Upstate Parent's August 2023 guide to the Arts and more
ARTS
Auditions for the South Carolina Children’s Theatre’s production of “Charlotte’s Web” are Aug. 9. Appointments are required. For details, visit scchildrenstheatre.org/auditions.
An Audition Workshop for “A Christmas Carol” is 9 a.m. – noon Aug. 26 at Spartanburg Youth Theatre. The cost is $30 each. Work with the director of the show to make sure you have the best audition possible. Pre-registration is required to attend. To register, call 864-585-8278 or enroll online at www.spartanburgyouththeatre.com/auditionsworkshops.
Family Connection of South Carolina presents the 2023 LOOK! photography collection at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center through Aug. 9. The exhibit will be on display at the Lexington County Library located at 5440 Augusta Road in Lexington during September and at the Irmo Branch Library during October. The 2023 LOOK! exhibit can also be viewed online at familyconnectionsc.org/look. To create the exhibit, professional photographers from across the state volunteered their time to offer individual photo sessions to families who have a child or youth with a disability or chronic health condition.
Display Your Art – The Back Door Art Gallery in Fountain Inn has a kids’ art wall. Children ages 12 and younger can hang one piece of their art for free for one month. For specifications and contact information, visit backdoorartgallery.com.
Art Classes for ages 6 and older are offered 4 – 5 p.m. Wednesdays Aug. 30 – Nov. 15 at A Cut Above Maker Space in Spartanburg. For cost, registration and details, visit acutabovemakerspace.com.
Voice, piano, and acting private lessons are offered from Kimilee Bryant Studio. For details, email kimileebryantstudio@gmail.com or call 864-280-9150.
South Carolina Children’s Theatre offers classes for grades pre-K – 12. For details visit, scchildrenstheatre.org.
Spartanburg Youth Theatre offers classes for grades K4 – 12. For full class listings and to enroll, visit spartanburgyouththeatre.com or call 864-585-8278.
Engage in music at the Lawson Academy of the Arts – Private lessons and group classes are offered for musicians of all ages and levels with instruction from Converse University professors and student-teachers. Learn to play piano or enroll in an ensemble. For details, call 864-596-9022.
Arts programs are at TR Makers. Programs include homeschool classes, Afterschool Makers Elementary (grades K5 – 5), Afterschool Art School (grades 2 – 6), and more. For cost and registration, visit trmakersco.org.
Music Adventure Classes are at 10 a.m. Mondays at Swamp Rabbit Café. Classes are geared for pre-K – K but all ages are welcome. The cost is $15 per class ($5 for each additional sibling) and includes a coffee and pastry. For details and registration, visit @musicadventure on Instagram or email musicadventureforkids@gmail.com.
FAMILY FUN, LEARNING, AND MORE
A Mexican-themed kids-only cooking class is 10 a.m. – noon Aug. 1 at The Cook's Station. For details and registration, visit thecooksstation.com/collections/in-store-classes.
Well Walkers is offered Tuesdays and Thursdays in August at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena. The arena concourse will be open from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. for anyone who wants to have a temperature-controlled space to exercise. Each loop around the concourse is a quarter mile. Well Walkers is a free event with no registration or prior notice required. Free parking for participants is provided in the VIP lot at the arena, located off Church Street. For details, visit bonsecoursarena.com.
“Very Eric Carle: A Very Hungry, Quiet, Lonely, Clumsy, Busy Exhibit” is open through Sept. 10 at the Upcountry History Museum. At this play-and-learn exhibit, visitors step into the pages of author and illustrator Eric Carle’s colorful picture books and experience them as artist and reader, while discovering and playing with five special insects from his well-known children’s books. For details, visit upcountryhistory.org.
Free admission for military – The Upcountry History Museum – Greenville County has joined museums nationwide in the Blue Star Museums program, a collaboration that provides free admission to the nation’s active-duty military personnel and their families to museums throughout the summer. The program runs through Sept. 4. Find the list of participating museums at arts.gov/bluestarmuseums. For details, visit upcountryhistory.org.
The Book Nook is open at TCMU-Greenville. This whimsical space transports young readers into a fantastic magical forest, complete with tree-like bookshelves, reading nooks and an imaginary fireplace. The space houses a large assortment of books of varying age levels, languages and themes, allowing children to read independently or with their caregivers. It is a cozy spot to curl up with a good book. For details, visit tcmupstate.org.
Tickets for Autumn at Oz, in September at Land of Oz, are on sale. For details, visit landofoznc.com.
Italian Renaissance Alive is open at Biltmore Estate. The multi-sensory experience immerses guests in the beauty and brilliance of the greatest artistic period in history as it comes to life all around you. Large-scale projections with 360-degree views set to a powerful operatic score tell the story of artists and the time periods within which they lived. Italian Renaissance Alive features Michelangelo, Da Vinci, Raphael, Botticelli, Caravaggio and more. It continues through Jan. 7, 2024. For details and ticket information, visit biltmore.com/things-to-do/events/italian-renaissance-alive. Children ages 16 and younger are admitted free to Biltmore through Sept. 4 with an accompanying ticketed adult. This applies to two ticket types: the “House & Grounds” ticket and the “House, Italian Renaissance Exhibition and 2-day Grounds” ticket. For ticket options, visit biltmore.com/landing/ticket-options-for-summer.
The Summer Music Series in Beech Mountain, North Carolina includes a full schedule of concerts. For tickets and details, visit beechmountainresort.com/summer-concert-series-2023.
Little Learners Club, available from the Greenville County Library System, is designed especially for children under age 5 to encourage the development of kindergarten readiness skills using the Palmetto Basics. Details are at greenvillelibrary.org/kids/little-learners-club.
Free Books – Greenville First Steps has launched a pilot of Dolly Parton's Imagination Library in Greenville County. Dolly Parton's Imagination Library is an early literacy program that mails free age-appropriate books each month to registered children from birth to age 5. Currently in Greenville County, children in 29690, 29611, and 29669can sign up for Imagination Library. Registration is available at ImaginationLibrary.com.
Story Time is at 10 a.m. Thursdays at Barnes and Noble at Greenridge. For details, visit stores.barnesandnoble.com/store/2221.
Family Story Time for ages birth – 5 is Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m. at the Pendleton and Lander Memorial Libraries, Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m. at the Powdersville Library, and Thursdays and Saturdays at 10:30 a.m. at the Anderson Main Library. Visit andersonlibrary.org.
Preschool and Toddler Story Times are offered at Spartanburg Library locations. For details, visit spartanburglibraries.org.
Preschool Story Time for ages 3 – 5 is at 9:15 and 10:30 a.m. Tuesdays at the Anderson Main Library. Visit andersonlibrary.org.
Toddler Storytime for ages 18 – 36 months is at 9:15 and 10:30 a.m. Wednesdays at the Anderson Main Library. Visit andersonlibrary.org.
Preschool Storytimes for ages 2 – 5 are offered at the Pickens County Library. Call 864-850-7077 or visit pickenscountylibrarysystem.com.
STRIDES Systematic Tutoring, a nonprofit program, offers individualized tutoring for ages 6 – 20. instruction is available. In-person tutoring is available at seven locations across the Upstate or virtually with a smart phone, tablet or desk top computer. Scholarships are available. For details, call 864-246-9898 or stridestutor.org.
PARENTS
MOMS Club of Spartanburg and MOMS Club of Spartanburg-North offer support for all moms in the area. The groups have regular park plays, library visits, potlucks, mom crafts, kid crafts, book club, Moms Night Out, community service projects, seasonal activities and more. For more information email, momsclubofspartanburg@gmail.com or northspartanburgmoms@gmail.com
This article originally appeared on Herald-Journal: Upstate Parent's August 2023 guide to the Arts and more
