The annual Spartanburg Spring Fling runs April 26-28, 2024 in the streets of downtown Spartanburg. If you are new in town or have not been to Spring Fling, plan to visit this special outdoor festival with your family. Most local families agree this is an event they look forward to all year.
Heading to Spartanburg’s Spring Fling? Here’s What You Need to Know
Free holiday movies? Yep, you heard that right. NCG Cinemas has brought back their FREE Holiday Family Film Fest. Your family can load up on holiday cheer for free with three different holiday family movies throughout December 2023, and it won’t cost you a dime! We love free family fun and we know our readers do, too! Happy, happy (free) Christmas family fun!
NCG Cinemas 2023 Holiday Film Fest Schedule
13 December days with free Christmas movies at NCG movie theater? If that doesn’t put a little jingle in your step this season, we’re not sure what will. See the following movies free at NCG Cinemas in December 2023! Plus, each movie showing will have the option for a sensory-friendly viewing for 2023.
The Grinch (2018): December 8th-10th, 2023 at 10 am
ELF: December 15th – 17th, 2023 at 10 am
The Polar Express: December 18th – 24th, 2023 at 10 am
NCG Free Christmas movie calendar
December 8, 2023, see The Grinch free at 10 am
December 9, 2023, see The Grinch free at 10 am
December 15, 2023, see Elf free at 10 am
December 16, 2023, see Elf free at 10 am
December 17, 2023, see Elf free at 10 am
December 18, 2023, see The Polar Express free at 10 am
December 19, 2023, see The Polar Express free at 10 am
December 20, 2023, see The Polar Express free at 10 am
December 21, 2023, see The Polar Express free at 10 am
December 22, 2023, see The Polar Express free at 10 am
December 23, 2023, see The Polar Express free at 10 am
December 24, 2023, see The Polar Express free at 10 am
Free Christmas Movies Near Me?
Is there an NCG Cinemas with free Christmas movies near me?
In the Upstate, we are lucky to have NCG Cinemas right in Spartanburg, SC. You’ll be able to see NCG’s free Christmas movies at the Spartanburg location on the designated days.
For 2023, with each regular showing of the movie, the theatre will also host a sensory-friendly showing at the same time. When purchasing your tickets, be sure to select the showing you think is best for your child or family.
More Info for NCG Free Holiday Movies
Will there be popcorn and snack deals for the holiday film fest?
For 2023, guests can purchase a $5 Kids mini combo, which comes with a drink, popcorn, and a small treat (typically, fruit snacks). One combo per ticket.
Do I need tickets for the free movies at NCG Cinemas?
All guests will need a ticket and will reserve an assigned seat when purchasing their tickets online. Tickets sell out quickly, so purchase online.
Did you know there are a number of community events giving away free school supplies in Upstate, SC? Do you know of a family who needs help purchasing school supplies this year? A new school year is almost upon us. For most families a trip to the store for new supplies is imminent. These events will distribute free back to school supplies, so you have one less thing to worry about this school year!
A recent study revealed that most families of school-age children in the US spend between $500-700 on new school supplies. This amounts to a whopping estimated 80.7 billion dollars! That’s a lot of composition notebooks!
Are you looking for discounted kids meal deals at restaurants where kids eat free? Greenville, SC has some options to fit what your kids are craving. You may be wondering “What about deals where kids eat free near me”? We have all the location information you need! Finding meals that your kid will enjoy is made easy at these local restaurants that offer meal deals throughout the week. Grab your calendar and add these restaurants to your meal plan routine for a cheap and stress-free dining experience with the family!
Quick Links to Find Kids Eat Free Offers For The Day You Need!
Local artist Brandi Grover has always loved art, developing her passion in elementary school and growing into a mixed-media artist here in South Carolina. And she’s turned that passion into a book, or really several books, that let others join in on the fun. Yep, we’re talking about coloring books, specifically Brandi’s newest coloring that will take colorers on a trip across the Carolinas.
About Brandi
Brandi dabbles in lots of art including minimalist portraits, digital art, and window paintings. In fact, if you visited Gio’s Pastry Shop, you may have seen her work there along with other Upstate businesses. But today, we’re talking about her coloring books. She has 10 in total.
Her newest book features scenes from across both North and South Carolina. Brandi says these pages illustrate some of the most loved places across the Carolinas, as they are the result of social media polls where her friends and clients weighed in to determine what should be included. The project grew from just scenes of local gems, to become an exploration of the most beautiful spots from Charleston, SC all the way to Hendersonville, NC, and lots of places in between.
Color Your Way Through the Carolinas
The new coloring book, called Explore the Carolinas, is available for sale on Brandi’s website, as well as at several local spots including Steam Coffee and Cream and Gio’s Pastry Shop in Fountain Inn, SC.
You can also order Explore the Carolinas on her website. Actually, you can order several of her books on her website, including a cute coloring book with trucks and tractors, another with dinosaurs, and yet another with sweets and yummy-looking desserts. She also has a Mandala book for older colorers looking for a quiet way to wind down and relax.
The books can be purchased online directly from her and picked up locally in Gray Court, or shipped. But, you also have the option of purchasing her books from Amazon. Her website has a link to purchase on Amazon as well, so it’s easy to find exactly what you’re looking for.
Brandi’s books check all the boxes for a great local gift. Explore the Carolinas would be great for anyone who loves the outdoors, visiting the Carolinas, or maybe someone moving or new to the area.
Want to Try a Few Pages?
We have the coolest bonus for Kidding Around readers. Brandi made a 6-page Greenville, SC Heritage Green coloring book for us, featuring our very own explorer, Golly! We know your kiddos are going to love them. We love them, too. The pages of this book are totally free for our readers!
Is your child about to enter kindergarten? TCMU Spartanburg is helping kids get ready to start school with totally free pop-up classrooms! Kids will have an opportunity to experience a classroom setting, learn and practice classroom skills, visit the museum, and the class includes take-home activities. The weekly classes are totally free. Below you’ll all the details about registration, what to expect, class requirements, and more.
About the Pop-up Classrooms at TCMU Spartanburg
The pop-up classroom program runs from June 5th -July 31st, 2023. Students and their caregivers will attend one 1-hour class one day a week. Classes are offered Monday -Friday at 1 pm or 3 pm. Attendance once per week is required to stay in the program.
The program is open to any rising kindergartener, both K4 and K5. In addition to the weekly classes, students and caregivers get free admission to the museum plus take-home activities.
Why Get Ready for Kindergarten at TCMU?
“The transition to Kindergarten is both exciting and challenging! Research shows that only 27% of South Carolina public school Kindergarteners entered the school year with sufficient skills, knowledge, and abilities to engage with Kindergarten-level instruction (WestEd, 2021). Pop-Up Classrooms, which are based on the South Carolina Kindergarten Readiness Assessment, The Spartanburg Academic Movement’s Early Development Instrument (EDI), and South Carolina First Step’s Profile of a Ready Kindergartner, are designed to help children with this important life transition. Each classroom session focuses on a different skill necessary for young learners to be successful in a real classroom and is structured similar to a normal school day. TCMU-Spartanburg’s museum classroom will be set up like a real classroom, to help familiarize young learners with this new type of environment. Children will have the opportunity for structured and unstructured play and take-home activities each week to continue learning at home.
Pop-Up Classrooms at TCMU-Spartanburg are partially funded by South Carolina First Steps.
Space is limited and not all students will be accepted into the program. Applicants will be told if they have been accepted into the program by May 25th, 2023.
Looking for free indoor things to do in Greenville? KAG contributor Taryn has some ideas for you! In this list she’s bringing you some indoor spaces that are totally free to visit, provide your crew with entertainment and even some chances to learn a little something new.
Have you seen the panoramic views at the top of Echo Mountain from Jump Off Rock? Just a few minutes outside Hendersonville, NC in Laurel Park, NC is Jump Off Rock Park. You’ll drive straight to the top for some gorgeous views, and while you’re there you can do a little hiking or enjoy the grassy mountain top lawn for a picnic with a view. Admission is free and that’s not the only reason this park is so great for families. Here’s why we love Jump Off Rock.
If you have a train lover in your family we have all the info you’ll need to make the most of an afternoon at the Hub City Railroad Museum! Our review includes a brief history of the Hub City, some history and details about this free museum, and when to go.
COVID-19 Museum Opening Update According to the website, “After a year of being closed, the Hub City Railroad Museum is open again. Come by on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 10 am to 2 pm and check out our recently added display about the Pullman Company. We also have a new order of tee-shirts that have just arrived. There are some restrictions in place due to the virus. We will request that you wear a mask and we will be limiting the number of visitors at one time. We will be periodically sanitizing the museum, especially frequently touched items. Your understanding is appreciated. The caboose is still undergoing a major renovation, but there has be significant progress made. Stop by and peek in to see how the construction is going.”
Do you sometimes wonder if there is anything you personally can do to help those in need right in Spartanburg? Or maybe you know some kids who would benefit from a free breakfast and lunch program in Spartanburg over the summer? We’ve put together this list of local organizations helping out in Spartanburg – organizations that need your help too!
Did you know that Spartanburg county has the highest occurrence of food insecurity in the entire state?
Whether your family includes some of the over 40,000 people in Spartanburg who don’t know where their next meal is coming from, or your family would like to find out easy (and fun) ways to help, we’ve got the info you’ll need. You’ll also find information on free breakfast and lunch programs for kids this summer in Spartanburg!
Did you know your food stamp benefits get doubled at the Hub-City Farmers Market? Read one local mom’s review of the market.