CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) — Folly Beach is preparing to ring in 2026 with its iconic Flip Flop Drop, drawing large crowds from across the nation and locals for the New Year’s Eve celebration.

The city will welcome 2026 with New Year’s traditions starting with a fireworks show at 9 p.m. over the Atlantic, switching back to traditional fireworks after using drone lights last year. Center Street will close at 10 p.m. for the main event, when a giant pair of sparkly flip flops will descend from the sky at midnight.

The tradition is turning 15 years old and has become a trademark of the city known nationwide. Visitors say the fellowship at Folly Beach offers the perfect blend of party ambiance while remaining family-friendly.

“It’s definitely just nice not having like the too large of crowd in Times Square, you know, where you probably can’t even see the ball drop, so to say, where you know you’re anywhere over here, you’re going to be able to see. You’re going to get to be able to be a part of it. So I think that’s a pretty cool and unique sort of thing,” Joe Hilliker, a Folly Beach visitor, said.

Some celebrants are experiencing their first Flip Flop Drop, while others returned after last year’s event. Alexa Castillo and Tori Carter, Folly Beach partygoers, said they chose the location because they had heard good things about the Flip Flop Drop and love Folly Beach.

“Everyone is so friendly and welcoming, and we’ve met so many people just walking around…it’s about the community,” Castillo and Carter said.

Michele and Justin Sohl traveled from Chicago after discovering the event online while returning on a family trip, mentioning that the event was the first to pop up in their search bar.

“We were on our way back up from Jacksonville, going back to Chicago, and we’re looking for something awesome to do for New Year’s Eve, and the first thing that popped up was Folly Beach...I thought it was amazing. We can do it with the kids. We’re excited. We just jumped on Airbnb to see if we could find something. Found something down the street and booked something on the beach,” the Sohls said.

The Folly Beach celebration offers its take on the traditional ball drop with food, drinks and flip flops.

Festivities will continue into New Year’s Day with a costume contest at 11 a.m., followed by a polar plunge at noon. Visitors are encouraged to arrive early and celebrate responsibly.

FOLLY BEACH — A pizza restaurant on this barrier island will continue its quirky New Year’s Eve celebration with a ball drop — a meatball, that is.

Woody’s Pizza has rung in the new year the same way for more than two decades.

Just before midnight on the final night of the year, a crowd gathers around the restaurant on Center Street. As the city of Folly Beach hosts its annual Flip Flop Drop just down the road on Dec. 31, a giant meatball with fiery sparklers stuck into it is simultaneously lifted high into the sky.

The countdown begins, and the dazzling meatball is then lowered, reaching the crowd as the year officially ends. The meatball typically meets an energetic crowd, with a few brave souls daring to take a bite out of the giant meatball.

But this year the tradition will look a little different. This year’s drop will feature a faux meatball, sculpted by Woody’s Pizza’s kitchen manager.

The tradition is beloved on the island, one that’s taken place in some form or fashion for roughly two decades, Woody’s Pizza owner Matt Gardner said. Gardner took over ownership of the pizza restaurant at the start of the year, taking the reins from previous owner Todd Webb.

Some years, the drop took place at the bar with a regular-sized meatball. Over the years, the drop grew into the offbeat event it is today.

“It just became over the years, bigger and bigger into what it is now,” Gardner said. “It's just a goofy thing that they like to do and people have really grown to enjoy watching it.”

The latest sculpture, though meatless, will be lit up and lowered onto the roof of the building instead of onto the sidewalk, Gardner said.

The changes come after last year’s drop was nearly shut down at the eleventh hour due to lack of permits. But this year, Gardner appeared before the city’s Special Events Committee to ensure the event could take place.

“Now that I'm taking it over, I said we'll do it the right way. We'll get a permit and make sure everybody's on board,” Gardner said.

Both the committee and Folly Beach City Council agreed to unanimously give Gardner the all-clear to host the meatball drop, on the condition that the restaurant hire additional security guards for crowd control.

“The committee is very pleased that the new owners are working with the City to ensure a safe and enjoyable event for all,” the committee wrote in a memo to city council in December.

The meatball drop will take place at Woody’s Pizza at 39 Center St. on Folly Beach just before midnight.

The island offers several other ways to celebrate the new year — Folly Beach style.

In addition to the meatball drop, Pier 101 Restaurant and Bar is hosting a beachfront fireworks show at 9 p.m. on New Year’s Eve.

The city’s annual Flip Flop Drop is another “funky Folly” tradition on the island that will feature a D.J. Center Street will shut down at 10 p.m. on Dec. 31 for the ceremonial lowering of the sparkling sandals.

And on Jan. 1, hundreds of people will dash into the chilly waters on Folly Beach for a polar plunge and Bill Murray lookalike contest at the Tides Hotel.

FOLLY BEACH, S.C. (WCIV) — One of the Lowcountry’s largest New Year’s Eve celebrations is set to return, continuing a tradition that blends fun with safety on Folly Beach.

“We live in an island community, and we’re all about our flip-flops,” said Kelly Travers with the Folly Association of Business.

Thousands of people are expected to gather along Center Street, where fireworks and a 10-foot-tall flip-flop will once again take center stage.

“I think New Year’s Eve on Folly really welcomes in the eclectic scene that we love,” Travers said.

The event typically draws large crowds eager to celebrate, and both the Folly Association of Business and the city’s Department of Public Safety say keeping attendees safe remains a top priority.

One safety-related change this year is the decision not to bring back a drone show following issues during last year’s event.

“We decided to go back to something we know: technology that’s safe and proven,” Travers said.

Fireworks will return in place of the drones.

City officials say law enforcement will be fully staffed, with additional resources brought in for the night. A key concern for officers is excessive drinking and impaired driving.

“New Year’s is one of those events where folks are having a good time, and in the past we’ve had a few people start the year on probation,” said Public Safety Director Chief Andrew Gilreath. “Don’t come out here and decide to ignore the rules that we have.”

Gilreath said he also expects Folly Beach businesses that serve alcohol to do so responsibly and urged attendees to have a plan to get home safely.

The fireworks show is scheduled to begin at 9 p.m. Closures along Center Street will start around 9:30 p.m. ahead of the annual Flip Flop Drop.

FOLLY BEACH, S.C. (WCSC) — As Christmas Day closes many doors, one remains open for those who may have nowhere to go.

Planet Follywood, a bar and grill in Folly Beach, is carrying on a family tradition of a Christmas potluck, inviting new and familiar faces with a backstory that began in the 1960s.

The tradition started when Florence O’Donnell was a U.S. Navy wife alone for Christmas, unable to see her family in Philadelphia. She went to the one place open in Folly.

“She was at my mom and dad’s favorite little local bar, which at that point in time was on Front Beach. And she was crying,” her daughter, Flossie O’Donnell, said.

She said the owner of the local bar found her mom heavy-hearted and decided to bring holiday spirit to her.

“The owner’s wife told her to basically buck up, which I think in today’s terms is to put on your big girl panties, and we will have Christmas dinner here,” Flossie O’Donnell said.

The tradition is still alive and well, carried on for generations at her grandson’s bar and grill. Planet Follywood has hosted the potluck for 20 years, bringing home to those away and near.

Pete Burbage now makes it a yearly custom, bringing the ham.

“Since my children are grown and I don’t do the at-home thing with presents and all anymore. This is a very special part of my Christmas,” Burbage said.

At the potluck, Florence O’Donnell takes donations for her charity organization, Folly Angels, helping those in need on Folly Beach.

The family hopes the tradition keeps going decades down the line.

“It’s a small business. It can be hard to keep the doors open,” Flossie O’Donnell said.

Rain or shine, first timer or a local, all can find a small but tight-knit community on Christmas Day.

Planet Follywood says as long as the establishment endures, so too will the tradition.

It's only 12 miles south of Charleston's historic homes and manicured window boxes, but the salty little town of Folly Beach ditches the Holy City's refinement in favor of an easygoing, barefoot sensibility that feels a bit more California than Carolina. Known to locals as the Edge of America, the super chill surf town is everything a beach town should be. Surf shops line the main drag; cover-ups count as appropriate lunch attire; and nobody takes themselves too seriously (they drop a pair of LED-lit flip-flops to celebrate New Year's Eve). Here's where to stay, eat, relax, and play in Folly Beach, South Carolina.

Where To Stay

For a feels-like-home experience coupled with the charm and convenience of a boutique hotel, book The Regatta Inn. Complimentary breakfast and happy hour are provided daily, plus a free shuttle to the beach. Its best amenity of all, though, is the view: a spectacular vantage of Folly River and the surrounding marshland.

, 64 West 9th Street Extension, Folly Beach, SC 29439

Every single room at Tides Folly Beach comes with an ocean view. Perched at the end of Center Street, the town's main thoroughfare, the hotel is steps from both the beach and an array of local shops and eateries. There's plenty on-site for a relaxing getaway, including a heated oceanfront pool, tiki bar and lounge, and a beach bar and grill.

, 1 Center Street, Folly Beach, SC 29439

Looking for a stay with a kitchen and living space that feels like a home away from home? For families looking to stretch out a bit more, there are a boatload of rentals to choose from: Opt for oceanfront properties that will sleep a crowd or cozy cottages with marsh and Folly River views. And for people who wouldn't dream of traveling without their four-legged companions, there are plenty of pet-friendly rentals too.

Where To Eat

You won't go hungry on this island. Fuel up for the day at Lost Dog Café, a local staple that serves coffee and all-day breakfast (so you can sleep in as long as you'd like). Don't miss their eggs Benedict, which they top with fried green tomatoes.

, 106 West Huron Avenue, Folly Beach, SC 29439

Fish tacos, Vietnamese-inspired lettuce wraps, and Cuban sandwiches all have a place on the colorful menu at Chico Feo, where the vibe is equally colorful. Its menu focuses on food from local farmers and fishermen. If you're in town for the wave riding, be sure to check out their website's Surf Report, complete with a live video stream.

, 122 East Ashley Avenue, Folly Beach, SC 29439

Don't let the easygoing atmosphere fool you: Rita's Seaside Grille is serious about its food and its cocktails. Order casual beach fare like burgers, sandwiches, tacos, and nachos, or opt for splurge-worthy entrees like steak, salmon, and seafood. Try one of the Signature Crushes, fruity sippers with flavored liquors that pack a punch.

, 2 Center Street, Folly Beach, SC 29439

End the night at Sand Dollar Social Club, a dive bar where you're invited to come as you are, so long as you're a member; membership costs $1, so bring your cash (you won't find a credit card machine here). Order from the bar, play pool or Ping-Pong, and take in the live music.

7 Center Street, Folly Beach, SC 29412

Though technically not on Folly (it's about two miles away), you'd be remiss to make a trip all this way without carving out time for a meal at Bowens Island Restaurant, a family-owned joint where the walls are graffitied, and the oysters are locally harvested. Start your meal with Southern favorites like pimiento cheese, fried green tomatoes, and boiled peanuts. Seafood platters are served with fries, hush puppies, and coleslaw.

, 1870 Bowens Island Road, Charleston, SC 29412

Where To Relax

The island's six miles of beachfront are its main attraction, and it'd be easy to while away a week with no plans beyond putting your toes in the sand. Spend a day shelling, sunning, surfing, or searching for shark teeth. The Folly Beach County Park has everything you need for a day at the beach: parking, restrooms, changing areas, a boardwalk, accessible ramps, a picnic area, and a snack bar.

Note that Folly Beach County Park has 225 parking spots, and it usually fills to capacity by 10:30 a.m. on the weekends and holidays. We advise getting there early, otherwise, you can park at the City of Folly Beach parking lots on West Ashley Avenue.

, 1100 West Ashley Avenue, Folly Beach, SC 29439

At the northern end of Folly Beach, the Morris Island Lighthouse provides a stunning backdrop from the shore. Get a closer look from the Lighthouse Inlet Heritage Preserve or via kayak. Several guided tours leave from Folly Beach to visit Morris Island for shelling, photography, and lighthouse history. The historic lighthouse is not open for viewing. How close you can get to the lighthouse depends on the tides.

, 1750 East Ashley Avenue, Folly Beach, SC 29439

Where To Play

Pack your fishing poles (or rent one) to test your fishing luck off the beloved Folly Beach Pier, which reopened in December 2022 after extensive renovations. If you're visiting in the summer, put on your dancing shoes—flip-flops count—and head back to the pier for one of the Moonlight Mixers, a music-filled family event held once monthly, May through September.

, 101 East Arctic Avenue, Folly Beach, SC 29439, 101 East Arctic Avenue, Folly Beach, SC 29439

For those looking to build an action-packed itinerary, there are plenty of activities that highlight the destination's natural beauty: Book a guided kayak tour with Charleston Outdoor Adventures, rent a stand-up paddleboard to explore the tidal creeks, or hop on a boat to discover uninhabited beachfront, where you can look for sharks' teeth and other fossils. You can also book a fishing charter or tour a Charleston oyster farm.

, 1871 Bowens Island Road, Charleston, SC 29412

Stop by McKevlin's Surf Shop, South Carolina's oldest surfing outfitter, to peruse their selection of gear. You can also rent a surf or body board from the shop if you don't have one of your own; first-timers should consult their recommended list of surf instructors for lessons before heading out. Once you've got it down, catch some of the area's best waves at The Washout, a favorite local surf spot, or take a seat on the beach and see how the local pros do it.

, 8 Center Street, Folly Beach, SC 29439

One of the best ways to explore the island is by bike, because most of the island is residential and has little to no traffic. Folly Beach Bike Rentals offers free bike delivery, as well as bikes and beach gear.