SCVB Blog

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.

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! 

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! 

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

Did you know that at one time Spartanburg County alone produced more peaches than the entire state of Georgia? In 1948, South Carolina out-produced California to lead all states in peach production. Spartanburg County, alone had over three million peach trees and more than 240 peach sheds in 1951. Peach trees can still be found all over Spartanburg County and July is the perfect time of the year to get your own basket of sweet, ripe and juicy peaches.

Here are a few peach facts for you to enjoy: 

• South Carolina is known as “The Tastier Peach State” because Mother Nature works hand-in-hand with the South Carolina farmer. Under careful observation, SC farmers let their peaches ripen naturally on the tree under the summer sky. Combined with the Palmetto State’s hot days, humid nights, and slightly acidic soils, these farmers are able to produce sweet, juicy, and great-tasting peaches.
• There are two types of peaches available in South Carolina, yellow peaches and white peaches. A yellow peach gets more yellow in the sun, a white peach gets more white. White peaches are less acidic, which gives them a sweet, juicy flavor without the twang of yellow peaches. Both varieties are delicious! 
• Last year was a wonderful year for peaches, thanks to the spring rains and cooler temperatures. It looks as if this year may be just as good thanks to the frequent showers that have been falling in Spartanburg County.

Visit: Abbott Farms,  Gramling Farms, Ragan Orchards, Belue Farms, Cooley Peach Farms or any of our Farmers’ Markets to get your own fresh, juicy delicious peaches! 

For all those football fans making the journey to Spartanburg for the Carolina Panthers Training Camp or if you are just a food fanatic, be sure to stop by the famous Beacon Drive-In while you are in town. The Beacon Drive-In is one of the few drive-in restaurant legends remaining that still offers curb service and it is home to the world-famous Beacon Iced Tea, Chili Cheese A-Plenty, Sliced Pork-A-Plenty, Onion Rings, and The Pig's Dinner (also known as a giant banana split sundae) and many other food favorites.  

Featured on the Food Network’s “Dinners, Drive-Ins, and Dives”, the Beacon is truly a Southern Landmark. People from all over the country come to the Beacon for its Chili Cheese A-Plenty, a chili cheeseburger on a bun buried on a plate underneath piles of sweet onion rings and French fried potatoes and the great drive-in tea of the South – generously sweetened, laced with a touch of lemon, served over a pack of shaved ice . The Beacon sells more tea than any other single restaurant in the U.S.A. and it is even now available in retail stores across the country.

Open six days a week at 6:30 am (closed on Sundays), 52 weeks per year, the Beacon serves 1,000,000 customers of all cultures, nationalities, ages, and economic classes yearly. Come and try out the second largest drive in the country, located in Spartanburg, SC and try your own A-Plenty! 

Attention all football fans: Mark your calendars for your opportunity to see the NFL Football up close and personal! For the 16th year, Spartanburg will be the summer home to the Carolina Panthers, as they host their 2010 Training Camp at Wofford College July 29th-August 18th.  All training camp practices are free and open to the public with each practice session lasting between 90 minutes and two hours. On top of practice sessions, there are also many other special events on the drawing board for this year’s camp.

On Saturday, July 31st, join Wofford College and the City of Spartanburg in welcoming the Panthers back to Spartanburg with a “Back To Football Party”.  Practice will be in Gibbs Stadium on Wofford's campus and the celebration will be on the plaza and surrounding area.  The party will begin at 4:30 pm and will feature the Spartanburg based band Back 9 and local favorite food vendors will provide some signature items, like Redneck Cheeseburgers.  The Top Cats and Sir Purr will be in attendance along with face painting. The party will be emceed by the voice of the Panthers, Mick Mickson, and returning back to football for autographs are some of the former Panther players.  Panther merchandise will be for sale.  Practice will begin at approximately 6:40 pm then the party will continue after practice.  

Young fans between the age of six and 13 will have the special opportunity to register to be selected as a Panther Pal. This allows them to watch part of practices from field level and then spend time with a player or small group of players after the practice. Each day's experience is unique and dependent on player schedules and availability as determined by the Panthers. Children can register for their chance to be a Panther Pal at the Spartanburg Convention & Visitors Bureau/Team Spartanburg tent at the morning practices. The tent is located outside the main gate to the practice fields.

On Sundays, plan to bring the whole family along for “Family Day” and spend the day watching the Panthers practice and also join in special activities the entire family can enjoy. After each practice on Monday evenings, catch a football flick on the big screen.  Tuesdays will be known as T-shirt Tuesdays, where fans will have the chance to catch a t-shirt thrown by players.
 
On Saturday, August 14th, come to Panther Practice for Bluegrass and Barbecue - featuring Spartanburg band Bushy Valley Boys and some of the best barbecue and ribs in the Upstate!  The party will begin at 4:30 pm and end when practice begins.

Fans of all ages will not want to miss this rare opportunity to witness NFL football up close! For directions to Training Camp, a link to the practice schedule and more information, click here.

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.