NEWBERRY — The holidays and chilly nights are quickly approaching Newberry, meaning new seasonal activities are soon to come. Below are six ideas for your family to explore this Christmas and four fun winter attractions.
1. Snowfall Nights and Santa: The annual Snowfall Nights are back in Memorial Park in downtown Newberry. Friday nights between now and Christmas you can take your family and friends downtown between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. to experience faux snow machines. The realistic looking flurries make for great photos and really help set the Christmas mood. Be sure to take the kids to our Dec. 4, Dec. 11 and Dec. 18 Snowfall Nights to see Santa. After the snow, visit the Christmas tree in front of Community Hall and the new Ornament Sculpture in Astwood Park for two other great spots for photo opportunities.
2. Paint the holidays: Do you want to paint a snowman? Come celebrate the holidays at the Newberry Arts Center at one of their Sip & Dip parties. On Mondays at 6:30 p.m. through Dec. 14, the Newberry Arts Center will host parties for adults at $25 per person. On Nov. 30 and Dec. 14 at 6:30 p.m., you can paint a snowman on canvas or come Dec. 7 to paint an ornament door decoration. Need something for the kids to do during their Christmas break? Send them to Christmas Art Camps at the Newberry Arts Center. Kids Christmas Art Camps are Dec. 21 and Dec. 22 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The cost is $45 a day. Contact Marquerite Palmer at the City of Newberry Parks and Recreation office for details at 803-321-1015.
3. Visit Santa’s Workshop: Visit Community Hall on Dec. 4, Dec. 11 and Dec. 18 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. for Christmas crafts and Christmas stories. Christmas storytelling will take place at 6:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. inside the Chamber office. Call 803-276-4274 for details.
4. Experience an 1800’s Christmas: The Newberry Museum will open its doors for a Christmas Open House from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Dec. 5 in the Taylor Building, 1300 Friend St. Christmas trees will showcase each municipality’s earlier history and holiday traditions. There will also be a re-creation of an early 1800’s Christmas dinner table staged with décor used during that period. Heritage crafters, Santa, and a model train will be present and storytelling for children will be at each half hour of the day.
5. March down Main: The Newberry Christmas Parade, organized by the Newberry Jaycees, will be held at 4 p.m. Dec. 5, beginning at the top of Main Street in downtown, near Calhoun Street, and run all the way down to Nance. This year’s theme — “A Country Kind of Christmas” — is sure to inspire applicants to get creative with natural elements on their floats. Come see local organizations, churches, school marching bands, and local politicians and beauty queens celebrate the holiday season. Contact Haley Stuhr at 864-430-8607 for more information.
6. Tour of Homes: The Chamber of Commerce’s annual Tour of Homes will be held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 12, ending with a respite at Enoree River Winery. The Chamber is also hosting the Lights of Christmas, a residential Christmas lights competition sponsored by Newberry Electric Cooperative. Applicants will be judged on the evening of Dec. 16. Categories include traditional and funky Christmas. The winners in each category will receive a $200 cash prize. For Tour of Homes tickets or to apply for the Lights of Christmas, stop by the Chamber of Commerce or call 803-276-4274.
7. Ring in the New Year: The Newberry Opera House annually hosts an evening of music and dancing including a fireworks show and “ball drop” at midnight. This year’s gala event is a masquerade on New Year’s Eve. You can welcome in the New Year with a bang, as you watch the fireworks boom over Newberry’s most famous historic building. Call the box office at 803-276-6264 for tickets to the gala or information about the fireworks show and ball drop.
8. Experience ballet: The Newberry Ballet Guild has been a part of the Newberry community since 1977. Originally formed to promote the art of dance, the Guild continues today and annually hosts a production at the Newberry Opera House. The 2016 production will be “Dark Carousel,” an original ballet written and choreographed by locals. It’s a story of two sisters visiting a carnival that comes to town, but soon they learn that appearances can be deceiving. Shows will be at 8 p.m. Jan. 8 and Jan. 9 with a matinee at 2 p.m. Jan. 9. Tickets can be purchased from the Opera House box office. Call 803-276-6264 for details.
9. Healthy Chili Cook-off: Newberry’s third annual Healthy Chili Cook-off will be held the weekend of the Super Bowl – Feb. 6 — in downtown’s Memorial Park. Complete with a Zumbathon and health fair, this “chilly” event is sure to get you moving and motivated to lead a healthy lifestyle through the New Year. The Healthy Chili Cook-off is a people’s choice and all chili must meet the “healthy” requirements. The requirements are at least three vegetables and one variety of beans for vegetarian chili. For chilies with meat, the competition requires only meat that is at least 93 percent lean. Since it’s the day before the Super Bowl, all are encouraged to sport your favorite teams’ jersey. Call 803-321-1015 for more or visit the events calendar online at www.cityofnewberry.com/events for an application to compete. Applications will be available Dec. 7. All teams must apply by Jan. 28.
10. Celebrate Irish: End winter with an Irish evening downtown on March 11. Starting at 5 p.m., downtown restaurants and bars will host their annual answer to the traditional Saint Patrick’s Day pub crawl with the Irish Fling. Live music as well as food and drink specials in the downtown wining and dining locations will take you to Dublin for the night. Stay tuned for event details by visiting www.newberryirishfling.com, or call the Parks, Recreation, and Tourism office at 803-321-1015.