Memorial Day is more than a long weekend. It’s a day — and a season — to pause and mean it. To stop what we’re doing, look around at the freedoms we move through every day without thinking, and hold for a moment in our hearts the people who made those freedoms possible at the cost of everything they had.
At Tidal Creek Brewhouse, we don’t take that lightly. This Memorial Day weekend, we’re doing more than opening the beer garden and wishing everyone a good start to summer. We’re honoring the men and women who served — and the organizations right here in the Grand Strand that support veterans every single day of the year.
Here’s what we have planned, and why it matters to us.
The Missing Soldier Table
When you walk in this weekend, you’ll notice something set apart at the bar — a small table dressed in white, with a single red rose, a slice of lemon on the rim of an overturned glass, and a lit candle. This is the Missing Soldier Table, a military tradition that honors prisoners of war, those missing in action, and all who never made it home.
Every element carries meaning. The white tablecloth represents the purity of their intent and their service. The rose stands for the families who still wait and grieve. The lemon is for the bitterness of not knowing. The overturned glass holds the toast that can never be given. The candle is for the light of hope that never goes out.
We invite you to take a quiet moment at it. That’s what it’s there for. This isn’t a decoration — it’s a tribute.
The Murph Challenge
Tidal Creek is also hosting the Murph Challenge — one of the most recognized physical tributes in the country to a fallen service member.
The Murph is named for Navy SEAL Lieutenant Michael P. Murphy, who was killed in action in Afghanistan in 2005 and was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. The workout consists of a 1-mile run, 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, 300 squats, and another 1-mile run — traditionally completed in a 20-pound weighted vest. It’s physically demanding on purpose. That’s the point.
Tidal Creek will be celebrating all the participants on Monday at 3pm with a fun gathering — free drink token to all participants, and gift cards to the first place winners in each category. More importantly, you’ll have spent part of your Memorial Day weekend doing something that honors the kind of strength, sacrifice, and character Lt. Murphy embodied. Come join us — the Murph can be scaled for all fitness levels, and what matters most is showing up.
The Full Memorial Day Weekend
There’s no single way to honor the day — and we want Tidal Creek to be the place where your whole family can do it together, in whatever way feels right for you.
All weekend long, we’ll have food and drink specials to keep the celebration going. Live music fills the beer garden across the holiday weekend — local musicians bringing the kind of sound that settles perfectly into a warm Lowcountry evening. Cornhole is set up in the yard. And we’re bringing out line dancing, because sometimes the best way to be together as a community is to move together.
Come for the morning Murph. Come for the afternoon on the patio. Come for the evening music and the firepit. Bring your crew, bring your family, bring your dog — everybody’s welcome at the K-9 Korral. Just come.
The Veterans Series Beer — And Where the Money Goes
One of the things we’re most proud of at Tidal Creek is our Veterans Series beer program. Each month, Brewmaster Patrick Gibson crafts a special Veterans Series release — and 25% of every dollar from that beer goes directly to a veteran-focused nonprofit or charity.
That’s not a rounding error. That’s real money going to real organizations doing meaningful work for the people who gave this country everything. Every pint is part of something bigger, and we think that’s worth raising a glass to.
The Twelve Organizations We Support This Year
This year, Veterans Series proceeds are benefiting twelve organizations — some national, some right here in our community. We want you to know who they are:
Honor Our Heroes – NMB — Serving North Myrtle Beach veterans and first responders with food, housing assistance, medical care, and emergency support. They’ve raised over $125,000 in three years and have a real impact right in our backyard.
Disabled American Veterans (DAV) — One of the country’s most established veteran service organizations, providing lifetime support to disabled veterans and their families at absolutely no cost to them.
Low Country Veterans Group — Based in Georgetown, SC, this group has been serving local veterans for over 15 years — helping those affected by homelessness, physical and mental disability, and unemployment find the resources they need. Facebook
GIFT Foundation (Gift A Vet Foundation) — A Myrtle Beach–area organization run by veterans for veterans. They deliver comfort items and holiday care to veterans in local care facilities, and have been doing it with heart since 2019.
Healing Waters (Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing) — Using the therapeutic art of fly fishing to support the physical and emotional rehabilitation of injured and disabled veterans. All equipment and fishing trips are provided free of charge to participants.
Smoking Shields SC — A 501(c)(3) made up of active and retired law enforcement officers, veterans, and firefighters who raise funds to support the families of our nation’s heroes.
PGA HOPE – Helping Our Patriots Everywhere — Introducing veterans and active-duty military to golf as a form of physical, mental, social, and emotional therapy — led by PGA of America Golf Professionals, completely free to participants.
Tidelands Health Foundation – Veterans Support — Supporting veteran care and wellness programs through the Tidelands Health network, which serves Horry, Georgetown, and Williamsburg Counties — the communities we all call home.
Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) — The largest military officers’ organization in the United States, with over 350,000 members, advocating for the benefits and rights of service members and their families across every generation.
The Orange Medal Foundation (Orange Heart Medal Foundation) — Bringing long-overdue recognition to Vietnam veterans affected by Agent Orange exposure through the Orange Heart Medal, presented free of charge to qualifying veterans. Facebook
Desert Storm War Memorial — Working to build the National Desert Storm and Desert Shield Memorial in Washington, D.C., to permanently honor all who served in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Dedication is projected for 2026.
Veterans Organization of Cresswind — Right here in The Market Common neighborhood, the Veterans Organization of Cresswind is dedicated to honoring and supporting veterans in our community — including an annual Memorial Day tribute at their flagpole behind the Cresswind Community Center. Neighbors in the truest sense.
Come Be Part of This
Memorial Day weekend, we’re all in.
Come honor the day the way it deserves — with community, with intention, and with a cold beer in hand. The beer garden will be open, the music will be live, the cornhole will be ready, and the line dancing will be going strong. The Murph is waiting for those who want to earn their pint the hard way. And the Missing Soldier Table will be at the bar, holding its quiet space for everyone who couldn’t come home.
We’re grateful for every one of them. And we’re grateful for all of you.
Tidal Creek Brewhouse is located at 3421 Knoles Street in The Market Common District, Myrtle Beach, SC. For hours, full menu, and upcoming events, visit tidalcreekbrewhouse.com.