Thursday, Oct. 01, 2009
Rolling out the barrel in Myrtle Beach:
A tale of two Oktoberfests
Beer. Bratwurst. Schnitzel. Lederhosen. Music. Community. Oktoberfest: A celebration of all things German. This venerable tradition was upheld in the city of Myrtle Beach, which played host to the event for 18 years, spanning venues like Chapin Park, the former Myrtle Beach Air Force Base and finally Coastal Federal Field (now BB&T Coastal Field), with attendance estimates ranging between 8,000 and 10,000. But something went awry. A series of unfortunate events including city budget reallocations, spirit-dampening rain at the event for three years and the threat of damage to the infield and turf at the ballpark conspired to put an abrupt and unexpected kibosh on the annual fete, which has been conspicuously absent beginning in 2006.
Setting aside attempts by local eateries and bars fill the void, and various like-events up and down the Strand, including the recent Oktoberfest in Little River, a larger-scale Oktoberfest wasn't on the radar inside the city of Myrtle Beach itself until last year, when the Market Common presented its first Oktoberfest at Valor Park.
But now we have two powerful-looking German culture celebrations squaring off on the same day - Saturday - ostensibly pitting the city's new de facto downtown (The Market Common's second annual Oktoberfest) against the old downtown, which in connection with the Oceanfront Merchants Association, the Downtown Redevelopment Corporation and, yes, the city of Myrtle Beach, is hosting a brand new Oktoberfest celebration along Ocean Boulevard with an eye to making it an yearly affair.
On the surface, dueling Oktoberfests might appear to be at odds, with one event threatening to siphon attendees from the other, nullifying the efforts of both. But on closer examination and through conversations with organizers, both events bring something different to the Grand Strand with marked variations in both scope and approach. It remains to be seen whether these festivals can coexist peacefully or hearken back to the Old West - "this town isn't big enough for the both of us" mentality.
Oktoberfest at The Market Common, which runs from 3 - 7 p.m. this Saturday at Valor Park, will feature authentic German music from The Rheingold Band and a wide selection of German beers and a few representative wines. Traditional German fare will be on hand from Gordon Biersch Restaurant Brewery and Roy & Sid's American Grill. Kids activities include pumpkin painting, face painting, bounce houses and more. Admission is free.
Saturday's downtown Oktoberfest is an all-day street festival (noon - 11:35 p.m.) slated to take place on Ocean Boulevard between Eighth Avenue North and Mr. Joe White Boulevard (10th Avenue North), featuring food and art vendors, a Kid's Zone at Plyler Park and an ambitious roster of local and regional bands, culminating with Cravin' Melon and Edwin McCain, both products of the Palmetto State - followed by fireworks off the second Avenue Pier. Bodo's German restaurant is slated to provide food as well.
Notice the contrasts?
The Oceanfront Merchants Association, according to its president Jonathan Staton, was formed shortly after the Myrtle Beach Pavilion Amusement Park closed and is made up of business and property owners in the downtown area. "We formed this association to come up with ideas to bring people downtown - to let the world know that although the Pavilion is gone, the area still has a heartbeat and has a lot to offer locals and tourists," he says, adding that the organization is partnered up for this event with the city of Myrtle Beach and the Downtown Redevelopment Corporation as well as private sponsors. All of this comes to bear on such an ambitious project as Oktoberfest.
Staton, who is also the owner of Dagwood's Deli/Bumstead's Pub, has been well aware of the local Oktoberfest vacuum, and is determined to do something about it. He hosted an Oktoberfest in the parking lot of Dagwood's Deli and Sports Bar in Surfside Beach in 2007 and is optimistic about the appeal of the downtown undertaking's block party approach.
"Who wouldn't like something like this? I went to the University of South Carolina, and they always had a St. Patrick's Day street festival. The one thing Myrtle hasn't had in a while other than Market Common or Broadway at the Beach has been a downtown, 'let's close this off and have a street party' type of event." Budgetary constraints hamstrung previous attempts, but Staton kept his eye on the prize. "We get better at what we do with the Merchants Association, and we're constantly learning and making contacts," he says, "and the funding was there this year. We asked for the support of the city and the Downtown Redevelopment Corporation, and they were both gracious enough to support this." Staton says the cost for this event is $75,000.
Obtaining permission to shut down a portion of Ocean Boulevard would appear to be a daunting task in itself, fraught with red tape. "There were some issues as far as logistics and safety, but we met with the city of Myrtle Beach, Police and Fire - to make sure everything was going to be secure. We put all of our heads together and came up with a game plan for the venue."
This is the downtown area's chance to shine. "You'll have all of the businesses on both sides and the different looks - the history with the Gay Dolphin and the Ripley's Attractions and everything else going on down there. We're excited to be a part of it," he says.
The Oktoberfest at Market Common last year was the first event Hatton Gravely attended as marketing manager for the property. "We had a big crowd out, and some people even came dressed in their German attire. We had a great response and people had a good time," she says. What surprised her most was the diversity. "It was a family-friendly event, but we also had the young professionals and older crowd. The age range really spanned from the 20s to the 60s."
Gravely cites the layout of The Market Common as a good fit for events like this. "We're surrounded by beautiful parks - and The Market Common has become a type of community center. You always see local people here having a good time and running into people they know. And the festivals here really bring out the community."
On March 28, The Market Common hosted an event called Myrtle Beach Beer Fest, organized by Festival Promotions, which is also co-sponsor of Saturday's Oktoberfest at Valor Park. Is this event essentially the same thing with a German twist?
"The biggest difference is that this one is free. There are more family activities incorporated into this one. At the Beer Fest, you had to buy a ticket and it's more of a beer-tasting event. Oktoberfest is more about the activities and the food," asserts Gravely.
But should anyone become overly concerned, there will be suds on hand.
Mike Shank, owner of Festival Promotions, is on board with The Market Common event to focus on beer and wine sales and to help to coordinate other facets of the undertaking. "We'll have 25-30 beers out there," he says. "The Beer Fest had 90, but this is completely different, and we're selling by-the-beer as opposed to samples." Festival Promotions has been involved in event management for everything from the Myrtle Beach Marathon to area bike rallies and Shank has an eye to expanding the idea of beer festivals on the Grand Strand. "I'm trying to build up these events where people can try out all types of beer throughout the year."
Shank has reasonable expectations for The Market Common event. "If it's a nice day, I'm sure that there will be a lot of people at The Market Common anyway - with or without a festival. If it's raining, we'll have a big tent - so you can still enjoy yourself and without worrying about getting wet."
But can the two happenings coexist?
"We were going to do this for most of the day," says Shank. "Because of the stuff they had going on downtown, we decided to make it from three to seven (3-7 p.m.). This way people could come to ours and then go to Cravin' Melon and Edwin McCain later in the evening - so we're not competing with that."
Gravely shares that sentiment. "I think people will check out both. I think ours is a bit more traditional, and theirs is about the live music. Maybe we can coordinate the timing better next year, but I'd like to see more Oktoberfest-oriented events in Myrtle Beach because we can really own it and become known for a big Oktoberfest weekend," she says.
The Oceanfront Merchants Association's Staton is well aware that scheduling conflicts are almost unavoidable, taking into consideration the seemingly endless succession of area festivals and events vying for attention. "The toughest part about choosing the date for this event is that spring and fall are perfect times of the year to have them. There is no perfect weekend to isolate you from other events," he says. "But I have all the confidence in the world that we're going to put on a great show and have a wonderful time for all involved."
With the fall motorcycle rally, better knows as The Pilgrimage, also in full swing this week, it seems a valid point to consider whether bikers will be made to feel welcome at these events, especially in light of Myrtle Beach's dodgy handling of this year's spring rally.
"The fact that there will be another group in town - we will certainly promote to them and hopefully they will come out there and check it out," says Shank, whose Festival Promotions handles events for Myrtle Beach Harley-Davidson. "I think people will come out because it gives them something else to do."
"When we booked the weekend, I didn't even realize it was also Bike Week, which is just another thing to compete with," says Staton. "But we're hoping that whatever bikers are in town that they come down and join us because it's going to be a great time."
