🌱Agritourism Growing In The Area +Myrtle Beach Home Improvement Show

Morning, Myrtle Beach! It's me, Karena Garrity, your host of the Patch newsletter. Here are all the most important things to know about what's happening in town. Today you'll find news about these stories and more...

• Take in a show at Open Curtain Theatre.
• Are you going to Myrtle Beach Spring Home Improvement and Outdoor Living Show?
• An agritourism passport is good for everyone!

But first, today's weather:

Mostly sunny and cold. High: 43 Low: 37.

📢 I'm looking for business owners and marketers in Myrtle Beach who want to build awareness, connect with customers and increase sales.

I have a limited number of sponsorships available to introduce our readers to local businesses they need to know. If that's you, then I invite you to learn more and secure your spot now.

Here are the top five stories today in Myrtle Beach:

1. Open Curtain Theatre will begin producing shows out of the Moose Lodge on Burcale Street in Myrtle Beach (Fantasy Harbor area) starting this month. Neil Simon's comedy, "California Suite," is set to open on Thursday, February 9 and run for two weeks on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights at 7:30 pm and Sundays at 3:00 pm. Tickets are $25. Be sure to catch a show! (Open Curtain Theatre)
2. Have fun this weekend at the Myrtle Beach Spring Home Improvement and Outdoor Living Show, which is being held at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center. This is Horry Georgetown Home Builders Association 43rd Annual Home Show, with over 150 exhibitors showcasing a myriad of products and services. The show will be held today from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. and Sunday, February 5, from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. Admission is $5, 16 and under are free. Hope to see you there! (WBTW)
3. Agritourism is a good thing for Horry County, helping local farms prosper and giving tourists new places to visit as well as an insight into the area's history and natural resources. Making it fun to visit local farms, the South Carolina Department of Agriculture has featured an agritourism passport. The passports encourage visitors to log each participating farm they visit using farm stamps. According to Myhorrynews, "passports can be picked up at participating farms and visitors can win prizes by collecting farm stamps. For more information visit agriculture.sc.gov." (Myhorrynews)
4. Homelessness is a big problem in Myrtle Beach. There aren't enough shelter beds for the homeless in the city and there’s almost nowhere to legally spend the night outside. It's a problem! Exacerbating the situation, the city of Myrtle Beach reportedly spent millions last year buying up land in downtown, including several old motels, many of which rented long-term to individuals who are "unstably housed" and in need, leaving several displaced and even more without shelter. New Directions, the city-funded homeless shelter, doesn’t have enough beds. The New Directions men’s shelter has 138 beds, the family shelter has 55 beds and the women’s shelter has 24 beds, not enough for everyone who needs them, leaving homeless in Myrtle Beach at the mercy of the city and its police force. What's the remedy many are asking? (Myhorrynews)
5. As part of Horry-Georgetown Technical College addiction recovery series offered every Thursday in February, Todd Bridges spoke about his journey from child star in Different strokes through dark times and into recovery. According to wpde.com, "the purpose of the series is to present different methods of recovery and provide information on resources that are available in the area. All events are free and open to the public and will be held in the Burroughs & Chapin Auditorium on the HGTC Conway Campus. No registration is required. Presentations will begin at 7 p.m. and a complimentary dinner will be provided in Café 1100 at 6 p.m."(wpde.com)

Today in Myrtle Beach:

• Pancakes & Penguins - Ripley's Aquarium in Myrtle Beach (8:00 AM)
• Jr. Aquarist Camp - Ripley's Aquarium in Myrtle Beach (1:00 PM)
• Horry County Literacy Council Murder Mystery Fundraiser (6:00 PM)

Myrtle Beach Photo Of The Day:

Would you like to see your photo in the Myrtle Beach Daily? Send one in. Be sure to give Patch permission to republish the photo, and tell us that you own the rights to the photograph. Send your pic to karena.garrity@patch.com.

From my notebook:

• North Myrtle Beach, SC: "Follow us to plan your perfect Valentine's Day- check out our latest blog for recommendations! Link in bio." (North Myrtle Beach, SC via Instagram)
• Myrtle Beach Pelicans: "Have a nice Valentine's Day with a special Valentine's Day Package that includes two Low Tide Ticket Vouchers (2023 season), a hat, $20 of Splash Cash to use at the ballpark, and a personalized video message from Splash!" (Myrtle Beach Pelicans via Facebook)
• South Carolina Aquarium: "What’s that smell?! If you’re new to the Lowcountry or you have visitors in town, this is probably a question you’ve heard before. That pungent, briny and slightly sweet smell is the saltmarsh!" (South Carolina Aquarium via Instagram)
• The Humane Society of North Myrtle Beach: "Today's featured #PetOfTheDay is Fireball! Her adoption fee is being sponsored today by Heavenly Paws Pet Crematory. Fireball’s two year anniversary at the shelter is quickly approaching. Fireball absolutely LOVES people and always explodes into a room! We've never seen a dog wiggle as much as Fireball does when she's around people." (The Humane Society of North Myrtle Beach via Facebook)
• Myrtle Beach Mini Marathon & Coastal 5K: "The penguins at Ripley's Aquarium cannot wait to welcome runners to the Ripley's Penguin Dash 5K Run/Walk on February 18! Whether you do the 5K, Fun Run, or Toddler Waddle, it’ll be fun for a good cause." (Myrtle Beach Mini Marathon & Coastal 5K via Instagram)
• Myrtle Beach Convention Center: "The keynote speakers for South Carolina Early Childhood Association can be viewed by visiting https://sceca.org/conference/k.." (Myrtle Beach Convention Center via Facebook)

You're officially in the loop for today! See you all tomorrow morning for another update.

— Karena Garrity

About me: Journalism is in my veins. I have been a community reporter for the better part of the past 20 years. I love my community and I am honored to be a part of Patch.com. You can reach me at; karena.garrity@patch.com.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Myrtle Beach Patch newsletter? Contact me at karena.garrity@patch.com