. Held at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center, the annual affair typically attracts dozens of area restaurants and chefs. The participating restaurants bring their chosen dishes along to share, and guests can buy tickets to sample each vendor’s tasty offerings.
3. Myrtle Beach Greek Festival
Scheduled for October 12–15 in 2023, the Myrtle Beach Greek Festival is a delicious highlight on the annual events calendar for local foodies. Held at St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church in Myrtle Beach, this event features a range of traditional Greek dishes for guests to sample, including gyros (lamb or chicken), souvlaki, loukoumades (Greek fried donut holes), moussaka, pastichio, spanakopita, dolmades — and lots more. Other attractions include church tours, Greek music and dancing, and a kid’s area with inflatables, glitter tattoos and face painting.
4. Little River ShrimpFest
Held on October 14 and 15, 2023, the Little River ShrimpFest delivers some big reasons to head for the historic Little River waterfront this fall. And while the main attraction may be the tons of shrimp and other fresh seafood being served up by local restaurants, other attractions include fest-food favorites, two stages of live music, 100-plus different vendors, and family-friendly activities like stilt walkers and balloon artists.
5. Loris Bog-Off Festival
Set for October 21, 2023, the 44th Annual Loris Bog-Off Festival will bring healthy portions of food, entertainment, vendors and other family-friendly fun to downtown Loris, South Carolina. The food focus here is chicken bog — a local Southern specialty consisting of chicken, rice, sausage and spices. But the other attractions on tap will include 200-plus vendors, two stages of live entertainment (including a free performance by a national act), a huge children’s area and even a fireworks finale.
6. Brew at the Zoo
Held November 4, 2023, at famed sculpture gardens/botanical gardens Brookgreen Gardens in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina, Brew at the Zoo is a wild, family-friendly affair. Staged in a field next to the attraction’s Lowcountry Zoo, this festival offers a range of beer and wine choices to sample, plus food trucks, other vendors and a live performance by local favorites the Paul Grimshaw Band.
7. Sea Captain's House Second Annual Seafood Festival
Prepare for the ultimate seafood extravaganza as the 2nd Annual Seafood Festival at Sea Captain’s House approaches! On October 14th, from 12 PM to 6 PM, seafood enthusiasts are invited to partake in a unique culinary experience. The event promises an abundance of delicious offerings, live music, and delightful surprises to ensure a memorable day for all attendees. For more information, visit the event page.
The Perfect Home For Your Grand Strand Escape This Fall
Looking for the perfect place to stay during your next fall Grand Strand getaway? MB Resorts offers a range of resorts and properties in the Myrtle Beach area, and they’re all great choices when you’re chasing autumn adventures on the Grand Strand. To ensure you’ll make long-lasting coastal memories during your fall vacation, book your MB Resorts stay today!