Explore family friendly events, theatres, galleries, concerts, nightlife, things to do, and more in the Greenville, SC and Upstate areas.

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Saturday, September 23, 2023
Applications open: 2024 Asheville Fringe Arts Festival
Sep 23 all-day
online w/ Asheville Fringe Arts

APPLICATIONS OPEN NOW!

Do you have a boundary-pushing, innovative performance piece, short film or installation that you’re ready to share?

We will open applications for the film portion of the festival in fall 2023. Films must be submitted via FilmFreeway. Our application fee for films is $5.


NOW CONSIDERING WORKS OF ALL KINDS

We accept live performances from 5 to 60 minutes in length, plus installations and films. We’re open to other types of performance as well – let’s talk! Depending on its length, your piece may be grouped with another show, or scheduled as a Random Act of Fringe. RAFs are free and open to the public, and artists receive a stipend for their performance, rather than relying on door sales.

Typically each artist with a ticketed show gets 2 performances. But in 2024, we’re exploring the option of giving a few shows 3 performances, at select venues only. Our venues range from 20-80 person capacity.

1. FRINGE SHOT

A piece that is
5-15 minutes long

May be paired with another performance, or be selected as a free Random Act of Fringe.

2. SHORT FORM

A piece that is
20-40 minutes long

May be paired with another show.

3. FULL-LENGTH

A piece that is
45-60 minutes long

Ticketed theater-style show.

4. INSTALLATION

A piece that is
Site-specific (any length)

May be in an unusual location, or repeated many times. May be seen by as few as one person at a time.

5. FILM

A piece that is
Designed specifically for film.

May be of any genre & length. Could be combined with other films for a showcase or film night.
Submit on Film Freeway Fall 2023

3. THE ASHEVILLE FRINGE ARTS FESTIVAL IS A JURIED FESTIVAL.

We carefully review each and every submission. You’ll know by late October if your piece is selected. Should your piece get selected, there is a $35 participation fee.

Greenville BBQ Trail Tour
Sep 23 all-day
Various Locations Greenville SC

While Downtown Greenville’s familiar culinary scene has some great BBQ options, this tour will take you outside of the city center to the places locals know and love. These are the types of joints with smoke stacks sticking out of the rooftops and white smoke billowing out of the chimneys–smoking the meats right on the premises.

The Greenville BBQ Trail tour is your opportunity to try back-to-back tastings of what are considered by many to be among the top BBQ spots in the city.

Tours include:

• Insights into each restaurant’s cooking processes and techniques
• Information about each restaurant’s history and how they got started
• Interesting information about Greenville BBQ history
• A drive through old textile mill villages
• And, of course, a chance to try generous portions of smoked meats and delicious sides

Locations we visit:

• Bucky’s Bar-B-Q
• Henry’s Smokehouse
• Mike & Jeff’s BBQ

Greer Christmas Parade Registration is OPEN
Sep 23 all-day
online
Theme: Christmas in Candyland

Join the fun and decorate your entries to reflect a Candyland Christmas. Remember, Santa is ONLY on the last float in the parade! The Greer Christmas Parade route is 1.1 miles; beginning at Poinsett Street & Memorial Drive and ending at N. Main Street & Cunningham Drive.

$50 Non-Commercial/Organization/Non-Profit registration

$100 Commercial/Business registration

$750 Rent a float from Greer Relief

$825 Rent a float from Greer Relief with sound

CLICK HERE for available floats

ALL entries & fees must be received or postmarked by the day before Thanksgiving (November 23rd). Entries & fees received/postmarked after this date will be assessed the $50 late entry fee.

We will have several awards determined by our judges: Best Float Entry, Best Walking Entry, and Best Band. 2022 Best Float was Scruffy’s Auction House, 2022 Best Walking Entry was Ignite Dance, and 2022 Best Band was Eastside High School Band. They each get bragging rights & a free entry for the 2023 Greer Christmas Parade!

BACK AGAIN THIS YEAR!! We will be incorporating a toy drive INTO the parade. We are asking for new toys to be brought to the parade to help support the Greer Relief Christmas Morning Shoppe, click here for more information on the program.

Please forward this email to any individual, business, and organization interested in participating in the parade. If you have any questions you can email us at [email protected] or call (864) 334-3490.

National Public Lands Fee Free Day
Sep 23 all-day
National Public Lands

Come experience the national parks! On five days in 2023, all National Park Service sites that charge an entrance fee will offer free admission to everyone. Mark your calendar for these entrance fee–free dates in 2023. Please check operating status at this park and others before traveling as holidays and local weather or safety conditions can affect hours of operation.

OneSpartanburg Beautiful mini-grants
Sep 23 all-day
online

Do you, your neighborhood group, or other community organization have a beautification project you’d like to tackle? Apply for a Keep OneSpartanburg Beautiful Community Beautification Mini-Grant before Sept. 30 and help improve Spartanburg County’s environment. The work of our community’s Keep America Beautiful affiliate is directly tied to the OneSpartanburg Vision Plan.

Open Doors Artist Registration
Sep 23 all-day
online
The Greenville BBQ Trail Tour
Sep 23 all-day
The Greenville BBQ Trail Tour
A plate of barbeque and side dishes.

Greenville’s BBQ scene has been gaining more and more national attention, and it was most notably ranked a Top 10 BBQ City in America by Yahoo.com.

While downtown Greenville’s familiar culinary scene has some great BBQ options, this tour will take you outside of the city center to the places locals know and love. These are the types of joints with smoke stacks sticking out of the rooftops and white smoke billowing out of the chimneys — smoking the meats right on the premises.

The Greenville BBQ Trail Tour, presented by Greenville History Tours, is your opportunity to try back-to-back tastings of what are considered by many to be among the top BBQ spots in the city.

The tours include insights into each restaurant’s cooking processes and techniques, information about each restaurant’s history, interesting information about the city’s BBQ history, a drive through old textile mill villages, and of course generous portions of smoked meats and delicious sides.

The tours usually take place on Saturdays from 10:30 am to 12:45 am and meet at City Hall. Tickets are $55 per person.

Visit greenvillehistorytours.com/greenville-culinary-tours/bbq-trail/ or call (864) 567-3940 for additional information.

U.S. Kids Golf Greenville Fall Tour
Sep 23 all-day
Club at Brookstone

Welcoming girls and boys ages 5-18! Participants have the opportunity to earn medals for 1st-5th place at each event, as well as an End of Season award. Parent and grandparent caddies allowed. Opportunity to qualify for state, regional, world and teen world championships. From first tournament to the world championships!

UNCA Women’s Tennis: Emily McNall Classic
Sep 23 all-day
The Asheville Racquet Club

Asheville Women's Tennis Reveals Fall 2023 Schedule

Sunday, September 24, 2023
Applications open: 2024 Asheville Fringe Arts Festival
Sep 24 all-day
online w/ Asheville Fringe Arts

APPLICATIONS OPEN NOW!

Do you have a boundary-pushing, innovative performance piece, short film or installation that you’re ready to share?

We will open applications for the film portion of the festival in fall 2023. Films must be submitted via FilmFreeway. Our application fee for films is $5.


NOW CONSIDERING WORKS OF ALL KINDS

We accept live performances from 5 to 60 minutes in length, plus installations and films. We’re open to other types of performance as well – let’s talk! Depending on its length, your piece may be grouped with another show, or scheduled as a Random Act of Fringe. RAFs are free and open to the public, and artists receive a stipend for their performance, rather than relying on door sales.

Typically each artist with a ticketed show gets 2 performances. But in 2024, we’re exploring the option of giving a few shows 3 performances, at select venues only. Our venues range from 20-80 person capacity.

1. FRINGE SHOT

A piece that is
5-15 minutes long

May be paired with another performance, or be selected as a free Random Act of Fringe.

2. SHORT FORM

A piece that is
20-40 minutes long

May be paired with another show.

3. FULL-LENGTH

A piece that is
45-60 minutes long

Ticketed theater-style show.

4. INSTALLATION

A piece that is
Site-specific (any length)

May be in an unusual location, or repeated many times. May be seen by as few as one person at a time.

5. FILM

A piece that is
Designed specifically for film.

May be of any genre & length. Could be combined with other films for a showcase or film night.
Submit on Film Freeway Fall 2023

3. THE ASHEVILLE FRINGE ARTS FESTIVAL IS A JURIED FESTIVAL.

We carefully review each and every submission. You’ll know by late October if your piece is selected. Should your piece get selected, there is a $35 participation fee.

Greer Christmas Parade Registration is OPEN
Sep 24 all-day
online
Theme: Christmas in Candyland

Join the fun and decorate your entries to reflect a Candyland Christmas. Remember, Santa is ONLY on the last float in the parade! The Greer Christmas Parade route is 1.1 miles; beginning at Poinsett Street & Memorial Drive and ending at N. Main Street & Cunningham Drive.

$50 Non-Commercial/Organization/Non-Profit registration

$100 Commercial/Business registration

$750 Rent a float from Greer Relief

$825 Rent a float from Greer Relief with sound

CLICK HERE for available floats

ALL entries & fees must be received or postmarked by the day before Thanksgiving (November 23rd). Entries & fees received/postmarked after this date will be assessed the $50 late entry fee.

We will have several awards determined by our judges: Best Float Entry, Best Walking Entry, and Best Band. 2022 Best Float was Scruffy’s Auction House, 2022 Best Walking Entry was Ignite Dance, and 2022 Best Band was Eastside High School Band. They each get bragging rights & a free entry for the 2023 Greer Christmas Parade!

BACK AGAIN THIS YEAR!! We will be incorporating a toy drive INTO the parade. We are asking for new toys to be brought to the parade to help support the Greer Relief Christmas Morning Shoppe, click here for more information on the program.

Please forward this email to any individual, business, and organization interested in participating in the parade. If you have any questions you can email us at [email protected] or call (864) 334-3490.

OneSpartanburg Beautiful mini-grants
Sep 24 all-day
online

Do you, your neighborhood group, or other community organization have a beautification project you’d like to tackle? Apply for a Keep OneSpartanburg Beautiful Community Beautification Mini-Grant before Sept. 30 and help improve Spartanburg County’s environment. The work of our community’s Keep America Beautiful affiliate is directly tied to the OneSpartanburg Vision Plan.

Open Doors Artist Registration
Sep 24 all-day
online
The Curator’s Journal: A Year-long Insider’s View of American Bonsai at The North Carolina Arboretum
Sep 24 all-day
online w/ The North Carolina Arboretum

Registration is ongoing through the year. Get new updates and access all previous entries in a convenient online library.

The Curator’s Journal by Bonsai Curator Arthur Joura is a year-long course offering the ultimate insider’s view of bonsai at The North Carolina Arboretum. Regular entries chronicle growing an art and growing an enterprise. Some journal entries will be long and others more brief; some will be mostly words and others mostly pictures; some will be close-up studies of detail and others will step back to take in the wider scene. The path will not be linear, but all the entries will be steps along a journey.

You’re invited to come along.

Triple Tree Fly-In
Sep 24 all-day
Triple Tree Aerodrome

The annual Triple Tree Fly-In has turned into a “can’t miss” event on everyone’s Fly-In Calendar. Aviators from across the globe anxiously await for the Fall to make the annual pilgrimage to our manicured 7,000-foot grass runway to experience one of the fastest-growing general aviation events in the country.

During our 2022 Fly-In, we had over 800 airplanes visit throughout the week from 43 states nationwide. During that week, the Triple Tree Aerodrome had over 1,700 aircraft movements and a record 804 movements on Saturday. These statistics made the Triple Tree Aerodrome one of the busiest airports in South Carolina (for that week).

NONE of this could happen without your support! Despite all the growth, we still hold true to our core values of Fun, Fellowship, and Hospitality. Please mark your calendars for September 18-24, 2023 for our 16th annual Triple Tree Fly-In. See you soon!

UNCA Women’s Tennis: Emily McNall Classic
Sep 24 all-day
The Asheville Racquet Club

Asheville Women's Tennis Reveals Fall 2023 Schedule

Upstate Food Access Interactive Map
Sep 24 all-day
online
It’s no secret that food insecurity is an issue facing many of our neighbors in the Upstate. Fortunately, there are countless organizations and resources working tirelessly to alleviate that stress!
Head over to our Upstate Food Access Resource Map to locate service providers near you!
VIRTUAL RAILFAN is live!
Sep 24 all-day
online w/ Hub City RR Museum

VIRTUAL RAILFAN is live from the Hub City RR Museum in Spartanburg.

The Virtual Railfan cameras were installed on Tuesday, July 6th at the Hub City Railroad Museum. There is one camera looking north and one looking south. The Hub City RR Museum wants to thank the City of Spartanburg for allowing us to install the cameras, and to Virtual Railfan for the install. We have already seen over 300 railfans at one time watching the video feed.
Links to live feeds: [North Camera feed] [South Camera feed]

Carolina Railroad Heritage Association

CRHA LogoThe Carolina Railroad Heritage Association is a <501(c)(3)> not for profit local association of approximately eighty members who enjoy railroads and railroad history. The CRHA is currently meeting the third Friday of each month in Fountain Inn, SC at 7:00 pm. Programs at the meetings include presentations on historical and current railroads and are presented by members as well as outside speakers. Our activities include a photo contest, occasional field trips to local railroad sites, picnics and a December pot luck dinner. CRHA members volunteer at our museum and caboose in Spartanburg, SC. If you have an interest in railroads, contact Dave Winans at [email protected] for more information about the CRHA.

For membership, please download and print the membership application and follow the instructions.

Museum Hours:
Wed: 10am – 2pm
Sat: 10am – 2pm

Nantahala Outdoor Center Guest Appreciation Festival
Sep 24 @ 8:00 am – 8:00 pm
Nantahala Outdoor Center

Snag great deals from the Outfitter’s Store, the Guest Used Gear Marketplace, and shop handmade crafts and goods from local artisans. Play riverside games or participate in a race, grab a cold beverage and burger, and dance the evening away with live music.

The Used Boat sale will begin online a week before GAF! Used boats and gear will be available onsite at both the NOC Paddling School and the Outfitter’s Store so be sure to check them out when you visit!

Schedule of Activities

Friday, 9/15
8am GAF Demo Pre-boat sale Online sale starts at 8am. The sale at the NOC Outfitters Store starts at 9am
Friday, 9/22
8am Paddleports Apparel and Used Boats On Sale The Outfitters Store & the NOC Paddling School
12-7pm Used Gear Marketplace & Artisan Village River Left at NOC
5-8pm Live Music by Wyatt Esplain Riverside Stage
Saturday, 9/23
8am Used Boat & Apparel Sales The Outfitters Store & the NOC Paddling School
8am – 7pm Used Gear Marketplace & Artisan Village
10am-5pm Upper Nantahala / Cascades Release 300 CFS
12-3pm NRC Race Nantahala Slalom Course
12-3pm Macon Faces Kids Facepainting & Henna Free until 3pm!
12-3pm Magic Tom Balloon art & Magic
3pm-6pm Live Music by Christina Chandler Trio Riverside Stage
5pm Check Presentation to American Rivers Riverside Stage
7pm-10pm Live music by The Get Right Band Riverside Stage
Sunday, 9/24
8am Used Boat & Apparel Sales The Outfitters Store & the NOC Paddling School
10am-3pm Upper Nantahala / Cascades Release 425 CFS
3-5pm Upper Nantahala / Cascades Release 250 CFS

 

NRC Slalom Race

Come join us for a fun fall citizen’s slalom race on the Nantahala River! The race is open to paddlers of all ages and the course difficulty will be novice – intermediate.

The slalom course will start just above the NOC Founder’s Bridge and end upstream of the highway bridge. The course will consist of 18-20 slalom gates and will run through the 2013 Worlds Hole. Racers are encouraged to use slalom-specific or plastic “half-slice” boats and have at least class 2 river running skills.

Signup by emailing [email protected] or same day registration will be available Saturday morning by the NRC Trailer.  A start list and information will be provided by email.

Biltmore Estate: Ciao! From Italy Sculptural Postcard Display
Sep 24 @ 8:30 am
Biltmore Estate

Included with admission

Embark on a scenic journey across George Vanderbilt’s Italy with a large-scale outdoor display that combines brilliant botanical designs with authentic messages written by Vanderbilt himself.

Beautifully handcrafted of natural elements, each sculptural postcard depicts a location or landmark Vanderbilt visited more than a century ago. This captivating complement to Biltmore’s Italian Renaissance Alive exhibition reveals Vanderbilt’s passions for travel, culture, architecture, and art as well as his personal experience of such renowned Italian cities as Milan, Florence, Venice, Pisa, and Vatican City.

Adding to the charm and visual appeal of Ciao! From Italy—sure to be a hit among kids of all ages—is the G-scale model train that travels in and out of each postcard in this enlightening display!