The Upstate isn’t just a place to get away from it all. The South Carolina Upcountry events mix fun and family-family activities with that beautiful, rolling scenery. Discover plenty of arts and crafts, traditional fairs, and specialty events celebrating local southern life and heritage. Bring the whole family to make lasting memories at these top Upstate SC events.

Artisphere

Where: Main Street, Greenville, SC

When: May 11-15, 2025

Since 2003, Artisphere has wowed all the senses. Now, it’s become a USA Today Readers’ Choice Top 10 Art Festival in the nation! Visitors and artists travel from around the country for this signature South Carolina event. In 2023, over 92,000 people attended the weeklong art festival, setting a new attendance record.

What makes one of the best visual arts fairs in the state? The show brings in performers from all genres, including American folk music, opera, jazz, and ballet. There are five stages set up with a full schedule every day.

Artists Demonstration Row has over 100 visual artists crafting works in pottery, printmaking, metalworking, and glassblowing.  The exhibits highlight rising artists, local artisans, and sculpture art. Hands-on activities encourage people of all ages to try something new and connect with their creative side.

Accompanying Artisphere is Kidsphere, a place for kids to tap into their creativity. It also has STEAM-based activities through Clemson and other partnerships.

Wine lovers can look forward to tasting collections from all over the world. Paired with them are culinary creations from local Greenville restaurants and food trucks. Some dishes are just for the festival.

Admission is free for this annual event, which runs from Falls Park down through Main Street.

Gallabrae 2022

Where: Furman University, Greenville, SC

When: Memorial Day Weekend 2025

Gallabrae, the Greenville Scottish Games, is one of the top-ranked Scottish Games globally. It’s a joyful and quirky weekend of all things clan, Scotland, and Southern pride. It was attended in 2010 by HRH Prince Edward.

The festivities start Friday with The Great Scot Parade on downtown Greenville’s Main Street. The next day is the Scottish Games at the Furman University fields. Bring your own bagpipes for the bagpipe competition or enter the drumming competition. Music is a key part of the celebration, with artists hitting the main stage all day and performing at the World’s Greatest Happy Hour and Celtic Jam.

Festivities throughout the day include a military salute, a beauty pageant, a British car show, and a border collie demonstration. The famous Scottish athletics are on the Main Field and outside Timmons Arena. The kids area, called Wee Scotland, invites youth to design their own coat of arms or try smaller versions of cabers and sheep tossing.

Food concessions definitely include Scottish favorites. But if haggis isn’t your cup of tea, some southern classics like barbeque are available.

So wear your tartan and bring your chairs to the Greenville Scottish Games. The 2022 event is scheduled for Memorial Day Weekend, May 27-28. When bought in advance, tickets for the 2024 event were $20 for adults and $10 for children 12 and under. Children five years and younger were free. The parade is free.

Albino Skunk Music Festival

Where: The SkunkFarm, Greer, SC

When: Second weekend of May/ First weekend of October

This popular Bluegrass, Americana, Folk, Roots, and Rock Music showcase will leave your toes tapping. A unique annual music festival experience, the Skunk Farm in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains started as a bluegrass music festival at the so-named farm. The name came from the sighting of white skunks on the farm grounds.

During the festival, attendees can camp and enjoy the natural setting. RV and tent sites are within walking distance of everything. Known for its laidback feeling, think of it as a “family reunion” set to music. The festival includes local food vendors, crafts, and a kid’s area.

The Albino Skunk Music Festival happens twice a year. The Spring dates are May 7-10, 2025, and the fall event is October 2-5, 2024. Check the website for ticket information. In 2024, a reserved RV camping site for the three-day weekend costs $360 and includes one adult three-day ticket. General Tent/Car Camping is $60/a day. Daily entry ticket prices vary by the day but range from $75-$90 for adults and $35-$45 for the kids.

South Carolina Festival of Flowers

Where: Greenwood, SC

When: June

Avid gardeners from around the country have attended the South Carolina Festival of Flowers in Greenwood since 1968. Accompanying the live plants and flower show is a full festival of events at venues across town. The 50 and counting living topiaries are a signature part of the street festival. Popular topiaries include a Jeep Wrangler and a roaring tiger.

During the Main Weekend, enjoy a full schedule of events. Buy tickets for the Ladies Luncheon, which has fun sprinkled in with a hat contest and previews of theater performances. A car show and live outdoor concerts are by the Fountain. Sign up for the Flower Power Fun run or the Tennis Tournament. The Juried Art Show features local artists and photographers. Local garden tours take place at various locations in Greenwood.

Family-friendly activities continue throughout June. Taste some Carolina barbeque at the BBQ cook-off. Additional events include an amateur golf tournament, a scavenger hunt, and a bike tour. Remember to stop at the vendors in and around Greenwood. This is a popular Upstate SC event because of all there is to do.

This summer celebration has activities throughout June, beginning with the Main Weekend of June 6-9, 2024. Admission is free, although some events may be ticketed and have a fee.

South Carolina Peach Fest

Where: Gaffney, SC, and Lake Whelchel

When: Weekends, July 2024

Driving on Interstate 85, you might be surprised to see peach water tower in Gaffney, SC, rather than Georgia. South Carolina is actually a top producer of the fuzzy orange and red fruits. The South Carolina Peach Festival celebrates this agricultural heritage. Over the four-day event, taste many tasty peach-themed treats, celebrating the delicious fruit this area is known for.

In between bites, PeachFest has wrapped up a lot of classic festival weekend fun. Enjoy musical entertainment at the main stage facing beautiful Lake Whelchel. Other concerts are at Jolly Park. The Peach parade winds down Gaffney Main Street. Cherokee Speedway runs dirt track races. Other events are a beauty pageant, a car show, and a dessert contest. Run off all the peach cobblers and ice cream at the 5k and 10k road races. The carnival has kid’s rides and various vendors.

The South Carolina Peach Festival takes place in July. Check back for dates and ticket pricing information.

Festival of Discovery

Where: Greenwood, SC

When: July

Now over two decades in the making, visit Uptown Greenwood to see what makes life in the Upstate so much fun. The annual Festival of Discovery focuses on BBQ & Blues as a way to bring people together and experience the Upstate lifestyle. The family-friendly event has a packed schedule.

A BBQ and Hash Cook-off highlights the Carolina Barbecue tradition with a sanctioned contest. Vote for your favorite in the People’s Choice competition. In addition, there’s a hot dog eating contest and a Kids Que competition.

Hear the strands of the blues on the Main Stage and at participating restaurants across Uptown Greenwood. The “Blues Cruise” celebrates the unique sound of the blues with various musical performances.

A Kid’s zone has carnival rides and kid-friendly activities. The crafts show is on Saturday only along Maxwell Avenue.

Check back with Uptown Greenwood for plans for the 2025 festival.

South Carolina Apple Festival

Where: Westminster, SC

When: September

Start apple harvest season with a bang in Oconee County, the state’s largest apple-producing region. Starting after Labor Day through the following weekend, the South Carolina Apple Festival draws thousands of visitors every year to Westminster, South Carolina, to enjoy everything apple.

The festival food is a key draw; find everything from BBQ to hot dogs to funnel cakes. Of course, we can’t forget the apples! Try the homemade fried apple pies, fresh apples, honey, and fruit preserves. The apple baking contest is a real treat, with pies and cobblers.

Other activities entertain the whole family. Check out the festival pageants on the Main Stage. The apple parade kicks off the weekend on Friday and is open to anyone. Carnival rides are fun for the kids. Check out the arts and crafts show and quilt show. Hundreds of booths in the vendor area showcase local crafts, clothing, and jewelry.

Greer Arts & Eats

Where: Downtown Greer, SC

When: October

A newer festival in the Upstate, Greer Arts & Eats started to be a family-friendly festival celebrating local businesses. Artist Alley is set up along Trade Street. Explore vendors selling local arts and crafts. Creation Station is for kids to get hands-on and create a unique craft. Live music wafts down Trade Street, lined with local food trucks and a beer garden.

You’ll be charmed by Greer’s small-town living. The one-day festival at Greer City Park is free to attend.

Moonshiner’s Reunion and Mountain Music Festival

Where: Plum Hollow Farm, Spartanburg, SC

When: First Full Weekend in October

Experience a one-of-kind high-mountain festival near Plum Hollow. The Moonshiner’s Reunion is an authentic folk festival held the first full weekend in October.

Barney Barnwell inspired the gathering. He had a colorful career as a local South Carolinian writing about moonshiners in the Prohibition era. The weekend of mountain music keeps those tales and traditions alive. A few vetted vendors are available, all offering “Southern Heritage articles” and folk art. Despite the name, no alcohol is distributed or sold at the venue.

Gates open at noon on Thursday. Bring a blanket, lawn chair, or tent. Camping is available in the surrounding woods, with separate RV and tent camping areas. Note that no pets of any kind are allowed.

Moonshiner’s Reunion ticket prices are per person and include camping, parking, and all concerts. In 2024, one-day passes cost $65, and the three-day pass cost $100.

Fall for Greenville

Where: Greenville, SC

When: October

Enjoy a three-day, family-friendly fall event bursting with local food and entertainment. This exciting Upstate SC event highlights the tastes and sounds of local Greenville and Upstate businesses. The festival includes over 50 beers on tap, wine vendors, and 60 participating restaurants. It’s so large there is a separate beer and wine garden.

Six stages set up around Main Street spotlight the Greenville music scene. Hear music in all genres–country, rock, bluegrass, and hip-hop. The 2024 event had 80 bands scheduled. There’s a concert going nearly every hour of the weekend.

The fun for kids is off East Broad Street. Find carnival rides, swings, slides, and toddler-friendly activities that are sure to amuse and delight.

Scheduled dates for Fall for Greenville are October 11-13, 2024. Admission is free, but you’ll need a Taste Ticket to try the food and drinks. In 2024, a sheet of five taste tickets cost $5. Alcohol wristbands are $1.

Walhalla Oktoberfest

Where: Walhalla, SC

When: October

You can have Oktoberfest anywhere, but why not in the rolling mountain setting of Walhalla, a town with German heritage? For over 40 years, thousands of celebrants have come here for food, entertainment, and of course, German beer. Wash down the sauerkraut and apple dumplings with a fresh cold one while listening to polka music.

Accompanying the German heritage activities are an arts and crafts display, carnival rides, and plenty of dancing. Evening festivities cap off with a fireworks show. Walhalla Oktoberfest is scheduled for October 18-20, 2022, at Sertoma Field. Past admission rates have been $5 for adults, $3 for children 3-10, and free for children under three.

Christmasville, Rock Hill

Where: Old Town Rock Hill, SC

When: December

Old Town Rock Hill steps back in time with a charming holiday village known as the Christmasville. The special holiday event is four days of classic holiday merriment. Among the list of activities for visitors are historic tours, art exhibitions, and musical performances. Of course, Santa Claus opens the festivities and sticks around all weekend for visits.

Spread around Rock Hill, visitors will delight in horse-drawn carriage rides, holiday carolers, specially decorated shop windows, an ice skating rink, and a gingerbread house contest. Christmas is a top holiday attraction in South Carolina. Visiting Christmasville to see the holiday-themed sites is free, but there may be admission for special events.

Best Upstate SC Events

Find something to do for everyone across the Upstate. Our towns, like Greenville and Spartanburg, always have something going on. This list is a sampling of local music acts, performing arts, and sporting events found in the Upstate. In short, you can stay busy all year long without ever leaving the Upcountry. Looking for something to do farther afield? See our list of the best things to do in South Carolina.

Updated August 2024