Jun 21 Sunday
The 30th Annual Upstate Shakespeare Festival in beautiful Falls Park in downtown Greenville, SC features A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM opening May 21st, 2026 and runs through June 21st, followed by THE TWO NOBLE KINSMEN running July 9th – 25th. This is not your English teacher's Shakespeare! Bring your dog, your kids, your cousin's wife's best friend, or a bottle of wine and a picnic basket. Admission is free and open to the public, and donations are greatly appreciated. Performances are Thursdays - Sundays at 7pm and run approximately 90 minutes with no intermission, weather permitting.
Jun 22 Monday
Join our intercultural summer day camps where children 6-12 years old explore music creation, international dance, music instrument building, and other forms of art in a joyful and supportive environment. Each child receives personal attention and a meaningful creative experience.
The word craft-itarianism was coined by 2026 Center for Craft Curatorial Fellow Alyssa Velazquez to name artistic projects that generate employment, raise awareness, or offer therapeutic support through craft. These programs provide a space where people affected by addiction, incarceration, and gun violence can find solidarity while learning a skill.
Craft-itarianism: Community Action Through Craft celebrates nonprofits and artists who believe in—and actively practice—the power of craft to support and empower individuals and communities.
This exhibition was curated by 2026 Center for Craft Curatorial Fellow Alyssa Velazquez. Launched in 2017, the Curatorial Fellowship supports emerging curators exploring new ideas about craft with mentorship, professional development, and a $5,000 honorarium to realize an exhibition.
On view February 27, 2026–September 27, 2026.
Amplifying diverse Appalachian voices
Music and dance have been a vital part of the Folk School since its founding in 1925. As we celebrate our 100th year, Centennial Sounds honors this legacy by spotlighting the cultural richness of Appalachian music and the many voices that shape it. This special performance series will feature five headliners whose work expands and redefines the story of Appalachian music. Through these concerts, we aim to create new opportunities for our community in Western North Carolina to experience the full spectrum of Appalachian sound.
SEATED SHOWLIMITED NUMBER OF PREMIUM SEATING TICKETS AVAILABLE
MATT HECKLERMatt Heckler is the fiddle player you wish still existed. Hailing from the Catskill Mtns, a physiographic subrange to the Appalachian chain, Heckler has been embraced by mountain music and culture from early on. Self-taught on fiddle, banjo and guitar, he can weave together a night of songs from all over the world. Swaying from an acapella Irish ballad to a rowdy Romani fiddle tune, Heckler has taken on a style of writing that sounds timeless, rustic and entirely his own.
Touring solo for a decade, Heckler made a name for himself opening for the likes of Benjamin Tod & Lost Dog Street Band, Flogging Molly and Devil Makes Three, playing many of the biggest theatres and venues in the country. After having two album simultaneously on the Billboard Bluegrass charts (Blood, Water, Coal at #3 & Magnolia Sessions at #9) Heckler has started a band of his own to tour and record with.
Jun 23 Tuesday
Kids are invited to join us for a Dino-tastic dancing time with DJ Michael Sprouse at Mountains Branch on Tuesday, June 23rd at 2:00pm! Come show off your best dinosaur dance moves and learn a few more as we move and celebrate dinosaurs this summer.
No registration is required.
COME JAM ON TUESDAYS!Fireforge's Open Bluegrass Acoustic Jam with hosts Matt Purinton and Sam Kruer is every Tuesday evening from 6:30-8:30 pm! Everyone with an acoustic instrument is welcome to play. Come jam or listen and request tunes! It’s going to be a ton of picking and grinning . See you there!
MEET THE HOSTSMatt and Sam are both veterans of the Greenville music scene. While both are steeped in bluegrass, they’re versatile in their ability to play many styles. Matt’s fiery mandolin playing and Sam’s rock solid bass grooves enable them to make an exciting bluegrass sound that you’ll want to rock with!