It wasn’t canceled last year and it isn’t canceled this year…
Going on right now, from May 7-16, Myrtle Beach Spring Bike Rally is one motorcycle event for 2021 which thankfully hasn’t been canceled. That’s been an unfortunate reality with government-imposed shutdowns and fear among the masses rampant for over a year now. However, it’s not that surprising the event is still on, considering not only did organizers hold a rally last October, the Myrtle Beach Spring Bike Rally was also still held last year, even though it happened in the middle of July and not actually in the spring. Originally, it was supposed to take place in May, like it is this year, but COVID-19 concerns meant it was pushed into July.
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Last year there was plenty of confusion about whether or not the event was going to be held. What with so many other events canceled, that was understandable, especially considering the Atlantic Beach Bikefest was one of the many axed. Yes, 2020 was the year where much of the fun was sidelined, but the people of Myrtle Beach persisted.
The epicenter of the motorcycle-infused revelry will take place around Murrells Inlet. However, festivities spread out over most of the Grand Strand as people bask in the great weather and enjoy some of the best beaches around while showing off their bikes. Every spring and fall the area hosts these bike rallies, which draw people from up and down the east coast, as well as other parts of the country.
Organizers make the event more interesting by holding some pretty creative activities. One is the weenie bite, where two people ride on a motorcycle slowly under a hotdog tied to a string. The passenger tries to bite off as much of the hotdog as possible, with whomever gets the biggest bite of weenie winning.
Not all the activities held during the Myrtle Beach Spring Bike Rally are related to motorcycles. For example, there was a beer festival going on in Conway and a wine tasting at Brookgreen Gardens.
That’s not to say there was zero controversy for the Myrtle Beach Spring Bike Rally in 2020. Suck Bang Blow, a popular Murrels Inlet biker bar, faced the possible revocation of its alcohol licenses after the South Carolina Department of Revenue went after it for alleged violations of the governor’s executive order prohibiting concert venues and nightclubs from being open in July of 2020. The bar advertised it was hosting several free live concerts during the week of the rally. Reportedly, the bar didn’t limit attendance or do anything else to comply with the governor’s Executive Orders. Thankfully, Suck Bang Blow and the state settled out of court last month and the bar’s alcohol licenses haven’t been revoked.
Bikes attending the rally in Myrtle Beach will need to avoid Atlantic Beach. In fact, Atlantic Beach police clerk Kim Mujas told the media, “We don’t want them here.” That’s pretty clear-cut, even though in years past the city has been very welcoming to bikers and their dollars. However, as mentioned before, the city has officially canceled its Bikefest, known as Black Bike Week, two years in a row, making it clear that keeping the city COVID-19 safe is more of a priority. However, Mujas did also say, “We hope by next year we can open up full swing, but not this year.” The song and dance about there’s always next year has been going on for over a year now, and it appears some haven’t tired of it yet.
The bike rallies held in Myrtle Beach are an important part of the economy for Horry County as well as the state. Visitors stay in hotels, eat at restaurants, purchase items at local stores and temporary vendor stands, etc. to funnel plenty of tourism dollars into the area. In fact, for many Grand Strand establishments, it’s the single largest event of the year.
Just remember, if you missed this Myrtle Beach Bike Week, there’s also the rally in October.
Sources: Myrtle Beach Online, The Post And Courier, WMBF, WMBF
