The Carolina Opry: 40 Years of Entertainment
In 2026 Calvin Gilmore, creator of the award-winning Carolina Opry, proudly celebrated 40 years (1986 -2026) with his family, cast, crew, and the millions of patrons who’ve attended his shows.
The Beginning of Something Special
Gilmore visited Myrtle Beach during a summer during college. In an interview with Grand Strand Magazine he recalls, “we couldn’t find a room to rent anywhere, so we threw our sleeping bags on what was the Dunes Club golf course. I would end up building the (current) theater right across the road from where I spent my first night in Myrtle Beach.”
Success eluded Gilmore as he made a bid for fame as a singer/songwriter in Nashville, and he spent time back home in Missouri. It was there that he learned the life-changing power of a "show," and started to understand entertainment's capacity to inspire. “I didn’t like touring, Gilmore says, "and I knew a lot of musicians didn’t like it, either, so I thought why not build a theater where people could come see you, and you could still be home in your own bed every night? I’d seen it work in Branson, and I thought ‘where do a lot of people congregate where this could work?” Gilmore knew he wanted to build a theater, and remembered that Myrtle Beach lacked a family entertainment venue.
"I saw the potential. I’d never produced a show before,” says Gilmore, “but knew enough about the entertainment industry that I thought I could make it work. I had to refurbish the building, turn it into a theater, hire a cast, musicians and create the concept from nothing.” Eventually Gilmore owned and operated three venues along the Grand Strand, but is glad to be down to one.
A New Era of Entertainment
The Carolina Opry's first location was in Surfside Beach, which Gilmore opened May 2, 1986, after renovating an old nightclub. The theater's opening brought about the start of a new kind of entertainment venue, focusing on comedy acts, dance numbers, and showstopping musical performances. This new combination has been described as incorporating the "glitz of Las Vegas and the professionalism of Broadway with the soul of Nashville and a splash of beach energy."
“The theater boom in Myrtle Beach that followed is really my fault,” Gilmore commented. The ‘theater boom’ Gilmore referenced reflects a period of time from the 1980s to the early 2000s when Myrtle Beach was referred to by some as ‘Branson at the Beach.’ Branson, Missouri, which became well known as an Ozark Mountain theater destination starting in the 1960s, was a popular place for singers such as Andy Williams, Red Foley, and Roy Clark.
A Beloved Tradition
The heart and soul of the Carolina Opry comes from its dedicated cast and crew presenting comedy, country, pop, R&B with a live band, dancers, elaborate costuming, exciting lighting effects, and a memorable stage show. “I just love all our cast,” says Gilmore. “They’re the best of the best. Some of them have been with me a long time.”
What's Gilmore's favorite show? “Christmas music is my personal favorite, but part of what makes it so good is that it’s nostalgic and filled with classics that we know and love. We take the same approach to our regular season shows. We try our best to give our audience what they want, and man they let us know. They want and expect to hear the classics, but to also hear something new each year.”
Today’s Carolina Opry, the "grande dame of Grand Strand theaters", sits at the confluence of U.S. 17 Bypass and 17 Business in Myrtle Beach. He partnered with Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede to secure the property, where the Opry and Parton's Pirates Voyage dinner show still stand today.
Come Stay at Grand Palms Resort
Experience the history and entertainment of the Carolina Opry on your next Myrtle Beach vacation. For more Carolina Opry history and photos, visit their website. Grand Palms Resort would love to help pack your next getaway with the great shows the Carolina Opry has to offer! Inquire at the Front Desk to receive a discount as a Grand Palms Resort guest. To make reservations today, click here.
Kristen Meeker
(She/her)
Kristen spent her childhood on the Grand Strand. She studied English and editing in college, spent time in Appalachia and currently lives in the Pacific Northwest. Kristen enjoys quilting, reading, and traveling with her family. She makes her way back to the beach as often as she can!
