Fantastic

Enjoyed another great show at the Greenwood Community Theatre this past weekend - The Fantastiks.

Festival of Discovery

Or BBQ and Blues, which I think is a better name actually. Friday night our home group met Uptown Greenwood to take in the festivities. I can't accurately describe this event. BBQ "teams" come from all around the country to compete in a cookoff in various categories. Apparently if you are into it, there is quite a circuit, and our local event is "sanctioned" by some Kansas City BBQ group and this festival is part of their official "tour." What all that means, I can't imagine.

Anyway, what the 11 of us experienced was kind of like a huge tailgate, with trailer, tents, and cookers all in the streets and parking lots, with banners flying and all manner of foodstuffs frying. Yes, we are in the South, where 60% of the population is obese, or at least overweight.

It seemed like there were about 50 "teams" but I could be WAY off on that either way. The smoke and smell obscured my ability to take in the whole festival. The weather was as pleasant as we could have hoped for this time of year, but that was because it was overcast, and we had a thunderstorm at 8:30 that drove our group into our cars and off to Red Lobster. Yes, most of us had already eaten BBQ, but we just ate again.

I saw the stage area and heard a bit of the live music, but didn't really get into that part of the festival. There was also an arts & crafts fair on the other side of Main Street (the widest in the world, by the way) but we didn't get over there. We didn't get back up there Saturday between 11 & 6, but I heard it was PACKED and HOT.

Oh, also there was a disgusting contest won by a 303 lb "professional eater" from Atlanta who consumed something like 25 hot dogs in record time. Or something. I'm not sure I've eaten 25 hot dogs total in my whole life. And see, not all obese people are in South Carolina.

Still, it was nice to have a well attended event in town to entertain the folks. Not QUITE as redneck as the Catfish Feastival in Ware Shoals on Memorial Day, but some good people watching was available for the patient. Sorry, no photos.

Festival of Flowers

Greenwood's springtime spectacular is the Festival of Flowers, a monthlong event celebrating flowers and anything else you want. This year I started off at the Greenwood Festival Chorale concert on June 7th. I missed the Wine Walk that first weekend, off farm touring with the in-laws. Last weekend my tandem rode in the Bee Buzzin' bike tour Saturday morning and then my sister accompanied me to the afternoon matinee of Hairspray at the community theatre. There is always a big musical during the Festival and this was a good one. This coming weekend I plan to take in the Arts & Crafts show, maybe the photography exhibit, garden tours and a visit to Park Seed for the trial gardens and a presentation on unique veggies.

There is truly something for everyone during the Festival. It's a great time to be in Greenwood!

Produce stand

The coolest new thing in Greenwood this week is the new farmer's market/produce stand that has opened downtown.

I am excited about fresh food, more availability, and meeting the growers. First day I bought peaches and snow peas. If I knew what to do with kale, I would have bought some.

There is a fairly big controversy about relocating the current farmer's market on Wednesdays and Saturdays from the old Civic Center area to uptown Greenwood. I'm not sure which side of that I'm on yet, but I do love the idea of MORE places to get local produce. The uptown location is fairly cramped already and hugs a busy/noisy train track.

The Saturday market opens June 4th, but it may be the 8th before I can check it out. Plus I've heard you have to get there early, and I'm not much for 7 or 8 a.m. on a Saturday. We'll see.

Historic

Today I did something historic. I was a part of the crowd attending the dedication of a historic site honoring Dr. Benjamin E. Mays, Greenwood County native. If you don't know him, and I didn't until recently, check this out.

Wisteria, Dogwoods & Crepe Murder

Spring has sprung in Greenwood! Which means it is allergy season, but if you can see and breathe, you'll notice we are having a most beautiful spring. Wisteria covers trees like purple kudzu. The dogwoods bloomed overnight. People are trimming the crepe myrtles into stubs, but in a few weeks they will bolt and by July be full of new blooms. A duck laid an egg on our lawn.

Basketball

By the way, we did catch a Lander women's basketball game, the first round of the PeachBelt conference tourney. Lander handily beat UNC Penbroke, but went on to lose in the second round in a stunner to a 4 seed. The other #1 seed also lost, but both play on now in the NCAA Division II brackets.