Events Calendar
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.
Sooner or later grief comes along and tags, “You’re it!” Sometimes “out of the blue” but at other times at the end of a long medical battle. Sometimes after expecting a “miracle” from either modern medicine or from God.
Grievers quickly discover that some family members, friends, colleagues, are anxious for them to “move on” and immigrate to “Over-It-Land!” Grievers often find themselves stuck in one of four boxes: Get Over It, Get Under It, Get Around It, but rarely Get Into It. There is life during grief AND after grief IF you pay attention to the boxes!
Join us to discuss grief with guest speaker Harold Ivan Smith, DMIN, FT.
For so many of us, our family story is what defines our lives—what we run from or toward in the decades after leaving home. In this course, we will dive into family narratives together. The events we hope to discuss can include those that seem to haunt family struggles: trauma, abuse, neglect. Yet those blessed with stable families have plenty of stories to tell, too—a glorious summer road trip that reveals the love between siblings, or a tender reckoning with a parent’s humanity. As guidance for methods of writing on experiences with family, we will read poetry of Ai, Aria Aber, Catullus, Victoria Chang, Lucille Clifton, Natalie Diaz, Tarfia Fiazullah, Joy Harjo, Robin Coste Lewis, Vi Khi Nao, Sylvia Plath, Carmen Giménez Smith, and others. In order to consider different approaches to the idea of “family histories,” the assigned work will roughly fall in one of the following topics: parents and guardians, siblings and those of our youth, ancestors, and continuing the cycle. These are delineated by the familial figures the authors address in their works, leading up to the writers’ own enactment of parenthood.
In each class, we will discuss the methods the authors have employed, and their methods of engagement with their creative production. In addition, we will consider the effects assigned texts have on you as a reader and, just as important, how you think the writer accomplishes these effects. You will create your own works with these methods in mind. Beyond merely creating new work, we will also revise with help from the discussions.
This four-part course will take place on Mondays, October 2, 9, 16, & 23 from 5:30 – 7:30 PM ET.
*
Diana Arterian is the author of the forthcoming poetry collection Agrippina the Younger (Northwestern University Press/Curbstone, 2025). Her first book, Playing Monster :: Seiche (1913 Press), received a starred review in Publishers Weekly and was a Poetry Foundation Staff Pick. A Poetry Editor at Noemi Press, Diana’s creative work has been recognized with fellowships from the Banff Centre, Caldera, Millay Arts, Vermont Studio Center, and Yaddo. Her poetry, nonfiction, criticism, co-translations, and conversations have been featured in BOMB, Brooklyn Rail, Denver Quarterly, Los Angeles Review of Books, NPR, The New York Times Book Review, and The Poetry Foundation website, among others. She curates and writes “The Annotated Nightstand” column at LitHub. Diana holds a PhD in Literature & Creative Writing from the University of Southern California, and she splits her time between Cambridge and Los Angeles.
“Looking Back, Looking Forward” is perfect for the holiday time of year. This is the season when many of us consider the events of the past year and look forward to what a new year might bring. In this writing workshop, we will use this transitional time as a focus for creating a new piece of writing which will allow us to set 2023 aside and move forward toward 2024. For writers at all levels. The workshop is led by Rick Mulkey, author of six books and director of Creative Writing at Converse University. Hosted by Truphae and Converse Low Residency MFA in Creative Writing.
This event is FREE and open to the public – just bring pen and paper! Seating is limited to only 18. Please sign up on our website.
Writing is a solitary task and many writers benefit from having peers to get feedback and support. Join us for the monthly meeting of our writers group and the chance to meet other writers.
Writers of all genres, formats, and skill levels are welcome to attend the writing group. Those who attend may share and discuss their work with others, participate in writing exercises, and access helpful writing resources.
Darren Todd, will lead a virtual writing workshop titled “What if you fly? Weaving speculative elements into fiction.”
The term speculative fiction has grown in usage, but what does it mean? Simply, it’s fiction that speculates or forecasts what might happen. The “if” in that scenario is up to the writer. Spec-fic (as it’s often called) isn’t beholden to a single genre. Certainly, dystopian novels fall under this category, but so could alternate history, science fiction, horror, or even drama. Many ideas can greatly benefit from introducing speculative elements, which give readers a heightened sense of curiosity, wonder, and even engages them to be a part of how the writer’s “what if” develops. Humans are natural problem solvers, and few things kick off that need to find answers like a solid “what if.”
For this workshop, we’ll delve into the rise of spec-fic, how it crosses genre, as well as flexing our speculative muscles with breakout exercises to be reviewed during the workshop.
This workshop is open to writers of all skill levels and is a fun way to find inspiration from a new prompt or revise current work. It is hosted by the Friends of Carl Sandburg at Connemara and will use Microsoft Teams for the virtual connection. Sign up to attend the workshop here!
Darren is a freelance book editor for Evolved Publications, and his short fiction has appeared in fifty publications over the years, including Chilling Tales for Dark Nights, Cosmic Horror Monthly, and The Stoneslide Corrective. His short story collection, The Ugly Mug and Other Stories, launched on Amazon and Audible in 2023.
While some of his works fall under the literary umbrella, he often returns to speculative and horror fiction. His style and preferences tend toward the psychological, as he enjoys stories that linger in the imagination long after he’s closed the book on them.
He lives in Hendersonville, NC with his son and girlfriend. See what he’s up to at darrentodd.net.
Join us for an informal writing workshop.
Registration required. Call 864-963-9031.
Learn about how to grow mushrooms at home, basic fungal biology, and the top wild mushrooms to collect in the forest. Presented by Steve Pettis, Henderson County Commercial and Consumer Horticulture Agent and host of the Gardening in the Mountains Radio Show,
Join writers and poets from across the country each month for a virtual writing workshop. A link will be added to their name when more details and sign-up information becomes available. These workshops are geared towards amateur writers, ages 16 and older recommended. Follow us on Facebook for notifications too.
2024 Virtual Writers Workshops
February 26 – Ruba Ahmed
March – Amber Rose Crowtree
2023 Workshop Writers : Angela Evans, Tom Tenbrunsel, Robert Edward Miss, Kenneth Chamblee, Yasmin Mays, Shannon Yong, Jennifer McGaha, Erica Reid, Raymond McNally, Jane Waldrop, Francis Pearce, Eric Nelson, Darren Todd.
This virtual workshop is mandatory for any Power Up Spartanburg participants hoping to get loan funding from The CLIMB Fund. These sessions will cover details of the loan application, required document checklists, and will provide clarity on the loan process for applicants.
Learn how your small business can engage in business opportunities with Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System. Join us for an informative session featuring Steve Hyatt, System Director of Supply Chain Services, and Marchele Garrett, Diversity Officer and System Director of Language Services
Join @3xoticscents on February 24th for their candle making workshop.
✨️Learn to pour candles, personalize scents, and create a soothing gift.🕯✨️
All supplies are included. We look forward to seeing you there!
Register here🍾
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/introductory-candle-making-class-tickets-792514400907
This workshop focuses on the basics of navigating literary journal submissions.
Publishing short stories, poems, creative nonfiction, and art in literary journals and magazines can feel like a byzantine process. There exist many rules, expectations, and guidelines, some of them explicit and others unspoken, that frame how and when to submit your work. This workshop focuses on the basics of navigating literary journal submissions, practical tips on formatting submissions, strategies for submissions, and more. Participants will come away with a knowledge of how to research literary journals, how to strategically submit to get their work published, how to write a professional cover letter, how to compose a professional bio, and more. Workshop instructor Evelyn Berry is happy to answer any questions you might have about the bewildering journey between a finished draft and a published piece.
Evelyn Berry is a trans, Southern writer, editor, and educator. She’s the author of Grief Slut (Sundress Publications, 2024) and Buggery (Bateau Press, 2020), winner of the BOOM Chapbook Prize. She’s a recipient of a 2023 National Endowment for the Arts Poetry Fellowship, 2022 Dr. Linda Veldheer Memorial Prize, 2019 Broad River Prize for Prose, and 2018 Emrys Poetry Prize, among other honors. Her work has appeared in Beloit Poetry Journal, South Carolina Review, Gigantic Sequins, Raleigh Review, Taco Bell Quarterly, and elsewhere. She lives in Columbia, South Carolina with her partner and their pets, working as a library communications strategist.
Join writers and poets from across the country each month for a virtual writing workshop. A link will be added to their name when more details and sign-up information becomes available. These workshops are geared towards amateur writers, ages 16 and older recommended. Follow us on Facebook for notifications too.
2024 Virtual Writers Workshops
February 26 – Ruba Ahmed
March – Amber Rose Crowtree
2023 Workshop Writers : Angela Evans, Tom Tenbrunsel, Robert Edward Miss, Kenneth Chamblee, Yasmin Mays, Shannon Yong, Jennifer McGaha, Erica Reid, Raymond McNally, Jane Waldrop, Francis Pearce, Eric Nelson, Darren Todd.
Trying to fund your start-up business can be tricky. Join us to learn how you can Power Up your business by accessing low-interest loans with our Fiduciary Partner, The CLIMB Fund.
Join us for Power Up 101 to learn about the initiative and resources that are available to you as a small business owner in Spartanburg County.
Participants are encouraged to attend Power Up 101 after completing the initial intake form, but this is also a great refresher course for existing participants who want to maximize their benefits.
During Power Up 101, participants will:
- Meet other small business owners and OneSpartanburg, Inc. staff
- Learn more about the resources available
- Learn how to utilize the website for the upcoming GRID and technical support resources
https://www.cognitoforms.com/onespartanburginc/powerupspartanburgintakeform
Hosted by Furman University’s Institute for the Advancement of Community Health, Institute for Child Success and SC LEND
Learn about the basics of perennial and dahlia culture. What is a perennial and what makes them special in the garden? How can you get free plants from your current perennials? These questions and so much more will be covered. We will also have a demo on how to divide perennials. Presented by Isaac Wyatt, Agricultural Program Assistant with Henderson County Extension, will teach the basics of perennial and dahlia culture.
What will this group cover? This group is focused on helping parents teach their children to solve problems and get along with others. During this discussion group, parents and caregivers will work through problems they have faced with fighting and aggression and develop a plan to address these problems.
Who is the group for? All parents and caregivers living in the Spartanburg area with any child between the ages of 0-8
What will I gain from this group? Free meal, gift card, knowledge of Triple P strategies to use at home, a Triple P workbook to take home and refer back to
Is childcare provided for this event? No
There is a Zoom option for parents who need to attend from home. Please indicate in your registration whether you will need to attend via Zoom.
What will this seminar cover? This seminar goes over the building blocks and life skills that help children manage their emotions and teaches parents how they can promote these skills at home. We also discuss what emotional resilience is and why it is beneficial for children.
Who is the seminar for? All parents and caregivers living in the Spartanburg area with any child between the ages of 0-8
What will I gain from this seminar? Free meal, gift card, knowledge of Triple P strategies to use at home
Is childcare provided for this event? No
There is a Zoom option for parents who need to attend from home. Please indicate in your registration whether you will need to attend via Zoom.