Stars, stripes, and training wheels | Photo by Travelers Rest Farmers Market
From community concerts to fireworks finales, there’s no shortage of ways to celebrate the Fourth of July across the Upstate. Here’s where to find the festivities starting this week.
Thursday, June 26
Let Freedom Ring | 7:30-8:30 p.m. | Furman University | Free | Celebrate the Fourth of July with patriotic tunes featuring the Greenville Chorale + a fireworks finale.
Saturday, June 28
Freedom Blast | 6-10:30 p.m. | Greer City Park | Free | Enjoy an action-packed celebration, capped off with a fireworks show.
Thursday, July 3
Clemson MBA Fireworks | 6-10 p.m. | Unity Park | Free | Bring a blanket and enjoy a spectacular show.
Friday, July 4
Pool Party | 12-6 p.m. | Restaurant 17, Travelers Rest | $85 | Celebrate the Fourth with an all-you-can-eat cookout and pool pass.
Saturday, July 5
Kids Bike Parade | 10 a.m. | Trailblazer Park, Travelers Rest | Free | Deck out your bike in red, white, and blue for a chance to win $50 prizes for Most Creative and Most Patriotic displays.
Summer Adventure | 10 a.m.-4 p.m. | Roper Mountain Science Center | $15 | Get up close and personal with butterflies, explore the Environmental Science building, and pet a stingray in the Marine Lab. Open Bluegrass + Acoustic Jam | 6:30-8:30 p.m. | Fireforge Crafted Beer | Free entry | Anyone with an acoustic instrument is welcome to join the jam, or you can grab a craft brew and listen.
Wednesday, June 25
Learn the Shag | 6-10 p.m. | Spare Time Entertainment | $0+ | Join the Carolina Shag Club for a beginner dance class at 6 p.m. and an intermediate class at 6:40 p.m. before a free social dance for dancers of all skill levels.
Thursday, June 26
Murder, Plain and Simple | Thursday, June 26-Sunday, June 29 | Times vary | Centre Stage | $20+ | This whodunnit is full of quirky characters, sharp twists, and one greedy nephew who may have bitten off more than he can poison.
Friday, June 27
Main Street Friday | 5:30-9:30 p.m. | NOMA Square | Free | Celebrate the start of the weekend with music, dancing, beer + wine, and food truck bites.
Saturday, June 28
Greenville Triumph vs. Miami FC | 7 p.m. | Paladin Stadium | $25+ | Celebrate Greenville’s first Cup match versus a Championship club with a flag giveaway to the first 500 fans.
Burnsville is open and has things to do for all kinds of weekend getaways. | Photos provided by Explore Burnsville
Burnsville, NC is buzzing with new openings + Blue Ridge beauty as it rebounds from Hurricane Helene.
This cozy mountain town nestled at the foot of Mt. Mitchell (the highest peak east of the Mississippi) has an itinerary for every type of weekend away, from family fun to romantic escapes.
If we only had 48 hours in Burnsville, here’s how we’d spend it:
Friday
Check in at Nu Wray Hotel, a recently refreshed historic landmark originally built in the 1800s
A 3.5-mile Swamp Rabbit Trail extension will soon connect Fountain Inn to Simpsonville’s Heritage Park, marking the first city-to-city trail connection since Greenville + Travelers Rest were connected in 2009. It’s expected to break ground later this year. (The Post and Courier Greenville)
Drink
Methodical Coffee’s downtown shop is closed for renovations until Thursday, July 3, but you can still grab your morning cup. Find a pop-up in the building lobby daily from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. with pastries, seating, and two limited-time drinks: Brighter Days (cold brew meets lemonade) + The Punch List (the Feels Like Summer espresso with lemon-lime soda).
Award
Hampton-Pinckney PorchFest earned the 2025 Heritage Tourism Award for spotlighting historic preservation through music and community. Now in its fifth year, the free festival — happening Sunday, Oct. 19 — features 24 performances on 12 porches and has funded five historic markers in the neighborhood.
Number
$1,801,202.10. That’s how much Greenville County and its municipalities received from the statewide 2% accommodations tax in Q4 2024. Collected from hotels and short-term rentals, this revenue helps fund tourism and local projects. Curious how your city fared? View the full breakdown. (Upstate Business Journal)
State
Starting this fall, the SCDMV will roll out redesigned licenses, permits, and ID cards featuring advanced security, laser engraving, and Palmetto State symbols. Existing cards remain valid until they expire + new ones will arrive by mail after in-person renewal. (WYFF 4)
Announced
Both Clemson and USC are freezing in-state undergraduate tuition for another year. Clemson’s freeze marks six straight years, while USC’s systemwide hold is its seventh. USC also approved a $1.5M partnership with OpenAI to give all Columbia campus students and staff access to ChatGPT, the first in SC to do so.
Shop
AM-PM Farms Butchery & Market opened at 1907 Laurens Rd. last month. The locally focused shop features grass-fed meats, aged steaks, house-made marinades, and Upstate-sourced goods. It’s the second location from local farmers Ashley and Platt Moore, with a third market set to open in Travelers Rest this August. (The Post and Courier Greenville)
Greenville County Schools is hiring. There’s a job fair today, June 24 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Enoree Career Center for roles including bus drivers, aides, custodians, and food service workers. Higher pay rates take effect July 1, plus other benefits for qualifying positions.
Real Estate
Need your property to sell fast? Feature it here, in front of our 71,000+ highly engaged readers. Visit our self-service ad portal to get started and see your property in GVLtoday in as little as two days.
Announced
Drumroll, please. This year’s Flat Out Under Pressure winners were recently announced, and we’re in awe at the works local artists created in just 24 hours. Take a look.*
Trending
This No. 1 best-selling sun hat with solar powered fans is breaking the internet. Reviewers love its UPF 50+, waterproof wide brim, built-in dual fans, and adjustable fit.*
Category
Post of the Day
Rising in the heart of Unity Park, Honor Tower is set to be completed late this summer + will offer sweeping views of downtown Greenville and the Blue Ridge Mountains from the top.
Your favorite bug banisher, to get you through the summer season unbitten:
🌿 These No. 1 best-selling bracelets keep mosquitos away just by wearing them around your wrist or ankle — they’re DEET-free, use essential oils, and fit both kids and adults.
🐜 If slicing summer watermelons brings all the ants to your house, try these best-selling ant bait stations, rated 4.6 stars and usually effective within 24 hours.
💡 For mosquito protection on your porch or patio, try this No. 1 best-selling electric bug zapper — just hang it, plug it in, and enjoy bug-free summer nights.
The fun doesn’t have to end here. After reading the newsletter, head over to our games page. Games refresh with new challenges every day at 6 a.m. from crossword puzzle to Sudoku to themed word search.
What’s your go-to Southern saying to complain about the heat?
A. It’s not the heat — it’s the humidity. B. It must be 90 in the shade. C. You could fry an egg on the hood of that car. D. It’s so hot the swimming pool is boiling. E. Other (submit your own)
My go-to Southern heatwave saying is, “It’s hot as all get-out!” But even though it feels like record heat, it doesn’t look like it’ll beat last year’s record high on this day, which was 101°.
Keep in mind the Upstate is home to one of the most unique ways to cool off, the Stumphouse Tunnel, which stays cool year-round.
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