It’s All Greek to Myrtle Beach!

Dinner plans get pleasantly complicated when church tours, community dancers and several kinds of honey-soaked pastry enter the conversation. At Myrtle Beach’s Greek Festival, leaving time between courses is a reasonable strategy for getting to know your neighbors.

The Myrtle Beach Greek Festival returns October 15–18, 2026, at St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church. Over four days, the congregation shares its food, faith and heritage with the Grand Strand, putting the people behind those traditions within easy conversation distance.

Food supplies an approachable introduction. The festival menu divides its offerings between outdoor options, including pork souvlaki and chicken or lamb-and-beef gyros, and indoor meals such as moussaka and pastichio. Spanakopita wraps spinach, cheeses and herbs in filo; dolmades pair stuffed grape leaves with egg-lemon sauce. Even a familiar order leaves room for trying something new.

Then comes the pastry decision, which deserves its own small window in the afternoon. Among the Greek pastries, baklava layers nuts and cinnamon inside filo, while galaktoboureko takes the custard route. Melomakarona brings spiced cookies topped with honey syrup and walnuts into contention. Choosing only one would show discipline. Whether discipline belongs at this particular table is another question.

Between plates, the festival offers a closer look at the community doing the hosting. Youth and adult dancers perform daily, giving both generations a place in the celebration. Saturday’s schedule includes youth performances at 1:30 and 5 p.m., with adults taking their turns at 3 and 6:30 p.m.

The daily church tours, offered at 1 and 4 p.m., make time for the beliefs behind the gathering. A prayer service follows each day at 5:30 p.m. Together, those activities give visitors a way to understand the setting beyond the festival grounds and food counters.

That invitation matters locally. A congregation opens its doors, younger members take part alongside adults, and neighbors have a reason to spend time together. A portion of proceeds also benefits local charities, extending the gathering’s purpose beyond its four-day run.

For families working out the logistics, admission is $5 for adults and free for children 10 and younger, with a kids zone included among the activities. Hours are 11 a.m.–9 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and noon–7 p.m. Sunday. Free shuttles run from Captain George’s Seafood Buffet approximately every 10 minutes, leaving one fewer decision between arrival and that first plate.

Find more Greek dining options in the Guide to South Carolina directory: https://guidetosouthcarolina.com/greek-restaurants