Five on Friday: the June edition

June in Greenville brings the start of summer vacation, with plenty of festivals, programs and adventures to keep the kids busy and the parents from losing their cool. Here are a few things that we’re looking forward to…

1. Butterfly Adventure at Roper Mountain Science Center. The live butterfly exhibit is returning for the second year in a row, bringing an up-close experience with hundreds of butterflies in the RMSC greenhouse. The exhibit was opened yesterday and will run through July 7^th – and it’s free for RMSC members! For my review, please visit my post A butterfly adventure, and for more on hours and for tickets visit the RMSC website.

2. Now that the hot weather is here to stay we’ll be heading to Long Shoals Wayside Park for some fun in the water! As it runs down a smooth slab of algae-covered rock, Little Eastatoe Creek provides a gentle water slide that ends in a plunge into a shallow pool at the base. Read more about the park and the natural water slide in my post A waterslide at Long Shoals Wayside Park. 

3. Another hot weather favorite is a trip to Stumphouse Tunnel. The interior stays cool even in the hottest summer days, and the chance to use headlamps and splash around in a ‘cave’ brings excitement to those seemingly endless days. For everything you need to know about the tunnel and nearby waterfalls read my post Issaqueena Falls and Stumphouse Tunnel, and if you’re in the mood to try the blue cheese that was once produced in the tunnel, stop by Clemson and the ’55 Exchange on the way home.

4. Summer solstice, the longest day of the year, falls on Wednesday, June 21^st this year. This is an important holiday for Latvians, and we’ll be celebrating with the local Latvian community with a bonfire, flower wreaths, cheese tying and a feast of Latvian proportions! Want to know more about Jāņi, the Latvian celebration?

Jāņi – the folklore

Jāņu siers – how to tie the cheese

Jāņi Chatenet – A glance at celebrating in France

Jānis – the name day tradition

Līst kā pa Jāņiem – why it always rains on Jāņi.

And also important, a list of the stores in the area that carry European foodstuffs! 

5. Looking for some summer fun that has an educational aspect mixed in to keep those little minds sharp through the coming months? You might want to try one of the many educational programs at the County and State Parks in our area. One of our favorites is the Paris Mountain Ranger-led Creek hike, where the kids get to explore a creek ecosystem and then take their catch back to take an up close look under the park microscope. Programs offered this month include National Trails Day Celebrations at Croft, Jones Gap and Table Rock State Parks, Frontier Encampment at Oconee Station State Historic Site, a Twilight Paddle at Chester State Park and Lessons from Nature at Paris Mountain. See SC State Parks website for full schedule.