Water bottle, sunscreen, hiking boots, and camera? Check. The 2025 America’s State Parks Photo Contest is here. If you have an eye for photography or just love SC’s state parks, keep reading.
You can submit up to 40 photos, as long as you’re a US resident and your shots were taken between May 12, 2023, and July 18, 2025. All entries must be in .JPG format without watermarks, and the deadline to submit is Friday, July 18.
Categories
Your photos can fall into five categories — Friends and family, Activities, Camping, Wildlife + Scenic/Seasonal.
Judging criteria
Judges are looking for originality, artistic composition, technical quality, and that certain spark that showcases the best of America’s (like Table Rock) state parks — especially camping and outdoor activities.
Pro tip: Click the button below to explore our City Guide featuring Upstate hiking trails, including eligible state parks.
SoCon Championship | Wednesday, May 21-Sunday, May 25 | 3-7 p.m. | Fluor Field | $15 | Catch the SoCon tournament championship games in our backyard.
Tech After Five | 5:30-7 p.m. | City Club of Greenville | $13 | Attend this networking event where you select a ticket type based on the people and industries you’re interested in meeting.
Thursday, May 22
Unwind and Flow | 6-7 p.m. | Camperdown Plaza | Free | Bring your mat and enjoy an evening of movement and mindfulness under the stars.
Friday, May 23
Patio Concert Series | 5-8 p.m. | HOPPIN’ Greenville | Free entry | Enjoy happy hour specials, pizza from Todaro, and live music every Friday.
Saturday, May 24
Palmetto Heroes Hike 2025 | 7 a.m.-3:30 p.m. | Bon Secours Wellness Arena + The Swamp Rabbit Trail | $0+ | Honor SC’s fallen military and first responders while benefiting three local nonprofits at this race.
Family Fun Day with Dinosaurs | 10 a.m.-12 p.m. | Upcountry History Museum | $10+ | Hear the roars, feel the rattle of pounding footsteps, and marvel at the extinct creatures when the world of Dinosaurs: Land of Fire and Ice as this exhibit returns.
Approved. The City of Greenville’s $291.2 million operating budget for fiscal year 2026 + $25.9 million budget for the Capital Improvement Program were approved by city council earlier this week. Do those big numbers make you sweaty? Don’t worry, there won’t be a tax increase.
Feel Good
The boys are back. Our viral public works crew put on for their city in a new video to celebrate National Public Works Week. We dare you to watch this video without bobbing your head or tapping your foot.
Development
RealtyLink — a Greenville-based real estate development company — broke ground on its new 42-acre industrial park on Zimmerman Road in Spartanburg. The $43 million project will feature 2,000 sqft of office space, 316 employee parking spaces, and 65 loading dock spaces per building. (Upstate Business Journal)
Pets
Your pets deserve a little treat, too. On Tuesdays this summer from 3 to 6 p.m., bring your pup to Up on the Roof for yappy hour, where you can sip on drink specials + your four-legged friends can slurp a free pup cup.
State
In Piedmont, Hurricane Helene cleared an area previously covered with kudzu and tree limbs, revealing a beach. The Piedmont Public Service District + the Greenville County Historic and Natural Resources Trust are teaming up to turn the new beach — near the former Piedmont Mill hydroelectric dam — into a park + tourist destination. (The Post and Courier Greenville)
Asked
Just call us Scooby and the gang because we still want your Greenville mysteries. Do you have any mysterious stories about our city? A piece of art that doesn’t have a backstory? An old building with a sordid past? We want to know.
Giveaway
We’re partnering with euphoria Food, Wine & Music Festival to give away two tickets to Aged to Perfection, Party in the Park, and Feast by the Field + a three-night stay at Residence Inn/SpringHill Suites in downtown Greenville. Enter to winnow through Tuesday, May 27.*
Real Estate
What if building a house could be as simple as building a car? Inspired by Ford and Tesla’s manufacturing process, BOXABL’s mission is to makeupscale, low-cost housing available globally by bringing assembly line automation to the housing industry. Learn more.†‡*
Featured Deal
Noticing signs of wear around your home? Don’t wait until it gets worse. For a limited time, Owners Choice Construction is offering freehome repair estimates — from roof leaks and crawlspace issues to electrical, plumbing, and more. Snag the deal.*
Featured Lot
Hot listing alert — only two lots remain in this highly sought-after gated community, just minutes from downtown. Build your dream home on one of these exclusive residential lots in Chanticleer. Hint: Location, location, location.*
Category
City
Wait Plate for it
This is what the Moultrie Flag looks like in stamp form. | Photo via Wikimedia Commons
We feel a change coming. Next year, South Carolina’s license plate could change from the palmetto and moon design to a design commemorating the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution.
According to the House bill — that was passed by both bodies of the General Assembly — the new design would include:
“A flag featuring the word ‘LIBERTY’ in white against an indigo background with a gorget (think: a piece of protective armor) in an upper corner of the flag, also known as the Moultrie Flag.”
To become official, the South Carolina Revolutionary War Sestercennial Commission has to send its design to the SCDMV + the bill needs to be enrolled and signed by Governor Henry McMaster.
The Buy
A teeth whitening pen that can eliminate surface stains to provide results within just 10 minutes. With continued use, it may even help your teeth become up to 10 shades brighter.
I’m not much of a gamer, but my husband and I, plus a few of our friends, went to PKL Park last night for the Mario Kart Tournament. Did we do well? Not at all. Was it fun? Most definitely.
It happens every Tuesday evening, so stop by and give it a try. Pro tip: Sip on drinks from the new cocktail menu while you’re there.
‡This is a paid advertisement for BOXABL’s Regulation A offering. Please read the offering circular at invest.boxabl.com. Reserving a Nasdaq ticker does not guarantee a future listing on Nasdaq or indicate that BOXABL meets any of Nasdaq’s listing criteria to do so.
}})
