The City of Greenville kicks off its Downtown Event Series this week with the season opening nights of Piedmont Natural Gas Downtown Alive and BB&T Main Street Fridays. The free weekly events return to the Hyatt block offering a season filled with live musical entertainment performed by local, regional and national touring bands, special events and children’s activities.
According to Angie Prosser, director of public information and events for the City of Greenville, Piedmont Natural Gas Downtown Alive and BB&T Main Street Fridays are two of the most highly anticipated events of the year. “We have a great lineup of local talent and have added regional and national touring bands this season that we anticipate will be huge draws to the event series. With the tremendous support we have received from the Greenville community, we are fortunate to be able to continue to provide free entertainment for those who work, live and visit here. ”
Piedmont Natural Gas Downtown Alive presented by Greenville Heritage Federal Credit Union will go green for its first event on March 15 with a St. Patrick’s Day celebration. The event series serves as the single largest fundraiser for the Metropoli¬tan Arts Council, a local organization providing support and other vital services to individual artists, arts organizations and arts education programs. Throughout its 24-week season, event goers can enjoy live musical entertainment on the Wild Wing Café Stage. Featured musical acts include the Wheeler Brothers, The Piedmont Bands, Okra and Benton Blount.
"Piedmont Natural Gas is truly excited for the opportunity to continue our sponsorship of Downtown Alive in 2012," said Barbara Davis, community relations manager for Piedmont Natural Gas. "Downtown Alive is an excellent way for the Greenville community to come together and celebrate this great city. Piedmont Natural Gas is committed to promoting the vitality of the communities we serve, and this great event is part of our ongoing effort to deliver on that promise. "
As a new addition this season, Piedmont Natural Gas Downtown Alive has partnered with Wild Wing Café to kick off a Last Band Standing contest. Every Thursday night beginning May 10, two bands will compete against each other at Wild Wing Café in a winner take all battle. The contest will begin with 16 bands and end with one winner. The winning band will receive a headlining show at Piedmont Natural Gas Downtown Alive on August 30, a $1,000 gift certificate to Guitar Center, a chance to play the Wild Wing Café circuit, a three-song EP recording and a rotation on a local radio station. Interested bands can submit their information and recordings to lastbandstandingwwc@gmail.com.
BB&T Main Street Fridays presented by Pepsi will debut March 16 at the Hyatt Plaza. The family-friendly 28-week event will feature jazz, blues, beach and variety music each week on the Larkin’s Restaurants Stage. Highlighted monthly performances include Chocolate Thunder, The Flashbacks, Encore and 5th and York. In addition, BB&T Main Street Fridays will include a Kid’s Zone featuring inflatables and fun-filled activities for children, such as face painting and arts and crafts. New this year, unlimited children’s ride wristbands will be available to purchase for $12.
"BB&T is thrilled to again partner with the City of Greenville as the title sponsor for BB&T Main Street Fridays,” said BB&T City Executive Scott Taylor. “Helping make the communities in which we live and work better places to be is a key part of BB&T's mission, whether through the financial support we provide to local organizations delivering help to those in need or through the direct time and energy of our employees participating in our Lighthouse Projects. Partnering with the City of Greenville to present Main Street Fridays in our fantastic downtown is yet another way for BB&T to demonstrate how thrilled we are to be a part of this incredible community."
Additional Downtown Event Series event partners include Budweiser, Pepsi, Entercom, the Hyatt, Clear Channel & MY 102.5, WYFF 4, Fete, Clemson at the Falls, the Greenville Journal, Beaulieu Vineyard Coastal Estates, Larkin’s Restaurants, Audio Solutions, Penske and Oobe.
For more information about the event series, visit the City’s website at events.greenvillesc.gov or follow the events on Facebook and Twitter. A complete entertainment schedule is included below.
Piedmont Natural Gas Downtown Alive Entertainment Schedule
Thursdays, March 15 – August 30
5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
March
15 The Kelly Jo Connect Soul/Rock
22 Four 14 Jam Band
29 Wheeler Brothers Folk/Rock
April
5 Frontier Sons Alternative
12 Heyrocco Indie
19 Pinna Funk/Rock
26 The Piedmont Boys Country
May
3 The Weathers Alternative Rock
10 Okra Neo-Soul
17 The Black Iron Gathering Folk/Rock
24 Cleghorn Celtic/Rock
31 The Broadcast Soul/Rock
June
7 Crowfield Rock
14 Benton Blount Country
21 Archer vs Gunman Rock
28 Explorer’s Club Indie
July
5 The Eric Scott Band Country
12 The Advice Rock/Pop/Soul
19 Kemp Ridley Rock/Pop
26 ReggaeInfinity Reggae
August
2 Jason and The Haymakers Country
9 Death of Paris Indie Rock
16 Retro Vertigo Covers
23 Everlasting Earle Rock
30 Last Band Standing Contest Winner
BB&T Main Street Fridays Entertainment Schedule
Fridays, March 16 – September 28
5:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
March Band Name Type of Music
16 Craig Sorrells Project Soul
23 Rickey Godfrey Variety
30 Gypsy Souls Funk/Blues
April
6 True Blues Blues
13 The Swingin’ Richards Rock
20 Fortunate Sons Variety
27 Robbie Ducey Band Blues
May
4 The Buchanan Boys Country
11 Nu Sound R&B/Soul
18 Vonna Blues
25 Coyote Run & Albannach Celtic Rock
June
1 The Flashbacks Variety/Beach
8 Wanda Johnson Soul
15 Bottom Line Band Beach/Country
22 Southern Crescent Variety
29 Zataban Funk/Blues/Soul
July
6 The Nightcrawlers Blues/Rock
13 City Street Band Variety
20 Taylor Moore Blues/Rock
27 Hott Critz R&B/Soul/Funk
August
3 Encore Variety
10 Hoodoo Hounds Blues
17 Whitten Variety/Beach/Country
24 Marcus King Band Blues/Funk
31 Palmetto Swamp Congregation Blues
September
7 Gas House Mouse Blues/Rock
14 The Wire Dogs Oldies
21 5th and York R&B/Soul
28 Jumpstreet Band Variety