Different times, different measures

NEWBERRY — Just because things are different, does not mean that things are canceled.

City of Newberry Tourism and Events Manager Mary Alex Kopp said she encourages the community to remain engaged with them throughout the next season in downtown Newberry.

In accordance with recommendations from the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Kopp said while many city events have had to change this year, the Parks Recreation and Tourism (PRT) department has made contingency plans for all festivals and events.

“Our motto at PRT is connecting community through people, parks and programs and we’ve tried to maintain that, even if through a virtual level,” Kopp said.

While traditionally in Memorial Park, the department has converted their traditional Moonlight Movie Nights to drive-in movies in a nearby parking lot on Friend Street downtown, which Kopp said has gone really well so far.

With the original setup in Memorial Park, Kopp said folks may have had to fight with the trees to see the screen, but the new setup has provided uninterrupted views and spectacular sunsets, she said.

The last drive-in movie for the summer will take place on August 14 in the parking lot on Friend Street, showing Toy Story 4. No official announcements have been made; however, Kopp said the department may offer movies during the fall of this year.

The city’s largest annual event, Newberry Oktoberfest, will also be virtual this year and will last September 20-October 3, mimicking the traditional Munich Oktoberfest timeline. Throughout the time frame, Kopp said they will host several online contests, educational opportunities for the community and an online vendor fair for their juried arts and crafts vendors — all which will be located at www.newberryoktoberfest.com.

By the end of August, Kopp said she expected the website to have more teaser pages to show visitors what was coming their way for the virtual festival. Contest examples include a Newberry Oktoberfest logo redesign, a best German outfit contest from home, as well as a German dance video competition.

Following a season of special events within the PRT department, Kopp expressed her excitement for the community to once again see the beautiful downtown décor during the holiday season that is Christmas in Newberry.

“Our Christmas decorations downtown will still be here at the same time and place for the community to enjoy,” she said.

A new feature to holiday décor this year, will be an official “Letters to Santa” mailbox that will be placed near the community Christmas tree thanks to a generous private donation, Kopp said. The mailbox is expected to be in place, along with the rest of the décor by November 20.

The mailbox will be a place that children from Newberry or those visiting can place their letters to Santa Claus.

“Who knows, maybe Santa will reply back,” she said.

Until that time arrives, Kopp welcomed visitors to the website, www.newberrychristmas.com where they’ll see a pop-up box requesting patrons share their #AVeryBerryChristmas memories with them. Some of those memories may then be shared on the City of Newberry’s social media outlets for the community to enjoy together.

Virtual Tourism

Another virtual way the city has tried to connect the community through people, parks and programs is through Walkin’ Wednesdays, a weekly virtual walk through an area of the city of Newberry that is posted on both the City of Newberry’s Facebook and Instagram stories.

“We realized that whether it be the pandemic or other circumstances, that folks may find it more difficult to get out as much as they used to,” Kopp said. “Through this walking series we’ve visited the downtown district, nearby parks, Newberry College and will continue to expand that throughout the community to places that people may not be familiar with.”

Since beginning the series, Kopp said the department has heard from those that are unable to get outside due to the heat or various other reasons voice their appreciation for helping them feel connected within the community, as well as those that grew up in Newberry, but no longer live here and share that the virtual walks remind them of the fond memories of home.

Kopp’s seasonal “Top 10” lists of things to do have continued throughout the pandemic to include topics of staying connected even while at home and one targeted for a safer at home Fourth of July following SCDHEC’s Safer At Home call to action. These lists are shared on the city’s social media outlets as well as online at www.cityofnewberry.com.

Thinking outside of the box has been important for keeping the community connected during this time, Kopp said, and other virtual experiences provided through the City of Newberry have included weekend itineraries for families to enjoy with those in their household.

The most recently published itinerary is written with social distancing in mind, Kopp said and follows recommendations and guidance from SCDHEC and the CDC. While the others available were written outside of the boundaries of the pandemic, Kopp said the ideas could easily be taken and adjusted to current guidelines in place. All itineraries can be found at the City of Newberry’s website under the Area Attractions tab and further clicking on City Itineraries and Guides.

Content created by the city can also be found under the “News” section on the city’s website. However, for those that do not have access to social media or internet, Kopp said the city is continuing to provide community engagement outside of the digital facet. This includes working with WKDK radio, The Newberry Observer and Newberry Magazine as well as sending out information to other entities about things they are doing.

While she said the changes made have seemed relatively small, they have seemed to have a large impact in the Newberry community.

“We’re getting engagement from people that really weren’t thinking about ways they could enjoy life in Newberry a little more,” Kopp said. “While things may be a little different right now, we will continue to try to keep people engaged and active within the community.”