NEWBERRY — Have you heard about the Total Solar Eclipse set to occur over Newberry this August? To celebrate this event several of our top 10 choices will have creative “out-of-this- world” activities and themes to get you involved before Aug. 21.

1. Kids Eclipse Summer: STEAMing forward toward totality

In addition to covering total solar eclipse education, the Newberry Arts Center will be incorporating science, technology, engineering, art, and math — or STEAM — into its art projects during weekly Summer Art Camps for children and youth.

One such project will teach children how to draw and code using Ozobots. For details on these camps visit www.newberryartscenter.com.

Piedmont Technical College’s Newberry campus is holding three summer camps for kids. Let Go of My Legos camp teaches youngsters to build using physical science and technology to create powered cars and more. There’s also Puppy Preschool Vet Tech Camp, and Camp Millionaire for young entrepreneurs. PTC camp information can be found at www.ptc.edu/summer-programs.

The City of Newberry’s Recreation program plans to bring summer fun directly to you through their new Summer Mobile Recreation Program. The Mobile Rec Bus is filled with sports, games, arts activities, all facilitated by City staff. Mobile Rec Bus dates and locations can be found at www.newberryprt.com.

2. Grow Newberry Farmer’s Market

The Grow Newberry Farmers Market will officially open for the season on June 3. Every Saturday morning in June and July local farmers and crafters will set up their goods and wares in Memorial Park — farm fresh veggies, fruits, handmade soaps, crafts, even cheeses, milk, eggs, and meat can be found at the Farmers Market. Pay them a visit to stock up on healthy, whole foods, and even the occasional treat from 9 am to 11:30 am on Saturday Mornings. For details visit www.grownewberry.com.

3. Visit a Victorian Soiree

The Southern Victorian Society invites you to take a trip back in time during their annual Summer Soiree on June 3. The Soiree will feature the Victorian-era style of dance, refreshments, and formal attire and free dance practice will be offered the day of the event a few hours prior. Young people ages 13 and up are welcome to purchase a ticket to attend the event. Visit www.southernvictoriansoiree.blogspot.com for details.

4. Experience the Community Players Summer Musical: Quilters

The Newberry Community Players will return to the stage June 9 and June 10 for their annual summer musical event, to be held at the Ritz Theater. Quilters is the heartwarming musical that depicts the life of a pioneer woman, her daughters, and the endurance it takes for them to live through hardship and joy. Throughout the musical the women construct a quilt that records these times in their lives, revealing it at the end in a beautiful display. For tickets contact the Newberry Opera House at 803-276-6264 or visit www.newberryoperahouse.com.

5. Tour Newberry’s Ag+Art

This summer marks the inaugural Ag+Art tour coming to Newberry County. The weekend of farm fun begins on June 22 at the Waldrop Family farm with a “Farm to Table” style dinner featuring locally grown and raised foods prepared by local chefs.

Then on Saturday evening the weekend continues with music in Memorial Park followed by a showing of the foodie film, The Hundred Food Journey, at the Newberry Opera House. Finally, June 24 through June 25 is the official Ag+Art event in Newberry County. Visitors will have the opportunity to travel from farm to farm in rural Newberry County to learn more about where our local food comes from.

Additionally, at each stop, an artist local to the area will be displaying and demonstrating their work. Stops include the Grow Newberry Farmers Market, Carolina Pride Pastures (Alpaca Farm), Bowers Farm (Pasture Raised Meats), Enoree River Winery & Vineyard, Black Grove Farm (Cattle), and Meetze Tree Farm. To learn more visit www.agandarttour.com/newberry.

6. Listen to the Music of Summer

The annual Newberry Opera House Concerts in the Park series is coming back to Memorial Park this summer. On Fridays June 14 through Aug. 4 expect to see great local bands playing toe-tapping tunes as the sun sets over Newberry. Bring your lawn chair or picnic blanket to relax in the park during these free summer concerts. Visit www.newberryoperahouse.com or call 803-276-6264 for more information.

7. See a Summer Sci-Fi Movie

In keeping with the “Total Eclipse Summer” in Newberry, the Newberry Opera House is hosting a series of inexpensive to free summer movies for you and your family to enjoy, each with a sci-fi twist. On Fridays from June 16 through Aug. 4 at 8 p.m. expect to see sci-fi favorite films like Guardians of the Galaxy, Star Wars the Force Awakens, Wall-E, Back to the Future (I-III), and Apollo 13. For a full list of their summer lineup and ticket prices visit their website www.newberryoperahouse.com or call 803-276-6264.

8. Have an All-American Fourth of July

Nobody celebrates an All-American Fourth of July quite like Newberrians. On the morning of the Fourth the residents of the Harper Street neighborhood celebrate Independence Day by parading down Harper Street in decorated bikes, tricycles, golf carts, and outfits of red, white, and blue, for a good hosing at the end of the road by the Newberry Fire Department. After spending a day of celebration with family and friends you’ll want to be sure to take in the annual County Sheriff’s fireworks show. The evening begins with kids’ inflatables and goodies from food trucks around the Newberry High School football field. Once dusk has settled the community gathers to sing the National Anthem and watch the fireworks light up the summer night sky.

9. Cruise-In to see the Midlands Muscle & Classic Car Group

On the fourth Saturday of each month, the Midlands South Carolina Muscle & Classic Car Group invites all to come out to their Car Cruise-Ins. Save these summer dates — June 24 at Sonic Drive-In from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., July 29 at Advanced Auto Parts from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., and Aug. 26 at Stokes Trainor from noon to 3 p.m. These Cruise-Ins are a fun and family friendly opportunity to talk to car enthusiasts about their prize possession, often a family heirloom that’s been cared for from father to son and daughter. You don’t want to miss.

10. Experience the Total Solar Eclipse over Newberry!

Newberry EclipseFest is a weekend of festivities leading to the EclipseFest Watch Party on Aug. 21 when Newberry will find itself in total darkness for 2 minutes and 32 seconds. Leading up to the big day, visitors and locals will experience four days of engaging and enlightening activities based on the science of the total solar eclipse, the history of the last total eclipse to occur over Newberry and the art of this very “human” astronomical event.

Free and ticketed activities for all ages will be hosted throughout Downtown Newberry, including Skype talks with NASA astronauts, friendly science experiments, history and science exhibits, art happenings, indoor and outdoor movies, and even an EclipseFest dance party.

All this will lead to the day of the total eclipse, when in Downtown Newberry’s Memorial Park live music, food trucks, and kid’s inflatable fun park will greet visitors to a day of celebration. Experienced astronomers and a countdown clock will guide our visitors through safely viewing the eclipse together. For more information on the full weekend visit www.newberryeclipse.com.

Kopp
https://www.newberryobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/web1_Mary-Alex-Kopp-tourism-and-events-coordinator-.jpgKopp

By Mary Alex Kopp

For The Newberry Observer