Red envelopes (stuffed with money) are a traditional Chinese gift during the Lunar New Year. | Photo by @swamprabbitcafe
Happy (almost) Lunar New Year. This Saturday, Feb. 10, one of the biggest celebrations of the year among East and Southeast Asian cultures begins, and Greenville is ready to party.
China’s Lunar New Year is known as the Spring Festival or Chūnjié in Mandarin, while Koreans call it Seollal and the Vietnamese refer to it as Tết. No matter what it’s called, it’s always rung in with the first new moon and spans the first 15 days of the first month of the lunar calendar, until the full moon arrives.
The dragon represents bravery, strength, and luck. | Photo by @swamprabbitcafe
Saturday, Feb. 17 | 3-7 p.m. | Free entry | Celebrate the Year of the Dragon with bites from The Noodle Lady + Salome’s Philippino Cuisine, watch the Greenville Chinese Cultural Association perform a dragon dance, enjoy traditional Asian specials in the cafe, and you may get lucky with red envelope giveaways throughout the day.
There’s something for everyone. | Photo by Sum Bar
Saturday, Feb. 17 | 12-7 p.m. | Free entry | Celebrate Sum Bar’s first anniversary and Lunar New Year with local vendors, local food pop-ups, and entertainment for the entire family.
Celebrate at home
Bring Lunar New Year to you by stocking up on supplies at one of these local Greenville businesses:
Music Bingo | Wednesday, Feb. 7 | 6-8 p.m. | Gather Greenville, 126 Augusta St., Greenville | Free entry | Can you get five in a row with your knowledge of music hits across genres?
Girl From the North Country | Wednesday, Feb. 7-Sunday, Feb. 11 | Times vary | Peace Center, 300 S. Main St., Greenville | $45-$95 | Catch this Tony Award-winning new musical featuring Bob Dylan’s songs.
Thursday, Feb. 8
Almost Famous Comedy Tour | Thursday, Feb. 8 | 7 p.m. | Comedy Zone Greenville, 221 N. Main St., Greenville | $15-$20 | Buddy Love, B-Kno, Charles Allen, and headliner Charlie Mac hit the state to make you laugh.
Friday, Feb. 9
The Rocky Horror Picture Show Live Shadow Cast | Friday, Feb. 9-Saturday, Feb. 17 | Times vary | Paper Moon Studios, 2415 Old Buncombe Rd., Greenville | $20-$25 | This immersive and interactive show is a three-year running production.
Saturday, Feb. 10
Galentine’s Day Trunk Show | Saturday, Feb. 10 | 1-5 p.m. | Grand Bohemian Lodge, 44 E. Camperdown Way, Greenville | Free entry | Meet designer Mara Labell Designs and play with the gems at the art gallery.
Dance Party | Saturday, Feb. 10 | 8 p.m.-1 a.m. | Group Therapy Pub & Playground, 320 Falls St., Ste. G, Greenville | Free entry | Hit the dance floor + sip on drink specials with your Galentines.
ZF — a company that supplies systems for cars — will invest $500 million in its Laurens County facility creating 400 jobs. The investment will support production of transmissions used in BMW 7 Series and X5 models (which are currently made in Germany) by 2025. (Upstate Business Journal)
Number
434. That’s how many homes Del Webb Greenville will build at 200 Ranch Rd. (near Mauldin) in its first Upstate 55+ community. The community will feature a fitness center, event space, outdoor pool + pickleball and bocce courts, and it plans to open in spring 2025. (Upstate Business Journal)
Drink
Methodical Coffee has a latte to celebrate. The local roaster turns nine this weekend and is celebrating with raffles benefitting Mill Village Ministries + a specialty drink, the cookie cake latte, made with brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, dark chocolate, and a taste of cookie butter.
Plan Ahead
Laissez les bons temps rouler at Camperdown Plaza on Tuesday, Feb. 13 (aka Fat Tuesday) for a Mardi Gras celebration. Indulge in specials from The Cocktail Company, Paloma, Group Therapy, CAMP, Larkin’s, Jeni’s, and even Southern Tide from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Kids
Meet Vincent Van-GO, The Children’s Museum of the Upstate’s second mobile museum which will bring hands-on learning to communities that may not get to experience the museum’s programs. (FOX Carolina)
Eat
Speaking of TCMU, 2024 SC Chef Ambassador Mike Siebert is partnering up with the museum for cooking classes where the kids + parents can learn something new in the kitchen. Register for his Saturday, April 13 class, “Gourmet Grilled Cheese.”
Announced
What song are you claiming from Taylor Swift’s 11th album “The Tortured Poets Department?” Lock in your answer + block off Friday, April 19 for a listening party at Group Therapy Pub & Playground.
Finance
Get trusted financial advice with Money Pickle, the service that connects you directly with experienced financial advisors to help with your investment + retirement planning needs (all through a complimentary video meeting). Take control of your financial future in 2024 by scheduling a free consultation.*
Tour the mid-century modern homes of Greenville, SC
A ranch-styled dream | Photo Photo via @gvlmod
Have you ever found yourself driving through some of Greenville’s older neighborhoods and dreamed of walking through some of the mid-century modern houses you pass?
gvlMOD is a local nonprofit made up of architects and small + corporate business owners who love modern design. The organization aims to educate, create awareness, and help preserve mid-century era homes and buildings (think: after WWII through the 1970s).
While we don’t have specific details on this year’s home tour yet, click the button below to take a peek of what gvlMOD’s 2023 tour looked like.
This weekend, I’m really excited for the Love Your Neighbor Market, a new market hosted by Scout’s Doughnuts at Overbrook Baptist Church (the parking lot across from Scout’s).
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