ON THE ROAD: Newberry draws visitors and harbors community with special events and shops

NEWBERRY, SC (WOLO) — A little more than 40 miles northwest of Columbia sits the lovely town of Newberry.

Around 10,000 thousand residents call the Newberry county seat home.

“All of us would stand outside when COVID started and thought ‘The only thing we hear is leaf blowers and mowing.’ We’ve got to bring something back to Newberry and bring a vibe to it,” said Anne Smith, Newberry Opera House director.

During COVID, the Newberry First Fridays event was born.

“It encouraged the merchants to bring their tables and chairs out. People could eat, drink and shop in the streets. It was a better feeling of being able to get out but not going into the stores,” said Bridget Carey, City of Newberry tourism and events manager.

The stores along Main Street have a variety of products for sale and housed in historic buildings.

 “Newberry is a special place because it’s very walkable. It’s very family friendly,” Carey said. “It is one of those places where you can park and walk to every place you want to go. We have very unique shops.”

In addition to the unique shops is another unique structure, the Newberry Opera House.

“Back in the 1880s, it was a status symbol,” Smith said. “If your small town had an opera house. you had made it.”

The City of Newberry used to occupy the first floor. When the city vacated the opera house, the building was renovated. Today, it’s home to a variety of entertaining shows.

“We do every genre of music,” Smith said. “We do bluegrass, dog shows, country music and ballets like ‘The Nutcracker.’ We’re just a performance art facility but we’re called the Newberry Opera House.”

Just outside of downtown is the Wells Japanese Garden, another picturesque spot in Newberry. Residents here say the town is not just a great place to visit but also to live.

“I’ve lived here 27 years and it’s wonderful. It’s a great place to raise kids,” Carey said. “You can’t walk down Main Street and not see someone you know. If you’re that person who needs that environment, we got it for you. We’re the city of friendly folks.

“You know the police chief. You know the sheriff. You know the mayor,” Smith said. “The special thing about Newberry is that everyone is on the same page, trying to move forward and working together. Newberry is just a really cool place to live.”