Broadway at the Beach Blog

Circle the weekend of August 7^th thru 9^th, it's South Carolina's very own "Tax-Free Weekend" — and it's the only one the state is holding this year.

Broadway at the Beach merchants are standing by to help shoppers find the best buys in clothing, shoes, and school supplies. Such items are exempt from the 6% state sales tax and any applicable local taxes. It's the perfect time to stock up on everything needed for the new school year.

It's also a great time to up your fashion game for this school year. Wouldn't you like to head to the classroom with an all-new look?

Apparel stores throughout Broadway at the Beach can help you find a style that's right for every student in the family, from the youngest to those moving up to college.

If your littlest student wants a special outfit that will celebrate her unique self on that all-important first day of school, introduce her to the world of LittleMissMatched. She'll be charmed by this shop that's both fun and renown for thinking outside the fashion box.

Fashionistas of all ages love shoes, and Broadway has several great shoe stores. Visit Shoes Boutique and check out its large selection of affordable, high style shoes. Discover footwear so beautiful that even the pickiest shopper can find shoes or a purse to fall in love with.

Do you and your kids crave comfort, but don't want to sacrifice style? Test out the footwear at Comfortable Soles shoe store. From Birkenstock to Rainbow, their selection of comfy footwear is mind-boggling.

Even sports fans can capitalize on the savings that shopping tax-free yields. With football and basketball seasons just around the corner, it's a great time to get your favorite team's jersey, cap, and t-shirt.

Come join us at Broadway at the Beach on Tax-Free Weekend. We're ready and waiting for you!

Summer nights may be drifting away, but Broadway at the Beach is still going strong with our seasonal line-up of free entertainment. From the lights at Pavilion Park illuminating the sky, to jugglers and singers, to brilliant fireworks, Broadway is the best place to go after a day on the beach.

Night-after-night, favorites like Bryan Dangerous amaze crowds with upbeat, free performances. You'll be delighted when basketballs, hats, swords and guitars take on a life of their own as Bryan spins, balances and whips them through the air. Performances are at 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Sunday and Tuesday near Capriz restaurant and in Center Court on Monday at the same times.

Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays at 7 p.m. and 8 p.m., Nick Pike climbs aboard his unicycle and entertains the crowd with his unique brand of juggling, acrobatics, and fast-paced comedy. The popular entertainer is a Season 5 quarter-finalist from the America's Got TalentTV show, and it's easy to see why. In fact, it's hard not to be impressed by a man juggling fiery torches while balancing on a unicycle.

Over near Margaritaville, Shelley Sasser takes the Heroes Harbor stage Tuesdays through Fridays from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. The fifteen-year-old rock-n-roll singer plays guitar and entertains with a strong, powerful and captivating voice.

Heroes Harbor stage is also where you'll find the Mini-Starz performing on Saturdays and Sundays at 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. These child entertainers put on a big show, singing famous songs by top artists like Elvis, Gwen Stefani, Cyndi Lauper, and more.

So put on those comfy walking shoes and head for Broadway where there's entertainment at every turn. Don't let the Summer Nights drift away without being part of the fun!

There's just something about carousels that brings out the kid in everyone. Maybe it's the magical animals or the whimsical music.

Carousels have brought so much joy to both children and adults that we set aside a day each year simply to celebrate these marvelous inventions. July 25 is National Carousel Day.

Broadway at the Beach is home to two carousels, one located at Pavilion Park East and one located at Pavilion Park West. Our Morgan-Chance carousel stands in Pavilion Park East near WonderWorks. Made in the 1980s, this carousel charms kids and parents alike with its ornate decorations, mirrored center, and joyful music.

The Pavilion Park West features one of only 15 working Herschell-Spillman carousels in the country. Crafted during the "golden age of carousels," it dates back to 1912. Although many traditional carousels focus on horses and chariots, Herschell-Spillman craftsman weren't just horsing around. Our Pavilion Park West carousel contains a variety of hand-painted animals including frogs, lions, ostriches, giraffes, zebras, and roosters. Each animal is hand-carved out of wood and has real glass eyes. And you'll want to be sure and get a glimpse of the frogs dressed in human clothing.

This year, celebrate National Carousel Day with Broadway at the Beach. Go back in time with our Herschell-Spillman carousel or enjoy our modern marvel, the Morgan-Chance carousel. While our carousels operate almost every day of the year, July 25 is a perfect day to bring the family to Broadway so that everyone can saddle up, pick their favorite animal, and experience an American treasure that is spectacular enough to have its own day.

In the summer, they're everyone's favorite footwear. Although they basically consist of just a sole and some straps, sandals have the ability to serve both as your go-to shoes for comfort and a fashion statement.

Not surprisingly, sandals are the world's oldest shoes. Archeologists have found them in Egyptian tombs and ancient Grecian ruins. The oldest carbon-dated sandal ever discovered was found in Oregon on the west coast of the U.S. It dates back 10,000 years.

Centuries later, Greeks popularized sandals, introducing style as a status symbol along the way. In Ancient Greece, the sandal a person wore said a lot about where that person fit on the social ladder. Wealthy folks could be identified by their pricey leather sandals, and admirers could determine affluence by how high someone's sandal straps climbed up the leg.

Sandals were once a shoe of necessity, and still are in many parts of the world. Throughout the centuries and around the world, people have crafted sandals out of everything from papyrus to tree bark to straw to cork. Twine and strings have been used for straps. In today's modernized countries, most sandals are crafted from synthetic materials.

From its humble beginnings as a basic foot covering, the sandal laid the foundation for shoes of virtually every style, color and fabrication to be developed.

Myrtle Beach is one of the best places to find great-looking, comfortable sandals. As one of the nation's top vacation spots, the Grand Strand is the perfect spot to spend long days at the beach in flip-flops. On cool nights, there's nothing that says vacation more than watching fireworks and then strolling around Broadway at the Beach in comfy sandals.

When you decide it's time for another pair of your favorite shoes, we make it easy to find great sandals and clogs. Broadway at the Beach shops like Rack Room Shoes and Shoes Boutique offer stylish and affordable choices in a variety of styles.

Those who just plain love wearing comfortable shoes, can head over to Comfortable Soles and discover just how sandal fashion and comfort can collide. Men and women of all ages rely on this shop to provide both the latest in fashion trends and "comfort brands."

Crocs™ has been made famous by comfort preachers like famous chef Mario Batali. Our Crocs shop features funky and fashionable styles for all tastes. It's an ideal place to find flip-flops, clogs and sandals.

Whether you've worn out your favorite sandals or just crave another cool pair, stop by Broadway at the Beach and check out our shops. Your feet will thank you.

Do you love ice cream? Does the mere thought of a double-scoop on a cone bring a smile to your face? When the warm July sun starts beating down, do you start dreaming about thick strawberry shakes?

July is National Ice Cream Month, designated by Congress and President Reagan in 1984 to honor America's favorite confection. But Americans began their love affair with ice cream way before that.

We invented the concept of the ice cream parlor in 1776. America is the birthplace of both the ice cream scoop (1878) and the ice cream cone (1904). Once a desert only available to the rich, ice cream was so popular among average Americans by World War II, that the Armed Forces became major ice cream producers. The Navy even ended up running the world's first floating ice cream parlor to produce ice cream for sailors serving in the Pacific in 1945.

Today, America eats more ice cream than any other country in the world. We consume an average of 6 gallons of the stuff per person each year.

At Broadway at the Beach, ice cream is available in several different locations, tastes and textures. Two stores serve the "swirled-class" flavors of the "euphoric concoctions" at Ben & Jerry's. At Cold Stone Creamery, you can enjoy ice cream made fresh in the store each day. If frozen custard is your thing, head to Kohr's Family Homemade. Or completely throw calorie counting out the window and head to The Fudgery (north or south) where ice cream is served as a complement to spectacular fudge. There's even an opportunity to have ice cream as part of a meal at Johnny Rockets where hand-dipped shakes are served with burgers and a side of dancing and singing.

Since it came on the scene in America, ice cream has been a real star. For Americans, it's one of life's best indulgences.

"Happiness is ice cream," wrote Peanuts® creator Charles Schulz.

Come get some.