Festivals and Attractions
The South Carolina National Heritage Corridor, established by the U.S. Congress in 1996, extends 240 miles across South Carolina, stretching from the mountains of Oconee County, along the Savannah River, to the port city of Charleston. The 14 counties of the corridor offer a cross-section of the state's history, culture, and natural landscapes. The area describes the evolution of upcountry and lowcountry life, from grand plantations and simple farms to mill villages and urban centers, and how their history affected South Carolina as a state and America as a nation.
Greenwood, Abbeville, and Edgefield Counties comprise Region 2 of the Heritage Corridor, known as the Freshwater Coast region. The politics of Freshwater Coast has profoundly influenced the state and nation, beginning with Ninety-Six, the original courthouse village of the backcountry and strategic outpost during the Revolution. The fort and battle site are now the Ninety-Six National Historic Site. Edgefield, home of ten governors, has a rich political heritage from Vice-President John C. Calhoun to Senator Strom Thurmond. Abbeville, Edgefield, and McCormick are all classic courthouse towns, serving rich agricultural lands extending out in all directions. Folk art and cultural traditions are strong within this region, as represented by the Mennonite food and Edgefield pottery. Along the western edge of this region are lakes Russell and Thurmond -- the Freshwater Coast -- which provides a setting for state parks and lakeside resorts. Discovery sites from Greenwood’s region are noted with the Heritage Corridor logo, and the Discovery Center in Edgefield is open to visitors year round.
S.C. Festival of Flowers
Greenwood Area Chamber of Commerce
Held throughout the month of June
Phone: (864) 223-8411
Recognized as one of the Southeast Tourism Society’s Top 20 events and one of the American Bus Association’s top 100 events, the S.C. Festival of Flowers is held each June across Greenwood County and features over 30 events for adults, children, and of course, the avid gardener. During the festival the Park Seed Company opens its famous trial gardens, garden shop and greenhouses to the public. Professional and amateur gardeners alike take advantage of the chance to see and smell more than a thousand varieties of annuals perennials and vegetables. The entire Greenwood area “dresses up” for the occasion and several of the area’s homes and gardens are opened for tours.
The festival provides much more than just flowers. FujiFilm Manufacturing U.S.A., Inc., holds a photography competition for beginners and professionals. There is also a fair for crafters and artists of all types to showcase and sell their creations. The festival stages other competitions such as a men’s and women’s golf tournament and a junior tennis tournament.
At the local airport, “pilots” fly their model planes while others have the opportunity to experience a ride in a small airplane or helicopter. For the musician, one can hum along or cut the rug at a bluegrass festival, square dance, beach dance, jazz concert and more.
SC Festival of Discovery
Uptown Greenwood
Phone: (864) 942-8448
The SC Festival of Discovery is held each July in Uptown Greenwood, featuring a “Blues Cruise” that takes revelers to numerous venues in the Uptown area for the uniquely Southern music. Under the artistic direction of Shrimp City Slim, the "Blues Cruise" features a wide variety of Blues performers including Drink Small, Wanda Johnson, the WIYO's, Delta Moon, Bob Margolin, the King Bees, Bryan Lee "The Braille Blues Daddy," MacArnold, and many more. All musical performances are free.
The weekend features food, fun, music, amusement rides and much more. Experience and learn about the history, traditions, folklore, arts and crafts, music and dance, and vernacular culture of Greenwood, the South Carolina Upstate area, and the entire state. The Festival of Discovery also hosts a Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS), sanctioned Carolina Barbecue, and Black Kettle Hash competition and South Carolina State Championship cook-off, featuring some of the best BBQ teams in the country.
Catfish Feastival
Ware Shoals
Memorial Day weekend
Phone: (864) 456-7664
Ware Shoals plays host to over 20,000 visitors each year to enjoy the large catfish feast during Memorial Day weekend at the annual Catfish Feastival. The event began in 1981 to harvest more than a ton of catfish from the shallows during the annual draining of the Riegel Textile Company pool and dam site. In addition to the catfish feast, the “feastival” also hosts a carnival, booths for arts and crafts, and the streets are roped off at night for dancing.
“A Connie Maxwell Christmas”
Connie Maxwell Children’s Home
Greenwood
Phone: 1 (800) 868-CMCH
Take a moment with family and friends to visit the campus of Connie Maxwell Children's Home in Greenwood, SC, December 6, 7 and 8, 2007. The night will be filled with lights of the holiday as each cottage along with other beautiful buildings will be brightly lit with images of Christmas. Music will also fill the air with a wide variety of sounds of the season. Children of all ages will have the opportunity to ride in horse drawn wagons and sip on hot cups of cocoa. Everyone will enjoy a walk through Bethlehem as a guide leads you back to the nativity of the Christ child. Each evening's activities begin at 6:00 p.m. and conclude by 8:30 p.m.
Greenwood Music Festival
Uptown Greenwood venues
January 9-11, 2009 Keith Jameson, Founder and Director
Email: greenwoodmusicfestival@hotmail.com
The Greenwood Music Festival takes place each January in different venues in Greenwood. The 2009 season will include A Special Concert by Stacey Robinson, Broadway and international opera star and favorite Greenwood area native, singing Broadway selections, spirituals, and songs in a concert at First Baptist Church (Stacey has appeared in Broadway's Show Boat , The Phantom of the Opera , Big River , and Houston Grand Opera's Porgy and Bess ); the Bridge String Quartet displays their artistry and skill in a concert at the Arts Center at the Federal Building; and the return of the Palmetto Mastersingers, South Carolina’s premier men’s chorus, appears in concert at First Presbyterian Church, co-sponsored with Sundays @ Four Concert Series. The Palmetto Mastersingers are known as “South Carolina’s Musical Ambassadors”, and will present a program of sacred music, plus Randall Thompson’s stirring “The Testament of Freedom”. Plus, we hope to present another Opera for Kids with FBN Productions’ performance of “Jack and the Beanstalk”. Come and experience a weekend of wonderful music for the entire family.
Hodges Town Festival
2nd Saturday of September
(864) 374-7413
Held each September, the town of Hodges holds its annual celebration and festival with crafters, food, music, and dancing.
Just south of Greenwood, the Ninety Six National Historic Site is the location of one of the first land battles of the Revolutionary War and a national historic park. Under the leadership of Gen. Nathaniel Greene, Star Fort survived a crucial 28-day siege in 1781, which is reenacted each April. Each October, a candlelight tour of the park is held showcasing the park and its beautiful autumn foliage.
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Cokesbury College
SC Hwy 246
Cokesbury
(864) 374-3237 |
Located close to the town of Hodges, The Masonic Female Collegiate Institute, a female school established by members of a local Masonic lodge, was built in the Cokesbury community in 1854. The school later became Cokesbury College and has undergone restorations, making it a beautiful site for weddings and other gatherings throughout the year. This group of antebellum structures is on the National Register of Historic Places and is open by appointment.
The Dr. Benjamin E. Mays Historic Site is the birthplace of one of the nation’s most influential Civil Rights leaders. The completion of the site will be the destination for individuals and groups interested in learning about the life of one of the nation’s most influential Civil Rights leaders and the African American experience in South Carolina. School children, tour groups and individuals, can tour the childhood home of Dr. Mays and understand his monumental rise from a sharecropper’s son to president of Morehouse College.
Park Seed Company, established in the early 1900s, has become a destination for garden enthusiasts from all over the country as home of the Park Seed Garden Center, acres of trial gardens and an entire facility dedicated to a booming catalog and internet seed business. All gardening enthusiasts are invited to visit the Park Garden Center located adjacent to the Park Seed business office on Highway 254 in Greenwood, South Carolina. The Garden Center is open for business from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday.
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Emerald Farm
409 Emerald Farm Rd.
Greenwood, SC
(864) 223-2247 |
Located on the edge of the city of Greenwood, South Carolina, Emerald Farm is situated on about 75 acres of beautiful rolling pastures dotted with large sheltering oak trees and surrounded by forest land. Get hands-on experience at the working dairy farms, or take an educational walk through the herb garden. Visit their Soap Factory and Gift Shop where all natural Saanen goat milksoap and body products are made. The Natural Food Store offers healthy snacks, and stroll through the Train and Hobby Shop, bound to stimulate interests of all ages, especially with the trains running in the Model Railroad clubhouse.
Visits are welcome Monday-Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Guided Tours are welcome by appointment. Call (864) 223-2247 to make arrangements.