SCVB Blog

The Hub City Farmers’ Market will celebrate the fall bounty at their first annual farm dinner. The dinner will take place at Live Oak Farms in Woodruff, SC and serve as a fundraiser for Spartanburg’s Hub City Farmers’ Market.  Food lovers from around the world are invited to come and enjoy local food, local music and local beverages at Live Oak’s beautiful and rustic setting.

Chef James McCallister of the Milliken Guest House will lead a talented, all-star team of chefs which includes Tim Page from the Daniel Morgan Vocational School; Gerhard Grommer, owner and chef at Gerhard’s; Tray Mathis, chef and owner of the Converse Deli; Patrick Wagner, instructor at Greenville Technical College, Stephanie Tornatore, chef at City Range Spartanburg and Anastasia Kaminski, former pastry chef at the Milliken Guest House and instructor at R.D. Anderson Applied Technology Center. The chefs will prepare several courses with local produce and meats from Hub City Farmers’ Market vendors.  Guests will enjoy wine and beer pairings with their meal and will be serenaded with local music as they dine.

Proceeds from the dinner go to support the Hub City Farmers’ Market, a non-profit organization that works to increase the demand and availability of healthy, local food in Spartanburg.  Funds will go towards the HCFM’s operations of farmers’ market and community garden programs.  “We have deeply appreciated the support of the community over the years as we continue to grow our services and programs and we’re thrilled to start a new tradition with our first farm dinner,” executive director Ana Parra says. “Live Oak will be a beautiful backdrop for the event and allow guests to experience the epitome of the farm to table movement.”

The Hub City Farmers’ Market Farm Dinner will be at 7 p.m. on Saturday, September 25. Tickets for the event will be $100 per plate and can be purchased online at www.hubcityfm.org or by calling 864.585.0905.  

For travelers who want to experience an exciting day afield at one of the finest hunting and target shooting resorts in the Southeast, a visit to River Bend is a must!

River Bend offers Quail, Chukar, and Pheasant hunting on 550 acres of rolling countryside in the foothills of S.C. Their expert guides and excellent dogs ensure you of a fantastic hunt!

If you prefer the hunt without the kill, they have Clay Target Shooting, an American Skeet Range, a covered Five Stand, and Paintball.

River Bend offers complete meal service featuring gourmet and home cooked meals prepared by Chef Lee Whitehurst that will satisfy hearty appetites and discerning palates.

The River Bend lodge, one of the most beautiful of its kind, features pine log walls with a cathedral ceiling, a fully stocked pro shop, dining rooms, men’s and women’s locker rooms, a steam room, game & bar room for unwinding after the hunt, and a large welcoming stone fireplace.

Lodging both extravagant and simple is onsite. Cottages with fireplaces, wet bars, entertainment, and Jacuzzi tubs are available. Cozy cabins are also nearby.

Corporate & Group Retreats

River Bend offers a haven from everyday pressures, a place to recharge and gain new prospectives. River Bend is equipped to handle every detail of your group’s gathering, large or small, including a Conference Center, projection equipment, meals and lodging.

Call 800-516-9606, or email Ralph at ralph@rvrbend.com to schedule your visit.

What could be better than getting to taste food from many of Spartanburg’s most popular restaurants all at one-time? You will have your chance on Saturday, September 4th at Creative Taste of Spartanburg.

Creative Taste of Spartanburg is one event you won’t want to miss. The event began as a onetime festival, but it was so successful and well received that it continues annually on Labor Day Weekend. One of the highlights of the event is “Restaurant Row”, where many of Spartanburg’s top restaurants will be cooking up their specialties. For the aspiring chefs, there will be cooking demonstrations where you can take notes from the pros. Be sure to stop by the “Made in Spartanburg” area, which highlights local produce, cookbooks and baked goodies for something local to take home with you. For the wine lovers, Carriage House Wines will be holding a wine tasting featuring more than 60 different wines from around the world. Spartanburg’s own local brewery, RJ Rockers, will also be there with beer available and will be offering tours of the brewery. For the children who are coming, there will even be a special “Lemonade Stand” where children cannot only get a cup of cold lemonade, but can also create their own chef hats and create their own special treats!  

Admission to the event is FREE to the public. Food, beverages, art, and other items will be available for purchase. The event takes place in Downtown Spartanburg-west of Morgan Square and the Clock Tower on Ezell Street, King Street, West Main Street, and Daniel Morgan Avenue.

With live entertainment, arts and crafts and of course lots of succulent food, why would you be anywhere else?

Football season is almost here and there has never been a better time to catch a Wofford College Football game at Gibbs Stadium than the 2010 season. This year the experience will be unlike ever before!  Fans will be greeted to an enhanced experience with the debut of "TerrierVision" - the new state-of-the-art videoboard at Gibbs Stadium!  

Wofford College competes in NCAA Division I in the Southern Conference. Terrier football is a great place for football fanatics to catch great game and it is also a great place to bring the whole family! At every Wofford football game, you’ll want to be sure to take the children by TerrierLand - the interactive kids zone at Gibbs Stadium for all kinds of free fun!  Here children can grab schedules, posters and pom-poms, take a turn in the Terrier Tumbler moonbounce, test their arm at the accuracy toss and obstacle course and score a touchdown in the NEW "First and Goal" mini football field!

The 2010 season includes five home games, each with its own distinct theme or promotion.  The season will open on Saturday, September 18th at 7:00pm as the Terriers take on the Union College Bulldogs. Be sure to bring your youth football player, cheerleader or the entire team to this special night dedicated to the youth - The 10th Annual Black & Gold Bowl - Youth Football Night at Wofford.  All kids 12 and under are admitted free with a youth football jersey and there are special ticket discounts for parents plus a special  "Kid-cession" menu of $1.00 items at the concession stand!  

On Saturday, October 2nd, the oldest college football rivalry in South Carolina - dating to 1889 - is renewed for the 84th time as the Furman Paladins come to Gibbs Stadium.  At halftime, the Wofford men's basketball team will receive their 2010 Southern Conference championship rings!  (The Wofford’s men’s basketball team went on to the NCAA Tournament and became the smallest school in the tournament history!)

The Terriers will take on Western Carolina on Saturday, October 16th. Wofford College’s Family Weekend will also take place this weekend and the newest class to the Wofford athletic Hall of Fame will be inducted.

On Halloween weekend, the Terriers will face up against The Citadel Bulldogs. The Wofford cheerleaders will host a special "Trunk or Treat" for the kids prior to this Homecoming contest against The Citadel.
 
Your last chance to visit Spartanburg and catch a college football game will be on Saturday, November 20th as the Terriers face Chattanooga.

To order your tickets today, contact Lenny Mathis (864) 597-4110 or mathisld@wofford.edu.

You’ve heard Fayssoux McLean, even if you haven’t heard of her.  Fayssoux’s beguiling voice was an integral element in some of the finest country music recordings of our time.  Fayssoux sang harmonies all over Emmylou Harris’ legendary early recordings, “Luxury Liner,”  “Quarter Moon in a Ten Cent Town,”  “Elite Hotel,” and “Pieces of the Sky,” and she sang duets with Emmylou on “Spanish is a Loving Tongue” and Green Rolling Hills.”  Given that Emmylou Harris is herself the single greatest and most consequential harmony vocalist in country music history, Fayssoux’s role as Emmylou’s harmony singer of choice should tell you nearly all you need to know.

Fayssoux finally lets the world hear her stunning lead voice on her debut recording, “Early.”  After being out of the music world for many years and teaching in her home town of Spartanburg, SC, a middle school teacher named Peter Cooper called for an interview.  He was writing about the extraordinary musical history of Spartanburg, SC (Pink Anderson, The Marshall Tucker Band, Marshall Chapman, Hank Garland, etc) for his book “Hub City Music Makers”.  When she began singing with him at the book release parties, others responded as well.

Many years later, Cooper is now one of the country’s most respected music journalists, writing for Nashville’s The Tennessean newspaper.  When Fayssoux told him she was ready, he encouraged her to record in Nashville.  She called old friends Emmylou Harris and the Whites to sing harmony with her and Peter, as well as Ricky Skaggs to play mandolin.  She asked Spartanburg native David Ball to play Walter Hyatt’s bass, and sing harmony as well.  Peter brought in Nashville great Lloyd Green to contribute his rarified talents on pedal steel and dobro, as well as Johnny Cash bass player Dave Roe.  She brought heavy duty guitarist Brandon Turner with her who plays on nearly every track and holds his own with the most seasoned Nashville veterans.  

“Charm, elegance, whippoorwills and magnolia dewdrops:  these are the things that come to mind when I hear Fayssoux sing,” says Rodney Crowell, who first met Emmylou Harris in Fayssoux’s living room.

Fayssoux’s singing has drawn the admiration of collaborators like Crowell, Linda Ronstadt, Dolly Parton and Buddy Miller.

You can hear some of Fayssoux’s music at www.myspace.com/FayssouxMcLean.

Listen to Fayssoux's music here

If you are new to Spartanburg and ask a local to tell you about Wade’s they will probably mention two things pretty quickly: their witty billboard campaign and their delicious home cooked meats and vegetables.  Wade's was founded in 1947 by Wade and Betty Lindsey.  Fast forward to 2010 and you will find that Wade’s has grown from its humble beginnings into a restaurant that consistently serves 15,000 - 17,000 guests every week.

Located 3 miles off of I-85 in Spartanburg at 1000 North Pine Street, Wade’s Restaurant is a quintessential “meat and three” of super size! Under one roof, Wade’s has a 200 seat waitress service dining room, a fully staffed take-out area, and a 150 seat “Express Lunch” buffet area.  Wade’s has received its share of recognition including taking first place in Southern Living’s Reader’s Choice Awards in the Family Restaurant category. The year they won, they placed ahead of Paula Dean’s restaurant in Savannah.

The menu is focused around “comfort food” like macaroni and cheese, fried chicken, pot roast, green beans, “real” mashed potatoes (about 200 lbs per day) and their famous home-made yeast rolls. The menu changes daily and will feature 7-10 meat selections and 15-17 vegetables/sides. Be sure to call their menu line at 864-598-8203 or visit their website at www.EatAtWades.com to find out if your favorite is on the menu. They are open Monday through Saturday 11:00 am to 8:30 pm and Sunday 11:00 am to 3:00 pm. We encourage you to stop by and discover what Spartanburg locals have known for 63 years: When You’re Hungry For Homemade; It's Wade’s!

What better way to cool down during these HOT summer days than with a cone of yummy ice cream! Make your way around the county and try out some of the best ice cream joints in Spartanburg.

Stop in to one of our local farms’ shops for delicious homemade peach or strawberry ice cream -- Abbott Farms, Johnson Brothers, or Strawberry Hill. Fresh, local fruit makes this ice cream the perfect treat! Be sure to check out the Dairy Dream on Heron Circle and try out one of their many flavors, including their popular lemon ice cream. After you have your chili-cheese-a-plenty at The Beacon, head over to their ice cream bar for a cone of ice cream, or if you are feeling really hungry, order their Pig’s Dinner or Banana Split.  Another must stop for ice cream is the Turtle Parfait in Downtown Woodruff. Here you can enjoy your cone and take a stroll down their quaint downtown area. Southern Sisters in the town of Reidville is another place you will want to be sure to visit. Once you enter you will feel like a kid again with their many flavors of ice cream and baskets of candy. Ice Cream and Coffee Beans is a great place to grab lunch and then treat yourself to something sweet afterwards. For those looking to choose between lots of flavors, head over to Baskin Robbins or Bruster’s.

Hot, humid days are the perfect excuse for a delicious scoop of ice cream! 

A landmark building in the heart of Downtown Spartanburg’s Grain District has been revitalized into the home of a revolutionary independent bookstore, a coffeehouse, and a sweets bakery. In a $250,000 renovation, the ground floor of the 82-year-old Masonic Temple has become a magnet for tourists, downtown residents, hipsters, and book-lovers.

The Hub City Bookshop, which opened in July, carries new and used books of all kinds, including bestsellers, children’s titles and regional favorites. From its windows you look out on historic Morgan Square, the city clock tower, and the statue of the victorious Revolutionary War General Daniel Morgan.
The 2,000-square-foot store is an outreach program of the 15-year-old Hub City Writers Project, an award-winning non-profit organization. With each book purchased in the store, customers nourish new writers and help launch authors into the literary world. That’s because all proceeds from the sale of books fund creative writing education and independent book publishing in Spartanburg. To learn more about this unique organization visit www.hubcity.org.

In August, Spartanburg’s hometown coffee roaster, Little River Roasting Co., will open The Coffee Bar in the adjacent space, along with Cakehead Bakery, run by Liz Blanchard of Hampton Heights.
The site has a long, storied past. Shortly after the courthouse village of Spartanburg was established in the early 1800s, early merchant Jesse Cleveland had his horse stables on this site. In 1880 it became the center of Spartanburg’s cultural and political life when the Opera House opened, housing Spartanburg's first public auditorium, the post office, and the first city offices.

Be sure to stop in and grab a good book, a cup of coffee and a sweet treat while you are in Spartanburg! 

Freddie Vanderford, Piedmont Blue Harp

Armed with a harmonica, washboard and guitar, Freddie Vanderford can interpret most any blues, folk, soul, Americana or Rock and Roll song. With astounding harmonica licks taught to him by the late medicine show performer and Piedmont blues harpist, Peg Leg Sam, Vanderford can immediately captivate any audience.

In May of 2010, Vanderford was awarded the Jean Laney Harris Folk Heritage Award for maintaining and sharing the tradition of the Piedmont Blues harp. Performing Greasy Greens on the floor of the SC State House, Vanderford brought the Legislature to an immediate standing ovation.

Vanderford entertains audiences playing solo or with fellow musicians such as Brandon Turner, Steve McGaha, Matthew Knights Williams, Fayssoux McLean, David Ezell and many others. His discography includes Piedmont Blues, recorded with Brandon Turner and Vanderford and Turner are featured on Story, Song and Image:  Celebrating the   Roots and Ethnic Music of South Carolina. His music is also featured on Feel the Presence: Traditional African American Music in South Carolina and in Stan Woodward’s film BBQ and Homecooking, a documentary on foodways in the state.

Whether he’s playing harmonica on Pink Anderson’s Chicken or playing the washboard to Pink Floyd’s The Wall, Vanderford’s rhythmic, rootsy style enthralls listeners of all ages. Vanderford’s mastery of his craft enables him to coolly shift from melodic ballads such as Johnny Cash’s I Still Miss Someone to Jimi Hendrix’s heart-thumping Purple Haze.

Be sure to see this great blues man every chance you get! “He really is one of South Carolina’s true treasures,” - SC State Representative Gilda Cobb-Hunter

Listen to Freddie's music

Planning your trip to Spartanburg just got a lot easier! No matter what your interest or what you are looking for, the Spartanburg Convention and Visitors Bureau has a plan for you already lined up! Whether you are planning a family trip, have a few hours between Carolina Panthers practice sessions, in town visiting one of our local colleges and have some spare time or are just looking for some outdoor fun and sun, we have an itinerary already planned for you.

Choose from ½ day, full day, 2 day or 3 day itineraries suited to fit your likes!

Choose an itinerary that suits you.