MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) — It’s party time in Myrtle Beach as country music fans from all over roll into town for Thursday night’s start of the Carolina Country Music Fest.
The four-day festival, which is jam-packed with more than 60 performers, kicks off at 3 p.m. Thursday with DJ Slim McGraw performing on the main stage. HARDY will wrap up the first day of the festival starting at 10 p.m.
Three full days of music will follow starting at 1 p.m. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Headliners include Brooks and Dunn on Friday night, Kenny Chesney on Saturday night and Miranda Lambert on Sunday night. All of the headliners are scheduled to take the stage at 10 p.m.
Other top-name performers will include Tracy Lawrence at 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, Scotty McCreery at 8:30 p.m. on Friday, Whiskey Myers at 8:30 p.m. on Saturday and Travis Tritt at 8:30 p.m. on Sunday. A complete schedule of performers is available on the CCMF mobile app.
Scott McPherson, of Conway, is Travis Tritt superfan. He told News13’s Manny Martinez that he comes to all four days of CCMF with a sign, hoping to cross something off his CCMF bucket list.
Two years ago, McPherson hopped on stage and played with Darius Rucker. He reflected on that experience as he hopes to do the same with his favorite singer, Travis Tritt, on Sunday.
“It was unbelievable. The rush you get just being up on the stage in front of that many people is unbelievable,” he said. “Travis Tritt says it best. In his song ‘Somebody.’ You sitting at home watching this interview can be a somebody. Don’t ever tell yourself you’re not a somebody. You are. You just have to make yourself a somebody. You can do it. I believe in you. My buddy Manny behind the camera believes in you.”
With tens of thousands of people expected along Ocean Boulevard for the weekend, Myrtle Beach city officials said everyone needs to be aware of traffic changes and road closures:
- 8th Avenue North from Kings to Ocean Boulevard
- The eastbound lane of 9th Avenue North from Kings Highway to Ocean Boulevard
- Chester Street between 7th and 8th avenues
In addition, the 8th Avenue North beach access and Ocean Boulevard between 8th and 9th avenues will be closed on Sunday. On Monday, one westbound lane and parking spaces on 8th Avenue North will be closed.
All of the road closures will end by 5 p.m. on Monday, the city said.
Meanwhile, for those who plan to use rideshares to get to an from the festival, the pickup and drop-off is along Chester Street between Mr. Joe White Avenue and 12th Avenue North.
The Bowery, one of the top spots for an after party after CCMF, is not all that far from the actual festival.
After parties are a yearly tradition that the bar adjusts for with a smaller menu and moving tables to make more room.
“We are slammed already. We’ve already moved our tables so we have enough space for everybody,” said Jessica Matthews, who works at The Bowery. “People were here before 11 to get started for the day.”
News13 will have continued coverage of CCMF throughout the weekend.
* * *
Dennis Bright is a digital producer at News13. Dennis is a West Virginia native and graduate of Marshall University. He has won copyediting and journalism awards in West Virginia and Ohio. Follow Dennis on Twitter and read more of his work here.
