Spartanburg will host its first-ever Heart Walk and Health Hustle on Friday, April 17, as the American Heart Association expands its annual Upstate Heart Walk event into a two-city format for 2026. The Spartanburg event will take place at Fifth Third Park beginning at 4:00 PM, with the walk concluding around 5:30 PM.
The addition of a Spartanburg location reflects the American Heart Association’s goal of bringing cardiovascular health awareness and CPR education closer to more communities across the Upstate. Taylor Smith, senior HR business partner at Contec, Inc., is chairing both the Greenville and Spartanburg Heart Walks this year. The Greenville event was held April 11 at Fluor Field.
The 2026 Spartanburg Heart Walk is organized around a central message: creating a community where at least one person in every household is trained and prepared to perform CPR. Cardiac arrest kills tens of thousands of Americans each year, and bystander CPR can dramatically improve survival rates when performed quickly.
A First for Hub City
Fifth Third Park, Spartanburg’s new downtown ballpark that opened in 2025 as home of the Hub City Spartanburgers, provides a venue that is both accessible and symbolic — a gathering place at the center of the city’s revitalization that is now also hosting a community health event for the first time.
Participants are encouraged to walk in honor of local heart disease and stroke survivors, and to raise funds that support the American Heart Association’s research, education, and advocacy work. The organization funds research into heart disease, the leading cause of death in the United States, and works to expand access to CPR training in schools, workplaces, and community settings.
Companies and teams interested in participating in the Spartanburg Heart Walk can register at upstateheartwalk.org. Organizations looking to become corporate sponsors can contact Heart Walk Director Jennifer Mathews at [email protected].
The event is free and open to the public. Participants of all fitness levels are welcome — the walk is designed to be inclusive and celebratory, bringing together families, local businesses, healthcare workers, and community members united around heart health.
What’s Happening
Q: When and where is the Spartanburg Heart Walk?
A: The 2026 Upstate Heart Walk in Spartanburg takes place Friday, April 17 from 4:00 PM to 5:30 PM at Fifth Third Park, 300 W. Henry Street.
Q: Is this the first Heart Walk in Spartanburg?
A: Yes, 2026 marks the first year the American Heart Association has held a Heart Walk in Spartanburg, expanding the Upstate Heart Walk into a two-city event alongside Greenville.
Q: Who is organizing the Spartanburg Heart Walk?
A: Taylor Smith, senior HR business partner at Contec, Inc., is serving as chair for both the Greenville and Spartanburg Heart Walks in 2026.
Q: How can residents participate or get involved?
A: Residents can register at upstateheartwalk.org. Companies and teams interested in participating can contact Heart Walk Director Jennifer Mathews at the American Heart Association.
