Broadway at the Beach Blog

It's the week many of us wait for every summer. The mere mention of it summons up memories of old classic movies like "Jaws" and images from new, trendy movies like "Sharknado."

It's "Shark Week!"

This year's celebration of the ocean's toothy carnivores is set for August 10 through August 16. There will be a barrage of Discovery Channel reality shows and the Syfy channel's shark-themed movies.

But why watch films about sharks when you can get up close to the real things? Just imagine looking upward and seeing sharks just inches away.

At Ripley's Aquarium, Shark Week is a celebration that both parents and kids can enjoy. It's an opportunity to closely observe and learn about these fierce and majestic creatures.

At Broadway at the Beach, Ripley's gives us all the opportunity to sink our teeth into several shark-themed events.

Every day during Shark Week, there will be a Shark Teeth Scavenger Hunt (at 11 a.m., 2 p.m. & 5 p.m.), shark-themed face painting (3 p.m.), and educational shark presentations (1 p.m., 3 p.m. & 7 p.m.).

Have an artist in the family? A shark-themed chalk art contest will be held for ages 5 to 10 at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, August 12. Kids 11 – 15 can show their sketching skills at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, August 13. Adults and older kids (ages 16 and up) can even get in on the fun with a little friendly drawing competition at 10 a.m. on Thursday, August 14. Winners will be in announced each day at 4 p.m.

What's shark week without a little blood? At Ripley's, that means a blood drive to save lives. Teaming up with the Red Cross, the Aquarium will host a blood drive on Tuesday, August 12 between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.

And, there's no more memorable way for parents and kids to cap off their Shark Week than by actually sleeping with the fishes — and the sharks. A sleepover in Ripley's acrylic tunnel from 8 p.m., Thursday to Friday at 8 a.m. will give your family a chance to observe some of nature's largest predators as they swim overhead.

This year, celebrate Shark Week at Ripley's Aquarium, where you can get up close to these amazing animals.

Anytime a tent goes up around Broadway at the Beach, you can be certain that it contains something exciting.

This weekend, the "Big Top" behind the Carmike Cinema and MagiQuest (Parking Lots 19 & 20) holds fashion surprises and bargains in celebration of South Carolina's Tax-Free Weekend.

Just in time to suit up the kids for a new school year, big-name sports brand, Adidas, is in town offering the latest styles of its apparel, accessories and shoes at special prices.

It's the third year that Adidas has brought its tent sale to Broadway at the Beach for tax-free weekend. And, for the next three days, both parents and kids will be heading to the tent to find just the right clothes and shoes for both school and fun.

Whether you're a local or in town for vacation, this is one Big Top sale you won't want to miss. Open on Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., the tent will have all kinds of shoes, including running, training, tennis, cleats, lifestyle and more.

After the whole family finds stylish shoes, there will be time to match them up with comfortable gym wear, shorts and pants, as well as short, long, sleeveless and graphic tees. Throw in a few accessories, and you'll be ready for the start of class or a run along the beach.

Like most tent sales, this one accepts cash. And, Adidas is also set up to accept debit or charge cards.

It was said in the Oscar-winning circus film The Greatest Show On Earth, that "Under the Big Top, only two days count — today and tomorrow."

At Broadway's Big Top, you'll have one more!

We get questions about Broadway at the Beach every day. Visitors stop by Guest Services or drop us a post on our Facebook page wondering about all sorts of things. Most folks are intrigued by the sites, the sounds and the size of Broadway. We're asked about our fireworks, traveling performers and even the fish in our lake. So we thought we'd share ten interesting facts about Broadway that answer many of the questions we're asked. And, if you have more, head over to our Facebook page and ask away!

1. Broadway at the Beach's 14 million visitors a year literally come from all over America and beyond. The top 5 states that send us visitors are North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

2. Our 75 in-line shops and 30 kiosks offer everything from trendy sandals and delicious fudge, to beautiful jewelry and apparel. We even have a magic shop called Broadway Magic.

3. Sixteen nightclubs provide a wide variety of entertainment from comedians performing at the Carolina Comedy Club to live bands playing all kinds of music at several clubs in Celebrity Square and nearby restaurants.

4. Twenty-six attractions fill up your senses at Broadway. Tribute artists give high energy performances at Legends In Concert and an awesome magic show is currently playing at The Palace. Ripley's Aquarium lets you walk through a tunnel with sharks swimming overhead. You can even get your photo taken with a life-like wax model of your favorite star at our new Hollywood Wax Museum.

5. There are more than 20 amusement rides in 3 different parks around Broadway. From kiddie rides to thrill rides, we've got it. It's also an adventure to soar over Lake Broadway on a zipline or have some fun just riding on the lake in a jet boat, paddle boat or water rollerz.

6. Events are a regular part of the Broadway experience. Broadway at the Beach hosts an average of 25 events and/or festivals annually including several 5K's, car shows and charitable walks. And our Christmas Tree Lighting Celebration is one of the most popular events in the area as we illuminate our 52 foot tall tree with 141,000 lights as performers bring in the holiday season.

7. Just how big is Lake Broadway? Our 23-acre lake is 100 feet across and 1 mile in length. Depths range from 3 to 15 feet.

8. How many fish are in our lake? We've stopped counting! We originally stocked the lake with about 29,000 fish including Bream, Catfish, Hybrid Bass, Japanese Carp and Israeli Carp when we opened in 1995. A quick look around and you'll see that we have a pretty healthy (and growing) aquatic population that now also includes wildlife such as seagulls, turtles, ducks and more.

9. Our fish consume approximately 34,000 ponds of fish food every year, thanks to our many visitors who stop on the bridges at our feeders and toss in the food that draws the fish up to the surface for chow.

10. Our most popular regular events are our fireworks shows held Tuesdays and Fridays at 10 p.m. during the summer as well as several seasonal shows throughout the remainder of the year. Weather permitting, we'll present 30 free fireworks shows this year. And by seasons end, we will have exploded nearly 100,000 shots over Broadway.

Now that you have the facts, come out and enjoy!

Most Americans won't leave home without them.

Sixty-three percent of Americans use their mobile devices to access the internet for information, says the Pew Research Center. If you're one of them, we've got great news for you — Broadway at the Beach has a free mobile app that is a simple and fast gateway to all things Broadway!

When you download our app, you'll get instant access to information on shopping, dining, attractions and events. Looking for a new pair of sandals? Our app lets you search for shoe stores and shows you where the stores are on a map.

While you're strolling through Broadway, you can now easily connect to Broadway's social media through our app. Post your comments and photos — we love to learn about the fun times you're having.

Interested in what others are saying about their Broadway at the Beach experiences? Just want to know more about a specific store or restaurant? Quickly connect to TripAdvisor through our app, check out the reviews or post one of your own.

Large parking lots can be confusing. But with our app, you'll never have trouble finding your car at Broadway. Our "car finder" feature marks where your car is parked and lets you save the location for later when you're ready to head home.

Looking for something special to do in Myrtle Beach tonight or next week? Our app gives you access to a calendar of events and a list of our free, live entertainment so you can plan ahead.

And, when you just can't be at Broadway, you can still enjoy the fun by tapping into the app's webcam feature. As our three webcams scan the lake and shops, you can dream about your next visit!

As one TripAdvisor reviewer recently raved "Broadway at the Beach has everything in one place."

Now you can discover it all through our app!

Americans have been celebrating Independence Day with fireworks since our nation was born. And there's no better place in Myrtle Beach to celebrate your love of pyrotechnics than Broadway at the Beach.

We'll be lighting up the sky over Lake Broadway at 10 p.m. on July 4.

But before we end July 4 with a spectacular fireworks display, we've got lots for families to do in and around Broadway on July 3 and all day July 4.

After a hot day on the beach, cool off in the breeze way up high on our new Rocket Flyer ride. At 180 feet tall, it's the only amusement ride of its kind. Looking for some indoor amusements? At WonderWorks, you can relax on a bed of nails between all the interactive fun. Or stop by Ripley's Aquarium where you can safely go eye-to-eye with sharks as they swim over your head. Is shopping your favorite adventure? Find a special Independence Day treasure on sale at one of the many shops.

On the evening of July 3, celebrate America's melting pot of ethnic foods by dining at Yamato Steak House Japan, Capriz Italian Feast or on Carlos 'n Charlie's mexican delights.

How about a baseball game? It's America's favorite pastime, and it's played at TicketReturn.com field just across 21^st Avenue from Broadway at the Beach. There's a post-game fireworks display on July 3. Not a baseball fan? You'll be able to see the stadium fireworks right from Broadway at the Beach!

On July 4, discover the best in All-American foods with a hamburger from Good Time Charley's Burger World menu or a Charley (hot) dog. Then, get ready for an evening of free activities at Broadway. That's right, FREE.

Mr. Nigel will be entertaining the young and young at heart from Heroes Harbor stage from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. At Center Court, kids can whoop it up with some free face painting. Be on the lookout for the juggling clown magician and stilt walker — they'll be roaming around Broadway!

The Mark Roberts Band will fill the air with music from Celebrity Square Stage starting at 7 p.m. Party in the Square! Everyone can dance to the rock, funk and country rock sounds.

The evening of our Nation's birthday wraps up with our Independence Day Fireworks display over Lake Broadway at 10 p.m.

So put on your red, white and blue and head over to Broadway at the Beach — there's no better place to spend the 4^th!