Broadway at the Beach Blog

Do you love craft beer? If so, you're not alone. Often described as "pure happiness in a glass," craft beer is the fastest growing segment of the beverage industry.

This week is a very special one for craft beer lovers. It's American Craft Beer Week and it runs through May 22.

Craft beer is not your father's brew in a bottle. The Brewers Association, a group whose members are small and independent American brewers of craft beer, defines craft beers as "beers whose flavor derives from traditional or innovative brewing ingredients and their fermentation."

The best place in Myrtle Beach to observe the week set aside to honor the awesomeness of craft brews is right in Broadway at the Beach at Liberty Brewery & Grill, the area's first microbrewery.

Liberty Brewery & Grill prepares craft beers that "celebrate the bounty of the American farmer and pre-Prohibition style brewing methods." At the restaurant's entrance, a replica of the Statute of Liberty — decorated with the the colors, stripes and stars of the American flag — welcomes guests and sets the tone. This is the brewery that invites "your hungry, your thirsty and fun-loving" to enjoy the pleasures of award-winning draft beers made right on site. But don't miss Liberty's delicious comfort foods like burgers, wings, mac & cheese, and pizza.

Liberty is celebrating the week with a variety of specials. Wednesday (May 18) you can grab a classic Angus beef burger and a Liberty Core Brew Pint for just $10. On Thursday (May 19) at 4 p.m., stop by for the tapping of Firkin, a dry-hopped grapefruit red ale. At 4 p.m. on Friday (May 20), a new beer will be introduced that's a collaboration between Liberty and another Myrtle Beach brewer, New South Brewing — and there will be a live band performing.

On Saturday (May 21) the excitement reaches a high point for craft beer adventurers when Liberty stages its "unique beer takeover." Specialty flavors will be served, including Thomas Creek Banana Split Chocolate Stout, Lagunitas The Waldos' Special, Ballast Point Watermelon Dorado, Terrapin Poivre Potion Saison, Coast Blackbeerd Imperial Stout, Freehouse The Mullet and more.

On Sunday (May 22), the weekend winds down as Liberty offers all of its core brews at $1 off.

As the Brewers Association puts it so well, "each glass of craft beer displays the creativity and passion of its makers and the complexity of its ingredients." It's versatile because it's "great on its own and also enhances the taste of food when paired."

If you're a beer connoisseur — or just enjoy a glass of beer every now and then — this is a great week to stop by and join in the celebration and introduction of new beer flavor creations at Liberty Brewery & Grill.

You may even want to start planning your Craft Beer celebration for 2017, because by the end of summer 2016, another great brewery, American Tap House, will be joining Liberty Brewery & Grill on the quest to provide guests with unique taste experiences.

Fudge is an American mystery.

No one knows for sure when it was first made or if it was the result of some happy error made by a candymaker trying to craft toffee or caramel.

The only thing we know for certain is that what came to be known as fudge was born in America, in the good ole USA, and probably in Baltimore, Maryland. We also know that it was wildly popular among the students of Vassar College in New York near the end of the 19th century — and that they began producing large quantities in their dorm rooms for their own private consumption.

How do we know this? Like so often occurs in history, clues to the origin of fudge were discovered in a pile of old letters. Yep, once again, it's snail mail that helped to unlock some of the mystery. John F. Mariani's "Dictionary of American Food and Drink" reports that a letter written in 1921 by Vassar alumni Emelyn Battersby Hartridge told of how she got the recipe for the delightful sweet from a Baltimore-based cousin of a friend in the early 1890s. That unnamed cousin was making and then selling the tasty, but also unnamed, confection in a grocery store for 40 cents a pound.

Emelyn knew a good thing when she tasted it — and she didn't hesitate to spread news of the new goodie — and its recipe. It became such a huge hit at Vassar that the Boston Globe published an article about it in 1895. Several papers around the country picked up the Globe's story and the nation began clamoring for the new treat.

As for the name "fudge," an 1893 recipe for "fudges" has been found, and Vassar students were calling it "fudge" by 1895. But there's no real trail leading back to the name's origins.

What we do know is that Americans have been enjoying fudge for more than 100 years. At Broadway at the Beach, we even have shops that specialize in it.

At The Fudgery North and The Fudgery South, fudge is served with a side of entertainment. What started as a way to lure customers into The Fudgery's first shop on the Outer Banks of North Carolina has become a tradition. Famous for "fudging showtunes and coaxing smiles," The Fudgery staff stir, turn and fold fudge into delicious candy while whipping out their own brand of musical fun. While you're watching the show, you can choose from nine flavors of fudge or sink your teeth into a scrumptious caramel apple while you're contemplating the other sweets The Fudgery offers.

Handmade Southern candies and fudge are ready for tasting at River Street Sweets. A tradition in historic Savannah, Georgia since 1973, this shop was founded by a family that jokes it has "fudge in their veins and pralines in their brains." Here is where you can find rich homemade classics like chocolate fudge, along with unique flavors like maple fudge. Guests are encouraged to stay awhile, watch the cooks on duty, and sample the candy. And when you do, ask for a taste of their other famous treat, "World Famous Pralines."

Kilwins has been offering great candy since 1947. Born on the shores of Lake Michigan, this shop has been making its awesome fudge since 1948 when Don Kilwin bought a marble table on which he began hand-crafting fudge. The star of Kilwins then and now is its smooth and creamy Mackinac Island Fudge made from an original recipe by founders Don and Katy Kilwin. You'll want to get a piece of that. But when you're at the shop, don't miss their other fudgey delights made with chocolate, peanut butter, lemon, rasberry, or sea salt & caramel.

Although we may never know the true origin of the fudge recipe or how the confection got its name, we can take comfort in knowing that more than a century after fudge became popular, there are still craftsmen at shops making this treat in a time-honored way.

That's important.

Because, as American novelist Joan Bauer wrote, "Everyone needs fudge . . . It's how God helps us cope."

You love Mom. Mom loves to shop. She cruises through all the sales at the giant department stores, knows where to find the hidden gems at malls, and is a master at finding bargains online from sites like Amazon to QVC.

So how do you make Mother's Day special for your Mom?

This year, don't just give her a card and a present. Treat her to an experience. Make a memory she'll cherish forever when you take her on a treasure hunt for something she'll love.

Mother's Day is too important to waste on a simple excursion to an outlet mall or department store. This is a special occasion, so select somewhere that radiates a unique sense of place with an atmosphere that can't be found online or at the mall. Take her where there is an exciting fusion of shopping, dining and entertainment. Take her to Broadway at the Beach.

From the moment you drive onto the perimeter road with its tall palm trees blowing in the breeze, you know you've arrived at a different kind of place.

As you stroll together among the unique boutiques and attractions, you never feel rushed. There's an aura of relaxation and an implicit invitation to pick a bench in a common area, sit a spell and people watch.

With more than 100 shops, there's so much to see and do. Maybe you'll stop by Key West Hat Company and show Mom how great she'd look in one of their special hats. If your Mom's taste leans toward the fashion forward, it may be fun to check out the apparel at Gemini Boutique.

If she's a jewelry lover, stop by Allure and look at the lovely jewelry and accessories to match any outfit. Over at A Silver Shack, let her discover the largest selection of silver jewelry in town, much of it with a European flare. And don't miss SC Jewelers where she'll discover one-of-a-kind pieces like their signature Palm Tree Necklace.

From shops like Bijuju with its innovative and beautiful handbags, fashion jewelry and accessories, to the sun-powered products at Del Sol, you can fill this special day chancing upon one unique item after another.

With all that shopping, she'll probably work up an appetite. No matter her taste, you can treat her to the intimate setting of a small eatery, a memorable meal at a distinctive restaurant specializing in her favorite food, or the atmosphere of an open-air deck overlooking Lake Broadway.

It's been 102 years since President Woodrow Wilson made Mother's Day an official national holiday in 1914. Make this year the one your Mom will remember forever.

If you're an Elvis fan, it's now or never to get your 2016 tickets to one of the best events held in Myrtle Beach all year. Surrender to this opportunity to watch performers do classic Elvis songs from his Jailhouse Rock days through the Vegas years. Let yourself be transported as you savor an extraordinary sense of deja vu.

After an Opening Celebration at the beach on Thursday, the festival moves to the Legends In Concert Theater at Broadway at the Beach. From 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, April 29, there will be performances by Elvis tribute artists from around the world. It's Round 1 of the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest. Once the show starts, you'll be saying that's alright! And, don't even entertain a suspicion that these performances will be anything but fun.

This event has both professional and nonprofessional divisions, so if you're an amateur who channels Elvis, you can even get in on the action.

This quest for glory continues at Legends In Concert from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday. The cumulative scores from Friday and Saturday actually determine who goes on to the finals on Sunday.

You'll have another opportunity to get all shook up by Elvis tunes when you attend the two headline shows on Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m.

A special "Elvis Festival Edition" of the Legends in Concert show will rock the house on Friday night. Backed by the incredible Legends In Concert Band, 2014's Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Jay Dupuis will perform as Elvis, while others pay tribute to Barry White, the Blues Brothers, George Strait, and Taylor Swift.

The party continues Saturday night when more artists put on their blue suede shoes and hi-heel sneakers for the 2016 edition of "Elvis Presley, The Legend."

2011 Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist, Cody Ray Slaughter, will perform as the early Elvis. Last year's Elvis Festival Champion Di Light is coming all the way from Brazil to pay tribute to Elvis' Vegas years. Jay Dupuis joins in, along with World Champion Elvis Tribute Artist Michael Chambliss. They'll be backed by the Change of Habit Tribute Band.

Lawdy Miss Clawdy! If you're a true Elvis fan, you'll be crying in the chapel by Sunday morning if you miss out on these two great evenings!

Don't fret, there will be one more chance to see some great tributes to Elvis, the guitar man. On Sunday, the quest for the 2016 Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist continues. Five finalists from each division will perform. At stake: prize money and the chance to represent Myrtle Beach at the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest held during Elvis Week in Memphis.

This is an unbelievable weekend that no true Elvis fan should miss. Suspicious minds might think that tickets aren't available. But you can still get in on the fun. Call for tickets at 888-406-5885.

And, don't be cruel. Invite your friends to come along.

Do you have a song inside you that's just bursting to get out? Do you find yourself singing along with the radio as you head to work? Have you ever imagined yourself as the lead singer on the track of your favorite tune? This is the week to take your fantasies to the next level and your voice where it can be heard.

Through April 23, people across the country are celebrating National Karaoke Week. So there's no better time to stop singing in the shower and move your act to center stage. Head to Broadway Louie's for Jake's All-Star Karaoke Show where the atmosphere screams show biz and the mood is set with professional lighting and swirling fog. Imagine a DJ cuing your performance. It's your moment to shine!

Voted "best place on the beach for karaoke" for 12 years running, Jake's supports each performance with a sound system that has 10 speakers and four enormous state-of-the-art woofers. Ready for prime time or just taking a shot, performers can select from a library of more than 40,000 songs and channel their inner rock stars. Non-singers can have fun just enjoying the show.

What began as in-home musical entertainment for party guests in Japan, has spread across the world since the 1970s when karaoke machines were introduced. If you haven't treated yourself to watching or singing in this popular everyman's form of entertainment, give it a try.

There's no better place to celebrate National Karaoke Week than Jake's All-Star Karaoke Show at Broadway Louie's at Broadway at the Beach.