20+ Things To Do in Greenville in Spring

Downtown Alive & Main Street Fridays

2021 Start Date TBD

Downtown Alive: Thursday, Mid-March-August: 5:30pm-8:30pm
Main Street Fridays: Fridays, Mid-March-September: 5:30pm-9:30pm

These two staples of Downtown Greenville kick off in March (19th & 20th). Expect live music, food vendors, and drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic). And remember that even though it’s free to attend these events, you’ll need money to purchase any beverages and munchies.

The parties are centered around Noma Square on the northern end of downtown.

St Patrick’s Day Parade & Celebration

March 13, 2021: 11am-8pm

This is Greenville’s St. Paddy’s Day party. It starts off with a parade and then ends with a celebration complete with music, food, dancing, and, of course, green beer. The main party happens in Noma Square and they block off the whole block.

St. Patrick’s Day at 13 Stripes

March 13, 2021: 6pm

13 Stripes always has some amazing events. Plus if you’ve never been to there Taylor’s Mill brewery you are missing out. I love the industrial feel (plus, you know, all the delicious beer). And they’ve got a celtic rock band to really get you in the mood. Tickets are just $5.

St. Paddy’s Day Dash & Bash

2021 Date TBD

Want even more St. Patrick’s Day fun? This 5K run/walk based around Fluor Field would be a great kickoff to your Saturday morning. Besides the 5K itself, there will be a post-race party complete with food, drinks, a silent auction, and a kid’s run and fun zone.

SC Comicon

April 17-18, 2021

Want to get your geek on? Then head to Greenville’s Comicon at the TD Convention Center. You’ll find some amazing artists, cartoonists, writers, celebrity guests, collectibles, and cosplayers.

And after Day 1, head to Brewery 85 for the annual SC Comicon Drink and Draw. (This event has not been scheduled yet. Check Brewery 85’s events as the dates get closer.) Donated pieces are put up for purchase to raise money for charity.

Spring Flea at Swamp Rabbit Cafe

2021 Dates are TBD

Two Saturdays in April

Each spring and fall, Swamp Rabbit Cafe & Grocery hosts a small arts & crafts fair in their back lot. Tons of artisans from around the region come to the flea market. Peruse among painters, jewelry makers, florists, sculptors, designers, craft dog biscuit makers, and more! And then afterward, kickback with a some craft pizza or a pint in their outdoor patio.

Albino Skunk Festival

Festival is tentative

May 13-15, 2021

With a description like “the best music festival in South Carolina” you know right off the bat what you’ll find here. This tri-annual event features some of the best Americana, Folk, Roots, and Bluegrass artists, plus a whole lot more. And you can camp there for just $35. Ticket prices are a lot more (~$50-~$150), but I love that you can stay there all weekend for a very low price.

Artisphere

Attendance will be limited this year. The event will be gated, and entry will be timed and ticketed. Reservations are strongly encouraged.

May 7-9, 2021

This is Greenville’s best art festival all year. And it’s one of my favorite events. Artists from around the region come to showcase their work. And while you can buy, it’s perfectly ok to just look and admire. I’m always drawn to the photographers, painters, and sketch artists. And they’re usually open to any conversations you may want to have.

India Craft Parade: Mother’s Day Pop Up Shop

Store – May 7-9: 11am-5pm
Outdoor Market – May 8: 10am-4pm

Want to give your mom something special for mother’s day? Stop by the Indie Craft Parade’s shop and outdoor market Mother’s Day Weekend and pick her up something special! With handcrafted goods from 30+ artists, you’ll be sure to find something to suit your mom.

Starry Nights at the Roper Mountain Science Center

Friday Nights starting at 6pm

The planetarium at the Roper Mountain Science Center hold two shows every Friday at 6pm & 8pm. One focuses on the earth, sun, & moon. The later one will teach you about the stars (plus it’s narrated by Mark Hamill for fellow Star Wars nerds). They last about 1.5 hours each. Personally I can’t wait to listen to Luke Skywalker.

Toasty Farmer

First 2 Saturdays in March: 11am-2pm

Through the winter and March, Brewery 85 hosts a winter farmer’s market featuring up to 50 vendors bringing in everything from artisan cheeses to baked goods to jewelry. And of course there’s the beer at Brewery 85 to enjoy as well. (Food trucks in attendance as well!)

Watch a Movie in the Park

2021 Start Date TBD

Wednesdays in May

Every Wednesday evening in May the city hosts a free movie right in Falls Park. They bring out a huge screen and then start the movie once it gets dark out. The range of movies also varies quite a bit from more modern-ish flicks to classics. You’ll want to bring your own chairs and it’s BYOB (if you buy a $1 wristband).

Wings of the City

April 2, 2021 – October 2021

Greenville will be the first city on the East Coast to host Jorge Marín’s Wings of the City exhibition. The bronze sculptures will be on display throughout Falls Park and the grounds of the Peace Center for about 6 months starting in April. The exhibit promotes art as a universal language that bonds people and their countries together. Visit Wings of the City to learn more about the collection and where each statue will be located.

Catch a Comedy Show

Okay so the spring isn’t all about the outdoor lifestyle. Sometimes it’s rainy. And one of the best things to do in town when it’s pouring outside is to hit up a comedy show. Luckily we have several places around town to get your fix.

• Coffee Underground has improv shows on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings
• The Comedy Zone also has acts almost every weekend night as well.
• Cafe and Then Some is a comedy + dinner theatre and though I’ve never been, people I’ve talked to have loved it.

Tacos ‘n Tequila Fiesta

​May 2, 2021: 1-4pm; 5-8pm

If you love tacos (who doesn’t??), especially creative ones and you have a hankering for some craft cocktails, do I have the festival for you! Hosted in the beautiful Old Cigar Warehouse, this event always sells out early. Book asap for one of the best food + drink festivals all year.

Greek Festival

2021 Dates TBD
In 2020 this was held in August, not sure if they’re moving it back to spring yet.

One thing I love about Greenville is how diverse the town is. We have a Greek community and once a year in the spring, they put on one of the best festivals in town. There’s food and dancing and music, but I go for the food. All the food. (The pastry room inside is where it’s at!)

And many people I know around town will go through their “drive-thru” during the festival. It’s that good.

Brew in the Zoo

May 14, 2021: 6:00pm-10:00pm
(Ticket Sales start in April)

I love our local zoo. And twice a year they put on two adult events. This one is for the beer lovers. Tickets are around ~$50 and they usually sell out early. But trust me, strolling the zoo after hours (when the animals are more active), drinking great craft beer, and listening to some music is pretty wonderful.

Scout Out Some Barbeque

Sometimes it’s food that reminds me of warmer weather. And as it gets hotter, I start to crave some barbecue. And though I can make it myself…I love going to get some barbecue because damn smoking a brisket takes HOURS!

• Smokin’ Pig
• Mike & Jeffs BBQ
• Moe’s Original Bar B Que (a chain but still oh so good)
• Monkey Wrench Smokehouse

And if you want more options, download the Trail Map for lots more options.

Mutt Strut

2021 Date TBD

Want to stroll down Main Street with your best friend while benefiting the Greenville Humane Society? Welcome to the Mutt Strut, a 2-mile walk/run through downtown with your dog! Afterward, you can find live music, free pizza, and more at the Mutt Market festival. Make sure to grab your tickets early because you can’t register the day of!

Zoom Through the Zoo 5K

May 8, 2021

Ready for another 5K? This race include a loop through the Greenville Zoo. So if you’ve ever wanted to run by a giraffe (and pretend you’re sprinting through the grasslands of Africa), then this is the face for you. Just be aware that the zoo is on a pretty big hill. Prepare yourself!

Bike the Swamp Rabbit Trail

This is one of the things to do in Greenville. And if you haven’t hit it on 2 wheels, you’re missing out. Don’t know what the Swamp Rabbit Trail is? It’s basically a 22 mile, multi-use trail (think rails to trails) that connects Greenville to Travelers Rest.

Every day of the week you can find people out and about on it walking, running, biking, out with their dog, etc. It’s one of my favorite things to do. And there’s amazing restaurants, shops, and breweries right off the trail that make it a great way to spend your day.

Live to the west of Greenville? Then check out the Doodle Trail!

Bendy Birds Yoga

Want to do some yoga in a brewery? And not just any brewery…but one of my favorite breweries? Yep that’s right. Birds Fly South hosts a 1 hour long yoga session every Saturday at noon.

Just $10 covers the class AND a beer.

Mouse Scavenger Hunt

Okay this might seem like something just for the kiddies…and maybe it is. But I’ve seen groups of adults combine beer crawls with this. So what is it? Basically 9 little statues of mice are hidden around Greenville. And with just clues, you’ll have to find them all. Lots of fun for kids and adults (maybe also adults a few drinks in).

Pick Some Strawberries

Spring = the growing season for me. It’s when I want to go to the farmer’s market, plant some herbs, and eat all the fresh produce I’ve been dreaming of all winter.

So if you are a strawberry fiend (like me), you can pick your own strawberries at a couple of places from mid-April through June.

• Sandy Flat Berry Patch
• Beechwood Farms

White Water Rafting

There are quite a few places around the upstate and in nearby North Carolina to go white water rafting. And the spring (as the winter waters are released) is one of the best times to head out. I’ve been out rafting on the Chattooga River with Natahala Outdoor Center. They offer several trips on different rivers and have some runs with rapids up to class IV/V.

NCAA Women’s Basketball SEC Championship

March 3 – 7, 2021

In recent years, our Bon Secours Wellness Arena has hosted a few of the NCAA basketball games. This year you can watch the College Division 1 Women’s SEC Championship right downtown.

Swamp Rabbits Hockey

Okay so you know Greenville has a very popular minor league baseball team, but what about hockey? Meet the Swamp Rabbits. Though the name has changed over time, I still love to go and watch a game. (Hockey being one of my favorite sports to watch in person.) Their games run all the way through spring, so it’s a great activity on a cold rainy spring day.

Reedy River Duck Derby

The race will be virtual for 2021.

May 1, 2021: 2:30pm

Want to see 10,000 rubber duckies race through Falls Park and down the waterfall? Yea, I thought you would. The Reedy River Duck Derby is an all-day event centered around the race. All proceeds go to helping local charities. Adopting a duck is only $10 and allows you to have stake in the race.

Greenville Drive Baseball Game

Games start May 4 – new protocols in place for the 2021 season

You might think a minor league baseball game might not be all the rage. But going to the games is a major thing to do. There are always a lot of people in attendance any day of the week. And it all starts in May.

Greenville Scottish Games

Saturday, May 29, 2021

Need a Memorial Day Weekend activity? Then head on over to Furman for the Scottish Games. There will be loads of events and competitions (think men hurling huge things), food, drinks, music and more. And if parades are your thing, you can catch their Scottish parade the night before (Friday night) in downtown Greenville!

Chimney Rock Day Trip

I sometimes forget how many amazing things are within driving distance of Greenville. Chimney Rock State Park is one of these beauties. Located just about 1 hour and 15 minutes north of us in North Carolina, this is definitely worth the drive.

The main draw of course is the view. But you’ll need to work for it! The climb up to the rock is intense (so…many…stairs) and though there is an elevator, it was out of order when we went. But that view is worth it!

Visit the Smoky Mountains

Did you know that the Great Smoky Mountains, the most visited national park in America, is reachable in just 2-3 hours from Greenville? Okay so this may not be a day trip, but weekend getaway anyone?

There’s lots of different campgrounds around the park that could bring the cost of a weekend trip way down. (Remember that the park is huge so make sure to look up the location of the campground first before you go.)

And with lots of different hikes, viewpoints, and auto-tours, there’s no reason not to take advantage of this national park. Plus going in the spring will help you avoid the summer (high) season and lots of crowds.

Don’t know where to start? Here’s one of my favorite hikes and drives!

Did I miss a great thing to do in Greenville in Spring thing? Let me know!