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Community Impact

euphoria leaves visitors with a

Taste for Greenville

It’s no secret that our once-quaint little city has boiled over in popularity over the last decade. This record-breaking growth is due, in part, to the Upstate’s booming arts and culinary scene.

Since 2006, we’ve had the privilege of welcoming thousands of first-timers to Greenville each September. We’re honored that euphoria has given so many people their first taste of all the things that make the Upstate so enchanting, and we’re excited that these visitors will choose to return to our city for years to come.

2023 Festival Recap
4800000
Economic Impact in 2022
78
events throughout the year
9680
tickets distributed
29
states represented
41
of tickets purchased by tourists
29
of tickets purchased by first-timers

Infusing the Flavors of euphoria

into the greenville community

euphoria’s mission has always been to promote tourism in Greenville by creating a destination event for food, wine, and music lovers across the country. However, we also understand the importance of investing in our community. To make sure we’re fulfilling our mission, proceeds from euphoria are distributed in the form of direct grants by our 501(c)(3) organization, Local Boys Do Good (LBDG), to deserving Upstate charities.

euphoria’s charitable partners

All grants distributed by LBDG on behalf of euphoria must go toward initiatives that support sustenance to those in need (specifically as it relates to food that sustains life or health), educates through music or performing arts, or those that aid children. We are also devoted to supporting the food & beverage industry with mental health support and emergency assistance when facing unanticipated crisis.

The 2025 applications will be available in January of next year. Please check back then for the latest updates.

In 2024, we are proud to partner with EIGHT incredibly deserving local organizations:

A special performance of “Movers, Shakers, and Noisemakers,” – a live orchestral experience for community members with autism spectrum disorder and other neurodevelopmental differences.

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Recipe book workshops celebrate the community’s cultural diversity and promote intergenerational connections through shared meals. Through these art sessions, participants can tap into their creativity, build confidence, and develop essential coping skills for managing their mental health.

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Breakfast, hot lunch, and snacks are provided five days a week for preschool children with developmental delays resulting from limited resources, abuse, or neglect, as well as their families in Greenville County.

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Mill Village Farms’ FoodShare Greenville program is committed to providing healthy, nutritious foods and invaluable nutritional education to thousands of low-income Greenville families and children.

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Emergency relief funding and access to mental health services are provided to food and beverage (F+B) workers facing financial hardship due to a natural disaster, medical emergency, accident, or other unforeseen incident.

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courtesy of euphoria’s producers circle members

The Therapeutic Art program will teach children of veterans or first responders healthy coping, emotional release, and mindfulness skills they can apply to their daily lives. Projects include watercolor, creative writing, clay sculptures, and a week-long theater camp.

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Processing and box programs will support the convergence of produce processing capabilities and community-focused fresh food box programs—reaching more Upstate families with increased community nutrition and sustenance.

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courtesy of euphoria’s philanthropic patrons

Through financial support and a network of community resources, Giving Kitchen provides emergency assistance to food service workers and their families facing unanticipated crises in Upstate South Carolina.

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Philanthropic Patrons

Our Philanthropic Patrons membership has been designed to directly support our 501(c)(3), Local Boys Do Good, while allowing you access to tickets before they go on sale to the public. Your generous contribution will directly support Giving Kitchen. Through financial support and a network of community resources, Giving Kitchen provides emergency assistance to food service workers (restaurants, catering, concessions, food trucks, cafeterias, bars, and taprooms) & their families facing unanticipated crises in Upstate South Carolina.

As a member of the Philanthropic Patrons, you become an integral part of euphoria and help support our mission. Elevate your euphoria experience and make a lasting impact on both the festival and the Upstate hospitality industry.

CHECK OUT THE DETAILS

Connect For Good

In Q4 of 2020, euphoria was awarded a grant for $965,000 from the Greenville County CARES Act to support Connect for Good GVL, a program which helps to fight food insecurity and support local independent restaurants. 

Benefits of the program include:

  • Over 30 organizations in the community received meals to distribute to those in need or to our first responders who have been on the frontline the duration of COVID-19
  • 20+ local independent restaurants received financial support for both food and labor costs, ensuring a workforce that was needed to execute the meals
  • Over 90,000 meals distributed throughout the Upstate community
  • Use of collective resources to partner together for the better good of our community
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Healthy Lunchtime Throwdown

euphoria partners with Greenville County Schools to host the Healthy Lunchtime Throwdown—a friendly cooking competition between aspiring young chefs. During the competition, 4 selected participants are paired with a Michelin-Starred chef who acts as their sous chef at the head-to-head cook-off. The winning recipe will be added to the Greenville County School menu rotation for that school year.

During euphoria2023, Sawyer Koon of Golden Strip Career Center presented his Sweet & Sour Grilled Chicken Poke Bowl alongside 1-star Michelin Chef Charlie Mitchell and wowed the judges at the seventh annual Healthy Lunchtime Throwdown–taking home the win!