MYRTLE BEACH -- The Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce announced Tuesday that Senator John McCain will be the grand marshal of the city's Mayfest Memorial Day parade.
Mayfest rings a month's worth of events to Myrtle Beach, with most taking place at the site of the former Myrtle Beach Pavilion on Ocean Boulevard.
Myrtle Beach Mayor John Rhodes said, "I'm excited about that we are putting things back downtown. This is where the heart of Myrtle Beach is located so let's say that we have started the old heart and got it beating again, and were going to make it strong and look forward and not at the past."
Mayor Rhodes is referring to issues the city has experienced in the past with May motorcycle rallies.
South Carolina native Chubby Checker will headline a free Beach Music Festival on April 30th as a kick of to Mayfest. It will be held at the former Pavilion site from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Other acts include The Spinners, The Embers, The Catalinas, Atlantic Groove and the Craig Woolard Band.
Saturday, May 21 there will be a Christian music festival called Beach Blast! From 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. you can hear Toby Mac, Skillet, LeCrae, Disciple, Anthem Lights and speaker Bob Lenz.
The parade will be on Saturday, May 28 from 27th Avenue North, starting at 9:30 a.m., to 9th Avenue North, ending about 12:30 p.m. In addition to Senator McCain, the parade will feature giant helium balloons, marching bands and walking groups.
Disney stars will again be available for meet and greets after the Memorial Day Parade. You can see Jennette McCurdy, who plays Sam Puckett on "iCarly," Noah and Ethan Munck, who play Gibby and Guppy Gibson on Nickelodeon's "iCarly," Ariana Grande, from Nick's "Victorious," Jake T. Austin, who stars as Max on Disney's "Wizards of Waverly Place," Doug Brochu, from "Sonny with a Chance," and Zendaya Coleman, from Disney's "Shake it Up!"
