Have y’all heard about pickleball? If you haven’t, it’s kind of a big dill. Pickleball shares similarities with tennis, table tennis, and badminton (as well as other paddle ball sports). It has official rules, regulations, and even its own organization — the USA Pickleball Association.
What to know
Here’s the lowdown on the game so you don’t find yourself in a pickle:
It can be played indoors or outdoors.
The court is badminton-sized (20’ x 44’) with a modified tennis net.
The pickleball itself is made of plastic and has holes, like a Wiffle ball.
The paddle is a little smaller than a tennis racquet.
It can be played as doubles or singles (think: two-four people)
Upstate Pickleball says there are “easily 2,000+ pickleball players in the Upstate area.” If you’re looking to join in, Greenville has a number of locations featuring dedicated pickleball courts. Check out Upstate Pickleball’s court map, including tennis courts lined for pickleball (think: McPherson Park), membership locations, and senior centers.
Here are a few locations with dedicated pickleball courts around Greenville:
Outdoor Courts
Northside Park, 101 W. Darby Rd., Greenville | Six courts
Timmons Park, 121 Oxford St., Greenville | Eight courts
CATS | Tuesday, April 4-Sunday, April 9 | Times vary | Peace Concert Hall at the Peace Center, 300 S. Main St., Greenville | $35-$95 | Winner of seven Tony Awards, “CATS” tells the story of one magical night when a tribe of cats gathers for its annual ball to rejoice and decide which cat will be reborn.
Paint Night | Tuesday, Apr. 4 | 6:30-8:30 p.m. | Southernside Brewing Co., 25 Delano Dr., Unit D, Greenville | $39 | Sip on a craft brew with friends while you paint a beach scene in a glass.
Clemson MBA Open House Meet and Greet | Tuesday, Apr. 4 | 10 a.m.-1 p.m. | Clemson MBA at Greenville ONE, 1 N. Main St., Greenville | Free | Meet some of the Clemson MBA team and have a one-on-one session with either an admissions counselor or academic advisor to tailor a conversation specifically for your needs.
Wednesday, April 5
BRUCE-O-RAMA Starring Bruce Campbell | Wednesday, Apr. 5 | 7:30 p.m. | Gunter Theatre at the Peace Center, 300 S. Main St., Greenville | $60-$150 | Join Bruce Campbell to play “Last Fan Standing,” a pop culture trivia competition, and watch a “cult favorite” starring the actor.
A Spring Garden Party | Wednesday, Apr. 5 | 2-5 p.m. | Green Valley Country Club, 225 Green Valley Dr., Greenville | Free | Learn about the National Garden Club and horticulture at this flower show.
Thursday, April 6
Piedmont Natural Gas Downtown Alive | Thursday, Apr. 6 | 5:30-8:30 p.m. | NOMA Square, 220 N. Main St., Greenville | Free entry | Boogie on Main Street to the blues-funk-soul-rock sounds of Mojo On Max.
Greenville Swamp Rabbits vs. South Carolina Stingrays | Thursday, Apr. 6 | 7:05 p.m. | Bon Secours Wellness Arena, 650 N. Academy St., Greenville | $18-$50 | Cheer on the Swamp Rabbits as they face the South Carolina Stingrays.
Friday, April 7
Greenville Heritage Main Street Fridays | Friday, Apr. 7 | 5:30-9:30 p.m. | NOMA Square, 220 N. Main St., Greenville | Free entry | Calling all Oldies fans — join Jukebox 45 for some live music and reminiscing.
Food Truck Rollout | Friday, Apr. 7 | 5-8 p.m. | Greer City Park, 301 E. Poinsett St., Greer | Free entry | Bring your blankets or chairs for a night of live music by Clay Johnson and bites from seven food trucks, like One Eyed Donkey, G-Rod’s Latin Fusion, and Synergy Coffee.
Greenville Technical College has five convenient campuses located across Greenville County. | Photo provided by Greenville Technical College
Whether you’re looking to earn a degree in Health Sciences, Engineering Technology & Professional Studies, or one of the many other areas of study offered, Greenville Technical College has you covered.
Greenville Tech offers students affordable and flexible classes (read: traditional classes, online courses, and hybrid options to create the best fit for your schedule), and the regionally accredited university makes it easy to transfer credits.
Interested? From program open houses to virtual transient student information sessions and general tours, attend one of the nearly 20 open houses in April to learn more about summer and fall registration.*
The music lineup has been announced for this year’s Artisphere festival taking place Friday, May 12-Sunday, May 14. Get excited for 12 live performances, including local artists like Kismet Kind and global performers like Robert Jon & The Wreck — read more about them in The Wrap below.
Community
Greenlink Transit has partnered with five downtown attractions — The Greenville Drive, Greenville Swamp Rabbits, Sigal Music Museum, The Children’s Museum of the Upstate, and the Upcountry History Museum — to launch its new rider perks program. Riders will receive perks like free entry and vouchers for discounted merchandise.
Traffic
Beep beep, golf cart coming through. As we enter into warmer months, golf cart travel around the city will be picking up. FOX Carolina breaks down everything you need to know about hitting the road in your cart, from where you can legally drive to what you need to have with you.
Pets
Take me your dog, out to the ballgame. Bark in the Park returns to Fluor Field Sunday, April 16 at 3:05 p.m. Enjoy the Greenville Drive’s game against the Asheville Tourists with your pup as well as giveaways and treats for all. Get tickets.
Clemson writing professor and novelist Nic Brown’s new memoir, “Bang Bang Crash” tells the story of his drumming obsession that turned into a major record deal with alt-rock band Athenaeum at 19 years old. Read more about his journey from drumming to writing in the Greenville Journal.
Travel
Whether it’s for sightseeing or getting down to business, take advantage of nonstop flights from Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (GSP) to New York’s LaGuardia Airport (LGA). Starting Friday, May 5, American Airlines is offering two daily round trip flights to the Big Apple. Book a flight + learn more.*
Feel Good
Meet Macy, a newly retired pup from the MUSC Therapy Animal Program. For five years, Macy pranced the halls of MUSC Health’s Charleston hospitals, helping patients in need. Read more about Macy.*
Edu
The Branch at Greer High, Greenville Federal Credit Union’s second student-run high school branch, is opening in August 2023. Learn more about this innovative investment in our community.*
Eat
Looking to spice up your snacks (literally)? You may want to add harissa to your shopping list. This flavorful, versatile spice goes with just about anything, featuring a burst of heat from aleppo peppers. Pro tip: Try it sprinkled over these foods.*
Drink
The most polished organizational item in your kitchen: the Fellow Atmos Coffee Canister, which not only looks great but keeps coffee fresh by sucking oxygen out of the jar. Pro tip: You can use it to store any snack and it will stay fresh longer.
Last Sunday was a big night for music in the Upstate. No, we’re not talking about the CMT Awards.
The fourth annual Upstate Music Awards took over the Peace Center and celebrated our region’s musical artists, performers, producers, videographers, and sound engineers.
According to USA Pickleball, the wife of founder Joel Pritchard — Joan Pritchard — named the game in 1965 in “reference to the thrown-together leftover non-starters in the ‘pickle boat’ of crew races.” However, many (incuding the Pritchard’s neighbors) believed the sport was named after the Pritchard’s family dog, Pickles.
Through some investigating, USA Pickleball found the dog was born in 1968, three years after pickleball was founded, helping to prove that the sport’s name was inspired by the pickle boat.
I’m so excited for Robert Jon & The Wreck’s return to GVL for Artisphere. I got to chat with their front man, Robert Jon Burrison before their March 24 show at the Peace Center. If you didn’t make it to the show last month, here’s what you can expect to hear in May, as told by Robert Jon.
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