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

Interested in adding an event to our calendar? Please click the green “Post Your Event” button below.

Wednesday, May 7, 2025
Books Over Drinks with Lucy Foley
May 7 @ 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm
J Hudson Booksellers

Secrets. Lies. Murder. Let the festivities begin… Fans of Stacey Willingham and Sally Hepworth do not want to miss Books Over Drinks with Lucy Foley to celebrate the paperback release of The Midnight Feast!

Thursday, May 8, 2025
In Conversation with Susan Tekulve
May 8 @ 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm
J Hudson Booksellers

Join us for a free In Conversation event with poet Susan Tekulve for her new collection, Bodies of Light! She will be discussing her work with fellow poet Claire Bateman, so this is an event not to be missed!

Julia Elliott: Reading and Signing
May 8 @ 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Hub City Bookshop
May 8th 2025 | 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM

Join us at Hub City Bookshop on May 8th at 6 pm for an evening with Julia Elliott. With exuberance, ferocity, and astounding imagination, Julia Elliott’s Hellions jumps from the occult to the comic, from the horrific to the wondrous, in eleven stories of earthbound characters who long for the otherworldly.

Get a 10% discount on the book when you RSVP on Eventbrite and present it at the bookshop register!

Monday, May 12, 2025
Lunch and Lit with Mary Alice Monroe
May 12 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
J Hudson Booksellers

Set against the evocative landscape of the twentieth-century American South, Where the Rivers Merge is a dramatic and sweeping multigenerational family story of unyielding love, lessons learned, profound sacrifices, and the indomitable spirit of a woman determined to persevere in the face of change in order to protect her family legacy and the land she loves. Fans of Kristen Harmel and Patti Callahan Henry do not want to miss Lunch & Lit with Mary Alice Monroe!

Tuesday, May 13, 2025
In Conversation with Sarah Gordon
May 13 @ 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
J Hudson Booksellers

Join us for a free In Conversation event with poet Sarah Gordon with her new collection, Six White Horses!

Wednesday, May 14, 2025
Storytime on the Steps
May 14 @ 10:30 am – 11:00 am
J Hudson Booksellers

Bring your littles to the front steps of M. Judson for our bi-weekly story time! Enjoy some wonderful picture books read aloud to the crowd by our very own booksellers, and children will even get a sweet treat to go.

Saturday, May 17, 2025
Pop Up Author Susan Stetson Renault
May 17 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
J Hudson Booksellers

Stop by and meet local author Sue Renault and hear about her new book, Looking for Poems the Swamp Rabbit Trail!

Storytime on the Steps
May 17 @ 10:30 am – 11:00 am
J Hudson Booksellers

Bring your littles to the front steps of M. Judson for our bi-weekly story time! Enjoy some wonderful picture books read aloud to the crowd by our very own booksellers, and children will even get a sweet treat to go.

Tuesday, May 20, 2025
Kevin Wilson, Run for the Hills: Reading & Signing
May 20 @ 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Cyrill-Westside Library, Spartanburg County Public Library
May 20th 2025 | 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Join us off-site at the Cyrill-Westside Library on Tuesday, May 20th at 7 PM for a reading of Run for the Hills with Kevin Wilson. From the bestselling author of Nothing to See Here and Now Is Not the Time to Panic, Run for the Hills  is a sibling story like no other—a novel about a family forged under the most unlikely circumstances and united by hope in an unknown future. Meet Hub City Bookshop at the library for a an evening with Kevin Wilson.

Wednesday, May 21, 2025
Books Over Drinks with Kevin Wilson
May 21 @ 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm
J Hudson Booksellers

An unexpected road trip across America brings a family together, in this raucous and moving new novel from the bestselling author of Nothing to See Here. Fans of Emma Straub and Frederik Backman do not want to miss Books Over Drinks with Kevin Wilson for his new book, Run for the Hills!

Thursday, May 22, 2025
Healthy Trees, Thriving Landscapes
May 22 @ 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Bullington Gardens

In this series of classes learn about tree health care and maintenance.

By cultivating and protecting healthy diverse habitats for pollinators, for wildlife, for healthy flora and fauna, we benefit the individuals who live in and enjoy these spaces and for our community, as a whole. By creating natural areas in your yard and leaving the leaves each fall you can benefit many kinds of insects, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals which depend on the native plants and their fallen leaves and seeds for shelter, food and habitat.

Join Steve Pettis, Henderson County Commercial and Consumer Horticulture Agent and host of the Gardening in the Mountains Radio Show and Podcast to learn how we can do things better!

May 22, 2025, 1:00-3:00pm.

Page Pairings with Authors Lori Gold and Stephen G. Eoannou
May 22 @ 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm
J Hudson Booksellers

Join us for our monthly drop in wine tasting event! We’ll have two authors present with their books: Lori Gold with Romantic Friction and Stephen G. Eoannou with After Pearl.

Friday, May 23, 2025
Ales & Tales
May 23 @ 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm
J Hudson Booksellers

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!

 

Saturday, May 24, 2025
Storytime on the Steps
May 24 @ 10:30 am – 11:00 am
J Hudson Booksellers

Bring your littles to the front steps of M. Judson for our bi-weekly story time! Enjoy some wonderful picture books read aloud to the crowd by our very own booksellers, and children will even get a sweet treat to go.

Sunday, May 25, 2025
Garden Jubilee
May 25 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Downtown Hendersonville

Garden Jubilee, one of the largest gardening shows in Western North Carolina, will be held on Saturday, May 24 and Sunday, May 25 from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm on Memorial Day weekend. With nearly 200 plant and craft vendors lining Main Street, the Historic downtown will be transformed into a garden wonderland. 

Local and regional nurseries, orchards and crafters will offer a wide variety of plants and handmade delights and gardening experts will be on hand to share the latest gardening tips and techniques. 

Tuesday, May 27, 2025
Purple Party! Using Lavender
May 27 @ 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Bullington Gardens

Let’s dive deep into lavender!  Participants will learn about the history of this plant, discover how it’s used to promote relaxation and wellness, and make their own DIY lavender products to take home.  We will make bath salts, pillow sprays, and tea blends to bring relaxation home!

Tuesday May 27, 2025, 2:00-4:00. $25.00/$21 for Friends of Bullington Gardens.

Saturday, May 31, 2025
Garden Arts Festival
May 31 @ 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Clevedale Historic Inn and Gardens

GardenArts Festival

Sat May 31st 10:00am – 4:00pm (EDT)
Clevedale Historic Inn and Gardens,1050 Willis Road, Spartanburg, SC 29301

Experience the Magic at Clevedale’s GardenArts Festival 2025! 🎨🌺

Picture local artisans showcasing their masterpieces under majestic pecan trees, while the enchanting melodies of guitar duo Bryan Ashley Jones and Melanie Jean float through the historic grounds. ✨ What’s in store:
• 25+ Local Artists
• Handcrafted Treasures
• Food & Wine Garden
• Live Music Performance
• Chance to Win Exclusive Prizes

Make it a perfect Saturday exploring art, savoring local flavors, and creating memories at one of Spartanburg’s premier art destinations! Saturday, May 31, 2025, 10 AM – 4 PM FREE ADMISSION

Storytime on the Steps
May 31 @ 10:30 am – 11:00 am
J Hudson Booksellers

Bring your littles to the front steps of M. Judson for our bi-weekly story time! Enjoy some wonderful picture books read aloud to the crowd by our very own booksellers, and children will even get a sweet treat to go.

Tuesday, June 3, 2025
In Conversation with Kalla Harris
Jun 3 @ 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm
J Hudson Booksellers

Join us for a free In Conversation launch event celebrating the release of Kalla Harris’ book, The Ground That Devours Us! She will be in conversation with fellow author Skyla Arndt.

Wednesday, June 4, 2025
Books Over Drinks with Katherine Scott Crawford
Jun 4 @ 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm
J Hudson Booksellers

The Miniaturist’s Assistant explores the mystery of time, how our choices ripple throughout history, and what it means to be a fully-realized woman— in any century. If you are a fan of Fiona Davis or Patti Callahan Henry, you do not want to miss Books Over Drinks with Katherine Scott Crawford!