It is truly a blessing to reside in Newberry County, and October weather is always great. The events throughout the month keep most of us quite busy.

Oktoberfest started us off with a large crowd anxiously awaiting the shopping experiences throughout downtown. Restaurants offered food and drink around Community Hall and stayed busy all day. Many stores tell us that Oktoberfest is always the best day of the year for their businesses, monetarily.

Two days after Oktoberfest, we held our annual golf tournament.

This year was our 20th. The day was sort of chilly; however, we had a great time and the food was excellent. Two days later, we had a ghostly Lunch ‘N Learn when 25 people gathered at The Ritz Theatre to hear Sue Summer and Ernest Shealy tell ghost stories.

The group loved it. Our Lunch ‘N Learns are becoming very popular. Then, near the end of October, we held our Business After Hours at Park Sterling Bank. Our hosts Tony Lawton, Ronnie Marmol, and Willie Morris treated a large crowd to great food, catered by Betty Halfacre, and their favorite beverage. The business connections made during our events are very interesting and rewarding.

Then at the very end of October, residents in Newberry, especially those residing on Main Street, were approached by over 1,000 trick-or-treaters dressed in great costumes.

However, time stops for no one. November and the upcoming winter months may not be quite as appealing considering the weather, but with the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays approaching, the excitement levels seem to raise! Never has the term “Shopping Local” meant more to Newberry County businesses. Here at the chamber, we are asking you to make an effort to shop local. Take a small amount of your time and visit local businesses. You may be surprised at what you find.

Oh yes, and do not miss our Christmas Tour of Homes on Dec. 1, guaranteed to get you “in the mood.”

Call Liz, Michelle, or Ted at 276-4274 for additional information regarding membership, the events we are planning, etc. We appreciate your input.