Each year, Upstate International Month begins at 12:00 noon on March 1, which is a Sunday in 2026.
Upstate International invites carillons across our South Carolina Upstate to ring extra bells at noon. Celebrate our international connections, heritage, and diversity. Organizations, faith-based groups, schools, and others are welcome to participate in this tradition. Learn more: https://upstateinternational.org/ui-events/ring-in-upstate-international-month/. Last year, the City of Greenville and Abbeville’s Trinity Episcopal Church participated.
Ringing the Bells is a historic tradition connected to one of Greenville’s Sister Cities, Bergamo, Italy. Every night at 10:00 PM, the bells of Bergamo’s Città Alta (Upper Town) ring 100 times—a practice that dates back centuries to mark the closing of the city gates. Experience this symbolic connection and celebrate the cultural ties that unite our Upstate with this beautiful Italian city. Encourage your community to participate in this unique opportunity to immerse yourself in a cherished Upstate tradition – Ring the Bells, Noon on March 1, each year. More information on this tradition: https://www.bestofbergamo.com/2011/07/when-bell-tolls-100-times.html
Photo: Clemson University Carillon – annually, this Carillon joins the celebration by students and faculty playing over 25 national anthems, starting right after the hourly bells stop. Upstate International appreciates the collaboration from Linda Dzuris, a professor of music and the current chair of the Department of the Performing Arts, who was appointed Clemson’s first University Carillonneur in 1999. The Clemson University program: https://www.clemson.edu/cah/academics/performing-arts/perform/keyboard.html