NEWBERRY — So far this winter has been a cold one, but that doesn’t hold Newberry back from offering fun activities for all! Here’s our seasonal list of some fun things to do this winter.

1. FREE Family Movies!

The City of Newberry’s FREE Family Movie Night series is coming back this winter! Free Family Movie Nights will be held on Jan. 12, Feb. 16 and March 29. The movies will begin at 7 p.m. and all will be shown at the Newberry Opera House. The first feature scheduled in January will be The LEGO Ninjago Movie, released in the summer of 2017. February and March movie dates have yet to be announced. There are no tickets given in advance of the movies as seating is general admission. To learn more about the Free Family Movie Night and for the announcement of the February and March movies call 803-321-1015 or visit www.cityofnewberry.com/events.

2. College Basketball & Wrestling

Newberry College Basketball and Wrestling seasons are fully underway. Don’t miss your chance this season to watch men’s and women’s basketball, both having made it to the SAC championship quarterfinals in 2017. Similarly, Wolves wrestling advanced several athletes to the 2017 NCAA championships, having a player finish fifth. Come see what they do during their 2018 season and cheer your local Wolves teams on to victory!

3. MLK Day Celebrations

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is “A Day On, Not a Day Off” for the Newberry Community. On Monday, January 15 at 9:30 a.m. members of the community will gather at Bethlehem Baptist Church to march across town to Miller Chapel AME. Upon their arrival at 10 a.m. Larry C. Boyd Sr., retired Colonel of the U.S. Army, will give the morning’s speech. All are welcome to this day of celebration of the legacy of American civil rights leader, Martin Luther King Jr., and recognition of the work that has been done and still to do to advance civil rights in America.

4. Oakland Tennis Center Grand Opening

The Oakland Tennis Center, a product of the City of Newberry Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Department, is now open for play! All are invited to attend the Grand Opening event on Saturday, January 27 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event will feature an exhibition from the Newberry College Tennis teams, free clinics for junior ages, cook-out with free food, and much more. The Oakland Tennis Center pro shop will also be open and taking registration for lessons, play passes and other tennis center programming.

5. Fifth Annual Healthy Chili Cook-Off

The City of Newberry invites you to “Celebrate Healthy Eating, Living, and Giving” at the annual Healthy Chili Cook-Off event, coming up on February 3 in Downtown’s Memorial Park. This event is now in its fifth year and features aerobics, health fair, blood drive with the Blood Connection, and of course, the People’s Choice Healthy Chili Competition! The event is free to attend, but to sample chili, visitors will be asked to make a $5 donation to the Souper Bowl of Caring, that in turn goes to a local food bank. Visitors who give blood via the Blood Connection at the event will be given chili samples for free as a thanks for their donation. Tasters will also be given one ticket for each voting category; Best Booth Decoration, Most Original and Best Overall. At the end of the event votes will be tallied to award trophies and cash prizes to the winners. The event is from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., but voting lasts from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

6. Celebrate the Winter Olympics with Friends

It’s the most wonderful time of the year for winter sports fans! The Winter Olympics will return February 9 through 25 and will take place in PyeongChang, South Korea. While not exactly in Newberry, you can celebrate this quadrennial event from home with family and friends. A quick Google search will turn out tons of crafty family fun activities to celebrate the occasion. Some of our favorites include Olympic Bingo, Lego man ice luge, and even building your own table top curling game!

7. S.C. Pottery Sale & Exhibit

If you have not yet experienced this event that is unique to Newberry, then be sure to mark your calendars for February 23-24 for the Fourth Annual South Carolina Clay Conference Pottery Sale & Exhibit. This sale and exhibit features work of the presenters and attendees of the South Carolina Clay Conference, an annual conference for South Carolina clay artists. The collection featured is one of the largest in the state, showcasing functional and sculptural work. This exhibit and sale is not to be missed as it offers something for everyone; casual shopping for a one-of-a-kind mug for your morning coffee, sculpture purchases for the seeker of fine art, or the opportunity to see amazing works of art in the heart of your hometown.

8. Newberry Half Marathon

The Newberry Half Marathon is making its return in 2018! Don’t miss the March 10 fundraising event for Boys Farm of Newberry. The event will begin at Newberry High School as the course makes its way twisting and turning through downtown, Newberry College and back. The event will also feature a 5k and Kids Fun Run.

9. Tom Perry’s “Better Together” Basketball Tournament

The Newberry County Coalition on Underage Drinking is bringing back the successful Youth and Law Enforcement FREE Basketball Tournament! This tournament is open to Boys and Girls in Middle & High School and will take place on March 24 in Eleazer Arena at Newberry College. Registration is will be opening soon at the YMCA and City of Newberry PRT offices. The first 100 participants to sign up will receive a FREE event T-Shirt. To find out more about this event contact Westview Behavioral Health at 803-276-5690.

10. Spring Fling Weekend in Downtown Newberry

Soon spring will be bouncing back to Newberry, and this year Downtown Newberry is opening their doors for you! The Newberry Downtown Development Association in conjunction with the City of Newberry is excited to announce the dates for their new annual event, Spring Fling Weekend: A Downtown Open House Event. The weekend will be held March 16-17, 2018. The weekend kicks-off with a Newberry classic, the Irish Fling, on March 16, hosted by the City of Newberry. All day on March 16 visitors can enjoy a free family friendly leprechaun scavenger hunt for all ages that enters participants to win prizes from our local shops. Delicious Irish Food and Drink Specials will be available in the restaurants and bars. Beginning at 5 p.m. the streets will close, live entertainment will fill local restaurants and bars, and visitors can even walk from venue to venue with their drink of choice (until 12 a.m.)! From 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. the City’s information booth will be located in Astwood Park (1318 Main Street) where visitors can receive an over 21 wristband, free shamrock beads and glow sticks, and enter various raffles as well as the leprechauns scavenger hunt. For details on this event visit www.newberryirishfling.com or call 803-321-1015.

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Mary Alex Kopp

Contributing Columnist

Mary Alex Kopp is the Tourism & Events coordinator for the City of Newberry Parks, Recreation, and Tourism.