The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Experience all things fall in Greenville, S.C.
Fall’s cool temperatures usher in a season filled with festivals, football, dining alfresco and other ways to relax and unwind in Greenville, S.C.
“The city is pedestrian friendly, offering outdoor plazas, tons of locally owned shops and eateries, bike trails and parks, with a thriving culinary scene and artistic community. The cooler but sunny days of fall make for the perfect weather to enjoy everything Greenville has to offer,” said Morgan Allen, executive director of euphoria—a food, wine and music festival.
This Southern city, about 140 miles from Atlanta, is nestled against the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, an outdoor playground for all ages. Head to Greenville for a long festival-filled weekend, and enjoy fall near the mountains.
Fall festivals
euphoria, presented by Lexus, is one of Greenville’s most anticipated fall festivals.
“euphoria is a celebration of food, wine and music in the upstate of South Carolina, where artists can come together to share their art. The word I hear most people say time and time again to describe the festival is ‘intimate,’” Allen said. “The guests and talent really get the chance to interact with each other.”
The upscale event, scheduled for Sept. 20-23, includes exclusive wine tastings and seminars led by master sommeliers. Celebrity chefs, several with Michelin stars, will lead cooking demonstrations and host multi-course dinners, and participants will hear live music from national recording artists such as the Vegabonds and Grammy winner Tim Nichols.
euphoria VIP passes, which give you full access, plus perks, range from $895-$1,195. Individual tickets range from $35-$450. (https://www.visitgreenvillesc. com/events/signature-events/ euphoria/, @euphoriagvl, Insta: euphoriagreenville, facebook. com/euphoriafoodwinemusic)
BB&T Fall for Greenville, presented by Pepsi, is a familyfriendly festival hosted in Greenville. Stroll from one end of Main Street to the other from Oct. 12-14 as you explore 45 of the city’s coolest restaurants, showcasing about 250 menu items.
“You can eat shrimp and grits, sushi, barbecue, tacos, vegetarian, international — you can find whatever you’re looking for,” said Angie Prosser, director of public information and events for the City of Greenville. “Come get a taste of the town. We want you to have a crab cake here, pumpkin cheesecake there and funnel cake for the kids.”
In its 37th year, the festival attracts about 150,000 people. Free admission includes a variety of live entertainment on seven stages. See up to 70 bands while you sample wine, hear tips for matching beer with food and watch chefs showcase their culinary skills.
Admission is free, but tasting tickets are required to purchase food and beverages and a sheet of 10 costs $5. Expect to spend about $1.50-$7 worth of tickets per tasting. (https://www.visitgreenvillesc.com/events/signature-events/fall-for-greenville/, @GvilleEvents, facebook.com/ fallforgreenville)
10 simple pleasures to enjoy this autumn
With the cooler weather and beautiful leaf color, let fall in Greenville bring back memories of childhood fun spent outside.
“This time of year is the best for outdoor adventure. The weather is cooler and Greenville is the perfect place to enjoy the leaves changing,” said Catherine Garrison Davis, director of special events and marketing for Denver Downs Farm, a working farm that’s been in her family since 1869.
From apple picking and pumpkin patches to hockey games and haunted houses, here are 10 ways to create new memories with your family this fall.
1. Navigate fantastic corn mazes
USA Today readers ranked the maze at Denver Downs (denverdownsfarm.com, @denver_ downs) as No. 2 in the nation in 2016, and things have only gotten better. This year, the 10-acre corn maze honors John Deere’s 100th anniversary. Enjoy activities such as live music, bonfires, pig races, fireworks and special weekend events.
“Our family enjoys sharing our farm heritage and inviting families out to play and unwind in the open air and rolling hills on our farm,” Davis said.
Other notable area mazes include Stewart Farms (stewartfarms.net), which has spooky and not-so-spooky options. The folks at Strawberry Hill U.S.A. (strawberryhillusa.com) encourage you to “leave your technology in the car and breathe in some fresh, country air” in its 8th annual corn maze.
2. Pull a Charlie Brown and look for the Great Pumpkin
At May-Lan Tree Plantation (maylanfarms.com), kids can paint pumpkins, take a hayride and
visit barnyard animals. Fishers Orchard (fishersorchard. com, @FishersOrchard) and Beechwood Farms (mybeechwoodfarms.com) have pumpkins and other fall produce, or pick your perfect pumpkin at Denver Downs, which has 8 acres of pumpkins, as well as Strawberry Hill U.S.A.
3. A is for autumn … and apples
Now’s the time to pick them — or at least try apple turnovers. Enjoy one and wash it down with a cider slush from Grandad’s Apples N’ Such (grandadsapples.com), an 80-acre farm in Hendersonville, N.C., that features a country store and bakery. Make the drive to Sky Top Orchard in Flat Rock, N.C., to discover why the Travel Channel called it one of the top 5 apple picking farms in the U.S. At Chattooga Belle Farm (chattoogabellefarm.com, @ChattoogaBelle) you can pick apples, and then warm up with apple/ muscadine brandy.
4. Dress up the kids for an unforgettable zoo visit
Boo in the Zoo at the Greenville Zoo (greenvillezoo.com, @greenvillezoo) on Oct. 19-21 and Oct. 26-28 includes trick-or-treating, spooky but not scary decorations, and a walk through an un-haunted house. Another fun option for the 10-and-younger crew is the Enchanted Forest (greenvillerec.com/event/enchantedforest) on Oct. 25-27. Complete with storybook characters, a magical maze and costume contest, this is where fairytales and trick-or-treating meet.
5. Want a good scare? Get spooked at area haunted houses
Nightmare Dungeon (nightmaredungeon. com) was named the No. 2 haunted house in South Carolina by thescarefactor. com. Rivaling it for the top spot is Madworld (madworldattractions.com), which claims to be the scariest haunted house in the state, and certainly has the online reviews to back that up. For those with a paranormal bent, head out on a Greenville Ghost Tour (greenvilleghost.com), led by paranormal researcher and psychic reader Jason Profit.
6. Take a hike to see the beautiful fall leaves and waterfalls
You’ll find three state parks (southcarolinaparks.com) near Greenville. At Caesars Head in Cleveland, S.C., make the 4-mile round-trip hike to a scenic overlook of the 420-foot Raven Cliff Falls. In nearby Marietta, S.C., Jones Gap features more than 60 miles of hiking trails. Close to downtown Greenville, Paris Mountain has outdoor fun for the whole family with hiking trails, swimming areas, campsites and picnic shelters.
7. Feel the autumn wind in your hair
Stretching 22 miles, the multiuse GHS Swamp Rabbit Trail (https://greenvillerec.com/ghs-swamp-rabbit-trail/) winds by dozens of restaurants, coffee shops and breweries. Hop off the greenway for a beer at Swamp Rabbit Brewery and Taproom (theswamprabbitbrewery.com) or Birds Fly South Ale Project (bfsbeer.com), or cool off with a frozen treat from Spill the Beans (stbdowntown.com) or Blueberry Frog (blueberryfrog. com).
8. Pop into a local farmers market
The TD Saturday Market (saturdaymarketlive.com) is a farmers market open now through Oct. 27 on Main Street in downtown Greenville. Vendors include organic farmers like Bio-Way Farm (biowayfarm.com), specialty food vendors like Mallows & Madness (mallowsandmadness.com) and artisans like Donovan Pottery (donovanpottery.com). Check the website for special events and don’t miss Autumn Harvest on Oct. 27.
9. Hang out with Stomper
Watch the Greenville Swamp Rabbits (swamprabbits.com, @ SwampRabbits) thump some pucks and kick some tail on the ice. This ECHL team opens its season against Toledo on Oct. 12 at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena.
10. Dine alfresco
Whether it’s rooftop views or sidewalk seating, downtown Greenville has plenty of options for outdoor eats. Nosh at Limoncello (limoncellogvl.com, @LimoncelloGVL), Cantina 76 (cantina76.com, @ Cantina76) and Liberty Tap Room & Grill (we.libertytaproom.com, @LIbertyTapGRN), which is also open for Sunday brunch.