Press Release
Drop a ball to mark the stroke of midnight? Not on Folly Beach. On Folly, the new year is counted down with a pair of sparkly flip-flops descending from high above Center Street, followed immediately by a fireworks show on the beach. Then the next day “Freeze Your Bills Off” with a plunge into the brisk Atlantic while dressed as your favorite Bill Murray character.
Starting at 10 pm on New Year’s Eve, revelers are invited to gather on Center Street to countdown to the start of 2020. The celebration will feature family-friendly activities, live music, the flip-flop drop at midnight, and a fireworks show immediately following. During the celebration, Folly Beach restaurants will be open to help ring in the New Year. Center Street will be closed to traffic from Huron to Ashley Avenue. Fireworks will be shot from 3rd West. For everyone’s safety, the beach will close between 2nd & 4th West starting at noon on Tuesday, December 31st until the fireworks are removed from the beach.
The next day, continue the celebration with a dip into the chilly ocean water during the 7th Annual Bill Murray Look-a-Like Polar Bear Plunge, beachside at the Tides Hotel on Wednesday, January 1, 2020. This is the 7th year that the plunge will pay homage to one of Charleston’s favorite residents, Bill Murray. In celebration of the 2020 release of the franchise’s fourth film, this year’s plunge theme is Ghostbusters! Attendees are encouraged to come dressed in Ghostbuster gear.
A costume contest will take place before the plunge with prizes for categories including Best Bill Murray, Best Guy, Best Girl, Best Kid, Best Team, and Best Overall Bill costumes. Contest registration is $5 for adults 18 years and over and begins at 1pm. The plunge will begin at 2 pm; there is no fee for the plunge.
Guests can enjoy cocktails and other drink specials all weekend long, including a Bloody Mary Competition at participating Folly Beach businesses. The Bloody Mary Competition will run from Saturday, December 28th through Wednesday, January 1st, as visitors are invited to vote for their favorite Bloody Mary through the Visit Folly app. Competitors include Blu, The Drop-In Bar & Deli, Folly Beach Crab Shack, Jack Of Cups, Loggerhead’s, Locklear’s on Little Oak, LowLife Bar, Pier 101, Planet Follywood, Rita’s Seaside Grille, Sand Dollar Social Club, Snapper Jack’s, St. James Gate, Surf Bar, Taco Boy, The Washout, Wiki Wiki Sandbar, and Woody’s.
For more information about the New Year’s Eve Flip Flop Drop, Fireworks, and the 7th Annual Bill Murray Look-a-Like Polar Bear Plunge, go to www.VisitFolly.com, find them on Facebook at Visit Folly, or download the free Visit Folly app on your smartphone.
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