What's Up Y'all

Happy Thanksgiving from Becky Pittman, producer, and Amy Wood, host, of the What’s Up Y’all web show. We’re grateful for the many organizations that make our city, Spartanburg, a vibrant place to live, work and raise a family. They allow us to highlight those “feel-good” stories – feeding the community, building homes for deserving families, honoring vets, cheering on emerging artists making CDs or a Carnegie Hall debut, bringing high tech to small towns through mentoring, and, most recently, printing and releasing a book that features “Artists Among Us.” The list goes on and on. Do you live in Upstate SC or western NC and have a story or an event to share? Email us at info.whatsupyall@gmail.com

A great event update to start Thanksgiving Day – Partners for Active Living (PAL) reports that 735 runners & walkers participated in Spartanburg’s 7th Annual Turkey Day 8K. The registration fee is one or more cans of food. Over 4500 cans have been donated since 2007.  Contact PAL and Spartanburg Running Club for more race opportunities.

Did you see 7 On Your Side’s list of places to donate, volunteer or get a meal on Thanksgiving Day? http://www2.wspa.com/news/2011/nov/24/2/where-donate-volunteer-or-get-meal-thanksgiving-ar-2736380/

Eating out on Thanksgiving Day? Here’s Spartanburg Herald-Journal’s list of local restaurants that will be open today.

http://www.goupstate.com/article/20111123/ARTICLES/111241004/1112?Title=Spartanburg-eateries-offer-feasts-for-Thanksgiving-Day

Looking for a family movie? Get some insight from a Kid Critic. “Lights Camera Jackson” began his movie critic career at age 7 ½.

http://www.lights-camera-jackson.com/index.php

You’ve heard of Black Friday and Cyber Monday but do you know about Small Business Saturday? This 2^nd annual event sponsored by American Express encourages you to “Shop Small.” This week’s blog will feature a few of the local businesses and artists who post on our Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/WUYall

Spartan Photo Exhibit at Chapman Cultural Center
November 16 – December 15
https://www.facebook.com/spartanphotocenter
http://www.chapmanculturalcenter.org/calendar.php
Spartan Photo Center has recently hosted their first annual photography contest open to the general public. With the great success of the college student contest earlier in the year they discovered quickly that many people were eager to show off their impressive skills and passion. Spartan Photo ended up with nearly 100 entries for the public’s viewing and voting pleasure.

All photos have been displayed in the second floor Stairway Gallery of the Chapman Cultural Center (open Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.) on East Saint John Street in downtown Spartanburg, directly across the street from Spartan Photo Center and is open to the public for voting. Every person is free to choose their top ten favorites (there is a form and voting box in the gallery) and the top ten will be further voted on by the online Facebook crowd with the winners to be announced in December 2011.

The grand prize for this contest is a Diana film camera, a poster print of the winning shot, also to be displayed in the store, free food and prizes from the various sponsors (Spartan Photo Center, The Chapman Cultural Center, Cribb’s Kitchen, Converse Deli, Groucho’s, Hub Diggity Dog), and an ad in the local paper. A grand total of over $300 in prizes! Second & Third place winners will also receive a 16x20inch poster print of their prize winning photo as well as select prizes from the sponsors.

Pack a lunch, grab the kids, and enjoy a picnic at Barnett Park, voting on the photos and visiting the various exhibits at the Cultural Center, and stop by Spartan Photo Center for a free cup of coffee and some good conversation. We are excited to meet you. Spartan Photo Center, Inc. has been expertly supplying photographers in the Spartanburg/Greenville area with new product information, the newest techniques, repairs, accessories, upgrades, and photo printing for over 25 years. If you would like more information about this topic or to set up an interview with Owner, Mike Wojcik, call Hannah Bingham at (864) 583 – 6835 or email at SpartanPhotoCenter@Gmail.com

Small Business Saturday: Little River Coffee Bar
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Little-River-Coffee-Bar/113537798667010
Holiday Gift Card Special - Buy $50, Get $10.  

Small Business: West Main Artists Cooperative’s Holiday Open House
November 26 – 27
https://www.facebook.com/pages/West-Main-Artists-Cooperative/158098593382
http://westmainartists.org/

Located at 578 West Main Street in Spartanburg, SC, the West Main Artists Co-op is a group of artists, crafters, writers, and musicians who are joining forces to create studio, exhibition, and retail spaces in an effort to enhance the local art scene and help revitalize downtown Spartanburg. We will be OPEN Friday starting at 10 am and running until 4 pm. HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE! Forget the BIG BOX STORES and the MAUL…I mean , MALL !! Unique and one of a kind gifts, jewelry and pottery and more. This Holiday/Black Friday shop with WEST MAIN ARTISTS and BUY LOCAL. Have a SAFE and HAPPY TURKEY DAY.

Small Business: The Urban Planter in Spartanburg
November 26^th
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Urban-Planter/204460606293297
The Urban Planter features artwork, photography and plants from local artists and nurseries. “We will be giving away 5 gift cards on Saturday Nov 26th in recognition of Small Business Saturday. Stop by the store, drop your name in the hat, you will not have to be there to win. We will contact the winners at the end of the day. The gift cards will range from $10.00-$50.00 in value.”

The Showroom at HUB-BUB
http://www.hub-bub.com/
November 28^th – “River Time” screening
Experience the documentary of nature writer and Wofford College professor John Lane’s journey down Spartanburg’s rivers, from his back yard to the sea. “River Time,” directed by Chris Cogan, is a 30-minute documentary about John Lane and his 11 day canoe trip featured in Lane’s new book “My Paddle to the Sea.” Free and open to the public. Q&A to follow screening.

Spartanburg Downtown Association: A Dickens of a Christmas
November 29th
https://www.facebook.com/pages/A-Dickens-of-a-Christmas/267695609938246
http://www.spartanburgdickens.org/
The 18th annual A Dickens of a Christmas Victorian Christmas celebration, will be held on Tuesday, November 29, 2011 from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. in downtown Spartanburg. *In case of severe weather, A Dickens of a Christmas will be held on Thursday, December 1, 2011. The event, organized by the Spartanburg Downtown Association, will feature horse drawn carriage rides, roasted chestnuts, hand bell choirs, ballet dancers, characters from the Charles Dickens novel, living windows, holiday choirs, and the magical Denny’s Tree Lighting Ceremony. The Tree Lighting Ceremony will get underway at 7:30 p.m. and will include a community sing-along of favorite Christmas songs.

Santee Cooper Lecture Series on Sustainability & Energy
November 29^th
Wofford College, Phase V, Room 113 (Evins Street)
https://www.facebook.com/events/208625659215682/

http://www.wofford.edu/newsroom/story.aspx?id=452167 

Rick Bass was born in Fort Worth, Texas, the son of a biologist, and he studied petroleum geology at Utah State University. He grew up in Houston, and started writing short stories while working as a petroleum geologist in Jackson, Miss. In 1987, he moved with his wife, the artist Elizabeth Hughes Bass, to the remote Yaak Valley near Troy, Montana, where he worked to protect his adopted home from roads and logging. Bass has served on the board of both the Yaak Valley Forest Council and Round River Conservation Studies. He continues to give readings, write, and teach around the country and world. His papers are held at the Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library at Texas Tech University and Texas State University-San Marcos. 

Hub City Empty Bowls: This session may feature glazing instead of bowl-making
November 30th
The Showroom at HUB-BUB
https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=316560225027254
http://hubcityemptybowls.com/
Empty Bowls is an international grassroots effort to fight hunger. The basic premise is simple: potters and others work with their community to create handcrafted bowls. Guests are invited to a simple meal of soup and bread. In exchange for a cash donation, guests are asked to keep a bowl as a reminder of all the empty bowls in the world. The money raised is donated to an organization working to end hunger and food insecurity. Between now and December 1, the Spartanburg community will be making hundreds of pottery bowls which will be fired and glazed by volunteers just in time to be filled with soup from local restaurants during a downtown event on January 26, 2012 at Indigo Hall (190A-Ezell Street) from 11am-7pm.

The bowls will be sold to benefit Total Ministries; an organization that provides basic needs to assist families in Spartanburg County who are facing a financial crisis. http://www.totalministries.org/

If your class, church group, civic group, best friends, etc. want to join a day of making bowls please contact Cheryl@hub-bub.com. If your restaurant wants to provide soup or bread during the January 26 event, please contact us at EmptyBowls@hub-bub.com.

Home for the Holidays: A Victorian Christmas
December 1^st
Hampton Heights Historic District in Spartanburg
Cost: $25 per person includes tour, hors d’oeuvres and wine
http://hamptonheights.org/

On June 18, 2010, one of Spartanburg’s historic treasures, the Arthur Irwin home in the Hampton Heights Historic District, went up in flames. The blaze, which burned for several hours, consumed the roof, attics, and tower. To neighbors, the home is the flagship of the neighborhood because of its beauty, architectural significance and grandeur. On Thursday, December 1, the Hampton Heights Neighborhood Association will host Home for the Holidays: A Victorian Christmas. This evening event will highlight and celebrate the restoration of this magnificent Victorian home. Tickets are $25 per person and include a tour of the home, hors d’oeuvres and wine. For tickets visit www.hamptonheights.org or visit Upstate Forever at 100 East Main Street Spartanburg, SC. 

Converse College Annual Festival of Lessons and Carols
December 1^st
http://www.converse.edu/event/2011-12-1/annual-festival-lessons-and-carols
Twichell Auditorium at Converse College
FREE and Open to the Public

Glendale Outdoor Leadership School Kids Night (Parents Night Out)
December 2^nd
http://www.setgols.org/
Cost: $20/child ($18 for PCF members), $5 sibling discount
New for the Fall- Kids Night at GOLS. Fun for all ages. You get an affordable night out while your kids have a blast. First Friday of each month from 6-9pm. Includes climbing, games, nature craft, and snack. Cheaper than a babysitter and a lot more fun! Call to sign up or visit our website.

Spartanburg Youth Theatre presents “Junie B. in Jingle Bells, Batman Smells!”
December 2 – 3
http://www.chapmanculturalcenter.org/calendar.php
Cost: Adults $12; Children $9
David Reid Theatre at Chapman Cultural Center
Holiday preparations, candy canes, and snowflake drawings mingle with tattletales, greedmeisters, and germ-o-phobes in “Junie B. in Jingle Bells, Batman Smells!”, a delightful show based on the popular Junie B. Jones book series. Junie B. is for all those who appreciate a dash of grossness—gloppy sneezes and luxuriant burps that register high on the Richter scale. Don’t miss this family-friendly story that captivates both children and adults alike.

First North: Twin Living Christmas Trees and Spartanburg Christmas Spectacular
December 2 – 4
Tickets: Gold Seating $15; Silver Seating $10; Red Seating - $5
http://www.twinlivingtrees.com/
New Amazing, Dramatic Digital Lighting! 300 voice choir and 50 piece orchestra. The popular Dance of The Toy Soldiers. Christmas Bears and The Nativity. Luke 2 comes to life!

Spartanburg County Regional History Museum’s Christmas in Spartanburg: The 1960s
November 29 – January 28
http://www.spartanburghistory.org/
Cost: $4 Adults, $3 Seniors & Vets, $2 Kids
Step back in time to Christmas in the 1960s with glitz and glam, not to mention aluminum trees, electric lights, holiday albums, and television specials. Remember again, or experience for the first time, the era’s authentic toys and vintage ads in an exhibit featuring ‘60s-era furniture. Make an ornament inspired by the many Christmas wreaths during the time of JFK, the Apollo missions, The Beatles, the Civil Rights Movement, and Vietnam. Converse College Intern Alexandria Brown was the student curator for the exhibit and will offer a gallery talk at the December 9 reception. Join us at between 5:30 and 7:30 that evening for an evening of refreshments, learning and nostalgia!

Partners for Active Living: ‘Twas the Scavenger Hunt Before Christmas
December 3^rd
Mary Black Foundation Rail Trail in Spartanburg
https://www.facebook.com/events/321190287897252/
Join us for a kid’s Christmas themed scavenger hunt on the Rail Trail! Beginning at the Henry Street Trailhead of the Mary Black Foundation Rail Trail. All ages welcome! Please bring a new, unwrapped toy to give to Children’s Security Blanket (toys will be collected at the Hot Spot Skate Park). Hot chocolate will be served at the Hot Spot Skate Park following the scavenger hunt! Also stay and enjoy the silent auction where all proceeds go towards Children’s Security Blanket.

Wofford College Christmas Choral Concert
December 3^rd
http://www.wofford.edu/
Leonard Auditorium in Main Building at Wofford College
Wofford Singers to perform. Free and Open to the Public.

Tour Christmas in Spartanburg: A History
December 3^rd
http://www.spartanburghistory.org/
Spartanburg County Historical Association:Price House, Seay House and 1960s Spartanburg
Cost: $12 Adults; $6 Ages 5-17 - all inclusive
Experience 150 years of Christmas in one day! At Price House, see sparse decorations of greenery and hear about the limited celebrations of frontier settlers in the early 1800s. At Seay House, find out how the county’s rural residents marked the day in the 1890s, as decorations become a bit more elaborate and familiar. At Spartanburg Regional History Museum, remember Christmas in the 1960s with its aluminum trees, electric lights, vinyl holiday albums, and full-color television specials.

HUB-BUB presents Holiday Handmade Hoopla
December 3rd, VIP Preview 10am-12pm, General Shopping 12-6pm
The Bijou Building, 174 E. Main St. in downtown Spartanburg
Cost: VIP ticket $15
http://www.hub-bub.com/
Holiday Handmade Hoopla is a new juried art and craft market in Downtown Spartanburg that connects regional artists with holiday shoppers. Support local artists and artisans this holiday season! VIP ticket, $15, includes shopping without the crowd, live music, free food and drink. Available at HUB-BUB.com!

Let Heaven and Nature Sing Art Show and Book Signing
December 3^rd
Wet Paint Syndrome at Hillcrest Specialty Row on Fernwood-Glendale Rd.
https://www.facebook.com/events/190023134414547/

Kirk and Kris Neely have teamed up to create a show of landscapes, images from nature, and guardian angel paintings for the holiday season. Join us as we celebrate a year of new beginnings and creative ventures. Kirk’s new titles: Banjos, Barbecue, and Boiled Peanuts was published by Hub City Writers Project in 2011. Santa Almost Got Caught: Stories for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the New Year was released in October 2011. Kris was recently featured in Artists Among Us published by Hub City Writers Project.

Purchase gifts for the Holidays.
Christmas Reading………………….11:00am
Artists’ Talk……………………………..3:00pm
Call Kris at 864.252.7707 for an appointment on another day that suits your holiday schedule!

Christgiving – An Alternative Gift Fair
December 3^rd
Wesley Hall at First United Methodist Church of Easley
https://www.facebook.com/events/245864298806304/
A place to shop for “gifts” for family and friends by making donations in their honor to local organizations that cover a wide range of community needs. Shoppers will receive beautiful cards in which to present their “gifts.” Plus there will be some traditional gifts benefiting charities, and a soup luncheon.  Best of all — you will find the true joy of giving. Benefiting organizations include Mary’s House, Bethlehem Center, Heifer International, United Christian Ministries, Pickens County Meals on Wheels, Pickens County Habitat for Humanity, United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR), Greenville Area Interfaith Hospitality Network (GAIHN), & others.

Gaffney High School: “To Kill A Mockingbird”
Gaffney High School Theatre
December 8 – 10
Cost: $5 for students and $6 for adults
http://www.cherokeebuzz.com/calendar/
http://www.showtix4u.com/index.php?search=sc&fb_source=message

CALENDARS:

Spartanburg Convention and Visitors Bureau: http://visitspartanburg.com

Spartanburg Culture calendar and blog: http://spartanburgculture.com/

Spartanburg County Public Libraries: Events, Exhibits and Programs: http://www.infodepot.org/zS1/Events.asp

Spartanburg Downtown Association Events: http://www.downtownspartanburg.org/events.php

Spartanburg Parks: http://www.spartanburgparks.org/

Converse College: http://www.converse.edu/calendar

USC Upstate: http://www.uscupstate.edu/event/

Wofford College: http://www.wofford.edu/newsroom/story.aspx?id=450521

City of Greenville: http://www.greenvillesc.gov/calendar/calendar.aspx

Fete Greenville: http://www.fetegreenville.com/

What’s the BUZZ in Cherokee County? http://www.cherokeebuzz.com/

Greenwood’s Cultural District: http://www.emeraldtriangle.sc/ArtsCouncil/default.aspx

Upcountry South Carolina: http://www.theupcountry.com/

South Carolina National Heritage Corridor includes the Mountain Lakes Region: http://www.sc-heritagecorridor.org/

Saluda, Tryon, Columbus NC calendar http://www.nc-mountains.org/events/

Asheville Event and Festival calendar: http://www.exploreasheville.com/event-calendar/index.aspx

Mountain Xpress – Asheville and Western NC: http://www.mountainx.com/

Want your event included? Email info.whatsupyall@gmail.com

For the 24th year, Spartanburg County community organizations and individuals are joining together in a Feed the Community effort to ensure everyone who is hungry enjoys a hearty meal on Thanksgiving Day. Last year, approximately 10,000 meals were served. Meals will be served on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 24 at the Second Presbyterian Church Soup Kitchen from 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. In addition, meals will be delivered to those who do not have transportation, or prefer to eat at home, beginning at 11:00 a.m. Preparation and support is provided by volunteers from area churches, organizations, and ministries within Spartanburg County.

Volunteers Needed:  Licensed drivers are needed to deliver food, using their own vehicles, on Thanksgiving morning. Volunteers are also needed to help prepare and serve food. Please visit the website to register. Call 582-8330 for additional information.

Robert Urban’s “In coordination with the Landscape”
Continues through November 26^th
Artists’ Guild Gallery at Chapman Cultural Center
http://www.artistsguildofspartanburg.com/

An exhibition of new artwork by Robert M. Urban titled “In Coordination with the Landscape” will be on view in the Artists’ Guild Gallery of the Chapman Cultural Center during November. The exhibit will open on Nov. 1 through Nov. 26. Robert Urban is a mixed artist who depicts the landscape in a contemporary approach through his use of a variety of art materials and montage. He is directly inspired by his immediate surroundings as viewed by him via a run, hike, river excursion, or bicycle ride. Much of the new work on view in this exhibit is a result of his enjoyment of long bicycle rides throughout Upstate South Carolina, and these rides inspired the title of the exhibit, “In Coordination with the Landscape.” For more information about the artist, please visit: www.theUrbanArtStudio.com or www.facebook.com/TheRobertUrbanArtStudio.

Spartanburg Downtown Association: A Dickens of a Christmas
November 29^th
https://www.facebook.com/pages/A-Dickens-of-a-Christmas/267695609938246

http://www.spartanburgdickens.org/

The 18th annual A Dickens of a Christmas Victorian Christmas celebration, will be held on Tuesday, November 29, 2011 from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. in downtown Spartanburg. *In case of severe weather, A Dickens of a Christmas will be held on Thursday, December 1, 2011.

The event, organized by the Spartanburg Downtown Association, will feature horse drawn carriage rides, roasted chestnuts, hand bell choirs, ballet dancers,characters from the Charles Dickens novel, living windows, holiday choirs, and the magical Denny’s Tree Lighting Ceremony. The Tree Lighting Ceremony will get underway at 7:30 p.m. and will include a community sing-along of favorite Christmas songs.

HUB-BUB presents Holiday Handmade Hoopla
http://www.hub-bub.com/
The Bijou Building, 174 E. Main St. in downtown Spartanburg
December 3^rd, VIP Preview 10am-12pm, General Shopping 12-6pm
Cost: VIP ticket $15
Holiday Handmade Hoopla is a new juried art and craft market in Downtown Spartanburg that connects regional artists with holiday shoppers. Support local artists and artisans this holiday season! VIP ticket, $15, includes shopping without the crowd, live music, free food and drink. Available at HUB-BUB.com!

Spartanburg Art Museum: Faces from Africa II
Continues to December 3rd
http://www.chapmanculturalcenter.org/calendar.php

Following up on the success of last year’s exhibit from the Mendes Collection, this exhibit focuses on objects, reliquary figures and statues from Western and Central Africa.

 CALENDARS:
Spartanburg Convention and Visitors Bureau: http://visitspartanburg.com

Spartanburg Culture calendar and blog: http://spartanburgculture.com/
Spartanburg County Public Libraries: Events, Exhibits and Programs: http://www.infodepot.org/zS1/Events.asp

Spartanburg Downtown Association Events: http://www.downtownspartanburg.org/events.php
Spartanburg Parks: http://www.spartanburgparks.org/

Converse College: http://www.converse.edu/calendar

USC Upstate: http://www.uscupstate.edu/event/

Wofford College: http://www.wofford.edu/newsroom/story.aspx?id=450521

City of Greenville: http://www.greenvillesc.gov/calendar/calendar.aspx
Fete Greenville: http://www.fetegreenville.com/
What’s the BUZZ in Cherokee County? http://www.cherokeebuzz.com/
Greenwood’s Cultural District: http://www.emeraldtriangle.sc/ArtsCouncil/default.aspx

Upcountry South Carolina: http://www.theupcountry.com/
South Carolina National Heritage Corridor includes the Mountain Lakes Region: http://www.sc-heritagecorridor.org/
Saluda, Tryon, Columbus NC calendar http://www.nc-mountains.org/events/
Asheville Event and Festival calendar: http://www.exploreasheville.com/event-calendar/index.aspx

Mountain Xpress – Asheville and Western NC: http://www.mountainx.com/

Want your event included? Email info.whatsupyall@gmail.com

The Showroom at HUB-BUB
http://www.hub-bub.com/
November 11th Zataban- CD release show
Cost: $11 advance or door
A new group from the Upstate merges five of the premier musicians from the area to formulate the new movement Zataban. The group targets true music lovers with tunes that will make you move and groove but most important touch your soul! Combining Gospel, Blues, New Orleans Funk, Zataban strives to entertain with a mix of cover tunes and original songs. Zataban is: Tony Kennedy: Sax, Vocals; Frank Wilkie: Bass; Kym MacKinnon: Guitar, Vocals; Tez Sherrard: Drums, Vocals; Patrick Purnell: Keyboards, Vocals.

Junior League of Spartanburg: Santa’s Shoppe
November 11 – 13; Santa’s Soiree Preview Event on the 10^th
https://www.facebook.com/jlspartanburg

Junior League of Spartanburg is happy to announce the 23nd annual Santa’s Shoppe “Shop ‘til You Drop” event will be held November 11 – 13 at the Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium and there will be a preview event Thursday, November 10 to kick off the weekend in style!

Spartanburg Little Theatre presents Alfred Hitchcock’s “The 39 Steps”
Continues November 11 - 13
http://www.chapmanculturalcenter.org/calendar.php

Cost: Adults: $25 Seniors: $24 Youth: $17
David Reid Theatre at the Chapman Cultural Center
Hitchcock meets “Hilarious” in this madcap comic thriller, a juicy spy story mixed with a dash of Monty Python mayhem. Four ridiculously talented actors take on over 150 roles in a plot packed with intrigue, international danger, an on-stage plane crash, old-fashioned romance, high-spirited comedy and a death-defying finale!

The Greer Children’s Theatre: “Annie”
November 11 – 13
J. Harley Bonds Center in Greer
Cost: Adults - $13; Seniors - $10; Kids (5 and under) - $6
http://www.greerculturalarts.com/

Leapin’ Lizards! The popular comic strip heroine takes centerstage in one of the world’s best-loved musicals. “Annie” is a spunky Depression-era orphan determined to find her parents, who abandoned her years ago on the doorstep of a New York City Orphanage run by the cruel, embittered Miss Hannigan. In adventure after fun-filled adventure, Annie foils Miss Hannigan’s evil machinations, befriends President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and finds a new family and home in billionaire Oliver Warbucks, his personal secretary Grace Farrell and a lovable mutt named Sandy. ANNIE IS PRESENTED THROUGH SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT WITH MUSIC THEATRE INTERNATIONAL(MTI). 

Upstate Forever: SYRCL’s Wild & Scenic Film Festival
November 12^th
Cost: Tickets: $10 per person; $5 children 12 and under
Chapman Cultural Center – David Reid Theatre in Spartanburg
http://www.chapmanculturalcenter.org/calendar.php

South Yuba River Citizens League festival-goers will have the chance to win great door prizes from national sponsors like Patagonia, Klean Kanteen, Cliff Bars, Grist, Osprey, and Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Considered the largest film festival of its kind, this year’s films combine stellar film-making, beautiful cinematography and first-rate storytelling to inform, inspire and ignite solutions and possibilities to restore the earth and human communities while creating a positive future for the next generation. Festival-goers can expect to see award-winning films about nature, community activism, adventure, conservation, water, energy and climate change, wildlife, environmental justice, and agriculture. Tickets for the event are on sale now at the Upstate Forever offices at 507 Pettigru Street in Greenville, SC. (864) 250-0500 and 100 E Main St in Spartanburg (864)327-0090. Tickets will also be available in the theatre lobby an hour before the event. 

Hub City Empty Bowls: November Bowl-Making Sessions
November 12^th, 15^th, 22^nd and 30^th
The Showroom at HUB-BUB
https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=316560225027254

http://hubcityemptybowls.com/

WATCH our interview with Joey Geier

Empty Bowls is an international grassroots effort to fight hunger. The basic premise is simple: potters and others work with their community to create handcrafted bowls. Guests are invited to a simple meal of soup and bread. In exchange for a cash donation, guests are asked to keep a bowl as a reminder of all the empty bowls in the world. The money raised is donated to an organization working to end hunger and food insecurity. Between now and December 1, the Spartanburg community will be making hundreds of pottery bowls which will be fired and glazed by volunteers just in time to be filled with soup from local restaurants during a downtown event on January 26, 2012 at Indigo Hall (190A-Ezell Street) from 11am-7pm. 

The bowls will be sold to benefit Total Ministries; an organization that provides basic needs to assist families in Spartanburg County who are facing a financial crisis. http://www.totalministries.org/

If your class, church group, civic group, best friends, etc. want to join a day of making bowls please contact Cheryl@hub-bub.com. If your restaurant wants to provide soup or bread during the January 26 event, please contact us at EmptyBowls@hub-bub.com. 

Hub City Farmers Market
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hub-City-Farmers-Market/91857690874
November 12^th: Farm Dinner at Live Oak Farms. Cost: $100.

Join us as we celebrate local food, local farmers and local culinary talent by joining us at the 2011 Hub City Farmers’ Market Farm Dinner. The Fundraiser will feature a Fall Feast paired with wines and prepared by an all-star team of seven chefs. Guests will dine at Live Oak Farms in Woodruff and will be treated to a six-course meal made from local and fresh ingredients. Proceeds benefit Hub City Farmers’ Market’s program. Hub City Farmers’ Market is a non-profit organization that works to increase the demand and availability of healthy foods in Spartanburg by operating farmers’ markets, the Mobile Market, implementing community gardens and creating environments that promote healthy eating. Tables are available for groups of 8-10 guests. Please e-mail HCFM at hubcityfm.org with any special requests. 

November 18^th – Thanksgiving Market. Join us from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. in downtown Spartanburg on Morgan Square. Stroll through the square while sipping your coffee or munching on one of the yummy pastries or breads available for purchase. Grab your fresh, local produce to make your Thanksgiving local while listening to the ukelele sounds of Snidely Sidewinder and the Unrepentant Uke Boys. Learn some new cooking techniques with Chef Stephanie Tornatore during her cooking demonstration. Join us for this festive and final Market of the season! 

Hub City Bookshop Events
http://www.hubcity.org

November 14^th: Join us at Hub City Bookshop for a talk and signing with Hal Herzog, author of Some We Love, Some We Hate, Some We Eat. 

1903 Pacolet River Flood Memorial Dedication
November 15^th  10:00am
4135 E Main Street Extension in Spartanburg
https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=270679799642546

WATCH our interview with journalist Gary Henderson

RSVP to Susan Rimel at 864-580-5643, or send e-mail to srimel@spartanburgwater.org. On June 6, 1903, the Pacolet River swelled to 40 feet, destroying mills and houses and killing at least 68 people. We invite you to join us as we dedicate a sculpture in remembrance of those who lost their lives in the largest flood in South Carolina’s history. The height of this sculpture is at the approximate height of the flood water level. The event will be held at 4135 E. Main Street Extension, which is 3.4 miles past Hillcrest Mall on the left, just before the Pacolet River Bridge. Comfortable walking shoes recommended. 

Hub City Co-op Farm-to-Fork Dinner at Palmetto Palate
November 15^th
https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=134532263316014

Cost: $50 per person, gratuity and tax included.

Please join the Hub City Co-op for the next Farm to Fork event at Palmetto Palate, Tuesday, November 15th at 6PM.  This well-kept secret of local dining is located downtown at 401 East Kennedy Street, Spartanburg SC.  Executive Chef and Owner Kyle Williams will be leading us on a FIVE course tasting menu of local products paired with wines from Childress Vineyard in Lexington, NC.  A representative of Childress Vineyards will be in attendance to describe the wines Chef Kyle has selected for this evening. The cost for this event is $50 per person, GRATUITY AND TAX INCLUDED (What a deal!), and is to be paid directly to Palmetto Palate prior to the event to secure your reservation. Please CONTACT THE RESTAURANT DIRECTLY to make your reservation for this fabulous event at (864) 541-1818 or chefs@palmettopalate.com. Make your reservations now as seating is limited. Visit the Facebook event or email us at info@hubcitycoop.org for course details.  

Hub City Writers’ Project: Artists Among Us release and city-wide signing
November 17^th
https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=133197800116694

WATCH our interview with Edward Emory and Stephen Stinson

It’s a city-wide book signing! As many as 100 Spartanburg artists will spread out across eight local art galleries on the evening of Nov. 17 as the city celebrates the publication of Artists Among Us: 100 Faces of Art in Spartanburg, the newest book from Hub City Press. Compiled by Edward Emory and photographed by Stephen Stinson, Artists Among Us is a large-size, color coffee-table book that spotlights the people who have shaped—and are continuing to shape—a remarkably robust art community. The 224-page book features their photographs, artwork and their personal stories.

From 6-8pm on the city’s regular Art Walk night, the artists will meet the public at the following galleries: The Showroom, Carolina Gallery, West Main Co-op, Spartanburg Art Museum, the Guild Gallery, Galley East, Art Lounge, and Wet Paint Syndrome. Books will be for sale at each site, and a free trolley sponsored by the Community Healing Arts Program will move between the galleries. Thank you to all of the artists, galleries, and the Community Healing Arts Program for helping to make this night happen!

Retail Therapy - every 3^rd Thursday
October 20th
http://www.downtownspartanburg.com/

Downtown Spartanburg - Various Shops/boutiques open evening hours offering special discounts and other surprises

Converse Opera Theatre: Mozart’s Cosi fan tutte
November 18 – 20
Cost:  $20 adults, $18 seniors, $5 students (with ID) and children 

http://www.converse.edu/event/2011-11-18/converse-opera-theatre-presents-mozarts-cos-fan-tutte

WATCH our interview with Becky Turner, Converse Opera Theatre Director

Così fan tutte is one of the last comic operas that Mozart produced, and time has proven it to be among the most endearing. Two young sisters are thrown into despair as their fiancés are suddenly called away on business. However, it is all part of an elaborate charade to challenge the sisters’ fidelity. The men return in disguise to woo each other’s intended, and while at first the ladies are steadfast, their resolve begins to slowly melt away. (To be sung in English.) Tickets are available at the Chapman Cultural Center Ticket Office Monday through Friday, noon - 6:00 pm, online: www.chapmanculturalcenter.org, or by phone: 864.542.ARTS (2787). 

Partners for Active Living: Middle Tyger YMCA Run the Falls Race
November 19^th
http://www.active-living.org/Girls-on-the-Run-2.html

Girls on the Run is an international program whose mission is to “inspire girls to be joyful, healthy, and confident using a fun, experience-based curriculum which creatively integrates running” Partners for Active Living services as the Spartanburg affiliate. Girls on the Run is designed for 3-5th grade girls while Girls on Track targets girls in 5-8th grade.  The programs use the power of running and experimental learning activities to focus on preventing at-risk behaviors and encouraging positive emotional, social, mental, spiritual and physical development. Practice Runs began on October 25^th. Visit the website for Running Buddy Forms and more information about race day.

Spartanburg Regional Foundation: Festival of Trees Auction Gala
November 19^th
Spartanburg Marriott
https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=306313526050962

Cost: Early discount on tickets if purchased by Nov. 4^th. Tickets after Nov. 4th and at the door are $75.

WATCH our interview with Jami Wood

Festival of Trees benefits Spartanburg Regional Hospice. Silent and live auctions feature beautifully decorated holiday trees and wreaths, fabulous gift certificate packages and amazing trips! Visit www.regionalfoundation.com for more info 

Spartanburg Downtown Association: A Dickens of a Christmas
November 29^th
https://www.facebook.com/pages/A-Dickens-of-a-Christmas/267695609938246

http://www.spartanburgdickens.org/

WATCH our interview with Kathy Chandler

The 18th annual A Dickens of a Christmas Victorian Christmas celebration, will be held on Tuesday, November 29, 2011 from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. in downtown Spartanburg. *In case of severe weather, A Dickens of a Christmas will be held on Thursday, December 1, 2011.  

The event, organized by the Spartanburg Downtown Association, will feature horse drawn carriage rides, roasted chestnuts, hand bell choirs, ballet dancers,characters from the Charles Dickens novel, living windows, holiday choirs, and the magical Denny’s Tree Lighting Ceremony. The Tree Lighting Ceremony will get underway at 7:30 p.m. and will include a community sing-along of favorite Christmas songs.

Spartanburg Art Museum: Faces from Africa II

Continues to December 3rd

http://www.chapmanculturalcenter.org/calendar.php

Following up on the success of last year’s exhibit from the Mendes Collection, this exhibit focuses on objects, reliquary figures and statues from Western and Central Africa. 

CALENDARS:
Spartanburg Convention and Visitors Bureau: http://visitspartanburg.com
Spartanburg Culture calendar and blog: http://spartanburgculture.com/
Spartanburg County Public Libraries: Events, Exhibits and Programs: http://www.infodepot.org/zS1/Events.asp 

Spartanburg Downtown Association Events: http://www.downtownspartanburg.org/events.php
Spartanburg Parks: http://www.spartanburgparks.org/ 

Converse College: http://www.converse.edu/calendar

USC Upstate: http://www.uscupstate.edu/event/ 

Wofford College: http://www.wofford.edu/newsroom/story.aspx?id=450521

City of Greenville: http://www.greenvillesc.gov/calendar/calendar.aspx
Fete Greenville: http://www.fetegreenville.com/
What’s the BUZZ in Cherokee County? http://www.cherokeebuzz.com/
Greenwood’s Cultural District: http://www.emeraldtriangle.sc/ArtsCouncil/default.aspx 

Upcountry South Carolina: http://www.theupcountry.com/
South Carolina National Heritage Corridor includes the Mountain Lakes Region: http://www.sc-heritagecorridor.org/
Saluda, Tryon, Columbus NC calendar http://www.nc-mountains.org/events/
Asheville Event and Festival calendar: http://www.exploreasheville.com/event-calendar/index.aspx 

Mountain Xpress – Asheville and Western NC: http://www.mountainx.com/

Want your event included? Email info.whatsupyall@gmail.com