Events Calendar

From New York Times bestselling author Sarah McCoy—a spellbinding novel based on a true story: a beautiful young movie star of Hollywood’s Golden Age gives up her bright career to become a nun. If you love Kristen Harmel and Allison Pataki, you do not want to miss Books Over Drinks with Sarah McCoy!

Join us for a free In Conversation event with Dan Leach to support his new novel, Junah at the End of the World! He will be in conversation with fellow author Scott Gould.

“Master of suspense” (Publishers Weekly) and USA Today bestselling author Hank Phillippi Ryan returns with a thrilling novel about a bestselling author being stalked on tour. If you love Megan Miranda and Stacy Willingham, you do not want to miss Lunch & Lit with Hank Phillippi Ryan!

Calling all poets and authors! Hosted by the South Carolina Governor’s School, this open mic night is a great way to showcase your latest writing project. Open to all, sign up at the event for a 5 minute time slot!

Join us for a free event for SC author John Rhea for his new book, Lifer. He will be in conversation with author Michel Stone.

Join us for a free In Conversation event with author Carol Baldwin for her new book, Half-Truths! She will be joined by fellow author Jo Hackl.

Date: Saturday, September 20, 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).
Cost: $50 per participant (recommended ages 8+)
Purchase your tickets here: https://carolinabamboo.org/product/kuboo-basket-weaving-workshop-2-september-20-2025/
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.

Identifying and dismantling 10 lies about the so-called good life, social media influencer Kate Strickler shares small, real-world changes you can make that add up to a new outlook on life. As you discover how to live and mother in ways that work for you and your family, you’ll stop just wishing your life away–and fall in love with the one you already have. If you love Kate Bowler and Kendra Adachi, you do not want to miss our Ticketed Signing Line with Kate Strickler!

Identifying and dismantling 10 lies about the so-called good life, social media influencer Kate Strickler shares small, real-world changes you can make that add up to a new outlook on life. As you discover how to live and mother in ways that work for you and your family, you’ll stop just wishing your life away–and fall in love with the one you already have. If you love Kate Bowler and Kendra Adachi, you do not want to miss Books Over Drinks with Kate Strickler!

Vishwas R. Gaitonde will read from his debut story collection, On Earth as It Is in Heaven, which won The Orison Fiction Prize.

“This luminous collection of short stories spans the globe, introducing us to memorable characters and written in exquisite prose. The men and women in these tales—many of whom are émigrés and expatriates—struggle to make sense of the customs and traditions of their new homes while also negotiating the passages of their personal and familial relationships. I was deeply moved by these stories and the characters’ travails and triumphs. It is indeed a pleasure to welcome this fantastic new voice in world literature.” —David Heska Wanbli Weiden

Hub City Press will moderate a discussion with Andrew Mack of Loblolly Press and Lib Ramos of Good Printed Things on the work of small presses.

Beginner’s workshop lesson at 7:30 P.M., then 8-11 P.M. Contra Dance with Country Waltzing at the break and the final dance. This is a partner dance but it’s not necessary to come with a partner. We have different live bands and callers.

Join us for our bi-monthly drop-in wine tasting event with authors Laura Resau and Elizabeth Bass Parman!

Storytelling is not just entertainment: it’s a fundamental part of being human. Ales & Tales is a live storytelling open mic, akin to The Moth, but without the competitive aspect. Tellers take the mic to share personal stories, true-as-remembered, in six minutes or less with no notes. There are few rules: beyond the time limit and truth requirement, stories must follow the night’s theme, which is typically a one- to two-word prompt with LOTS of flexibility (like Dirt, Winter, Sunshine or Rigid).

Stories don’t have to be funny, but they can be. Stories should have an arc – a beginning, middle, and end – and perhaps a lesson snuck in there, too. Food and drinks, including alcohol, will be available for purchase; and the crowd is always friendly. Come relate to strangers, and turn them into pals!

September Theme: Crash Course

Embrace your nocturnal side at Grandfather Mountain through Creatures of the Night and Bonfire Delight, the park’s after-hours program where guests enjoy rare after-dark tours, fireside tales and a chance to meet the park’s nighttime residents.

The evening begins around the glow of a bonfire at the Woods Walk Picnic Area as night falls. Guests will then have the opportunity to partake in three unique experiences as the group splits up and alternates between the different parts of the mountain. These activities include a trek (via shuttle) to atop the mountain at the Mile High Swinging Bridge, as well as a visit to the Mildred the Bear Animal Habitats for a behind-the-scenes tour in which guests get to experience the mountain in a similar fashion as its nocturnal critters. The tour is conducted using red-light flashlights, with an emphasis placed on the guests’ sensory experience while getting up close with the park’s bears, otters, elk and cougars. An educational focus is also placed on how the animals may use their senses of smell or eyesight to navigate or hunt at night.

Groups will then descend back to the Woods Walk Picnic Area to gather around the fire, roast s’mores and hear folktales from one of the mountain’s naturalists or educators.

Hours are 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. The event is open to 50 participants, and tickets are $40 for general admission or $34 for Bridge Club members.

Join us for an evening with John T. Edge, host of the Emmy Award-winning television show TrueSouth and author of The Potlikker Papers: A Food History of the Modern South. John T. Edge will be discussing his new memoir House of Smoke: A Southerner Goes Searching for Home with author George Singleton. Meet us for this exciting event at Hub City Bookshop on September 30th at 6 PM.

**NOTE** Your ticket includes a copy of the book.

Raise a glass to more than 60 of country music’s biggest hit albums with this spirited collection of music and mood-setting drink recipes—a delightful companion to the bestselling listening party guide, Booze & Vinyl. Features more than 100 cocktail recipes! If you love cocktails and country music, you do not want to miss Books Over Drinks with André Darlington!

The captivating new historical novel from Madeline Martin, set in Victorian London, tracing the lives of four women and the clandestine book club that frees them from the constraints of their husbands and homes. If you love Kate Quinn and Marie Bostwick, you do not want to miss Lunch & Lit with Madeline Martin for The Secret Book Society!

Internationally recognized speaker and workforce strategist Kamber Parker Bowden’s debut book, “The Generational Advantage,” delivers practical tips for developing strong, multigenerational teams.

Parker Bowden will be visiting M. Judson from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Oct. 4 for a Saturday popup. She will be discussing her business insights and sharing details about her book.

This book is built on more than 10,000 interviews and over 50,000 hours of research, translating real-world insights into practical action items for business leaders. “The Generational Advantage” covers how to attract and retain top talent in a shifting labor market, bridge communication gaps across generational and technological divides, and turn workplace friction into collaboration and measurable business growth.