20+ Things To Do in Greenville in Spring

Downtown Alive & Main Street Fridays

Downtown Alive: Thursday, March 17-August 25: 5:30pm-8:30pm
Main Street Fridays: Fridays, March 18-September 29: 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

Saturday, March 12: 11am-5pm

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.

This year the event is scheduled to take place at Camperdown Plaza!

St. Paddy’s Day Dash & Bash

2022 Date TBD – not sure if this is going to ever return

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.

The Pint Station St. Patrick’s Day 5K

Saturday March 12, 10am

The race starts at City Hall in downtown Easley at 10am (walk or run in this 5k)! Then head to the Pint Station for the after party at 11am. If you run, then your first beer will be free! Be sure to dress up since there will be a costume contest and prizes. Oh and there will be a food truck for lunch on site as well!

Spring Flea at Swamp Rabbit Cafe

Every Saturday in March: 10am-3pm

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

May 12-14, 2022

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

May 6-8, 2022

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.

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 & 7:30pm. The first is usually more kid friendly (the current show is a story where a young girl is visited by the Moon one night and they go on an adventure through the universe). The second is more adult oriented – the current show takes the audience from the edge of the universe through space and time all the way to our planet.

Toasty Farmer

December 4, 2021 through March 2022
Every Saturday: 11:00am-2:00pm

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!)

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.

Greek Festival

May 13-15, 2022

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 20, 2022: 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

Saturday, April 30, 2022: 8:30 AM

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 7, 2022

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!

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 starting in mid-April. (Though each farm starts at a different time, so check their website/social media channels or give them a call.)

• Sandy Flat Berry Patch
• Greyrock Farms
• Holiday’s Veggie Patch
• Reedy River Farms
• Pinebreeze Farm
• Hunter Farms
• Due West Strawberries

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.

NCA Men’s Basketball – First & Second Rounds of March Madness

March 18-20, 2022

In recent years, our Bon Secours Wellness Arena has hosted a few of the NCAA basketball games. This year you can watch the first two rounds of the NCAA March Madness Tournament!

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

May 7, 2022: 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 April 8, 2022

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

PARADE: Friday, May 27, 2022: 6pm
GAMES: Saturday, May 28, 2022

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!