• Pick up your button next time you’re in the store
• Stop by after each book you read to earn your gold stars
• Celebrate with a pizza party on Thursday, August 1

Fiction

• “Ember”’ by Brock Adams | Release date: Sept. 5, 2017 | The 2016 winner of the South Carolina First Novel Prize about a desperate attempt to reignite a failing star.
• “Topanga Canyon” by Elizabeth Sumner Wafler | Release date: April 18, 2022 | This women’s fiction + multi-generational story tells the story of a candy empire heiress, her estranged daughter, and the strength of a mother-daughter bond.

For the family

• “Wolf in the Snow” by Matthew Cordell | Release date: Jan. 3, 2017 | A picture book about friendship — and the winner of the 2018 Caldecott Medal.
• “Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe” by Jo Watson Hackl | Release date: July 30, 2019 | A young adult adventure novel full of wilderness and mystery.

Learn something new

• “Reimagining Greenville: Building the Best Downtown in America” by John Boyanoski + Knox White | The story of the careful, deliberate effort by city and community to build Greenville’s downtown.
• “Lost Restaurants of Greenville” by John M. Nolan | Release date: April 13, 2020 | A nostalgic look at bygone Greenville restaurants featuring a foreword by Mayor Knox White.

• Pints and Poses | Wednesday, June 26 | 6-7 p.m. | The Pub for What Ales You, 105 New Plaza Dr., Greenville | $15 | Enjoy a yoga class and a drink when you’re done.
• Silent Book Club | Wednesday, June 26 | 7-8 p.m. | The People’s Tap, 250 RiverPlace, Greenville | Free entry | Settle in to a cozy spot for an hour of silent reading.
• Greenville Drive vs. Hickory Crawdads | Wednesday, June 26 | 7 p.m. | Fluor Field, 945 S. Main St., Greenville | $11-$20 | Join forces with the Greenville Drive and TD SYNNEX Share the Magic in supporting children facing adversity, enjoying the game while making a difference.*
• Summer Encounters | Wednesday, June 26-Friday, Aug. 2 | 9 a.m.-4 p.m. | Christ Church Episcopal School, 245 Cavalier Dr., Greenville | $180+ | Campers in grades K4 to 12 (rising) can choose from 250 day camps (think: Digging for Dinosaurs, Cake Decorating, and more), extended stay options, and schedules for a meaningful + fun summer.*

• Piedmont Natural Gas Downtown Alive benefitting Metropolitan Arts Council | Thursday, June 27 | 5:30 p.m. | NOMA Square, 220 N. Main St., Greenville | Free entry | Celebrate Friday Jr. with live music, food from a local vendor, and drinks.
• Moonlight Movies | Thursday, June 27 | 7-11 p.m. | Greer City Park, 301 E. Poinsett St., Greer | Free | Catch “Migration” under the stars at sundown.

• Steve Eager and Friends Singin’ in the Neighborhood | Friday, June 28 | 7 p.m. | Front yard, 21 Spring Valley Rd., Greenville | Free | Pull up a chair or sit in your car to enjoy some music played by fellow Greenvillians.
• Alchemy Improv Show | Friday, June 28 | Times vary | Coffee Underground, 1 E. Coffee St., Greenville | $10 | Catch an improv show to start your weekend.

• Due to the extreme heat, the midweek market at the Travelers Rest Farmers Market is canceled. You can shop this Saturday at the regular market, and the midweek market will return next Wednesday, July 3.

• The City of Greenville can now remove signs placed in rights-of-way or on other public property without notice after the city council gave final approval to an amendment taking away the former 48-hour notice requirement. The city manager can give permission for signs to be placed on public property if they share public information. (Greenville Journal)

• $954,044. That’s how much state funding the City of Greenville approved for four public space and safety projects including the Cultural Corridor and the Wade Hampton Boulevard corridor. (Greenville Journal)

• No. 12. That’s where EA Sports ranked Clemson’s Memorial Stadium on its list of the toughest places to play. The video game developer says it factored in historical stats like home winning percentage, home game attendance, active home winning streaks, and team prestige.

• Independence Day celebrations across the Upstate kick off this weekend. If you’re looking for a place to watch fireworks, light up your screen with our Fourth of July events guide.

• Have you ever wondered… Is it normal to be nearsighted? Does it run in families? Can it be prevented? Learn the answers to common questions about nearsightedness.*

• Customer Service Advocates (CSA) at BlueCross BlueShield play a vital role in the insurance experience, often being the first point of contact for members. Want to land a CSA job? See what hiring managers are looking for.*

• Life happens. The Amazon Prime release date for “How to Break a World Record” has been postponed. We don’t have an official date yet, but we’ll keep you posted. Psst... you can still catch the movie on Apple TV.

• $14.1 million. That’s the economic impact Artisphere reports from the 2024 event.
• 100,000. That’s how many patrons filled the streets, compared to 92,500 in 2023.
• 140. That’s how many artists were selected from 1,100 applicants to participate this year.
• 28. That’s how many states those 140 artists hailed from.
• $18,229. That’s the average artist sales recorded from this year’s festival, the highest in Artisphere history.