A Thriving Club In North Myrtle Beach Is A Community Fixture Known As 'The Home Of The Shag'

Known for happy, seaside towns like Beaufort and festival-filled beach havens like Folly Beach, South Carolina's coastline is a beacon for visitors looking to unwind. If your particular jam is grooving to iconic Motown and R&B hits, then head to North Myrtle Beach, where you can wear the floor out to these vintage, "beach music" classics. Just a few minutes by foot from Ocean Drive on Main Street, you'll find Fat Harold's, a lively club that first opened its doors in 1962 and became the indisputable the home of "The Shag,"  an upbeat partner-dance birthed in Atlantic beach party spots back in the 1940s. 

The popular haunt is a community fixture that gives patrons a chance to revisit a golden era in music, while keeping Shag dancing alive with nightly parties and free classes. Here, you'll see (mostly older) crowds coupling up, stepping, and sliding the night away. As the late, long-time Shag instructor Jeppy McDowell explained on YouTube, Shag dancing has roots in Jitterbug dancing and the Lindy Hop, but in tandem with the laid-back lifestyle of beach towns in the region, the dance evolved into a more leisurely version of the two. 

Back then, teens at Fat Harold's boogied to songs played on jukeboxes, but today this landmark keeps the musical memories alive on the decks, with a full rotation of local DJs.

You may not think you know any of the throwback hits that Shag dancing accompanies, but you'd be surprised. Nostalgic, beach music hits like "Baby I Need Your Loving" by The Four Tops and "Stay" by The Zodiacs are classic examples of the wholesome tracks that DJs spin at Fat Harold's. These tunes get the groove going and keep the couples swaying nightly as parties at the club take place Monday to Sunday, start as early as 7 p.m., and have no fixed end time.  

If you're nervous about trying a new dance style, don't worry. Ocean Drive Shag Club President Donna Williams assured MyHorryNews that Fat Harold's is a consistently welcoming place and that "people come in here and are not intimidated." Regular partygoers seem to agree, with one sharing, "I feel safe here." The club also offers free dance lessons on Tuesdays, so you can practice the moves beforehand. For comfort and style, soft shoes with a small heel are best, but Shag dancers are known to wear a variety of footwear. 

After working up an appetite, sashay over to Shag City Grill, the club's on-site kitchen. You can't go wrong with goodies like wings, cheeseburgers, and cheese sticks on the menu, and most items are under $10. Their fried bologna sandwich is a visitor favorite, and there is, of course, beer, wine, and spirits. For some refreshing Southern staples, try their sweet tea or lemonade.

Although Fat Harold's is merely one of the reasons people visit Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, this venue still attracts folks from up and down the East Coast. However, visitors looking for a unique good time may not always be able to make it through the doors, which is why the club's musical selection is live-streamed on "The Surf," a local radio station dedicated to the region's sound.

The club has also not only contributed to the community by offering good times, but with philanthropic efforts, too. Through fundraising events, complete with individual and business donations, as well as auctions, the club has helped send kids to Camp Kemo, a summer camp designed to support young people struggling with cancer while they enjoy fun-filled activities in a safe environment.

Shag dancing was designated the official dance of South Carolina in 1976, and today the style is also preserved through a variety of yearly events such as the National Shag Dancing Championships in Myrtle Beach and the Georgetown Rotary Shag Festival.