What’s Happening for Free: Family Events in the Upstate

UHM is open on the first Thursday evening of select months throughout 2026

Catch Elf (rated PG) for free at NCG Cinema Spartanburg’s Holiday Free Film Fest! Buddy, raised as an elf at the North Pole, heads to New York City to find his family and save Christmas.
🎟️ Cost: Free (reserve free tickets in advance)
📍 Location: NCG Cinema Spartanburg, 1985 E. Main St., Spartanburg, SC 29307
👉 Read more

Here’s the full list of movies and times: NCG Holiday Film Fest.

Build, create, and visit with friends. We will have lots of LEGO bricks and other blocks to fuel your creativity. This program is for kids in the 5 to 12 age range.

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

One of the Upstate’s most beloved holiday traditions! Enjoy free holiday craft stations, trackless train rides, roaming carolers, live music, an ice sculpture demo, food vendors, and s’mores and hot chocolate. Santa and Mrs. Claus join Mayor Danner to light the tree.

The Union County Chamber of Commerce lists the Christmas parade and tree lighting together on Main Street in Union.

This year’s Pickens Christmas Parade theme is “An Appalachian Christmas.”

Home Depot Kids Workshops happen on the first Saturday of every month from 9 AM–12 PM, offering free, hands-on building projects for kids with all supplies included (kit, tools, paint, apron, and instructions). Each month features a new themed project kids can build and take home, plus they’ll earn a collectible pin and certificate.

Find this event at your local Home Depot

👉Learn more about the upcoming Home Depot Kids Workshops

The parade runs on South Broad Street in downtown Clinton, and this year’s theme is “Lights, Camera, Christmas!”

Catch Elf (rated PG) for free at NCG Cinema Spartanburg’s Holiday Free Film Fest! Buddy, raised as an elf at the North Pole, heads to New York City to find his family and save Christmas.
🎟️ Cost: Free (reserve free tickets in advance)
📍 Location: NCG Cinema Spartanburg, 1985 E. Main St., Spartanburg, SC 29307
👉 Read more

Here’s the full list of movies and times: NCG Holiday Film Fest.

Greer Farmers Market Presents 2-Day Christmas Festival at Greer City Park

December 5 & 6 , 2026 | 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM | Greer City Park

Greer, SC – The Greer Farmers Market, in partnership with the City of Greer, is proud to present its annual Christmas Market on Saturday, December 5 and Sunday, December 6, from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM at the beautiful Greer City Park (301 E Poinsett St, Greer, SC 29651).

This beloved two-day holiday festival will feature over 65 farmers, makers, and bakers, as well as local food trucks, live music, and children’s activities. Families and friends are invited to shop for unique holiday gifts, enjoy festive treats, and celebrate the season in the heart of Downtown Greer.

Children’s activities include crafts, bounce house (weather permitting), and free $5 produce vouchers for kids through our POP Club Programs. 

Set against the backdrop of Greer City Park’s 12-acre tree canopy, the market offers visitors paved sidewalks, a playground, fountains, open fields, shuttle service, and convenient amenities including restrooms. Guests can enjoy the festive atmosphere while supporting local businesses and farmers.

The Christmas Festival is part of a larger slate of seasonal celebrations across Greer. To explore more holiday festivities happening in town, visit discovergreer.com.

About the Greer Farmers Market

Since its founding in 2015, the Greer Farmers Market has grown from a small gathering of 10 vendors on Trade Street to a thriving non-profit 501(c)(3) organization hosting year-round events at Greer City Park. Today, the market regularly features over 70 vendors and welcomes more than 2,000 attendees at peak events. Seasonal markets are held weekly from May through August and monthly from September through April, culminating in the annual 2-day Christmas Festival.

The Market serves a diverse community of shoppers—young families, professionals, and seniors alike—while staying true to its mission: to support local farmers, bakers, and hand-made businesses by providing an accessible platform to sell in-season goods directly to Greer residents and visitors. The Market is committed to fostering a healthy, sustainable food system, community education, and a thriving local economy.

Join us December 5 & 6 for the Christmas Market at Greer City Park—where holiday spirit, local makers, and community come together.

What happens when the bands, camels and floats arrive in Highlands? An amazing small-town Christmas parade! Gather family, friends and neighbors on Main Street for this long-standing Highlands tradition. The parade begins at 10 am.

First Saturday of the month Other Lands has crafts, snacks, and rotating themed activities.

You can view their calendar on their webpage – https://www.otherlandsbrew.com/weekly-calendar

Need a gift idea this holiday season? You can find great deals on books, magazines, movies and more while enjoying a complementary hot chocolate at our Friends of the Cowpens Library winter sale.

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!

 

Celebrate the holiday season with a free, family-friendly gathering at Greenridge. Take a break from your shopping to pose for FREE photos with Santa, make a fun craft or two, sing a carol around our colorful piano, visit with local favorites like Reedy Rip’It, enjoy face painting and more fun for all ages. There will also be cookies and hot chocolate, a Barnes & Noble book drive supporting Happy Wheels, giveaways and all kinds of good stuff. Save the date to join us!

This workshop covers navigating around Excel, entering data, selecting data, adjusting rows and columns, and using basic formulas. Sign up by phone at 864-439-4759 or in person.

The 52nd annual Cashiers parade runs along US Highway 64 West and NC 107 South, with decorated floats, local organizations, school groups, fire trucks, classic cars and a special appearance by Santa Claus.

Now called the Miracle on Main Street Parade, it’s followed by Light Up the Night.

This year’s theme is “Come Home to Laurens: Christmas at the Movies.” The parade route goes up Main Street, and Santa Claus is scheduled to make his appearance.

The parade is part of Main Street Inman’s Light Up Inman (5:15 – 9 pm), with festive lights, family fun and Santa.

Chesnee holds its annual Christmas parade in the evening on Saturday, December 5.

The Hendersonville Christmas Parade runs along Main Street in Hendersonville.

This Greenville tradition has taken place for over 75 years. The route runs down Main Street from the intersection with Augusta to the intersection at North Street, rain or shine. The city asks that you leave pets, skateboards, bicycles and coolers at home, and the event is smoke-free.