Art fun for all ages is happening from May 9th – 11th, 2025 at Greenville’s Artisphere for their 21st anniversary! There will be many art events, including live talks and demonstrations, entertainment, activity sessions for the kids, and much more. Here’s everything you need to know about the festival for 2025.
Are you looking for a Greenville, SC story time? There are some wonderful options for story time with your kids in the Upstate. You’ll find story times at libraries, bookstores, museums, and more! Plus, there are also some wonderful virtual story times you can check out from home. Many of these events are completely free, and others like museums require regular admission.
You’ll often find these organized by day on our Kidding Around Greenville calendar, so don’t forget to check that when you are looking for something fun and educational to do.
My kids and I love going to storytime. Ever since my days as a new mom, I found it was a great way to get out of the house, meet other moms, expose kids to literature, and support local businesses. Now that my kids are a little older, we love attending them at our favorite spots. Story Times are happening all over Greenville.
Looking for free story times? Greenville has several! These storytime events are completely 100% free. Pair them with a treat at a local coffee shop for an inexpensive morning out.
The Greenville County Library System has several storytime opportunities for you and your little one to enjoy. These events are regularly scheduled, so you can add them to your personal calendar as a fun thing to do weekly.
Bouncing Babies
30 minutes of music, rhymes, stories, and bouncing games for babies up to 18 months old. They’ll have a little playtime, too!
30 minutes of music, stories, and movement for your toddler (ages 19+ months). These library storytime events are great for young children to socialize!
30 minutes of stories, music, and activities designed with preschoolers (ages 5 and under) in mind. These library storytime events are all FREE.
(always check with your local library for schedule changes)
Keep your eyes on the Greenville County Library Calendar to see when additional programs are reintroduced. Also, check the calendar – occasionally, there will be special, fun events after storytime!
Learn More About the FREE Programs at the Greenville County Library System!
Twice per month during the school year, the South Carolina Children’s Theatre offers Tell-Me-A-Story Theatre. Here, your child can enjoy a reading of their favorite children’s books, and then see it performed! The event is completely free and is located in the Prisma Health Lobby at SCCT. See when the next Tell-Me-A-Story Theatre is happening on the SCCT website.
Barnes and Noble off of Woodruff Road offers a weekly Storytime on Thursday and Saturday, while Barnes and Noble off Haywood offers it once per month, and Barnes and Noble in Spartanburg offers a weekly Saturday Storytime. We also recommend keeping your eyes on local store event calendars for the most up-to-date storytime events.
If you head downtown on Wednesdays or Saturday mornings at 10:30 am, be sure to check out M. Judson Booksellers biweekly Storytime on the Steps. We recommend getting there right before 10:30 so you do not miss the start. They have one of the most fun story times Greenville has to offer, especially since there are cookies from Camilla Kitchen available afterward! If it is a cold or rainy day, you can find storytime in the kid’s section in the back of the bookstore.
These storytimes are included with general admission or require a paid entry. You’ll find everything from museums with story events to a pottery studio with craft and story events.
The Children’s Museum of the Upstate holds various storytimes in its Dream Theatre. Story Time and More is a story and craft time for children ages 0 to 5. It is currently offered on Tuesday-Saturday at 12 pm. You can find any updates on changes on the TCMU calendar. This storytime requires admission to the Children’s Museum, but there is no additional charge.
Follow TCMU’s social media accounts for the latest news regarding these events (Instagram and Facebook).
Do you know of a local story time we missed? Please let us know in the comments.
Ever wonder what it would be like to be read to by an astronaut? How about being read to by an astronaut in orbit on the International Space Station? Check out Story Time From Space, where astronauts read books to children that are space-themed.
If you are a parent of small children, then it is hard not to know about Super Simple Songs. They also offer an adorable series called Super Simple Storytime, where children’s books are read to children through animated films. These books are generally classic stories like The Ugly Duckling and Hush Little Baby. The stories are simple, creative, and are perfect to sit back and enjoy a reading session with your toddler or preschooler.
These virtual story times for kids offer some of the most famous celebrities reading books to children. Storytime Online is a great way to keep your children interested in reading, while also seeing some of your favorite actors and actresses. Sit back and let Oprah instill a love for reading in your young children while she reads The Hula-Hoopin’ Queen or have Chris Pine read Clark the Shark. There are dozens of videos to choose from, and the series is a fun way to have face-to-face interaction while reading.
Which storytime is your favorite to attend?
The second annual Fountain Inn Italian American Heritage Festival is on Saturday, April 26th, 2025 Are you thinking about attending the festival? We have the schedule, the vendors, and all the details you need to plan your day to have an incredible time at this Fountain Inn Italian festival and celebration!
Enjoy A Day in Fountain Inn with our handy guide to this charming town in South Carolina!
The quick facts:
This Italian-American Heritage Festival was a huge success for its inaugural year in 2022. For the fourth year, the festival will bring the same excitement, if not, more. You’ll enjoy music, food, drinks, shopping from vendors, and activities. There will be a full day of entertainment, including performances by World Upside Down, Analisa & John “Italian Duo”, and so much more. You can find a full schedule of performances for 2025 from 12 pm – 6:30 pm.
There are over 15 food vendors, including Gio’s Pastry Shop, Caffe & Italian Market, and 13+ food trucks. You will also find several cottage food vendors, such as Robin’s Just Dessert and Sweet Bites of Italy. You can find a full list of food vendors/ food trucks and cottage food vendors on the IAHF website.
Find a brochure with a festival map on the Italian Festival website.
Good Italian food is not always easy to find in the south, and that’s just one of the things that will make this festival unique.
Check out the vendors that plan to set up at the festival, and do yourself a favor, make sure to get a pastry from Gio’s Pastry Shop.
The 2025 vendor list is expansive! This year includes over two dozen local vendors!
Planning your spring calendar and don’t want to miss any of the kid-friendly spring festivals in Greenville, SC this year? Pack up the kids because you’ve got some amazing options for great family memory-making. Here’s your ultimate list of the best kid-friendly spring festivals in the Upstate.
See what’s going on this month with our calendar of events near Greenville, SC!
Friday, April 4 – Saturday, April 5, 2025
Friday 12 pm – 11 pm | Saturday 12 pm to 9 pm
During the festival, teams will be competing in categories including brisket, ribs, wings, and butts. The food prepared by the competition teams can be sampled at different times, while supply lasts. There will also be live music and regional food trucks to enjoy.
Saturday, April 5, 2025 | 11 am to 5 pm
The iMAGINE Upstate Festival is one of the most popular spring festivals. This event centers around STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math) activities that would make the biggest nerd – a fun one of course – jealous. There are high-tech gadgets and 3D printers, drone races, robots, rocket launchers, and virtual reality exploration, and more. Add live music and food and it’s a day well-spent with the family. FREE
iMagine Upstate Kidding Around Review
iMAGINE Upstate
Saturday, April 5, 2025 – Sunday, April 6, 2025 | Village Green
Local vendors, music, art and family entertainment. FREE
Historic Pendleton Spring Jubilee
Saturday, April 26, 2025 | Happy Cow Creamery
Celebrate Happy Cow and local vendors at this annual festival from 9 am – 4 pm. There will be giveaways, vendors, food trucks, and music.
Spring Shindig
Saturday, April 12, 2025 | Fountain Inn | Noon-6 pm
Enjoy a free concert from Mac Arnold and the Plate Full of Blues and enjoy the traditional Southern food of cornbread & collards in lots of different ways. The event will also feature a spring market.
Cornbread & Collards Festival
Saturday, April 19, 2025 | Split Creek Farm
Love baby goats? This is the festival you need to attend! Split Creek Farm will have samples of their award-winning cheese and amazing goat milk fudge plus lots of local vendors and of course, baby goats. $9/adults, $6/kids, free/kids 2 and under.
Spring Means Babies
April 25, 2025- April 26, 2025 | Pendleton Street downtown
Hundreds of local artisans, vendors, food and family entertainment happen at this festival that has been going on for 30 years.
Pickens Azalea Festival
Saturday, April 26, 2025 | Greer City Park | 11 am to 5 pm
The highly attended annual international festival is celebrated in downtown Greer. Event-goers will have the opportunity to learn about more than 40 different countries and get a taste of their country’s cuisine from vendors and food trucks! There will be a children’s area, that will include arts and crafts from different cultures. FREE
Greer Goes Global: International Festival
Saturday, April 26th, 2025 | Downtown Fountain Inn | 12 pm – 6 pm
Embrace and celebrate Italian heritage at this festival! There will be lots of delicious food, beer & wine, food demonstrations, Italian memorabilia, crafts, and games for the entire family to enjoy.
Italian American Heritage Festival
Saturday, May 3, 2025 | 11 am – 3 pm
Sponsored by the Simpsonville Arts Foundation, this festival will have kids activities, food vendors, live music, chalk art, and art demos. It’s free to attend.
Spring Into Art Festival
Saturday, May 3, 2025 | Falls Park | 2:30 pm
Seeing 10,000 rubber duckies racing down the falls at Falls Park is quite the spectacle. The festival is actually a big event to raise money for local charities and incorporates food, a giant duck mascot wandering around taking photos with kids, fun crafts for the little ones, and music. Here’s KAG’s story on the Duck Derby, which explains how it all works. FREE
Duck Derby
May 9-11, 2025
Probably the most anticipated spring festival in Greenville, Artisphere lives up to its reputation as one of the very best events in the Southeast. But it’s awesome for kids too! They have an entire area aptly called Kidsphere full of kid-friendly activities, building blocks, and STEM-related and hands-on exhibits. There are also several performing artists that are exciting to watch for all ages. FREE
Artisphere
May 16-18, 2025 | St. George Greek Orthodox Church, Greenville
I have a slight obsession with Greek pastries, especially the honey-drenched baklava, so I was more than happy to go to the Greek Festival last year and search it out. I was not disappointed. Not only was the baklava sweet and delicious, but the music, food, and kids area were enjoyable and entertaining. This festival immediately went on my to-do list for the spring of this year. The food is amazing – oh hi, tasty gyros! – and the music was lively. There is an admission charge of $3/person.
Greek Festival
Great Scot! Parade | Friday | May 23, 2025 | Main Street, Greenville | 6 pm
Greenville Scottish Games | Saturday | May 24, 2025 | Furman University, Travelers Rest
The Scots are back in full force and will keep you busy during Memorial Day Weekend! Join in on the fun, wear your tartans, and immerse yourself in Scottish culture including Celtic Music, Military Salute, Border Collie exhibition, British Classic Car Show and lots of more. This is a ticketed event.
Gallabrae
Saturday, June 7, 2025 | Dolly Cooper Park, Powdersville | 12-8 pm
This event sounds like it is going to be a blast! Dolly Cooper Park, in Powdersville, is nestled at a bend in the Saluda River–hence the “Rhythm on the River!” There will be live music from The Fortunate Sons, as well as food trucks, local vendors, and a kid’s zone. FREE
Rhythm on the River
Do you have a favorite Upstate Festival? Let us know in the comments.
Need more fun this spring?
Check out the Upstate’s Guide to Spring! It’s full of things to do and family fun.
Check out this list of spring festivals in Spartanburg, SC!
Inside: Parents share their family’s free Easter Bunny photos from both Bass Pro Shops & Cabela’s stores. Get all the details and find the 2025 registration link.
Have you visited the Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Easter Bunny? Your child can get a free photo with that famous rabbit, the Easter Bunny. Cabela’s and Bass Pro Shops will host the Easter Bunny in April 2025 on April 5th and 6th, plus April 12th-20th, 2025. Check out the fun photos families have shared with us and get all the details you need to know about this opportunity for free family fun and memory-making at Cabela’s.
📸🐰 FREE Easter Bunny Photos at Bass Pro Shops & Cabela’s! 🐰📸
🗓 Dates:
✔ April 5-6 & April 12-20, 2025
⏰ Hours vary, so check with your local store!
🔗 Registration opens March 29, 2025—spots fill FAST!
Want more than just the free photo? You can grab additional prints starting at $15.
Check out these adorable snapshots from past visits and start planning your Easter family tradition today!
We are answering the 4 biggest questions about visiting the Easter Bunny at Cabela’s in 2025:
Special thanks to our readers who provided some adorable photos of their children with the Easter Bunny from previous year’s events!
Yes! Guests who would like to receive a free 4 x 6 professional photo with the Easter Bunny and your family or even just the kids, can do so this year at Cabela’s and Bass Pro Shops.
Also, you can expect to find more details on Cabela’s Easter Event Page.
The photo is a professional 4×6 photo, printed free by Cabela’s & Bass Pro Shops. This is not just a photo op with mom or dad behind the cell phone camera. Mom and Dad can even get in the photo, too! We love opportunities for free fun and memory-making. Free holiday photos are definitely a rare treat for families.
Reservations: Book your 2025 Easter Bunny visit here.
Bass Pro Shops & Cabela’s typically has the Easter Bunny visit for two weekends before Easter. This year the Easter Bunny will be on site April 5th and 6th, 2025, plus April 12th through April 20th, 2025.
Do check with your local store as the times may vary from store to store!
Registration to see the Easter Bunny at Cabela’s will open March 29th, 2025
Yes. You do need to register in advance to visit with the Easter Bunny at Cabela’s or Bass Pro Shops. The registration link for visits and photos with the bunny, all free, can be found on the Bass Pro Shops Easter Event page.
If you really love your photo, you can purchase packages with additional photos starting at $15.
The Cabela’s & Bass Pro Easter Bunny Photo Packages are:
Have you visited Cabela’s for photos?
Where can you find free kits and workshops for kids?
Here’s our list of stores and venues that offer totally free things to do for kids.
Looking for more? Did you know Cabela’s also hosts Santa at Christmas time, and you can get another free 4×6 professional photo of your kids with Santa? It’s true. Read all about in our review of Santa at Cabela’s. Then mark your calendars to check back for a registration date in November.
Have you seen the Duck Derby in Greenville, SC? No, it’s not a giant bathtub with thousands of rubber duckies – it’s the 21st Annual Reedy River Duck Derby! Sponsored by the Rotary Club of the Reedy River Greenville, it is certainly a bucket list item if you live in the Greenville area. The 21st Annual Reedy River Duck Derby is set for Saturday, May 3, 2025, at 2:30 pm at the trumpet call. The entire event is from 11 am – 4 pm with the duck race starting at 2:30 pm.
The Duck Derby is not only a fantastic way to spend an afternoon but it’s also a great way to support wonderful charities.
(more…)Inside: Local parents share inexpensive things to do during Spring Break in the Upstate, SC.
Searching for cheap things to do for spring break? Spring Break fun doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg. There are plenty of things to do in the area and at home that will quickly fill up the downtime during the break and even better, don’t require a ton of energy or planning. Plus, they won’t break the bank or require a road trip.
Read on to discover ten cheap things to do for an affordable spring break.
Looking for more about spring break in Greenville? Go to our Ultimate Guide to Spring Break in Greenville, SC for things to do, local travel, and more.
(more…)Ready to celebrate Holi in Greenville, SC? Locally, this springtime Hindu festival will be celebrated on Sunday March 16, 2025 at the Vedic Center of Greenville in Mauldin. Learn about this family-friendly event where you can experience Holi in Greenville, SC.
(more…)Are you looking for a kid-friendly race in Greenville this season? Check out this list of some of the fun races for the whole family.
Greenville is a great place to go for a run, a jog or a walk. The weather is fairly cooperative, even during the colder winter months, to run outside all year round. But as the trees bloom and the milder temperatures are more predictable, getting in daily exercise is pretty easy and enjoyable. If you have little ones and a jogging stroller, running is a great way to get in a workout and entertain your kids. While you may not be as fast as you are without the jogger, entering a local race is a fun way to enjoy the great weather, meet other runners, and run your way around Greenville.
There are so many fun things to do this spring in Greenville, SC!
Are you looking for the perfect Easter Egg hunt in Greenville, Spartanburg, or Upstate, SC? We have an amazing list of egg hunts, Easter bunny photos, Easter farm events, crafts, and all sorts of kid-friendly 2025 Easter events in the Upstate SC area. Bookmark this list!
