Belly up to the table: 20th annual Oyster Roast in Murrells Inlet features food, music, fun

Belly up to the table: 20th annual Oyster Roast in Murrells Inlet features food, music, fun

For anyone looking for something fun to do on South Carolina’s Hammock Coast® this fall, Murrells Inlet 2020 will host its 20th annual Murrells Inlet Oyster Roast on Saturday, Nov. 9.

The event, held from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the parking lot of The Wicked Tuna overlooking the Murrells Inlet waterfront, will offer all-you-can-eat steamed oysters, as well as various other food options and beverages. There will also be live music.

In addition to all-you-can-eat oysters, there will be other food including barbecue plates from Danny’s B.B.Q., tasty treats from Karolina Kettle Corn, as well as soft drinks, beer, and wine. Vendors will include oyster shell art and specialty dog treats. Live entertainment will be provided by Nick Stone Band, playing country/rock. Admission to the event is free, but oyster tickets are $40.

Murrells Inlet, originally a fishing village, is today one of the main coastal communities in Georgetown County, also made up of southern Garden City, Litchfield Beach and Pawleys Island. Murrells Inlet has long been heralded as the “Seafood Capital of South Carolina.” Today, the village is a bustling community beloved by locals and vacationers alike.

Just north of Huntington Beach State Park and overlooking the southern end of Garden City, Murrells Inlet is home to a number of well-known restaurants that draw visitors not just from those visiting the Hammock Coast® but also from Myrtle Beach, Charleston and North Carolina. It’s also known as one of the best places in America for retirees, and home to world-famous Brookgreen Gardens.

The fresh oysters will be provided again this year by Seven Seas Seafood of Murrells Inlet. Although the steamed oysters can be eaten as-is, many people dress them up with cocktail sauce, hot sauce or crackers as they shuck them open with their oyster knives and slurp them down.

Stacy Johnson, executive director of Murrells Inlet 2020, said all proceeds from the event will help the nonprofit organization that’s dedicated to preserving the inlet while growing and promoting the community’s commerce and lifestyle.

She suggests that people who are eating oysters bring their own oyster knives, towels, and gloves for shucking. If people need to purchase an oyster knife, there will be some available while supplies last, she said.

“We hope everyone will come out and enjoy this fun event in a great location with wonderful views,” Johnson said.

For more information about the event, visit murrellsinletsc.com, or call the Murrells Inlet 2020 office at 843-357-2007. Wicked Tuna is located at 4123 U.S. 17 Business, Murrells Inlet. South Carolina’s Hammock Coast, located between Myrtle Beach to the north and Charleston to the south, encompasses the beach communities of Georgetown County, as well the historic cities of Georgetown and Andrews.

The Georgetown County Chamber of Commerce is one of the sponsors of this year’s event.

By Clayton Stairs, tourism manager, Georgetown County Chamber of Commerce and South Carolina’s Hammock Coast®