The Grand Strand's second season is its holiday calendar — and its centerpiece is one of the Southeast's most beloved Christmas events.

BROOKGREEN GARDENS – NIGHTS OF A THOUSAND CANDLES TOUR, MURRELLS INLET, 2023- Christmas light show

Beachin with the Boones

Beachin with the Boones' full walk of Nights of a Thousand Candles at the end of December 2023 — the gardens lit by more than 2,700 hand-lit candles and millions of sparkling lights. One of the Southeast's most beloved holiday events, filmed end to end. Loaded as watch content — the film carries no caption track.

Nights of a Thousand Candles at Brookgreen Gardens 2020! A must see!

Travel with NJ Steve & Sue!

Travel with NJ Steve & Sue at Nights of a Thousand Candles 2020 — Brookgreen's December signature, when the sculpture gardens glow with hand-lit candles and the reflecting pools double every light. Their practical notes: tickets are bought online in advance, the event runs through December, and the drive is about 30 minutes south of Myrtle Beach on US-17.

Key takeaways
  • Nights of a Thousand Candles runs December evenings
  • Tickets are sold online in advance — it is a ticketed event
  • About 30 minutes south of Myrtle Beach via US-17

Nights of a Thousand Candles - Brookgreen Gardens

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

Visit Myrtle Beach's own Nights of a Thousand Candles film: over 5,000 hand-lit candles transforming the sculpture gardens across three December weekends, with cider on the paths and handbells in the air. The warning that matters is in the film: the event sells out quickly, so Christmas-at-the-beach visitors should reserve ahead.

Key takeaways
  • 5,000+ hand-lit candles across three December weekends (as filmed)
  • Cider and handbell performances along the garden paths
  • Sells out — the film advises reserving tickets early

Nights of a Thousand Candles

Brookgreen Gardens' December signature gets three films: the Boones' full end-of-December walk (watch content — no caption track exists; 2,700-plus candles and millions of lights in that year's telling), a 2020 visit with the practical notes (tickets online in advance; 30 minutes south on US-17), and the CVB's own film: 5,000-plus hand-lit candles, cider on the paths, handbells — and the warning that matters, it sells out, reserve early.

Christmas around the Strand

Barefoot Landing dressed for Christmas 2025, every restaurant themed, the Big Chill Island House anchoring. Pirates Voyage replaces its storyline with Captain Scrooge's journey — giant toys, acrobatics, and a live nativity — running through January 3 as filmed. An Alabama Theatre load-in film and a Legends Dolly Christmas clip (both watch content) catch the theaters mid-transformation.

Barefoot Landing Tour in North Myrtle Beach - Christmas Walking Tour 2025 - & Big Chill Island House

Beachin with the Boones

Barefoot Landing dressed for Christmas: the Boones walk the decorated complex in the 2025 holiday season, when every restaurant carries a Christmas theme and the Big Chill Island House anchors the festivities. Check-the-website viewing — the holiday programming is the draw.

Key takeaways
  • Christmas decorations and themed restaurants throughout
  • Big Chill Island House is the holiday anchor
  • Holiday programming details live on Barefoot's site

🎄⚓ Christmas magic sets sail at Pirates Voyage!

MyrtleBeach.com

MyrtleBeach.com's film of the Pirates Voyage Christmas show: the Christmas spirit takes Captain Scrooge on a journey through time above the lagoon, giant Christmas toys spring to life for the acrobatics, and the show pauses for a live nativity — wise men, animals and an angel — before the pirate feast finishes the night. The filmed run went through January 3rd.

Key takeaways
  • Christmas production: Captain Scrooge's journey replaces the regular storyline
  • Includes a live nativity scene with animals
  • The holiday run extends through the New Year (to January 3rd as filmed)

A Day in the City of Halloween 🎃 aka Conway Near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina!

Carmen and Brian

Carmen and Brian visit Conway during its City of Halloween season and the Smoke on the Waccamaw barbecue festival. The tour shows how thoroughly the historic river town commits to October — decorated streets and storefronts a few minutes from Myrtle Beach — and samples the barbecue festival on the riverfront.

Key takeaways
  • ["Conway's Halloween transformation is town-wide and official","Smoke on the Waccamaw adds a barbecue festival to the season","The town sits just a few minutes west of Myrtle Beach"]

The rest of the year

Conway's City of Halloween and its July Riverfest bookend the calendar — the town that commits hardest, in both directions.

Sources: the 9 videos on this page.

Watch: Myrtle Beach Holiday Lights And Events, guided

3 videos · summaries from the actual guides

Conway South Carolina Downtown & Riverwalk Tour plus Riverfest!

Carmen and Brian

Carmen and Brian tour downtown Conway during Riverfest, the town's big festival that kicks off Fourth of July week. The film walks Main Street past City Hall, the shops and the riverwalk, and covers both the historic river town's everyday charms and the festival crowds, with practical notes on the drive over from the beach.

Key takeaways
  • ["Riverfest is Conway's signature festival, kicking off July 4th week","Main Street USA: City Hall, boutiques and cafes in historic storefronts","Conway is a short drive west of Myrtle Beach; Highway 544 is the busy route"]

South's Grandest Christmas Show Technical Load

Alabama Theatre, North Myrtle Beach, SC

A watch-only behind-the-scenes look at the technical load-in for The South's Grandest Christmas Show at the Alabama Theatre — crews rigging and staging the theater's biggest production of the year.

Legends in Concert Karen as Dolly

Legends in Concert

Karen Hester as Dolly Parton performs 'Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree' on the Legends in Concert Myrtle Beach stage — an official clip from the theater's Christmas-season show. Loaded as watch content.

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