Festival hours

• Friday, May 10: 12-8 p.m.
• Saturday, May 11: 10 a.m.-8 p.m.
• Sunday, May 12: 11 a.m.-6 p.m.

Must-see highlights

• Squonk on the Falls Park Amphitheater: An immersive outdoor spectacle bursting with rollicking music, dazzling imagery, and the thrill of audience participation. At the center of this riotous romp is the Squonkcordion, an enormous musical instrument powered by behemoth bellows topped with towering tuba bells.
• Lotty: An interactive giant squid installation by Moradavaga on Tate Plaza.
• Artists of the Upstate: A juried exhibition that spotlights a diversity of local talent in upstate South Carolina.
• Arts & Drafts: Grab a tasty craft beer and watch as artists of multiple disciplines perform live demos.
• Kidsphere: Interactive activities and crafts for little ones.

Where to park

• The Traveling She Shed’s April Craft Event | Tuesday, April 16 | 6:30-8:30 p.m. | Pangaea Brewing Co., 115 Welborn St., Greenville | $45 | Make spring flowers with needle felting and fill bud vases.
• Woodwind and Brass Chamber Music Concert | Tuesday, April 16 | 7:30 p.m. | South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities, 15 University St., Greenville | Free | Governor’s School students will present an evening of works for various combinations of ensembles.

• Lunchbox Learning | Wednesday, April 17 | 12-1 p.m. | Upcountry History Museum, 540 Buncombe St., Greenville | $0-$12 | Claudia Smith Brinson will present “Injustice in Focus: The Civil Rights Photography of Cecil Williams.”
• Cake and Cocktails | Wednesday, April 17 | 6-8 p.m. | Contrast Distillery, 106 NE Main St., Simpsonville | $25 | Grab your friends and indulge in cakes expertly paired with cocktails.

• Cookie Decorating Workshop | Thursday, April 18 | 6-8 p.m. | Sun and Soil Plant Parlor, 403 Augusta St., Greenville | $45 | Wild Blueberry Bakeshop, will guide you through the process of decorating cookies with royal icing.
• Elijah Craig Bourbon Tasting | Thursday, April 18 | 6:30-7:30 p.m. | Spirit & Bower, 44 E. Camperdown Way, Greenville | $70 | Immerse yourself in history, discover new flavors, and chat with fellow bourbon enthusiasts.

Opening day details

Cause for celebration

• Join your animal (and human) pals at the Greenville Zoo for the 14th annual Brew in the Zoo on Friday, May 17. Not a drinker? Designated drivers get discounted tickets that include free food and Pepsi products.

• Millenium Surgery Center — an ambulatory surgery center — is now open at 214 Innovation Dr. This center was the brainchild of Bon Secours Mercy Health, Compass Surgical Partners, and local physicians + offers pain management procedures and same-day orthopedic surgeries. (Greenville Journal)

• The Mauldin fire department is hosting a grand opening celebration at its new headquarters — located at 955 W. Butler Rd. — this Friday, April 19 at 11 a.m. You can get a tour of the new space, hear from county officials, and watch a hose uncoupling. department. (Greenville Journal)

• That’s some high quality H₂0. The Duke Energy Foundation provided a $150,000 grant to install water bottle refilling stations in 25 SC State Parks. Be sure to follow SC State Parks for updates.

• $10.4 million. That’s how much North Greenville University spent on the renovation of its historic administrative building. The mixed-use building now has new classrooms, faculty offices, and “collaboration space.” (The Post and Courier Greenville)

• Ditch the fees, not the perks. Between April 15-30, enjoy zero joining fees when you sign up as a member at the YMCA of Greenville. Members snag perks like discounts on the Y’s programs, including summer camp, now open for registration. Learn more about membership.*

• We recently toured “Interior Lives” and “Darrel Ellis: Regeneration” at the Columbia Museum of Art, and we now consider both exhibitions must-sees. Here’s why you won’t want to miss them.*

• It’s time to start planning for summer vacation, GVL. ICYMI, Breeze Airways will soon offer nonstop flights from GSP International Airport to five cities nationwide, including Los Angeles, CA, Providence, RI (Boston), Hartford, CT, Tampa, FL + Orlando, FL. Beginning in May, enjoy low fares and no change or cancellation fees. Wheels up.*

• Ready to put your best foot forward, GVL? Check out these tips for finding the perfect athletic shoe, featured in our latest edition of GVL Wellness. See the latest issue to find out if over-the-counter allergy medicine works, recipes for smoothies to fuel your fitness goals + more.*

• Lower your energy bills before summer. Renewal by Andersen^® will replace old windows with beautiful, energy-efficient windows — get a free quote and shop a limited-time spring savings event.*

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• “Greenville is fun and welcoming!” — Paula K.
• “They become part of the family. They are loyal, playful, friendly, protective, curious, inviting, and, as the ‘retriever’ part indicates, they keep people coming back to our wonderful city.” — Molly Jo R.
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• Golden doodle. Trendy, friendly, and a good boy.” — Courtney K.
• “A long haired Chihuahua, because we’re a little town with big town feel.” — Stacey F.