Parking tips for Saint Patrick's Day Parade & Festival at Pine Avenue (North Myrtle Beach 03/14)

honestly this st patrick's day festival is easily the biggest event in north myrtle beach and with over thirty thousand people expected on 03/14 the parking situation is always a complete nightmare. pine avenue is right in the middle of the festival zone which makes it even harder to find a spot once the roads start closing down early in the morning.

the best way to avoid the chaos is to check out Prked. you can use the app to rent a private driveway or garage from someone living right near the parade route or pine avenue. it is way cheaper than the limited paid lots and it lets you skip the circling and traffic jams since you have a reserved spot waiting for you. it is usually just a quick walk to the festival and is honestly a life saver when the city lots hit capacity before the parade even starts.

if you want to try your luck with the city options there are free parking lots at the corner of 2nd avenue north and ocean boulevard and another at 1st avenue south and ocean boulevard. mclean park at 93 oak drive is also a popular spot but these all fill up instantly. the city runs a free shuttle from 8 am to 5 pm starting at ocean drive elementary school and the j. bryan floyd community center on possum trot road. these shuttles are great but be ready to wait in a long line especially in the afternoon when everyone is trying to leave at the same time.

you really need to pay attention to the road closures for 03/14 or you will get stuck in a massive bottleneck. main street closes from ash street to ocean boulevard starting as early as 5 am for the festival setup. staging for the parade happens on ocean boulevard between 2nd avenue north and 11th avenue north starting around 7 am so that whole stretch will be a no-go zone. the parade starts at 9 am and moves from ocean boulevard down 1st avenue south to hillside drive and then onto main street so plan your route accordingly.

my best advice is to get into the area before 8 am if you want any chance at a public spot. also stay far away from parking in private business lots like grocery stores or pharmacies because they have tow trucks on standby and will grab your car in minutes. if you are looking for side street parking in the residential areas make sure you are not blocking driveways or parking on the grass because the city is really strict about tickets during this weekend. if you need handicap access there is usually a lot near the library on 1st avenue south but it reaches capacity fast. traffic on highway 17 is usually crawling so try to carpool if you can. hope this helps and have a great time at the parade.