One of the first signs of spring in the Myrtle Beach area is the annual Canadian-American Days Festival�, which �blooms� every March. This year�s event will begin Saturday, March 13, and continue through March 21.

Along with Canadian-American Days comes a flurry of activities. Brochures containing a complete list of Can-Am events are available at Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce offices. Colorful T-shirts also are available for just $6.

Here are just a few highlights of the 43rd annual Canadian-American Days Festival: Welcome receptions are planned Monday, March 15, at three locations (Myrtle Beach, Surfside Beach, and North Myrtle Beach), with entertainment, refreshments, and door prizes. The St. Patrick�s Day Parade and Festival, a big part of Can-Am Days, is set for Saturday, March 13, in North Myrtle Beach. On the oceanfront by the Myrtle Beach Pavilion, the Can-Am Little Olympics and International Kitefest will providefun for the younger set on Tuesday, March 16. And visitors will be treated to ghost stories and displays on salt marsh ecology, history, and birding on Wednesday, March 17, during South Strand Wildlife and History Day at Huntington Beach State Park in Murrells Inlet. A new festival tradition is the Can-Am Big Band Dance, this year featuring music by The Stardusters and DJ Richard Hargrove on Friday, March 19, in North Myrtle. There will be more dancing during the National Shag Dance Championship Finals Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, March 11-13, at the Myrtle Beach Pavilion.

As always, musical entertainment will play a major role in the festival, with visiting Canadian bands, military ensembles, school bands, and community groups entertaining crowds at numerous times and locations throughout the area. One exceptional performance will be a joint concert featuring the 82nd Airborne �All American� Soldiers Chorus, Vocal Edition, and the 2nd Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group Pipes & Drums on Thursday, March 18, at Fantasy Harbor in Myrtle Beach.

A variety of offerings from businesses, arts groups, and other entities will coincide with Can-Am Days, including special church services, an Over 50 Softball Game, and events along the Waccamaw River in historic Conway.

Sponsored by the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce, the Canadian-American Days Festival has won numerous awards and recently was named one of the Southeast Tourism Society's Top 20 Events for March 2004.

For a complete schedule of events for the 43rd annual Canadian-American Days Festival, stop by any office of the chamber or visit myrtlebeachinfo.com. For more information, contact Festivals Manager Holly Tanner at (843) 916-7239.

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Media Contact: Holley Aufdemorte +1 843-916-7218 aufdemh@mbchamber.org