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Pawleys Island Celebrates Independence Day With Patriotic flair

Celebrating Independence Day in and around Pawleys Island has a lot to offer, whether you enjoy parades, live music concerts, fireworks, or all three. Below are some of the best event options in the area:

Wave That Flag Festival in Pawleys Island —POSTPONED!!!!

PLEASE NOTE: This event has been postponed due to the concern of severe weather concerns during the event’s hours on the evening of Monday, July 1. A new date has not been set, ut it will most likely be later this summer.

The Georgetown County Parks and Rec department is hosting the Wave That Flag Festival, a new Independence Day-themed event this year on Monday, July 1.

Attendees of last year’s Wave That Flag event experience the spectacular laser light show. (Photo by Clayton Stairs/Georgetown County Chamber of Commerce)

A Laser Light Show – sponsored by the Georgetown County Chamber of Commerce, South Carolina’s Hammock Coast, New South Brewing and Georgetown County – will light up the sky.

The public is invited for some holiday fun from 5 p.m. to sunset at Retreat Park in the Litchfield community of Pawleys Island. There will be live music, food trucks, vendors, open field games and family fun.

This event is free and open to the public. Retreat Park is located at 633 Wildcat Way in Pawleys Island. For more information, click here.

Pawleys Island July 4th Parade

The Pawleys Island July 4th Parade is a fun community event that allows residents and visitors alike to express their patriotism on July 4th. Visitors and locals alike parade down the Island in anything that becomes a makeshift float – be it a boat, car, or flatbed truck – all of which will be decorated in a variety of themes incorporating red, white, and blue.

The Guess family of Pawleys Island won the Most Enthusiastic Float in the 2021 parade. (Photo by Clayton Stairs/Georgetown County Chamber of Commerce)

The parade begins at 10 a.m. on July 4th. To enter a float in the parade, stop by the Town Hall, 323 Myrtle Ave., Pawleys Island to fill out an application. The cost to enter is $20 in advance, the day of the parade it is $30. That price includes a free event T-shirt. Applications will be available Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. until the day of the parade. Trophy categories include Best Overall Float 1st, 2nd & 3rd place; Best House; and Best Dock.

For more information, call 843-237-1698, email Daniel Newquist at info@townofpi.com, or click here.

Patriotic Flyover along beaches

Crowds will gather on local beaches on Pawleys Island, Litchfield, North Litchfield and Garden City around 1 p.m. for the annual Salute From the Shore. A variety of military planes will fly along the coastline and video the patriotic crowds.

The estimated time of arrival for the planes is 1:06 p.m. for Pawleys Island.

You can help support Salute From the Shore by doing any or all of these things:

Independence Day Celebration: Pawleys Island Concert Band at Precious Blood Church

Experience live patriotic music played by Pawleys Island Concert Band at 6 p.m. on July 4th at Precious Blood of Christ Catholic Church. The Pawleys Island Concert Band is a group of local musicians who perform throughout the area. This event is free and open to the public.

Precious Blood Church is located at 1633 Waverly Rd. in Pawleys Island. For more information, click here.

Georgetown Indigo Choral Society Concert and July 4th fireworks

Spend Independence Day in historic Georgetown. On the lawn of the historic Kaminski House Museum from 7 to 8:30 p.m., you can experience a one-of-a-kind patriotic performance by the Indigo Choral Society. Come out, bring a chair, your favorite snacks, and camp out on the lawn for the concert for beautiful music and stick around for a fireworks display like no other.

The Indigo Choral Society will perform on the Kaminski House Museum’s lawn in Georgetown (Photo courtesy of Kaminski House Museum)

Georgetown’s celebrated fireworks start at around 9:30 p.m. Directed by the Georgetown City Fire Department, fireworks will be set off at Morgan Park and can be seen from East Bay Park.

Murrells Inlet July 4th Boat Parade

The 39th annual Murrells Inlet Boat Parade will take place at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 4. Boats decorated in patriotic themes will start at the point of Garden City Beach and make their way through Murrells Inlet, along the waterfront. Lineup starts at 4:30 p.m. This year’s theme is “Made in America.”

To encourage more participation, the committee has decided to waive the boat entry fee. Likewise, awards will not be distributed this year. Preferred viewing areas are along the Murrells Inlet Marsh Walk, Belin United Methodist Church, and Morse Park Landing.

Commemorative T-shirts will be available, with proceeds benefiting the Belin United Methodist Church Boy Scout Troop 396. Locations for purchase before the parade will be announced soon.

The parade committee would like to remind participants and spectators to protect our coastal wetlands and refrain from littering during this event. Boat and dock decorating participants are asked to avoid incorporating elements into their design that involve throwing objects into the water, including water balloons, which pollute the environment and are harmful to the local wildlife.

For more information, contact Lee Hewitt at 843-652-4236 or visit the event’s Facebook page at Murrells Inlet Boat Parade.

Fourth of July fireworks celebration in Murrells Inlet

Don’t miss the annual fireworks display over the scenic waterfront along the Murrells Inlet MarshWalk. The show starts around 10 p.m. and lasts approximately 20 minutes.
Get there early to enjoy dinner and drinks at one of the restaurants along the MarshWalk. Parking will fill up quickly and there are usually crowds. For more information, click here.

Compiled by Clayton Stairs / tourism manager for the Georgetown County Chamber of Commerce and South Carolina’s Hammock Coast