Spring in Newberry is a beautiful time of year. The azaleas are in bloom and people are getting outside to enjoy the warm weather! Celebrate this season of new beginnings with ten great activities and things you can do right here in Newberry.

1. Groove n’ Brew Fest

Coming soon is the first ever Groove n’ Brew Fest in downtown Newberry! This festival is the first to be organized by the current Newberry Downtown Development Association and is sure to be a hit. On Saturday, April 7th from 1pm-10pm, downtown will host a 70s & 80s themed evening featuring craft beers, food trucks, “giant games,” costume and karaoke contests, and great music. The outdoor portion of this festival is free to attend, but to get the full era experience you don’t want to miss the great bands performing in the Ritz Theater that night! The night shows will feature Heartbreaker and Rumors, tribute bands that play the music of Heart and Fleetwood Mac. For details on this event visit www.newberrygroovenbrew.com.

2. Newberry College SpringFest Weekend

The Newberry College campus is a beautiful sight to see in the spring! The azaleas are in full bloom, grass is a beautiful spring green, and the warm weather brings people and students out to campus for activities. Enjoy spring campus life during the annual SpringFest weekend this April. On April 13th at 6:30pm bring the family to the quad to enjoy a free movie night outside. Then on Saturday, April 14th, from 11am to 2pm return to the campus for kids activities including inflatable games, face painting, music, and more as part of the campus fraternities’ efforts to raise money for the Ronald McDonald House. All weekend long there will be a variety of spring sports at home including baseball, softball, tennis, and lacrosse, as well as alumni soccer games and spring football game! End the weekend at Newberry College by attending the annual Jazz on the Lawn event at 6:30 p.m. that evening. Bring lawn chairs and blankets to the front lawn of the Alumni Music Center, to enjoy an evening of toe-tapping jazz music under the sunset. This event is a great opportunity for all ages to enjoy all our local college has to offer the community. For details on all the weekend’s activities visit www.newberry.edu.

3. Bunco Night with the Chamber

The Newberry County Chamber of Commerce will be hosting their first ever Bunco Tournament! Join them on April 19th at 5:30 at Uptown Pour in downtown Newberry for a social evening and games. At $30 per person participants will be entered and provided complementary refreshments and drinks. For more about this event and to register visit www.newberrycountychamber.com.

4. Newberry Pork in the Park

It’s soon to be the tastiest time of year! The Newberry Pork in the Park BBQ competition returns on April 21st to downtown Newberry. The Southern Barbecue Network sanctioned event features mouth-watering BBQ, beer wagon from the Newberry County Chamber of Commerce, and live music in Memorial Park. This year’s event also marks the First Birthday for the Corner Scoop in downtown Newberry, and the kids inflatable fun park will extend to their front door, where they will be celebrating their big day with many more children’s activities. Details on this event can be found at www.newberryporkinthepark.com. Spaces are still available for competitors, please apply by April 6th.

5. Newberry Chamber Orchestra

The Newberry Chamber Orchestra is a college-community organized orchestra that features locals, as well as college students and staff. They perform music from the baroque period through the 20th century, and will be featuring their efforts at a free concert at the Newberry Opera House on April 22 at 3 p.m. Although the event is free, tickets are required for the show and donations are accepted at the door to assist this local endeavor to keep the arts alive for our local talent. Visit www.newberryoperahouse.com for more details and to secure tickets.

6. Pack the Porch at Enoree River Winery

Enoree River Winery invites you to come by for easy Sunday afternoon porch sitting! Sundays, April 29th through June 3rd the porch will be open from 2 p.m.-6p.m. where you can sip on their wines by the glass or by the bottle and enjoy original music from local musicians. For details on these events and the music line up visit www.enoreeriverwinery.com/events.

7. Gold Wing Riders Lighted Bike Show

The 2018 SC District of the Gold Wing Riders Association will be taking over downtown Newberry May 3rd through 5th for their “Mayberry” themed weekend. While in downtown they invite the community to come to one of their public event evenings, the Lighted Bike Show on May 4th at 9:15pm on McKibben Street on front of the Newberry Firehouse Conference Center and Opera House. The show will feature associations members bikes and rides decked out in lights for the event! For more about the association’s weekend rally visit www.gwrrasc.com.

8. Mother’s Day in Newberry

Give your mother a special treat this Mother’s Day Weekend by giving her a day to remember in downtown Newberry! Brunch with family at Figaro, Steven W’s or the Flying Pie. Then take her on a shopping spree through the many shops featuring ladies’ wear such as Elizabeth’s, Lucy’s, Fabulous Finds, Krazy Daisy or to local gift shops like Michelle’s, the Gallery, or the many antique shops to find something special just for her. End the weekend celebration of Mom at Half Full over a glass of wine, or Bar Figaro with a tasty cocktail! For more on the shopping and dining you can find in downtown Newberry visit www.cityofnewberry.com/area-attractions.

9. Taste of Newberry

You’ll want to be in downtown Newberry for one of our quintessential Newberry events, the annual Taste of Newberry! On Friday, May 18 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Friend Building in Downtown Newberry, the “Taste” will feature food, beer, and wine from many of our local restaurants, food trucks, and catering groups throughout the county. The event will also feature live Jazz music from the Soda City Brass Band! Enjoy an evening of wining and dining and all things local. This event is free admission, but plan to bring cash to make purchases. For details on this event visit www.tasteofnewberry.com.

10. “Paint Out” Reception at the Newberry Arts Center

The Newberry Arts Center is bringing a new one-of-a-kind event to Newberry, the South Carolina Watermedia Society’s annual “Plein Air Paint-Out.” On May 19th South Carolina Watercolor artists will arrive in Newberry for the opportunity to paint images of Downtown Newberry and the Newberry Countryside. In the evening the artists will return to the Newberry Arts Center to hang the show for a reception showcase that is open to the public. Works will also be available for sale! The reception will be at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 19th at the Newberry Arts Center in Downtown. Visit www.newberryartscenter.com for more about this program.

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Mary Alex Kopp

Contributing Columnist

Mary Alex Kopp is the Tourism and Event coordinator for the City of Newberry’s PRT Department. She can be reached at 803-321-1015.