What’s New at Spring Fling in 2019
Spring Fling is a springtime tradition in Spartanburg. For the most part, people know the hits. The fastest night in Spartanburg at the Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System Criterium. Local crafts and food vendors lining the streets offering unique, handmade products and delicious food to chow down on. Live music featuring some of the area’s best artists jamming under the spring sun.
That’s not to say new ideas and attractions aren’t welcome, though.
And this year’s Spring Fling features a few new attractions sure to appeal to many a Spring Fling-goer.
The first new addition capitalizes on Spartanburg’s growth when it comes to craft beer. The Burg Biergarten, from noon-4 p.m. on the Saturday of Spring Fling, will feature each of Spartanburg’s five (yup, we said five) craft breweries.
“Since our tag line for the Fling is ‘More Than Your Average Street Fest,’ we’re constantly looking for new and exciting things to add to the festival. And with Spartanburg’s craft beer scene continuing to grow, it was something we felt would be a perfect addition to the festivities,” said City of Spartanburg Special Events and Festivals Manager Mandy Merck. “We reached out to Spartanburg County’s FIVE (count ‘em…five) local breweries, and they said ‘heck yeah!’ So now festival goers can mark the Burg Biergarten as a stop during the weekend festival.”
Ciclops Cyderi & Brewery, Holliday Brewing, New Groove, Plankowner Brewing and RJ Rockers will all be set up under a tent on the north end of Church Street near the newly-revitalized Montgomery Building. A ticket and samples from Spartanburg’s best brews is only $10. As if that wasn’t enough, a ticket giveaway for October’s Hub City Brew Fest is included.
“We were so excited when the city special events reached out to us to help organize a local craft beer festival at Spring Fling. They were looking to have five breweries involved, and wanted Ciclops to help organize everyone,” said Clara Jane Hallar, general manager of Ciclops. “After thinking more about the set up and feel, we came up with the name “Burg Biergarten” to tie into our #OneSpartanburg mission.”
Each of the five breweries will have two samples each. If you want to try a little of everything, you can purchase two punch cards letting you sample every brew under the tent.
Food Truck Rodeo
Up next is a Food Truck Rodeo! And who doesn’t love food trucks?
Expect to find some great eats at these food trucks, which will be lined up on East Main Street near Denny’s Plaza.
- Bullhded Peanut Co. – Bulllhded brings a modern twist to the classic snack of boiled peanuts, and is sure to be a favorite at Spring Fling. I mean, who wouldn’t want a cup of boiled peanuts walking around Downtown Spartanburg??
- Cheap Eatz on Wheels – The Gaffney-based food truck, led by executive chef Alain Suissa, features gyros, grilled chicken and fried-up favorites like fish, chicken, hush puppies and more!
- Cheap Eatz on Wheels – Bringing barbecue classics to the streets, Cheap Eatz offers brisket, pork and chicken sandwiches with classic sides like fries, slaw and baked beans.
- SC Street Pops – Sparkle City Street Pops brings the sweet to sweet treats, offering gourmet gelato and sorbet pops. The Street Pops truck will have everything from chocolate and birthday cake to lemon and orange crème to green tea and caramel available as gelato pops and sorbets of strawberry, peach, mango and more!
- The Farmers Table – Popular Spartanburg restaurant The Farmer’s Table will have their food truck serving up their well-known dishes. Don’t be surprised to see delicious breakfast and lunch treats available no matter when you visit them!
- The Pound Cake Man – The Pound Cake Man’s truck features, well, pound cake! Popular options are the classic, chocolate chocolate chip, lemon and strawberry.
You can find these food trucks between 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday and from noon-6 p.m. on Sunday!
Dog-Friendly Sunday
This is for all our four-legged friends!
The Sunday of Spring Fling will be dog-friendly for the first time ever! Vendors identified by a paw print will have special products available for your furry friends. Enjoy the sunshine and warm air with you dog by your side! If nothing else, walking around that much will get the dog some activity (and hopefully some sleep)!
“Sunday is a little less crowded and a little more laid back, so we thought we would give it a shot and see how it works,” Merck said. “All of our vendors who cater to dogs will be marked with a huge paw print on their tent. And Paisley Paw, our downtown doggie boutique, will be giving out doggy bags in case anyone forgets them.”
Spring Fling 2019 is set to be a big one, with these new additions adding to a world-class bike race, the area’s best food vendors, the showcase of locally-made products and musicians rocking the stage. And who knows, maybe in a couple of years the Burg Biergarten and Dog-Friendly Sunday will be just as big a part of Spring Fling as the Crit!
Spring Fling 2019 schedule:
- Friday, April 26, 5-9 p.m.
- Saturday, April 27, 10 a.m.-9 p.m.
- Sunday, April 28, noon-6 p.m.
The Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System Criterium, the opening of Spring Fling every year, will kick off at 4 p.m. on April 26. The full schedule of races, which run from 4-8:15 p.m., can be found here.
