Spring is in the air, and Columbus County is swinging into action with tons of activities, festivals, fundraisers, and musical opportunities for everyone to enjoy. April is full of fun, entertainment, shopping, and maybe even a chicken or two. Tune into the Good News every Wednesday morning for your weekly dose of new events, gatherings, community announcements, and happy stories.
Don’t see your organization’s event listed? Let us know if your church, civic group, association, or non-profit has markets, revivals, plays, gatherings, or fundraisers that you want published in The Good News. Would you like your church’s weekly services to be added to our Community Church Listings? Send all your submissions to ccn.cfaircloth@gmail.com. We will get them out there for absolutely free.
Join Columbus County Schools on April 16 at 10 a.m. for a groundbreaking ceremony for the new East View School in Bolton. The education center will be the future home of the Lumberjacks for students in elementary and middle school at Hallsboro Artesia, Acme Delco, and East Columbus Jr./ Sr. High School.
The school will be built on the corner of N.C. 211 and N.C. 214. Those interested in attending are asked to call 910.642.5168 or visit www.columbus.k12.nc.us.
A luncheon will also be held in celebration of the groundbreaking at the Beatty Event Center by the Town of Bolton on April 16 after the ceremony. The center is located at 835 South Blacksmith Road, and catering will be provided by Freeman’s Grill.
Downtown Whiteville will be hosting the Open-Air Market every other Thursday of the month from 4-8 p.m. beginning April 16 on the Vineland Station Depot lawn. There will be vendors, fresh flowers, produce, honey, sourdough bread, microgreens, homemade pasta, and more.
The Columbus County Farmers Market now has more opportunities for everyone to shop. Jams, jellies, breads, eggs, local produce, handcrafted products, baked goods, and jewelry are among the big selection of merchandise available.
The market is open every Saturday from 9 a.m.- 3 p.m. and every Tuesday and Thursday from 3-7 p.m. at 132 Government Complex Drive in Whiteville. Follow them on Facebook for a full list of events going on throughout the year.
The Columbus Baptist Association will be having a chicken bog fundraiser on Friday, April 17, from 4-7 p.m. in the Lowes parking lot in Whiteville. Plates are $10 each and will include chicken bog, green beans, a roll, and dessert. Chef Sarah Gore will be catering the event.
All proceeds will support the CBA’s Nicaragua Mission Team to help pay for medicines for the medical mission trip.
Speaking of the CBA, the association will have Outreach Training for the upcoming Encounter Crusade on Saturday, April 18, from 9:00 a.m.-11:30 a.m. at Pleasant Plains Baptist Church. A light breakfast of coffee and danishes will be served.
Another session will be held on Tuesday, April 21, from 6:30 p.m.-9:00 p.m. at the Columbus Baptist Association office. This will be great training for anyone who wants to learn more about how to share your faith. The church is located at 31 Pleasant Plains Church Road, and the CBA office can be found at 208 South Thompson Street in Whiteville. For questions, call 910.642.2155.
Gurganus Feed Store will have their annual Spring Fling/Flock Swap on April 18 from 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. in the parking lot of the facility. There will vendors galore with permanent jewelry, fairy hair, sweet treats, crafts, food trucks, and so much more.
There will be a bouncy house and slide for the kids, rabies vaccinations for pets by the Columbus County Sheriff’s Animal Protective Services, and lots of chickens and farm animals for the Flock Swap. Gurganus is located at 6 Whiteville Plaza. For more information, call the store at 910.642.3064 or Santana Mills at 910.840.9236.
Abundant Life Assembly of God will be having a women’s night of worship on April 18 beginning at 6 p.m. All ladies are invited to attend an evening filled with worship, prayer, and inspiration. The church can be found at 5384 James B. White Highway South in Whiteville.
The Fair Bluff Chamber of Commerce is looking for competition cooks for their fifteenth annual BBQ on the Bluff on April 24-25. Come out and show off your fine dining outdoor cooking skills.
Prizes include a trophy and $500 for first place, a trophy and $300 for second place, and third place will receive a trophy and $150.
Those interested are asked to contact Gene Martin at 910.649.7202 or send an email to fairbluffnc@rsnet.com. For all the details, visit https://fairbluff.com/bbq-on-the-bluff/. The deadline to sign up is April 17.
Bladen County Public Library will be hosting the ‘Statewide Star Party’ on Friday, April 24, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. for children and their families. Attendees will get hands-on experience with a telescope to view the evening sky and learn about the wonders of the solar system.
Registration is required for the event, and those interested can call 910.862.6990 to sign up. The address for the star party will be the Brown’s Creek Bike Trail located at 1910 East Broad Street in Elizabethtown.
The Veterans Benefits Administration will be at the Veterans Memorial Park of America on Friday, April 24, from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. There is limited availability, and vets who would like to attend are asked to call Randy Norris at 910.840.5207 for an appointment.
These services are for veterans who may have questions or hurdles with their VA benefits. The park can be found at 6354 James B. White Highway South in Whiteville.
The Columbus County Health Department now has pregnancy testing services available to the community. The cost is $15, and you can either walk in or make an appointment by calling 910.640.6615. The facility’s address in 304 Jefferson Street in Whiteville.
The N.C. Gator Fest in Lake Waccamaw is set for April 25 at Elizabeth Brinkley Park, and it’s going to be bigger than ever this year. First Send Racing will kick off the event at 8 a.m. with the Gator 5K Walk/Run and the one-mile Gator Dash, and the festival marketplace, kids’ activities, food vendors, and educational booths will open at 10 a.m.
There will be plenty of family fun, food, and entertainment for everyone. Over 50 vendors will be available for all your unique shopping needs, and there will be a free Kids Zone with Flimsy the Clown, games, prizes, horse rides, gator train rides, a petting zoo, and face painting.
Live music will grace the stage all day at Gator Fest until dark. Council Tool Company will be celebrating their 140-year anniversary with an interactive axe throwing event, the Dixie Youth girls will host a dunking booth, and foam parties will be available throughout the day. Food trucks will be on site serving up some good eats, and specialty t-shirts will be up for grabs designed by the East Columbus High School Art Department.
A lot of hard work has gone into planning this year’s event, and volunteers are still needed to pull it all together. If you, your organization, church, or civic group would like to help out at the festival, please contact Ginger Dortmund Littrell or the Gator Festival Facebook page via messenger. Elizabeth Brinkley Park can be found at 90 Bald Cypress Circle off of Sam Potts Highway.
Join Robinson Produce on April 25 for their Strawberry Festival and Flower Show. There will be food trucks, vendors, free face painting, a bouncy house for the kids, a strawberry eating contest, and a classic car, bike, and tractor show. Live music, a magician, flowers, and lots of strawberries will also round out the afternoon.
The activities will run from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. at 607 J.K. Powell Boulevard in Whiteville. For more information or if you’re interested in being a vendor, call 910.234.1342. To register for the car show, call Nancy Johnson at 910.301.9004.
Crossroads Church will be having a pork loin fundraiser on April 30 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. to help support their building fund for their new facility. Plates are $12 each and include three slices of pork loin, BBQ potatoes, green beans, a roll, and dessert.
Free delivery will be provided for those ordering 10 plates or more, or you can pick up your meal at 87 Southwood Road in Whiteville. To prepay, scan the QR code on the flyer. For more information, call Pastor Yates at 910.840.0358.
If you enjoyed all the buzz going on in April, then Tabor City has a big surprise in store for May. On May 7, Julio and the Saltines will be giving a free show at the Garrell Depot from 6-8 p.m.
Bring your favorite lounge chair, grab some food and refreshments from the food trucks, and move and groove to the sounds of spring and summer. This family-friendly event is for everyone. The depot’s address is 105 Railroad Street in Tabor City.
Remember to check out our Good News tab throughout the week. We love to hear about all the great things happening around you. Email your submissions to ccn.cfaircloth@gmail.com or visit us at our new location at 125 Suite A, East Main Street in Whiteville. We love visitors. If the door is open, we are open for business.
