What’s Happening for Free: Family Events in the Upstate
Looking for fun and free events happening in and around Greenville? You’re in the right place! This list is updated almost daily with local events where your family can play, explore, and make memories — without opening your wallet. From outdoor concerts and storytimes to seasonal festivals and community celebrations, these events are easy to enjoy and perfect for all ages.
Bookmark this list and check back often — we’re always adding new ways to have fun for free!
Free Events
FREE TO THE PUBLIC!
Join us for our Autumn Vendor Market! There will be over 50 vendors set up OUTSIDE, wrapping around the building! There will also be delicious food trucks to grab lunch from, a beverage trailer, bounce house, a highland cow petting zoo AND MORE! You don’t want to miss this awesome event and opportunity to support your local businesses and get a head start on holiday shopping!
🗓️ When? Saturday, November 7th 2026
⏰ Time? 11 AM until 3 PM
📍 Where? Westside Market Greenville located at 3510 Augusta Road Greenville, SC
Event is rain or shine (but will be reassessed if dangerous weather is in the forecast)
Story-based performance with dancers from the International Ballet. Families welcome
★ FeaturedCelebrate fall at Hampton Park Baptist Church’s free Harvest Happening, featuring carnival games, cookie decorating, touch-a-truck, bounce houses, hayrides, and face painting for the whole family.
Meet Santa for free at Bass Pro Shops! The season starts with Santa’s Arrival Party on Saturday, November 7 at 5 p.m., with a tree lighting, treats, and a free mini reindeer plush while supplies last.
Free photos with Santa then run daily from November 8 through December 24.
Learn more here.
Each family gets a complimentary 4×6 print and a shareable video, and up to eight people can be in the photo. Reservations are required and open November 1. Time slots run about every 15 minutes starting at 10 a.m., and weekends near Christmas fill up fast, so book early!
Hartness Performing Arts Center at Christ Church Episcopal School
Experience just how vividly an orchestra can paint pictures and tell stories without saying a single word.
Arnold Bax’s November Woods takes us into a late-autumn landscape filled with wind, changing skies, fading light, and turbulence. From there, we meet one of music’s great troublemakers in Richard Strauss’ Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks, as the orchestra brings Till’s mischievous adventures to life. We finish with Ravel’s Daphnis et Chloé, Suite No. 2, a dazzling display of orchestral color that takes us from a breathtaking sunrise to an exhilarating final dance.
As a pre-Thanksgiving tradition, Foothills asks their audience to help Greer Community Ministries replenish their food pantry for needy families by donating canned goods at this performance.
Join us at the reception following the concert and get to know the musicians over food and conversation. This Classically Casual Concert, Reception and Parking are – absolutely FREE!
Hear Ye, Hear Ye! A Royal Family Adventure Awaits! 🐉
Calling all kings, queens, knights, princesses, and dragon slayers! Gather your little lords and ladies for an afternoon of merriment, games, and medieval mischief!
Prepare for a royal good time filled with jousting, Renaissance recreation, and family fun fit for the whole kingdom. And fear not, hungry adventurers—there’s no need to feast on a turkey leg! We’re bringing the Middle Ages into the modern age with delicious medieval-style pizza from Local Pie Pizza! 🍕⚔️
So dust off your crowns, ready your swords, and bring the whole family for an afternoon of Renaissance revelry. It’s sure to be a knight to remember!
📅 Sunday, November 8, 2026
⏰ 4:00–6:00 p.m.
📍 Sanctuary Church
302 Parkins Mill Road
Greenville, SC 29607
All ye are welcome! Bring your little princes and princesses and join us for a royal celebration of food, fun, and fellowship!
FREE TO THE PUBLIC!
Join us for our November Trailblazer Market!
You’ll find the perfect hand crafted products, decor, art, farm goods, sourdough, sweets, salsa and SO MUCH MORE! We proudly present a wide variety of vendors! There will be OVER 50 small businesses in attendance for you to shop from, delicious food trucks to grab lunch, face painting and more!
This is an all OUTSIDE event! It is rain or shine!
SC Veterans Upstate Salute is an all-ages event dedicated to honoring our nation’s veterans and active-duty military. Admission is complimentary. Claim your free ticket here.
Scheduled Events:
– Headline concert featuring rising country artist Dylan Marlowe
– Warbirds Flyover
– Special Forces Parachute Team jump
– Drone Team demonstration
– K-9 Team demonstration
– Military vehicles on display
– National Anthem sung by firefighter Jake Mantooth
– JL Mann H.S. Drill Team
– Bugler (TAPS) performed by Ted Brocklehurst
– Greenville Pipes and Drums
– Rifle Salute
– Veteran Recognition
– Clemson Pershing Rifles Soldiers Battlefield Cross
– Clemson Pershing Rifles POW/MIA Table Ceremony
– Pledge of Allegiance and Flag Retirement performed by Boy Scout #159
– Armed Forces Song performed by Vocal Matrix
– Invocation and Benediction
Experience the remarkable true story of three animal species rescued from brink of extinction. Join this amazing adventure to save California’s enchanting Channel Island Fox, China’s fabled Golden Monkey and the wondrous migrating crabs of Christmas Island. Discover the heartfelt and ingenious human efforts to rescue endangered species around the world. Doors close promptly at 3:30 p.m. If you need to leave for any reason, you are welcome to do so, but you will not be able to reenter the theater until the show is finished. Food and drinks are not allowed. Electronic devices should be set to silent. Target audience 9-adult. Some scenes may be disturbing for small children. Loud sounds and bright, flashing lights may affect some audience members. Registration opens two weeks before the show and is required for this free show. The entire presentation runs 50-60 minutes. Registration may be required.
Crafts, coloring, and games for ages 6–12. Join the library for a free program for kids and families.
Use pastels and black paper to make leaf impressions. Ages 6–12.
Bring your Pokémon™ cards and games to trade, battle, and more. Cards provided for game play or use your own. Ages 6–12.
Sample a variety of pies, rank them, and vote for your favorite. Open to the first 15 teens ages 12-18 or in grades 7-12 only.
Come in and make a Bowl Cozy to hold your soup and chili bowls this winter. Sewing for Beginners is required to take this class. This program is most suitable for ages 12 and up. Space is available to the first 6 participants. Please register 1 weeks in advance beginning, November 4th.
Bring your littles to the front steps of M. Judson for our twice-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. If you catch them on a rainy day or cold day, storytime is held inside in the children’s section toward the back of the store. Keep up with changes to the schedule here> Book Store & Coffee Shop in Downtown Greenville Check out our Review of Storytime on the Steps at M. Judson Booksellers!
Do your kids love Play-Doh? Then come join Play-Doh Club. This program is best for ages 2-6 and has a limited room capacity. We will start handing out tickets at the Circulation Desk at 10:30 a.m.
Explore basic robotics with Ozobots. Ages 6–12. Join the library for a free program for kids and families.
Paint what you’re thankful for on a rock to take home. Ages 6–12.
Stressed with studies or exams? Relax with dogs from our local chapter of Alliance Therapy Dogs. Learn about them and their training or simply enjoy some stress relief. Please register online in advance. For teens ages 12-18 or in grades 7-12. Registration may be required.
Drop-in event for families. Supplies are limited. Join the library for a free program for kids and families.
Join in this fall for fun evenings under the stars at Doodle Park Pavilion:
November 12 — Moana 2
December 10 — The Grinch
Bring your chairs, blankets, family, and friends for a great night at the movies in downtown Pickens. Popcorn and drinks will be available for purchase.
Are you supermarket smart? Test your skills by guessing spices, estimating prices, and deciding if name brand products are really worth it. This activity is most suitable for the 6-12 age group. Allergens may be present. Ingredients list available day of program. Materials available to the first 30 participants. Ask for tickets at the Children’s Department desk starting at 10:30 a.m.
Join GCCA for the first Friday of the month for our NightShifts. Every month you can enjoy new gallery exhibitions, studio artists, performing arts series, demos, and more. It is free to attend and open to all ages. After you’ve visited, hop over to other open galleries and restaurants in the West Village or Downtown Greenville!
Address: 101 Abney St. Greenville, SC 29611
Time: 5:00 – 8:00pm
Dates:
6/05/2026
7/10/2026
No August Nightshifts (event combined with Art Bash X Annual Showcase)
9/04/2026
10/02/2026
11/13/2026
12/04/2026
Did you love this list? There’s a lot more to explore.
- Free Things to Do in the Upstate: a list of great things to do that are free or very cheap
- Find more family-friendly events on our Kidding Around Greenville Calendar