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

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Wednesday, June 26, 2024
Raising Resilient Children – Parenting Workshop
Jun 26 @ 10:00 am – 11:00 am
Hope Center for Children, Administrative Office (Multi Purpose Room)

Event: Triple P Seminar: Raising Resilient Children
Date: Wednesday, June 26th, 2024
Time: 10am-11am
Location: Hope Center for Children Administrative Office, Multi-Purpose Room,
202 Hudson Barksdale Blvd, Spartanburg, SC 29306

This parenting seminar teaches 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.

All in-person participants will receive a free $10 gas gift card. Snacks will be provided.

Who is this event for?
All parents and caregivers living in Spartanburg County, South Carolina with a child between the ages of 0-8.

Is childcare provided?
Not at this event. (From time to time, we do offer childcare at our events)

Wednesday, July 31, 2024
Writing to Drive Action
Jul 31 @ 9:00 am – 10:30 am
Kroc Center Greenville

When you write grant requests, event invitations, annual reports, and even humble emails, you want to move your readers to action. But too often jargon, lack of practice, and outdated rules from school can get in your way.

Power up your writing in this 90 minute workshop. You’ll leave equipped to:

  • Tell stories that stick
  • Write sentences that sing
  • Keep your focus on your reader
  • Find your voice
  • Scrap what you’ve learned about writing that isn’t working

About the presenter:

Katy Pugh Smith is a seasoned facilitator and planner with significant experience in convening coalitions of community members, supporting them in identifying goals and action plans, and working with them to see those plans through to results.

Katy is executive director of Greater Good Greenville, which galvanizes nonprofit organizations, philanthropic funders, and mission-minded people for collaborative problem-solving and learning, advocacy, and joint investing to address our community’s challenges.

She earned her Master of Social Work degree in administration, planning, and community organizing from University of Georgia where she co-authored and published several journal articles. But before she took the path to a career in the social sector, Katy planned to be a writer, and she received her undergraduate degree at Wake Forest University with a scholarship for creative writing. She has always loved writing for work and updating her skills as styles and technology change.

Wednesday, September 18, 2024
Page Pairings
Sep 18 @ 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm
M. Judson Booksellers

Join us for a book-inspired wine tasting! We pair the qualities of each wine with a book that shares the same spirit. Your ticket to the tasting, apart from the tastes, includes your choice of one of the featured books. Bottles of the featured wines will be for sale at great prices, too. This event is a crowd favorite, serving as a great date, a perfect girls night out, or treat to yourself. Buy your ticket now and join us on September 18th at 7:30 pm!

*Refunds or transfers can only be accommodated 24 hours prior to the event.

Wednesday, September 25, 2024
Haiku Workshop with Miho Kinnas
Sep 25 @ 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm
The Gallery at M. Judson

Join us in the M. Judson Gallery for a haiku workshop with poet Miho Kinnas. The ticket includes the hour and a half intensive instruction and a copy of Kinnas’ latest poetry collection, Waiting for Sunset to Bury Red Camellias.

Waiting for Sunset to Bury Red Camellias is the third poetry collection by Miho Kinnas, including the poem anthologized in Best American Poetry 2023. Twice nominated for the Pushcart Prize, her unique, sophisticated voice keeps pushing the boundary of what brevity can accomplish. She writes about the state of being by interweaving love, books, travel, family, women and history.

Twice nominated for the Pushcart Prize, Miho Kinnas is a writer, translator, and poet living in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. She is the author of Waiting for Sunset to Bury Red Camellias, her third poetry collection. Her poems, prose, and translations have appeared in various anthologies and journals, including Best American Poetry 2023, Coast Lines (upcoming), Tokyo Poetry Journal, and American Review of Books. She leads poetry workshops at Writers.com, Pat Conroy Literary Center, and New York Writers’ Workshop, among other locations.

Sunday, October 6, 2024
Sit Down Supper – Anne Byrn
Oct 6 @ 6:30 pm – 10:00 pm
The Gallery at M. Judson

Experience mouthwatering Southern baking—from humble home kitchens to innovative new Southern chefs. One of the world’s richest culinary traditions comes to life through this essential cookbook from bestselling author Anne Byrn. With 200 recipes from 14 states and more than 150 photos, Baking in the American South has the biscuits, cornbread, cakes, and rolls that will help you bake like a Southerner, even if you aren’t. Recipes can tell you volumes if you pay attention—the crops raised, languages spoken, family customs, old world flavors, and, often, religion. Did you know that where a mill was located affected the recipes handed down from that area? Or that baking and selling pound cakes directly impacted the Civil Rights Movement? These stories and recipes, developed from good times and bad, have been collected and perfected over years and are now accessible to us all. Anne’s expertise in assessing, modernizing, and developing well-written recipes makes this the definitive guide for bakers of all levels. From-scratch, Southern classic recipes include: Thomasville Cheese Biscuits Ouita Michel’s Sweet Potato Streusel Muffins Nina Cain’s Batty Cakes with Lacy Edges The Best Lemon Meringue Pie Georgia Gilmore’s Pound Cake This fascinating dive into the history of 14 Southern states—Texas, Florida, Kentucky, and more—features stories and beautifully photographed recipes from pre-Civil War times to today’s Southern kitchens. It’s about the places, the people, the products and the culture of the moment that influenced what people baked. It’s about African-American women and the monumental contributions they have made to the art of Southern baking, about home cooks and how they’ve kept traditions alive wherever they settle by baking family recipes each year for holidays and celebrations, and about the pastry chefs who have thoughtfully reimagined how the South bakes. Experience the recipes and the stories behind them that showcase the substantial contributions Southern baking has made to American baking at large. Food historians, bakers, foodies, and cookbook collectors from every corner of the country will want this cookbook in their collections.

ANNE BYRN is a New York Times bestselling food writer and author. She writes the weekly newsletter Between the Layers, one of the top 20 food and drink newsletters worldwide on Substack. She has authored several cookbooks. Her latest books are A New Take on Cake and Skillet Love, the latter exploring the history and modern uses for the cast-iron skillet. They followed American Cookie and American Cake, which NPR named one of the best cookbooks of 2016. The Cake Mix Doctor and sequels have more than 4 million copies in print, and USA Today called The Cake Mix Doctor the bestselling cookbook the year it debuted. Byrn’s career began as a food writer for The Atlanta Journal. Her food writing was named the Best Food Section by the Association of Food Journalists. She studied at La Varenne École de Cuisine in Paris and lived in England where she wrote about food and travel for a year. Anne is a contributor to Food52, Bon Appétit, and the Bitter Southerner. Byrn is a Nashville native and a fifth-generation Tennessean. For several years, she was the food writer for The Tennessean. Byrn has been featured in People magazine, The Washington Post, the New York Times, the New York Times Magazine, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Southern Living, Publishers Weekly, and many other publications. She has appeared on Good Morning America, Later Today, CNN, The Food Network, and QVC and has taught cooking classes across the country. She and her husband live in Nashville.

Tuesday, October 8, 2024
Books Over Drinks with Kimberly Brock
Oct 8 @ 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm
M. Judson Booksellers

Drinks with author Kimberly Brock to celebrate her latest novel, The Fabled Earth! Your ticket includes entrance to the event, a copy of the book, and a signature cocktail (or mocktail).

Inspired by the little-known history of Cumberland Island, The Fabled Earth is a sweeping story of family lore and the power of finding your own voice as Southern mythology and personal reckoning collide with a changing world. 1932. Cumberland Island off the coast of Southern Georgia is a strange place to encounter the opulence of the Gilded Age, but the last vestiges of the famed philanthropic Carnegie family still take up brief seasonal residence in their grand mansions there. This year’s party at Plum Orchard is a lively group: young men from some of America’s finest families come to experience the area’s hunting beside a local guide; a beautiful debutante expecting to be engaged by the week’s end, and a promising female artist who believes she has meaningful ties to her wealthy hosts. But when temptations arise and passions flare, an evening of revelry and storytelling goes horribly awry. Lives are both lost and ruined. 1959. Reclusive painter Cleo Woodbine has lived alone for decades on Kingdom Come, a tiny strip of land once occupied by the servants for the great houses on nearby Cumberland. When she is visited by the man who saved her life nearly thirty years earlier, a tempest is unleashed as the stories of the past gather and begin to regain their strength. Frances Flood is a folklorist come to Cumberland Island seeking the source of a legend – and also information about her mother, who was among the guests at a long-ago hunting party. Audrey Howell, briefly a newlywed and now newly widowed, is running a local inn. When she develops an eerie double exposure photograph, some believe she’s raised a ghost–someone who hasn’t been seen since that fateful night in 1932.

Kimberly Brock is the award-winning author of The Lost Book of Eleanor Dare and The River Witch. She is the founder of Tinderbox Writers Workshop and has served as a guest lecturer for many regional and national writing workshops including at the Pat Conroy Literary Center. She lives near Atlanta with her husband and three children.

Wednesday, October 9, 2024
Literary Bingo
Oct 9 @ 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm
M. Judson Booksellers

It’s Bookish Game Night at M. Judson! Join us and our friends at the Greenville County Library for a night of Literary Bingo, complete with prizes. Look for this event once a month, for a regular dose of fun. This is a free event.

Saturday, October 12, 2024
Greenville Woodworkers Guild’s Semi-Annual Tool Sale
Oct 12 @ 8:30 am – 10:30 am
Guild Education Center

The Greenville Woodworkers Guild is pleased to announce its highly anticipated Semi-Annual Tool Sale and Auction, scheduled to take place on Saturday, October 12, 2024, at the Guild Education Center located at 209 Hollyridge Court, Greenville, SC 29607.

Woodworkers, hobbyists, craftsmen, and DIY enthusiasts alike will have the opportunity to browse a wide selection of new, used, and antique tools and woodworking machinery, as well as a diverse array of clamps, materials, hardware, and supplies, all priced to sell. For those seeking exceptional deals, the Guild’s Lumber Team will offer special selections of turning stock and lumber.

“We’re excited to host our Semi-Annual Tool Sale and Auction, providing a valuable opportunity for both our members and the community,” said Scott Stofan, Tool Sales and Auction Manager. “We’ve curated a diverse selection of tools and equipment, catering to woodworkers of all levels. From seasoned professionals to those just starting their woodworking journey, there’s something for everyone at our sale.”

The sale will commence promptly at 8:30 a.m., with doors opening at 8 a.m. Attendees are encouraged to arrive early to ensure access to the best deals. The silent auction bidding will conclude at 10:30 a.m., offering attendees a chance to bid on unique items.
“This event plays a crucial role in keeping our Guild up and running financially,” added Stofan. “As a nonprofit, we rely on donations and membership fees to sustain our operations. The proceeds from this sale directly contribute to maintaining our facilities and programs, ensuring that we can continue to serve the woodworking community.”

To ensure a smooth and efficient checkout process, the Greenville Woodworkers Guild will utilize a Point of Sale system, accepting various payment methods including credit or debit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay. Cash will also be accepted.

The Greenville Woodworkers Guild, established in 1981, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit service organization dedicated to helping its members become better woodworkers, promoting woodworking as an art form, and supporting charitable causes through woodworking skills.

Wednesday, January 15, 2025
Garage, Shed, Carport Builder Show
Jan 15 @ 11:30 am
Greenville Convention Center

Join us at the Greenville Convention Center January 15-16 for the Garage, Shed, Carport Builder Show. The Garage, Shed & Carport Builder Show brings suppliers and manufacturers together, so builders of special-use residential structures can find the materials and services they need all in one place.

WEDNESDAY 1/15/2025
11:30 AM – 5:30 PM
— HAPPY HOUR: —
4:30PM – 6:00PM

THURSDAY 1/16/2025
8:30 AM – 12:30 PM

Event Held: Woodside Conference Center

Parking off Eisenhower Drive.

Thursday, January 16, 2025
Garage, Shed, Carport Builder Show
Jan 16 @ 11:30 am
Greenville Convention Center

Join us at the Greenville Convention Center January 15-16 for the Garage, Shed, Carport Builder Show. The Garage, Shed & Carport Builder Show brings suppliers and manufacturers together, so builders of special-use residential structures can find the materials and services they need all in one place.

WEDNESDAY 1/15/2025
11:30 AM – 5:30 PM
— HAPPY HOUR: —
4:30PM – 6:00PM

THURSDAY 1/16/2025
8:30 AM – 12:30 PM

Event Held: Woodside Conference Center

Parking off Eisenhower Drive.

Tuesday, January 21, 2025
The Power of Positive Parenting
Jan 21 all-day
Middle Tyger Library

Learn new strategies to foster a positive learning environment, use assertive discipline, take better care of yourself as a parent, and more!

All in-person participants will receive a free $10 gas gift card. Dinner will be provided.

About the organizer

This event is organized by the Triple P team at Hope Center for Children. Triple P, or the Positive Parenting Program, is one of the most effective, evidence-based parenting programs in the world, supported by more than four decades of ongoing research. Right here in Spartanburg, Hope Center for Children is proud to offer Triple P to families just like yours.

Friday, February 14, 2025
Julie Valentine Luncheon
Feb 14 @ 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Greenville Convention Center

1 orig - Julie Valentine Luncheon

Join us at the Greenville Convention Center for the Julie Valentine Luncheon on February 14th, 2025. Featuring special guest speaker, Chanel Miller. The Julie Valentine Center provides free confidential services and resources regardless of race, color, creed, age, sex, sexual orientation, disabilities, genetic information, gender identity and expression, religion, national origin or veteran’s status to support victims of sexual assault, incest, child abuse and neglect in Greenville County, South Carolina.

Tuesday, March 18, 2025
Basics of Understanding AI for Environmental Educators (and more!)
Mar 18 @ 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
On-line

AI is rapidly transforming workplaces, but understanding how to use it effectively and sustainably is essential. This 1-hour online workshop by Nature Investigations covers the basics of integrating AI in environmental education, however, this basic training would be useful for anyone interested in learning the basics of how to use AI. The workshop will include training language models, creating effective prompts, and applying your expertise to refine outputs. After covering the basics, we’ll discuss the environmental implications of using AI.

Tuesday, April 1, 2025
Free Parenting Workshop – The Power of Positive Parenting
Apr 1 all-day
Middle Tyger Library

At this FREE workshop, you will learn new strategies to foster a positive learning environment, use assertive discipline, take better care of yourself as a parent, and more!

All in-person participants will receive a free $10 gas gift card. Dinner will be provided.

Wednesday, April 2, 2025
Free Parenting Workshop – Managing Fighting and Aggression
Apr 2 all-day
Hope Center for Children

During this FREE discussion group, parents and caregivers will work through disobedience challenges and work together to arrive at solutions to address these problems.

All in-person participants will receive a free $10 gas gift card. Doughnuts and snacks will be provided.

Saturday, April 12, 2025
Intro to Chair Yoga Workshop: No Studio. No Mat. No problem!
Apr 12 @ 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Yogaunme Studio

Introductory Chair Yoga workshop (no experience required!) Saturday April 12th, 1-4pm at Yogaunme Studio in Spartanburg, SC. (virtual option also) designed to help you feel better, reduce stress, and improve flexibility—no matter your lifestyle or physical ability! Whether you’re new to yoga or looking for a more accessible or versatile practice, this workshop is for you!
What to expect:
–The benefits of chair yoga & how to adopt it any lifestyle or physical ability.
–How chair yoga can help you feel better by decreasing stress & stiffness in the body.
–Experience a range of chair yoga poses & exercises for a variety of situations – including sitting, standing, and using the chair as a prop.
–Take home resources & sample practice guides for making chair yoga part of your daily life.
Details:
 Wear comfortable clothes that allow movement.
 Tea & snacks provided. Bring your own water bottle.
Online Participants: Set up a quiet space with a sturdy chair (no wheels or arms) and at least 3 feet of open space around you. You’ll have interactive opportunities with live video or chat.

Don’t miss this chance to explore how chair yoga can transform your well-being. Sign up today!

Register at https://yogaunme.com/event

Tuesday, April 22, 2025
Free Parenting Workshop – Smoother Shopping Trips with Children
Apr 22 @ 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
Hope Center for Children

During this FREE workshop, parents and caregivers will learn new skills to help avoid problems and teach children to behave responsibly during shopping trips.

All in-person participants will receive a free $10 gas gift card. Dinner will be provided.

Wednesday, May 7, 2025
Free Parenting Workshop – Learning to Use the Toilet
May 7 @ 10:00 am – 11:00 am
Hope Center for Children

During the FREE workshop, we will discuss and learn new potty-training strategies to make the process go more smoothly.

All in-person participants will receive a free $10 gas gift card. Doughnuts and juice will be provided.

Tuesday, May 20, 2025
Free Parenting Workshop – Teaching Kids to Clean Up
May 20 @ 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
Hope Center for Children

During this FREE workshop, learn new strategies to teach kids how to clean up and keep a consistent schedule. Discuss ways to reward good behavior and use assertive discipline for misbehavior.

All in-person participants will receive a free $10 gas gift card. Dinner will be provided.

Sunday, July 20, 2025
KuBoo Basket Weaving
Jul 20 @ 2:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Camp Croft State Park

Date: Sunday, July 13, 2025
Location: Croft State Park SHELTER #1
Address: 450 Croft State Park Rd, Spartanburg, SC 29302
Time: 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM (this time frame is extended to allow everyone to complete a basket. You may finish much earlier based on your skill set).
Note: Camp Croft State Park’s Shelter #1 has tire swings, an open area for exploring and restrooms within walking distance.
Cost: $50 per participant (recommended ages 8+)
Purchase your tickets here: https://carolinabamboo.org/product/tickets-basket-weaving-workshop-bamboo-kudzu-kuboo-baskets-july-13-2025/?preview=true

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 #1 has tire swings, an open area for exploring and restrooms within walking distance.

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.