Downtown Greenville Calls Out To Bike Enthusiasts

May has to be one of the nicest months to spend in Downtown Greenville. With the beautiful blue skies, the lush greenery and near-perfect weather (well…. MOST of the time, anyway), there is much appeal to spending the day here. Many residents, myself included, choose to revisit that favorite pastime from childhood – bike riding – to explore our Downtown. And Downtown is only too happy to oblige bike enthusiasts!

May is officially National Bike Month…but here in Downtown Greenville, every month can be Bike Month. From designated bike lanes on our main streets to bike docking stations scattered throughout, Downtown Greenville is definitely a “Bike Friendly” community. The City of Greenville’s “Bicycle Friendly Community Initiative” began in 2006 as a city council resolution. It quickly gained in popularity as bike enthusiasts, including many bicycle racing professionals, rallied behind it. The result is Bike Friendly Greenville, whose goal is to provide infrastructure, education, and outreach to increase the number of trips made by bicycles by improving roads to accommodate bicyclists and creating programs that encourage alternative transportation. The program was recognized by The League of American Bicyclists for its work to bicycling for fun, fitness and transportation and work through advocacy and education with its prestigious Bicycle Friendly Community award. To learn more about Greenville’s Bike Friendly Program, visit their Bikeville page at http://www.greenvillesc.gov/ParksRec/Trails/bikeville.

As mentioned, many of Downtown Greenville’s streets offer Bike Lanes, so that bicyclists can safely share the road with motorists. These special lanes are clearly marked with a white bicycle. For more information, a map of specified bike lanes and other bike safety tips, download the City’s Bike Safety Brochure, found here: http://www.greenvillesc.gov/ParksRec/Trails/forms/BikevilleBrochure.pdf. Rather enjoy your bike ride without the distraction of cars? Downtown offers several bike paths that wind through our lovely public parks, including North Main Park, McPherson Park and Cleveland Park. If you would like a little more “mountain” to your biking, check out The Swamp Rabbit Trail, a 17+ mile multi-use trail, part of which winds its way through Downtown. Several of the trials in Cleveland Park also offer a satisfactory mountain bike experience. For more information and maps, visit: http://www.greenvillesc.gov/ParksRec/Trails/SwampRabbitMap

After enjoying a day of bike riding, you will most likely want to park your bike and enjoy all the sights and sounds that Downtown has to offer. The City has recently installed several bike racks throughout Downtown, where you can safely stash your bike before having lunch or taking in the sights. See the attached map for a list of bike rack locations: http://www.greenvillesc.gov/ParksRec/Trails/forms/DowntownBicycleRacksPlan.pdf

Don’t own a bike? No worries…there is no need to miss out on all the fun! Greenville B-cycle, a partnership between Upstate Forever and the Greenville Health System, is transforming the way we get around downtown Greenville. With six stations and 28 bikes, the system provides community members and visitors an active way to get around town. Four bicycle docking stations are located Downtown at 206 S. Main Street, 215 Rhett Street, 100 W. McBee Avenue and 11 College Street. Two additional stations are located at Sterling Community Center (113 Minus Street) and County Square (301 University Ridge). With a purchase of a membership online, or a one day guest membership, you can then have a bike to use at your leisure. For more information on this program, visit: http://greenville.bcycle.com.

If you want a little more variety in your bike choices, then check out Reedy Rides, a longtime provider of rental bikes to the Downtown area. Available seven days a week, Reedy Rides feature 3, 7 and 21 speed comfort cruisers to choose from as well as kid’s bikes, child trailers, tag-a-longs (third wheel), a tandem and trike. They provide not only the bicycle, but a helmet, a small bag for keys/phone/wallet, and a lock. They will even deliver to your hotel if you are visiting our fair city! Because it can get busy this time of year (especially on pretty weekends) reservations are strongly encouraged. For more information, or to make reservations, call (864) 419-2944 or visit: http://reedyrides.com.

So there you have it Downtownies. Greenville definitely goes all out to make her Downtown very bike accessible. So, grab your bike (or rent one) and head Downtown on one of these gorgeous Spring days to take advantage of our city’s Bike Friendliness! You’ll appreciate our Downtown in a whole new way! Safe Biking!

Gonna Be a Monumental May in Downtown Greenville – Part 2

(Art, The Bard, Greeks, Great Scots & a little Caribbean Crush…)

It’s still May and despite some decidedly unseasonable weather last week, it’s still one of my favorite times to be Downtown! As the flowers bloom, so does Downtown and she shows off with a whirlwind of events that’ll get you out of your house and down on Main Street! This week’s blog highlights everyone’s favorite Arts festival, some works by the Bard, party with some cool Caribbean vibes, going Greek and a lot of guys in kilts!

To art lovers, Spring means one thing…ARTISPHERE! This weekend, our fair city will play host to this exuberant celebration of the visual and performing arts. Beginning with a fancy Opening Gala at Courtyard by Marriott and Nantucket Grill on Thursday, Artisphere launches into full swing on Friday, May 10th. Featuring not only exhibits from local and regional artisans, this arts extravaganza also spotlights performances from local musicians, theatre groups, dance troupes and other performing artists. Saturday and Sunday’s festivities also include Wine Tasting, Artists’ Demonstrations and Classes, as well as fun events for the kids at Kidsphere. And, since Sunday is Mothers’ Day, this event offers an excellent array of creative gift ideas for Mom. As always, restaurant vendors will be on hand to offer a variety of choices in food, beverage, beer and wine. Hours for this festival are noon -8PM on Friday, 10AM – 8PM on Saturday, and 11AM – 6PM on Sunday. There is no admission to this event held on Main Street and Broad near Falls Park. For more information, visit http://www.Artisphere.us.

Fans of all things flamingoes and flip-flops will LOVE the South Carolina Children’s Theatre’s Annual Fundraiser, Caribbean Crush! This laid-back event featuring Caribbean steel drums, fantastic food, beach drinks and a silent auction has been the talk of the town for the past 6 years. So, don your sunglasses and Hawaiian shirts and join the other Bermuda-shorted partiers at ZEN on Friday, May 17th. The festivities go into full swing at 7PM, with tickets still available for $50 and all proceeds benefitting the many wonderful programs for children and teens the SCCT has to offer. For more information, or to purchase tickets, visit http://www.scchildrenstheatre.org.

The Greeks have known how to throw a party for thousands of years and Greenville’s Grecian community proudly carries on that tradition with their annual Greek Festival. For four fun-filled days (May 16 – 19), Greenville becomes “Greekville” as St. George Greek Orthodox Church becomes a sea of all things Greek. Beginning on Thursday, May 16th, you will be able to satisfy your cravings for souvlaki, gyros and all kinds of yummy Greek pastries as lunch and dinner will be served at the Hellenic Center. Don’t have time to sit down to eat? They have drive-thru service at the Elford Street entrance, so you can get a taste of Greece in minutes. The “glendi” (that’s Greek for party) really starts up on Friday, with an assortment of food, traditional Greek dance and live music. All that dancing will leave you exhausted, so be sure to stop by the Kafenion (Greek Coffee Shop) to recharge your batteries with a steaming cup of Greek coffee and a wedge of delicious baklava, before strolling through the Marketplace to view an assortment of Mediterranean wares. The festivities continue full swing through the weekend until Sunday evening. Hours are 10:30AM to 8PM (Dining only) Thursday, 10:30AM to 10PM Friday and Saturday, and 11:30AM to 8PM Sunday. Cost of admission is only $1. For more information, visit: http://www.stgeorgegreenville.org/GreekFestival.

On Thursday, May 23, the Scots invade Downtown in true Highland fashion to rock out to the music of the Celtic band, Cleghorn (with guests, Smash the Radio and The Greenville Pipes & Drums) at Downtown Alive! Then on Friday evening, Downtown will be awash in plaid as kilted revelers stroll down Main Street in the Great Scot Parade. Starting at 6PM, the Parade, which grows larger each year, will feature pipe bands, Scottish military re-enactors, Highland themed floats, Scottish forest fairies and more tartans than you can shake a bagpipe at – all to get the weekend started Highland style! The Friday festivities will grow to a fevered pitch with a raucous “ceildh” (that’s Gaelic for party)at the Peace Center Amphitheatre, featuring the music of Rathkeltair and Albannach. Want to really release your inner Braveheart? Then join your fellow Gaelic enthusiasts at the 2013 Greenville Scottish Games at Furman on Saturday, May 25. Competition begins at 8AM with evnts such as caber-tossing and piping continuing all day. Afterwards, visit the food tents to taste such Scottish delicacies as haggis (trust me, you really DON’T want to know what’s in it) and to browse through the vendors’ tents featuring goods from the heathered isles. Once again, Saturday’s events will wind down with a rockin’ Celtic Jam. For an events schedule, to order tickets and for more information on the Scottish Games, visit: http://gallabrae.com.

If all the world is a stage, then the stage is definitely set for the Upstate Shakespeare Festival at Falls Park. Every Thursday – Sunday, beginning May 23, Downtown thespians and other fans of a fellow named Shakespeare, will have the chance to experience some of his finest works…with a twist. This season marks the 19th for the festival , which Southern Living has named one of the Best Summer events in the South and attracts over 18,000 each summer. The Festival kicks off with a modern retelling of the action-filled drama, Hamlet (which runs through June 15th) The next in the series, Comedy of Errors will open on July 11th and run through August 3rd. Performances begin at 7PM and are free and open to the public. For more information, visit http://www.warehousetheatre.com/upstate-shakespeare-festival.

So Downtownies…May is practically bursting with fun things to do in the DTGVL! So, why are you still sitting at your computer? Get yourself Downtown and enjoy all it has to offer! See you there!

Music Fills The Air in Downtown Greenville

It’s SPRING! That time of year when Downtown erupts into a riot of color as trees & flowers bloom and people venture out after a long winter, eager to don their shorts & flip-flops and enjoy all that Downtown has to offer. Spring also signals the return of two of Downtown’s most beloved music events – Downtown Alive and Main Street Fridays.

Music lovers of all ages are encouraged to gather at NOMA Square (in front of The Hyatt) every Thursday at 5:30PM to experience some of the best musical talent the Southeast has to offer! The 2013 season of Downtown Alive kicks off the first official day of Spring (March 21st), with the 8 piece guitar driven southern funk rock of TJ Lazer & the New Detriots. The March lineup also features Orangeburg country crooner, Brad Jennings on the 28th. April not only spotlights some sweet bluegrass from local favorites, The Piedmont Boys, but also features a trio of acts from the Charleston area like Downtown regulars, Stereo Reform and The Tarletons, as well as a newcomer to DTA, Brave Baby. May does not disappoint with a plethora of rock, soul & Americana to choose from in the homegrown music of Mark Webb, Old You, Lyric and The Soul feathers…not to mention a kilt-flaring Scottish ceildh with The City of Greenville Pipes & Drums and the Celtic rock of Cleghorn to kick-off the Greenville Scottish Games on the 23rd! As the temps heat up, so does the music with June performances by cover band, The Sound Committee, local YouTube darlings, Outshyne, Downtown funk diva, Kelly Jo Connect and local fave, singer/songwriter Doug McCormick. Don’t let the steamy July & August weather keep you indoors…or you will miss some AMAZING music, like alternative tunes of The Wheresville Project, Charleston-based songwriter, Luke Cunningham, and Downtown music scene regular, Benton Blount in July and Midlands newcomers, The Reggie Sullivan Band, the adventure of Bushfire Stankgrass, the big ’80’s hair, flashback fun of Retro Vertigo and the incendiary guitar finesse of teen phenom, Marcus King & his band! Downtown Alive winds up with a performance by the winner of the Last Band Standing Battle of the Bands on the 29th.

If your taste in music leans more towards hot jazz and cool blues, then Main Street Fridays is the event for you! Join all the other music aficionados on Fridays at 5:30PM in NOMA Square to start your weekend in style! This year’s Friday musicfest begins with the powerhouse beach sounds of Jumpstreet on March 22nd. Also in March, enjoy the smooth sounds of Charlotte natives, 5th and York. April plays host to some familiar favorites such as True Blues and Wanda Johnson, as well as some new sounds on the Downtown music scene such as Soul Stew and Hot As A Pepper. Fridays get funky in May with a wealth of righteous local talent – Southern Crescent, Green Vegas, The Jamie Wright Experience, Wine Down and The Groove Planet with Whitney Walters. Hot temps equal hot tunes and there is plenty of both this summer with The Flashbacks, Shades of Brown, The Nightcrawlers and The Swingin’ Richards appearing in June, and The Derrick Dorsey Band, NuSound, 20 Point Turn and Cosmic getting July all hot & bothered. August starts to really rockin’ with The Robbie Ducey Band, Tobacco Road and The Rock & Roll Reunion and The Craig Sorrells Project and The Wiredogs bring on the heat to finish out the month. This much good music can’t just be contained in two seasons, so MSF continues the music experience into September with the wicked swamp rock of the Palmetto Swamp Congregation, the energetic showmanship of Encore, the scaulding hot funky rhythms of Earsight and the wild ride that is The China Bulls finishing up the MSF season with a bang!

These much loved music series’ are completely free and are enjoyed weekly by thousands of music lovers. Beer and other beverages are available for sale, but an ID bracelet as proof of age(for a cost of $1) is required to purchase alcohol. And like most city-sponsored events, families are welcome, but please leave your pets at home. For more information on these events, visit the official city page at http://www.greenvillesc.gov. See you Downtown!

The Promise of Fall

When I stepped outside the other morning, the air held a hint of coolness signaling the fact that the Summer season had turned a corner. I came to the happy realization that Fall is on its way. There is just something special about Autumn in The South. I know, I know…every tourism board is convinced that their part of the country is the most beautiful in which to spend this season, but to this Greenville Girl, nothing beats Fall’s approach in the Upstate of SC.

From mid-August through September, depending how far below the Mason-Dixon line you are,  this favorite season starts to make itself apparent. The humidity finally dips to breathable levels, the mornings are noticeably cooler and even the air starts to smell like…well, FALL (which I think smells like apples).  Other than the occasional torrential rainstorm that chooses to rear its ugly head, the weather is bordering on near perfection.

People from other parts of the country may wonder why Fall is such an event in the nine states that make up the American South. Because to Southerners, Autumn is the reward for surviving an Endless Summer – which in Dixie, is not nearly as idyllic as The Beach Boys made it sound. You see, here in the South, Spring does not last 3 months like it does in the rest of the country, it lasts 3 weeks. Temps go from enjoyable to resembling Hell’s Sauna in a heartbeat. And they stay that way for four long months! Want to know why Southerners walk and talk so slow? Because to do anything fast during this time in the South will most certainly end in heat stroke.

So, what makes this current time of the year so magical in Downtown Greenville? Because the cooler mornings and lower humidity gives us hope that, although it’s still officially Summer, Autumn is reaching out with the promise of crisp temps, glorious colors & many of the things that make living here great! For Downtownies, that alone is reason for celebration! And celebrate we do – with Moonlight Movies in September, Fall for Greenville in October and all the many Fall Festivals that pop up around the area. For sports fans like me, Fall means that most “sacred” of Southern traditions…FOOTBALL! Downtown becomes a palette of orange, garnet and purple, with sports bars coming alive with fans cheering on their favorite teams and gathering after to enjoy a post-game meal at an outdoor cafe, while reliving the action with fellow fans.

So, make a little time to visit Downtown during this wonderful time of year, when Summer is making its departure and Autumn is planning its arrival. Enjoy an outdoor concert as Downtown Alive, Main Street Fridays and Rhythm on the River wind up their seasons. Stop into one of the amazing restaurants and sample some of their savory Fall delicacies such as hot apple pie or pumpkin cheesecake. Visit the Saturday Market to check out their fresh Fall produce – like butternut and acorn squash, pumpkins and apples – and have a cup of hot apple cider while you’re there.  Visit the unique shops to see beautiful hand-knit items, most created by local artisans. The weeks leading up to the official start of Fall are truly a magical time of year in Downtown Greenville…and a time you really shouldn’t miss!