Events Calendar

Ages 3 –7 | Don’t miss this musical event with acclaimed creator of the favorite Tooty Ta!
 Meeting Rooms A–B

Explore Biltmore House with an Audio Guide that introduces you to the Vanderbilt family and their magnificent home’s history, architecture, and collections of fine art and furnishings.

PLUS: Immersive, multi-sensory Italian Renaissance Alive exhibition created by Grande Experiences

PLUS: FREE next-day access to Biltmore’s Gardens and Grounds

This visit includes access to:

• Italian Renaissance Alive at Amherst at Deerpark®
• 8,000 Acres of Gardens and Grounds for two consecutive days
• Antler Hill Village & Winery
• Complimentary Wine Tastings at the Winery
• Tastings require a Day-of-Visit Reservation, which can be made by:
  • Scanning the QR Code found in your Estate Guide
  • Visiting any Guest Services location
• Complimentary parking

Art Exhibition: Italian Renaissance Alive

This fascinating experience takes you on a spellbinding tour of Italy, fully immersing you in the beauty and brilliance of iconic masterworks from the greatest artistic period in history

The Very Hungry Caterpillar story is about hope.  You, like the little caterpillar, will grow up, unfold your wings and fly off into the future.”

                                                                                                                                                                    –Eric Carle

Colorful adventures in literacy and STEAM learning await in the special exhibition, “Very Eric Carle: A Very Hungry, Quiet, Lonely, Clumsy, Busy Exhibit,” making its Southeastern United States debut at the Upcountry History Museum, Greenville, SC.

At this play-and-learn exhibit, co-organized by The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, Amherst, Massachusetts, and the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh, visitors step into the pages of author and illustrator Eric Carle’s colorful picture books and experience them as artist and reader, while discovering and playing with five special insects from his well-known children’s books.

Carle’s classic “Very” book series, is reimagined in the 2,500 square foot exhibition. Utilizing Carle’s hand-painted tissue paper collage technique, the exhibit presents the five “Very” special insects who invite visitors to join them on their journeys of discovery.

Through interactive experiences, visitors become the “tiny and very hungry Caterpillar,” following along his iconic path. They also weave a web with the “Very Busy Spider;” find their light with the “Very Lonely Firefly;” make the “Very Clumsy Click Beetle” flip and jump; and compose a night symphony with the “Very Quiet Cricket.”

In “The Studio,” a flexible workspace, visitors are connected to the artist and his playful approach of creating illustrated book art through multiple hands-on activities. Children create their own collages using many of Eric Carle’s materials and techniques.

In the “Reading Zone” children and their caregivers explore visual literacy and reading through words, pictures and video.  Visitors are invited to listen to Eric Carle read his stories and talk about his process or read their own favorite Eric Carle story with a friend

Each of the “Very” stories are a testament to Eric Carle’s love of nature, his respect for the emotional lives of children, and his recurring themes of friendship, creativity, and the power of imagination.

The creator of more than seventy books, Eric Carle (1929-2021) combined winsome stories and lively collages that appeal to young readers and adults alike.  While Carle’s stories are charming, they’re layered with information too.  As children read his books about animals, families, nature, and fables, they also learn their colors, numbers, and letters.  Eric Carle focused on making learning accessible and fun – and in the process, he invited children to fall in love with books and reading.

“Shine and Dine” on the railway! We cordially invite you to hop on board The Carolina Shine, GSMR’s All-Adult First Class Moonshine Car! We will be proudly serving hand crafted, triple-distilled, craft moonshine. Some of the smoothest tasting moonshine in the Carolinas! Offered on the Nantahala Gorge excursion, this shine and dine experience begins in a renovated First Class train fleet car, The Carolina Shine. The interior features copper lined walls filled with the history of moonshining in North Carolina. Learn about the proud tradition that the Appalachians established when bootlegging was an acceptable way of life and local home brews were the best in town. Read about Swain County’s very own Major Redmond, the most famous mountain moonshine outlaw of the 19th century. Once your appetite for knowledge is satisfied, enjoy sample tastings of flavors like Apple Pie, Blackberry, Blueberry, Cherry, Peach, and Strawberry moonshine. If the samples are not enough, there will be plenty of Moonshine infused cocktails like Copper Cola or Moonshiner’s Mimosa available for purchase. GSMR is excited to feature multiple craft NC based distilleries to serve our guests only the best! Each jar is handcrafted and authentically infused with real fruit, the way moonshine was meant to be made. Passengers will also enjoy a full service All-Adult First Class ride with an attendant and our popular Cajun seasoned Pulled Pork BBQ with Sweet Baby Ray’s sauce cooked in our special spices and slow roasted to perfection! During the month of October, 9am departures will feature the option of a delicious Cheesy Shrimp & Grits or Cheesy Ham Hash Brown Casserole while 2pm departures will be served the popular BBQ meal.

Our city has great architectural examples of styles that span the last 200 years and charming neighborhoods that give them context.

Our downtown is blessed with a selection of historic neighborhoods that encircle our city center, providing a great mix of the progress surrounding the Main Street area with the stability of traditional domestic living. As the young village of Greenville formed in the late 1700s, homes were naturally scattered around the region with large tracts of land tied to them. This tour traces the development of Greenville’s neighborhoods on the North and West sides of the Reedy River, taking you on a pleasant drive to see the variety of architectural styles, hear stories of their home-owners, and understand the role in Greenville’s revitalization.

Tours will take place in a comfortable Ford Transit high-roof tour van. Digital photographs will be shown on a screen to provide insights into the information that you hear from the tour guide. Your tour guide, John Nolan, is a local historian and author of “A Guide to Historic Greenville, SC” and “The Lost Restaurants of Greenville, SC

Highlights include:

• Current downtown condos and apartments

• Pettigru Neighborhood

• Alta Vista / Crescent Ave.

• Augusta Road neighborhood

• Mills Mill village

• Hampton Pinkney neighborhood

There are open slots for sorting donations.

Included with admission

Back by popular demand, The Vanderbilts at Home and Abroad exhibition offers guests:

• An opportunity to view rarely-seen treasures from the Biltmore collection
• A first-hand look at the Vanderbilts’ lifestyle
• Deeper insights into George, Edith, and Cornelia’s personalities, both at home and on their extensive travels

Access to exhibitions at The Biltmore Legacy is included with Biltmore daytime admission.

The Middle Tyger Area Council invites the community to join them at Lake Lyman Park for their Annual Cookout! Grab a spot at a picnic table, a plate of food, and a great conversation with scenic Lyman Lake in the background. What better way to enjoy summer in the upstate?!

Join us for a relaxing ride through quiet countryside on your way to small town life in western North Carolina on the Tuckasegee River Excursion. Departing from Bryson City, this 4 hour excursion travels 32 miles round-trip to Dillsboro and back to the Bryson City Depot. Pass by the famous movie set of The Fugitive starring Harrison Ford!

The Tuckasegee (tuck-uh-SEE-jee) River Excursion includes an 1 hour and 20 minute layover in the historic town of Dillsboro, where you’ll find more than 50 shops, restaurants, a brewery, and country inns. There is time to shop, snack, and visit the many unique shops before returning to Bryson City.

Here’s what we plan on doing. Refer to this train’s schedule for departures times.

Given the nature of railroading, durations are approximate and subject to change without notice.

The Swamp Rabbit Trail is a 22-mile multi-use (walking and bicycling) greenway that traverses along the Reedy River, an old railroad corridor and City parks to connect Travelers Rest with the city of Greenville, South Carolina.

From our location, you can venture south on the trail through Greenville’s many parks. The Swamp Rabbit links up with Falls Park on the Reedy, Cancer Survivors Park and down into Cleveland Park. Heading north, you’ll see how the trail has transformed from an old railbed to a thriving trail with many breweries and eateries, as you head toward Furman University (7 miles) and Travelers Rest (1 miles).

School age | Meet live creep-crawly critters and snakes, interspersed with moral life lessons.

Gather with your community for a FREE tasty meal, lessons on healthy eating and information on Double Up Food Bucks (a new program through SNAP)! Community Dinners are held on the second Wednesday of each month from 6 – 7:30 pm. FREE childcare provided.

Seating is limited. Reserve your seat online.

For more information, contact Leah Berger-Singer, Preventive Health Coordinator at (828) 254-7206 ext. 212 or [email protected].

The Jasper String Quartet collaborates with BMC Artist Faculty in a program of chamber music delights by composers who span two centuries of mastery. Jesse Mongomery’s playful Strum gives way to Florence Price’s epic string quartet. Mendelssohn’s youthful quintet illustrates the brilliance of the teenage phenom – only 17 years old when he started composing this gem

PERFORMANCE & ARTIST DETAILS

Jasper String Quartet
with BMC Artist Faculty

JESSIE MONTGOMERY Strum
FLORENCE PRICE String Quartet No. 2 in A minor
FELIX MENDELSSOHN Viola Quintet No. 1 in A major

Auditorium seating is reserved.

Join us for the incredible evening with author Nicola Harrison celebrating her latest book. In Hotel Laguna, a young woman seeks a new opportunity to maintain her independence after selflessly serving her country on the home front during World War II. Learn more while sipping on a cocktail with us.

Your ticket includes admission, a cocktail, and a copy of the book.

BOOK SUMMARY

In 1942, Hazel Francis left Wichita, Kansas for California, determined to do her part for the war effort. At Douglas Aircraft, she became one of many “Rosie the Riveters,” helping construct bombers for the U. S. military. But now the war is over, men have returned to their factory jobs, and women like Hazel have been dismissed, expected to return home to become wives and mothers.

Unwilling to be forced into a traditional woman’s role in the Midwest, Hazel remains on the west coast, and finds herself in the bohemian town of Laguna Beach. Desperate for work, she accepts a job as an assistant to famous artist Hanson Radcliff. Beloved by the locals for his contributions to the art scene and respected by the critics, Radcliff lives under the shadow of a decades old scandal that haunts him.

Working hard to stay on her cantankerous employer’s good side, Hazel becomes a valued member of the community. She never expected to fall in love with the rhythms of life in Laguna, nor did she expect to find a kindred spirit in Jimmy, the hotel bartender whose friendship promises something more. But Hazel still wants to work with airplanes—maybe even learn to fly one someday. Torn between pursuing her dream and the dream life she has been granted, she is unsure if giving herself over to Laguna is what her heart truly wants.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Born in England, Nicola Harrison moved to CA where she received a BA in Literature at UCLA before moving to NYC and earning an MFA in creative writing at Stony Brook. She is a member of The Writers Room, has short stories published in The Southampton Review and Glimmer Train and articles in Los Angeles Magazine and Orange Coast Magazine. She was the fashion and style staff writer for Forbes, had a weekly column at Lucky Magazine and is the founder of a personal styling business, Harrison Style.

Fiction Addiction Storytime

Fiction Addiction hosts a free children’s storytime at our shop at 1175 Woods Crossing Rd. #5 every Thursday morning at 10:30am.

This year’s Clemson University Watermelon Field Day highlights innovative technology combined with tested management practices to give watermelon growers an edge on growing this summer favorite.

Watermelon is the largest acreage vegetable crop grown in South Carolina, with 117 million pounds produced in 2022. It is produced in all 46 counties, with the bulk of the crop coming from the Central Savannah River Area. The Clemson Cooperative Extension Service holds a free annual Watermelon Field Day to share research-based information with the public.

Gilbert Miller, Clemson Extension vegetable specialist, said this year’s field day is scheduled for July 13, with registration beginning at 8 a.m. at the Edisto Research and Education Center (EREC), 64 Research Road, Blackville, S.C. 29817. The indoor program begins at 8:15 a.m.

Topics and speakers for the indoor program include Tony Keinath, Clemson plant pathologist and Extension vegetable pathologist, who will talk about Fusarium biology and disease development. Fusarium wilt is the most widespread and destructive disease of watermelon in South Carolina, the southeastern United States and other areas of the world.

The fungus that causes this disease can remain in soil indefinitely in the form of resting spores that survive heat, cold and drought. Over the years, this fungus has been able to adapt and infect previously resistant varieties. Keinath will discuss what his research has found about using fungicides and grafting to manage Fusarium wilt.

More discussion about Fusarium will take place during the morning session when Bhupinder Jatana, an assistant professor of horticulture and vegetable crops, talks about Fusarium research at the Edisto REC. Ben Hinson, with TriEst Ag, will give an update on watermelon grafting.

Following the indoor session, participants will visit research plots and continue discussions. The field session will include several topics including a Solar Shrink Mulch Film Demonstration and a Rainfall Simulation Demonstration.

During the field session, Miller will give participants a Biodegradable Plastic Update and a team led by Matthew Cutulle, a Clemson weed scientist, will give an update on Anaerobic Soil Disinfestation (ASD) research. Participants also will get updates on watermelon field trials for 74 varieties.

More discussions will be held during lunch at the EREC office complex.

This event qualifies for 3 South Carolina Recertification Pesticide License credits.