Coastal Companion

Your ultimate guide to the coast

Beach Bum Parade 2010 – Tybee Island, Georgia

by

Tybee Island Beach Bum parade is not your ordinary parade. This one is unique and special. The parade itself really understands how to celebrate the beginning of summer and is something something locals and maybe especially the younger crowd long for every year. Why? It’s simple. It’s all about fun and play.

Tybee Island Beach Bum parades is like most others consisting of floats pulled behind cars and trucks. The difference is that on Tybee this is a playful water-play event for all ages between floats and spectators lined up along Butler Avenue. Spectators arm themselves with bucket, squirt guns and other water spraying weapons. This is your chance to get wet before you even set foot on the beach!

Tybee Island is located just outside Savannah, Georgia. The parade takes place on May 21, 2010 and starts at 6 p.m.

For more information call (800) 868-2322 or click here to visit the website

Opening of the Beaches – Jacksonville Beach, Fl

by

Summer is almost here – the weather is beautiful and it’s a perfect weekend to head for the beach. Every year Jacksonville Beach celebrates the arrival of summer with a big party – The Opening of the Beaches. There’s a sandcastle contest on Saturday April 24th and of course a parade at 2 p.m on Sunday April 25th.

Sand Arts Festival 2010 – Tybee Island, GA

by

The annual Sand Arts Festival is going to be held on Tybee Island’s north beach near Tybee Lighthouse, 30 Meddin Drive, on Friday, April 30, 10 a.m.- 4.pm. (rain date May 14).

The Sand Arts Festival organized by SCAD is a competition in sand castle design, sand sculpture, sand relief and wind sculpture. Lots of talented SCAD students and alumni compete and this is a great spectator event.

Artwork competing in the sand castle, sand sculpture and sand relief competitions are judged for creativity, design, craft and detail.

The Sand Arts Festival is free and open to the public.
Sand Art Festival, SCAD, Savannah Georgia

Springing the Blues Festival 2010 – Jacksonville Beach, Fl

by

Springing The Blues is one of the most popular annual festivals in Jacksonville, Florida, every spring attracting somewhere around 125,000 blues fans. At this festival you will experience live performances on stage from some of the nation’s top Blues performers. Another plus in my book is the fact that Springing The Blues is a free outdoor blues music festival. The three-day oceanfront music festival takes place April 9 – 11, 2010, and  features a selection of blues performers as well as other activities for the whole family to enjoy.

Springing The Blues festival is held at Jacksonville Beach, Florida’s Oceanfront SeaWalk Pavilion.

Interesting Facts About the Festival:
• Downbeat Magazine has named Springing the Blues as one of the top 50 Music Festivals in the World
• SouthEast Tourism Society named the festival as one of the top 20 destination events in the U.S.
• Springing the Blues is known as Florida’s largest free outdoor blues festival.
• In 1997 the festival was voted as “Best Festival in Northeast Florida” by Folio Weekly Magazine’s annual poll.

Click here for the schedule of performances

This year the festival will take place on April 9-11 , 2010, at Seawalk Plaza, Jacksonville Beach, Florida

Myrtle Beach Celebrates Snowbirds during Can-Am Days 2010

by

Celebrate 49th Annual Canadian-American Days March 13-21, 2010
Festival Features Events, Concerts and Discounts Throughout the Grand Strand

Once again  Myrtle Beach welcomes its visitors from the North to the Canadian-American Days.  From March 13-21, 2010, the Myrtle Beach area will welcome visitors with a expressive lineup of events, giveaways, and concerts throughout the Grand Strand.

Visitors can choose from a wide variety of events and activities, many free, including band concerts, the kickoff celebration expo, St. Patrick’s Day parade and dance, festivals and much more.

“Can-Am Days celebrates our snowbird visitors, who escape the cold and snow for the moderate climate and wealth of attractions of the Myrtle Beach area,” said Brad Dean, MBACC president and CEO. “Many of these visitors have been traveling to our destination for decades, and we strive to create new memories for each generation through our festivals.”

Canadian-American Days draws as many as 100,000 Canadian visitors and snowbirds. The Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce introduced Canada Days in 1961 to attract Canadian families during their spring school break. The name was changed to Canadian-American Days in 1963. It is regarded as the first international festival organized in South Carolina.

The 49th Annual Canadian-American Days will feature a variety of events. Here are some of the highlights:

March 15
The 282nd Army Band
7 p.m. (doors open 6 p.m.)
– Beach Church, 557 George Bishop Pkwy., Myrtle Beach. Free but tickets are required. Tickets available 8:30 a.m. March 8 at the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce visitor centers at 1200 N. Oak St., Myrtle Beach, and 3401 U.S. 17 Business S., Murrells Inlet.

March 16
Canadian-American Days Kickoff Celebration Expo
10 a.m.-1 p.m.
– This expo officially kicks off Can-Am Days and features exhibitors, musical entertainment, prizes and giveaways. Myrtle Beach Convention Center, Exhibit Hall C, Myrtle Beach. Free to the public.

March 17
16th Annual South Strand Wildlife and History Day
10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Enjoy family-friendly entertainment, exhibits and activities. The Taste of Murrells Inlet, a culinary extension of the event, will boast specialties from some of the finest restaurants in the “Seafood Capital of South Carolina.” Huntington Beach State Park, 16148 Ocean Hwy., Murrells Inlet. Free for Canadians with valid ID. Adults: $5, S.C. senior citizens: $3.25, children 6-15: $3 and children 5 and under: free. SouthCarolinaParks.com/(843) 235-8755

March 18
Battle at the Beach presented by RBC Bank
11 a.m.
Second annual Canada vs. U.S.A. Friendly Competition for the RBC Cup, four-person scramble format. Greens fee, cart fee and prizes included. All tournament profits will be donated to Myrtle Beach Haven. Pine Lakes Country Club, 5603 Granddaddy Dr., Myrtle Beach. Fee $125 per person, $400 per foursome. CanAmDays.com for registration form and more information.
2010 RBC Bank Presents the 208th Army Reserve Band, 7 p.m. (doors open 6 p.m.) March 19 – Christ United Methodist Church, 2901 Fantasy Way, Myrtle Beach. Free but tickets are required. Tickets available 10 a.m.

For more information, visit MyrtleBeachAreaChamber.com.