Events Calendar

Date: Saturday, August 9, 2025
Location: Croft State Park SHELTER #3
Address: 450 Croft State Park Rd, Spartanburg, SC 29302
Time: 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM (this time frame is extended to allow everyone to complete a basket. You may finish much earlier based on your skill set).
Note: Camp Croft State Park’s Shelter #3 has restrooms within walking distance and a hilltop view of the forest overlooking Lake Craig.
Cost: $50 per participant (recommended ages 8+)
Purchase your tickets here: https://carolinabamboo.org/product/kuboo-basket-weaving-saturday-august-9-2025/
Get wild and “embrace the invase” in this kudzu/bamboo= “KuBoo” Basket Weaving class! Get to know split bamboo and kudzu as weaving materials. Learn how to harvest and strip a kudzu vine. Engage with refined, hand-crafted split bamboo. Weave the Kudzu and Bamboo together to create your own personalized and unique KuBoo basket!

We will provide baubles and decorations for you to choose from to make your basket unique. Many of these embellishments will be made of bamboo, including beads and buttons made from canes and rhizomes.
We will also provide all weaving materials, including split bamboo that has been “defanged”, meaning: The edges of all split bamboo materials will be processed beforehand using the traditional Japanese habatori, mentori and senbiki methods. These techniques remove the sharp edges and splinters from split bamboo. Our refined split bamboo will make weaving with bamboo more enjoyable, manageable and easier on the hands. Watch our YouTube video for a quick visual overview of these three processes here: https://youtu.be/omEk3KkTLFk

While we weave, Aaron will be available for a Q&A session about bamboo. Bamboo is a mysterious plant to many. Ask Aaron questions to learn more about bamboo while you weave.

What to bring:
A water bottle
A “Can-do” attitude!

We will provide:
Electric industrial fans
All crafting and weaving materials and tools

Camp Croft State Park’s Shelter #3 has restrooms within walking distance and a hilltop view of the forest overlooking Lake Craig.

Additional Cost: Croft State Park is over 7000 acres and offers everything from a playground to hiking and biking trails. As a state park, there is an admission fee: $3 for adults over the age of 15, $1.50 for seniors, $1 for kids ages 6-15, and free for children age 5 and under. This admission fee is NOT included in your ticket price and must be paid separately upon entry into Croft State Park. Note: You may choose to avoid this fee by requesting a SC State Parks Passport from your local library. If you choose this option, we recommend making a request for this item a few weeks in advance before the class, due to possible high demand and low availability.

Friday, August 22 at 12:30

Chapman Cultural Center

The Last Train Robber

Did You Know America’s Last Train Robber Lived Out His Years in Spartanburg, SC?

He never meant to rob a moving train—or get caught in a shootout just blocks from the White House. But it really happened.

Climb aboard with author Wilson Casey to hear the firsthand account of the last moving train robbery in American history. In Bedlam on the W. Virginia Rails, Casey shares the incredible true story of Luman “Lu” Ramsdell, as told by the train robber himself. Dubbed “The B&O Zoot Suit Bandits” by the national press, Lu and his gang became infamous for their violent 1949 heist.

Lunch and Learn is sponsored by the Chapman Cultural Center

There are a limited number of seats, be sure to register in advance (even members!)

Admission: $5 for non-members / Free for SCHA members.

Don’t forget to bring your lunch!

Join us in taking 5,600 steps, one for every daily cancer diagnosis. Take a walk through luminaries to celebrate the strength of cancer survivors & honor the legacy of those who’ve passed.

Free QPR Suicide Prevention Training – 988 Day at MHAGC

In honor of 988 Day, Mental Health America of Greenville County is offering two free QPR Gatekeeper certification trainings on September 8th at our office.

Session 1: 10:00 AM – https://www.mhagc.org/event/qpr-gatekeeper-training/

Session 2: 3:00 PM – https://www.mhagc.org/event/qpr-gatekeeper-training-2/

Space is limited — RSVP required

What is QPR?

QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) Gatekeeper Training teaches you how to:

Recognize warning signs of suicide

Offer hope and support

Refer someone to life-saving resources

Gatekeepers can be anyone—parents, teachers, faith leaders, first responders, healthcare workers, and more.

Can’t make it? We offer QPR trainings year-round for schools, workplaces, and community groups.

Suicide prevention starts with all of us.

Find more Mental Health events at mhagc.org/events

GVL Fit Fest is Greenville’s ultimate fitness and music festival, bringing energy, movement, and music to Fluor Field. This one-day celebration blends workouts, live DJs, and local talent with a vibrant lineup of food trucks, restaurants, gyms, and wellness vendors.

Expect a full-body experience—train hard, dance harder, and connect with the Upstate’s best in health and lifestyle. Whether you’re into yoga, HIIT, lifting, pickleball, running, Pilates, or just here for the wellness vibes, GVL Fit Fest is where fitness meets festival.

General admission to the event is completely free although registration is required.

Additional ticket opportunities are also available at a cost –

Kick off your day with a FREE barre class hosted by The Bootyshop at Gather.

This all-levels class is designed to sculpt, tone, and energize — no shoes needed, just bring your barefoot best. Stay after class to sip, socialize, and connect with your community.

✅ What to bring:
– Yoga mat
– Water bottle
– No shoes needed (barre is done barefoot or in grippy socks)
– A friend & your best energy!

🎉 Free to attend — space is limited, so arrive early to secure your spot.
Hosted by The Bootyshop.

✨ After class, keep the good vibes going — head over to Juice Box and treat yourself to a post-barre mimosa! 🥂
They’ll be serving up bubbly for purchase, perfect for sipping and socializing after your sweat sesh.

Join us for an afternoon of incredible music and uplifting stories!

At 4:00 pm on October 5th in the beautiful Blackman Music Hall at Converse University, Classical Healing Keys will present a #Stigma-Free Concert—a powerful hour of music dedicated to breaking down the barriers and misconceptions surrounding mental health. Music has the ability to open hearts, start conversations, and create healing spaces, and this concert will do just that.

We have an incredible line up of musicians I know you will enjoy. In addition to the music you’ll hear three brief inspiring true stories from real people about living fully with mental illness. So come, relax, and be uplifted for 60 minutes on Sunday afternoon.

The Black Bear Half Marathon & 8k presented by Hunter Subaru is an exhilarating fall event that beckons both seasoned athletes and recreational runners alike. Nestled within the charm and beauty of Hendersonville, North Carolina, this race offers participants a unique opportunity to challenge their limits while immersing themselves in the splendor of the autumn season. Whether conquering the half marathon’s 13.1-mile stretch or embracing the spirited atmosphere of the 8k, participants love supportive community vibe, scenic course, and post-race festivities, including the Black Bear Fall Market!

Greer SC, For the fifth time, Whatta Wash South 14 is bringing soap, water, and a scare to customers this October. The Haunted Car Wash will be taking place October 17 & 18, 24 & 25, 31 from 6:00PM-10:00PM. The cost is $30 per vehicle which includes our top wash and a portion of each wash will be donated to help support local charities here in the Upstate, South Carolina.
Enter if you dare, the Haunted Car Wash tunnel will be filled with creepy clowns, fog, and spooky lighting. Drivers outside the wash will be greeted with 12,000+ synchronized lights all programed to Halloween music, animatronics, decorations, as well as ghosts, zombies, clowns, and other scary creatures keeping them company as they wait for their spooky ride through the foggy tunnel. Inside the tunnel, customers will receive a unique spooky experience all while getting their vehicle clean.
This haunted car wash is a perfect way to get into the Halloween Spirit without even having to leave your vehicle as well as supporting local charities in the Upstate. The haunted car wash is located at 2788 South Highway 14 Greer, SC 29650.

We’re back in the heart of Hendersonville and we’re bringing some spirited fun—with an awesome new race shirt and shiny finisher medal for every participant. Costumes? Highly encouraged. FOMO? Guaranteed if you skip it. Run or walk through the Historic 7th Avenue District with a crowd of costumed runners, then keep the party going at the Fall Festival just steps from the finish line!

Greer SC, For the fifth time, Whatta Wash South 14 is bringing soap, water, and a scare to customers this October. The Haunted Car Wash will be taking place October 17 & 18, 24 & 25, 31 from 6:00PM-10:00PM. The cost is $30 per vehicle which includes our top wash and a portion of each wash will be donated to help support local charities here in the Upstate, South Carolina.
Enter if you dare, the Haunted Car Wash tunnel will be filled with creepy clowns, fog, and spooky lighting. Drivers outside the wash will be greeted with 12,000+ synchronized lights all programed to Halloween music, animatronics, decorations, as well as ghosts, zombies, clowns, and other scary creatures keeping them company as they wait for their spooky ride through the foggy tunnel. Inside the tunnel, customers will receive a unique spooky experience all while getting their vehicle clean.
This haunted car wash is a perfect way to get into the Halloween Spirit without even having to leave your vehicle as well as supporting local charities in the Upstate. The haunted car wash is located at 2788 South Highway 14 Greer, SC 29650.

This is a one-hour immersive ceremony where sound and skin art unfold in real time.

As Callie Adams plays crystal singing bowls live, the space is filled with vibration and intention. Henna artist Art Nehart tunes into the energy, creating intuitive designs flowing like vines across the skin.

You may choose to receive henna or simply rest in the sonic field.
All participants are held in a space of beauty, breath, and belonging.

To preserve the intimacy of this offering, advance registration is required.
Henna adornment is limited and walk-ins are not available.

Out of the Darkness Walk
Event Date: Saturday, November 8th, 2025
Time: 9:00 AM Check-in | 10:00 AM Start
Conestee Park

ince the 1980s Augusta Street businesses, in Greenville SC, have come together to kick off the holidays with family-friendly festivities. Augusta Road Business Association (ARBA) will be hosting its Annual Holiday Open House this year on Sunday, November 16, 2025, from 1:00 to 5:00 pm. Businesses on Augusta keep this tradition alive by hosting festivities, sales, contests, specials, carriage rides, sweet treats, and more. Come to shop the sales, create a wish list, bring your family for the festivities, and have your little ones start the holiday magic of the season on Augusta Street. Mom and Dad will be happy to know that Santa is coming!

Instagram Contest and all the details at https://www.onlyonaugusta.com

This is how South Asheville does Turkey Day! Kick off Thanksgiving morning with a relaxed 5K through the beautiful Biltmore Park neighborhood – where the vibes are festive, the shirts are vintage-cool, and the finisher medals are worth the effort! Whether you’re running, walking, or just trotting it out for the pie, this event is for everyone. Awards for festive costumes and top finishers in each age group!