This week, Ocean Drive in North Myrtle Beach is full of beach music and shag dancers. It’s the Society of Stranders’, or S. O.S.’s., Annual Fall Migration.
The group expects more than 20,000 people to come to North Myrtle Beach for the event, and numbers like those are big for both shaggers and business.
It’s kind of like a Spring Break party for adults.
"We're acting like we're probably 16 again," said Linda Walker, a member of S.O.S.
Business owners wish the party would not end.
"It's right at that shoulder season when the families have gone back and we really need something to keep us going here, and S.O.S. does it every time,” said Jessica Worley, who’s family owns The Ocean Drive Beach and Golf Resort.
That resort also holds 3 shag clubs. H. Lee Brown owns the shag club across the street from Worley’s, the O.D. Pavilion. Their venues are some of the hot spots during the shagging event, but they say all businesses on Ocean Drive benefit.
"It helps the motels. It helps the restaurants. It helps the clothing stores, the t-shirt shops. Everybody gains from this because these people are down here for 10, 11, 12 days and they come down here to spend money," said Brown.
They also come to show off the Palmetto State dance.
Walker considers herself a seasoned shagger. She returns to the S.O.S. event each year to recall her earlier shagging years.
"You reconnect with people you knew maybe back in the 80's. Then, everybody kind of took a break at our age and did the family thing,” said Walker. “Now, families are grown, they're out of the nest, and we're back having a great time."
She has a great time making new memories that she can relive for years to come.
The 10-day shagging event wraps up Sunday.
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