Are you planning to celebrate the berry season with one of the many berry festivals near Greenville, SC? South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia have several berry festivals is spring and summer worth a visit to. What better item to celebrate with a festival than juicy, sweet berries?
Strawberries, Blueberries, and Blackberries are celebrated nationwide; luckily, we have a handful of festivals that are accessible to the Upstate! If you’re a huge fan of these vitamin-packed gems, you can plan your summer vacation to include part of a festival a little further from home!
Looking for a place to go strawberry picking? Greenville, SC and the surrounding area have over a dozen farms just waiting for you to pick those juicy berries! If you don’t like doing the hard work yourself, you will also find farms that have prepicked berries for you. Here’s the inside scoop about which local farms to go strawberry picking in Greenville, Spartanburg, and the Anderson areas.
And since we know how much you all love maps, we made one for all these strawberry farms:
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.
Saturday, March 16, 2024 | NOMA Square | 10 am – 8 pm Lots of wonderful Irish entertainment is planned and the festival is for all ages. The parade starts at 10 am. FREE Greenville St. Patrick’s Day Festival
Friday, April 12 – Saturday, 13, 2024 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 6, 2024 | 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 6, 2024 – Sunday, April 7, 2024 | Village Green Local vendors, music, art and family entertainment. FREE Historic Pendleton Spring Jubilee
Saturday, April 13, 2024 | Happy Cow Creamery Celebrate Happy Cow and local vendors at this inaugural festival from 9 am – 4 pm. There will be giveaways, vendors, food trucks, and music. Spring Shindig
Saturday, April 13, 2024 | 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 20, 2024 | 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. $8/adults, $5/kids, free/kids 2 and under. Spring Means Babies
Friday, April 26, 2024 – Sunday, April 28, 2024 Friday 5 to 10 pm | Saturday 11 am to 9 pm | Sunday 12 pm to 6 pm Lots of live entertainment, food, and vendors plus a Family Fun Zone and cycling race. FREE entry, cost of food and entertainment extra. Spartanburg Spring Fling
Saturday, April 20, 2024 | Greer City Park | 11 am to 4 pm The highly attended annual international festival iscelebrated 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 27th, 2024 | 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
April 26, 2024- April 27, 2024 | 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, May 4, 2024 | 10 am – 4 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 4, 2024 | 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
Saturday, May 4, 2024 | 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
May 10, 2024 – May 12, 2024 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 17, 2024 – May 19, 2024 | 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 and we’ll update it when it’s announced. Greek Festival
Great Scot! Parade|Friday |May 24, 2024 |Main Street, Greenville| 6 pm Greenville Scottish Games |Saturday | May 25, 2024 |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
Do you have a favorite Upstate Festival? Let us know in the comments.
Planning out your spring weekends? How about one of the spring festivals in Spartanburg? The weather is warming up and families will be looking for a way to enjoy the outdoors. These springtime festivals are a great way to get out and soak up some sunshine. Just don’t forget the sunblock!
Have you seen the Duck Derby in Greenville, SC? No, it’s not a giant bathtub with thousands of rubber duckies – it’s the 20th 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 20th Annual Reedy River Duck Derby is set for Saturday, May 4, 2024, at 2:30 pm. 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.
With spring break around the corner, Kidding Around Greenville gives you a list of fun day trips not too far from home. To make room for some unpredictable weather, we have separated the list of spring day trips near Greenville, SC into two main categories: indoor and outdoor.
To help in your trip planning, we have also listed a summary of driving times in the end. Before going, just be mindful of operation hours. Lastly, don’t forget to take photos and tag us on social media!
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 to buy some healthy fruit and vegetable starters at a local plant nursery? Greenville, SC has several that have plants ready for your garden. We’ve got all the info so you can visit a locally owned Greenville, SC plant nursery to grab some plants and start that garden.
Have you enjoyed Hatcher Garden in Spartanburg, SC? Just a couple miles off of I-26 in Spartanburg, among shopping and restaurants on the busy main thoroughfare of John D. White, Sr. Blvd, is a 10-acre botanical garden and woodland preserve.
The beautiful space is full of ponds, waterfalls, wildlife, trees and gardens with a wide variety of leafy and flowering plants. Hatcher Garden is open free to the public and should definitely be on your list of places to visit in Spartanburg.
Has your family visited the STEAM festival, iMAGINE Upstate? iMAGINE Upstate STEAM Festival is a free, interactive festival held annually in downtown Greenville. The 2024 iMAGINE UPstate Festival will be on Saturday, April 6th, 2024 so head to Main Street from 11 am to 5 pm. The outdoor festival is free, family-friendly, and will inspire your kids (and you) to learn about STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics).
The festival features more than 75 interactive exhibits and stage shows along Main Street in Downtown Greenville. The festival stretches from Main Street and Court Street and ends at Main Street and River Street. Free parking is available at the Richardson Garage and W. Washington Parking Deck. Trolleys will shuttle visitors throughout the festival. Or, ride the bus with your kids (they will think it’s so cool!) You can follow the Real-Time Bus Tracker app to find out where the bus is and where to be picked up and dropped off.
Thank you to iMAGINE Upstate for sponsoring this content.
Featured Exhibits at iMAGINE Upstate 2024
There will be dozens of exhibits from local organizations and companies that are grounded in STEAM backgrounds, including BMW Manufacturing, GE, ScanSource, World Explorers, and so many more! You can find a full list of sponsors and exhibitors on the iMAGINE Upstate Festival website. Exhibitors will have unique STEAM based demonstrations, crafts, and hands-on learning opportunities that will engage both you and your children. All of the activities are free, with the goal of inspiring the next generation of thinkers, tinkerers, and brilliant minds!
Coolers, pets, skateboards, skates, and bikes will not be allowed in the festival area. This is a smoke-free and alcohol-free festival too.
Some of the fun happening at the festival
Some of the Exhibitors to Visit at iMAGINE Upstate 2024
Kyocera-AVX : How do Electronics Work?
Take a look at science and technology and their usage in electronics by observing physics and the relationship between electricity, magnetism, power storage, and more!
Dodge Industrial: Friction!
See if you can fight the friction on different surfaces. Can you dodge a windmill to get your golf ball into the hole? Ever wonder how a conveyor belt works and maintains an optimal speed? Find out at this exhibit.
NCEES: Build an Earthquake Resistant Structure
Learn about why earthquakes happen and engineer a structure to resist an earthquake.
Food Trucks at iMAGINE Upstate 2024
There will be food trucks on-site at iMAGINE Upstate, including HipBurger, Luckei D’s Cafe, The Snickering Coyote, and Clare’s Creamery. You can find everything that the festival has to offer, including additional information, on the iMAGINE Upstate interactive map. And don’t forget to visit the Info Tents to pick up your free goodie bag and brochure with site map.
About iMAGINE Upstate iMAGINE Upstate fueled by ScanSource is a program of the Upstate SC STEM Collaborative and part of South Carolina’s Coalition for Mathematics Science (SCCMS) at Clemson University. Its mission is to create meaningful experiences that promote a culture of lifelong learning and professional growth with an emphasis on science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM), innovation, and entrepreneurial activity in South Carolina. For more information visit www.iMAGINEUpstate.org and follow on Facebook and @imagineupstate on Twitter. #iMAGINEif
