Put on your patriotic pants and join one of many July 4 celebrations starting this week. Visit SCC for Summer Fest, shop at the Farmers Market, or check out Bolton Baptist Church’s event on June 28. There are plenty of ways to enjoy America’s 250th birthday in Columbus County.
VBS submissions are still rolling into the newsroom, so send in your church’s details to be included in the CCN VBS List for absolutely free. The list is update every Tuesday. Visit https://columbuscountynews.com/2026/06/ccn-updated-vbs-listings-for-june-23-2026/ to see the latest article.
Be sure to check out the Good News every Wednesday morning for your weekly dose of updated events, gatherings, community announcements, and happy stories. You wouldn’t want to miss any of it.
Let us know if your church, civic group, association, or non-profit has markets, VBS, 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.
The Columbus County Community Farmers Market has new hours of operation. The facility will be open on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3-7 p.m. and every Saturday from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Come shop fresh and local and support vendors and farmers in our community.
The market has fresh produce, farm-fresh eggs, homemade breads, jams and jellies, local honey, fresh juices, handmade jewelry, custom tumblers, crafts, games for all ages, live music, and so much more. The market is located at 132 Government Complex Drive in Whiteville.
Southeastern Community College will be kicking off summer with a special event in honor of the America’s 250th year. Summer Fest will be held on Thursday, June 25, starting at 6:30 p.m. Everyone is invited to come out and enjoy an evening of food trucks, local vendors, lawn games, inflatables, face painting, and fun. Spread out your blankets or pull up a chair, and stick around for an outdoor showing of National Treasure at 8:30 p.m.
Vendors are still needed for the event, so those interested in peddling their wares or good eats can contact Ashley McPherson at 910.788.6243. You can also fill out a form at www.bit.ly/4dlcecT. SCC is located at 4564 Chadbourn Highway in Whiteville.
The Veterans Memorial Park of America will host the Veterans Benefits Administration on June 26 from 9:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. at the Outreach Center. Those interested in obtaining your benefits, have questions about your benefits, or if you need information about community resources, please call Randy Norris at 910.840.5207 to set up an appointment.
The VMPA is located at 6354 James B. White Highway in Whiteville. Refreshments will be served to vets at the event.
Bethel Methodist Church in Clarendon will host a special music service this Saturday (June 27) with the St. Mark Mass Choir. Rev. Pete House Jr., pastor of St. Mark Union American Episcopal Church, previously spoke at Bethel and was invited to return with his choir for a special service. The choir is directed by Tim Peterson.
Saturday’s service begins at 4 p.m., and Rev. Gary Clore said everyone is welcome. Bethel Methodist Church is located at 2733 MM Ray Rd., Clarendon. Call 910.7703237 for more information.
Bolton Baptist Church will be ‘Thanking God for 250 Years of America’ on June 28 at 5 p.m. There will be food, fun, and fellowship as they celebrate the country’s birthday. There will be a watermelon eating contest, a patriotic attire contest, and other games and activities.
Dress in your red, white, and blue best, and head over to 126 Poplar Avenue. Everyone is invited to attend.
The East Columbus Education Foundation Swampkeepers will have their monthly meeting on June 30 at 6:30 p.m. in the ECHS Media Center. The school is located at 32 Gator Lane in Lake Waccamaw.
The N.C. Forest Service will begin accepting orders Wednesday, July 1, for its annual tree seedling sale. With an average annual production of 10 million seedlings, and a reliable supply of more than 40 tree species, the NCFS Nursery Program produces enough native and genetically improved tree seedlings to plant roughly 18,700 acres of land.
The program offers quality conifer and hardwood seedlings. Genetically improved stock is available for Fraser fir, loblolly, longleaf, shortleaf, Eastern white pine and Virginia pine. These seedlings offer better volume growth, tree form, disease resistance, straightness, and other characteristics needed to produce beautiful Christmas trees, healthy woodlands, and quality forest products. Customers interested in knowing more about specific tree species and available inventory can speak with NCFS
How can you order tree seedlings from the NCFS Nursery Program?
- Tree seedlings can be ordered from the online seedling store at buynctrees.com.
- Tree seedlings can also be ordered by phone at 1-888-NCTREES (1-888-628-7337) or 919-731-7988.
- Tree seedlings can be ordered using the order form in our FY26-27 Nursery Seedling Catalog. Complete the form and mail to Seedling Coordinator, 762 Claridge Nursery Road, Goldsboro, NC 27530.
- A user-friendly online catalog will soon be available at https://www.ncagr.gov/divisions/nc-forest-service/nursery-tree-improvement-program. Seedling catalogs will also be available at local NCFS offices beginning in July. Within the catalog, landowners can find information about the types of tree species, quantities, and cost to order. Each species description includes information about ideal planting locations and whether a species is typically used to benefit wildlife, restore forest habitats or as marketable timber.
- Accepted methods of payment are check, money order, Mastercard and Visa.
Most containerized seedlings are available and used November through March, while most bare root seedlings are available and used January through March. Seedling orders can be shipped to one of 13 distribution centers statewide for a small fee or via UPS for a charge. Seedling orders are also available for pickup from the NCFS Claridge Nursery in Goldsboro or the Linville River Nursery near Crossnore.
For information on planting trees, customers are encouraged to contact their local NCFS county ranger. Contact information for NCFS county office and nursery locations is available at www.ncforestservice.gov/contacts.
The Columbus Baptist Association is currently collecting items for their Nicaragua Mission Team trip through July 1. Items include sports equipment, school supplies, beads and string, jump ropes, sidewalk chalk, plastic cereal bowls, flip flops, fingernail polish, kids socks, and used eyeglasses.
If you have a big donation, you can call 910.642.2155 to arrange a pickup, or you can drop them off at the CBA office located at 208 South Thompson Street in Whiteville.
William CDUB Smith and Tramaine Howard will be hosting a free field day for the kids. All Out Water Wars will be held on July 3 from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. at the Whiteville Recreation Center. Water guns and water balloons will be included at the event, but children are welcome to bring their own.
There will be free burgers, hot dogs, fries and drinks up for grab, and live DJ will be playing music throughout the day, and there will be fun activities like kickball, a three-legged race, water war zones, horseshoes, a cornhole contest, pass the water bucket, and a water race. The rec center can be found at 1107 North Madison Street in Whiteville.
The Veterans Memorial Park of America will also host another big event in honor of America’s 250th. Freedom Fest will be on July 4 from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the park. The day will include family-friendly fun, diverse vendors, and food trucks.
If you would like to set up at the festival, the cost is $40 for a 12×12 space or for a food truck to park. Proceeds will go directly to the VMPA to help veterans. Vendors can begin preparations at the park the evening before the event or the morning of Freedom Fest at 7 a.m.
Reserve your space by calling 570.760.1515, or send an email to rengland.vmpa@gmail.com. The Veterans Memorial Park of America is located at 6354 James B. White Highway South in Whiteville.
Sponsors and vendors are needed for the 2026 ‘Walk to Remember Jesslyn’ Breast Cancer Benefit to be held on Sept. 26 at 8 a.m. at 310 Liberty Street in Whiteville. Proceeds raised goes towards paying for mammograms for women without insurance for early Breast Cancer detection. Sponsorship information is listed below in the flyer, and those interested in helping out are asked to message to the walk’s Facebook page or visit Gurganus Feed and Grain.
The Town of Fair Bluff will also be celebrating Independence Day in the western part of the county. They will hold their First Saturday Market July Jubilee on July 4 from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. on Riverside Drive. The day will include local vendors with handcrafted items, vintage pieces, baked goods, and so much more.
The town will also have a golf cart and ATV parade, and food trucks like Two Terrys Coffee, Brenda’s Touch, Ana’s Tex Mex, and The Sweet Life will be set up for folks to come out and enjoy.
Facts of Life Church Outreach will be hosting their Youth Camp 2026 on July 5-10 on Campus 2. The event is for kids ages 1-15 years old. Join the fun with creative learning, outdoor activities, team games, and new skills through faith and friendship.
Register your child today by calling 910.918.4531 or by visiting the webpage at www.factsoflifeoutreach.com. The campus is located at 506 North Lee Street in Whiteville.
The Whiteville Junior Women’s Club will be hosting a charity workout class on July 11 at 9 a.m. at Nautilus Fitness Center in Whiteville. The cost is $15 per person for the full body strength workout, and all proceeds will go to benefit the club’s mission to support the local community. Leslie Little will be leading the class.
A gym membership is not required for the event. Nautilus can be found at 618 South Madison Street in Whiteville.
Movies on Madison will be returning on Friday, Aug. 7, at 7 p.m. to the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences at Whiteville. The first film of the season will be The Iron Giant. This free event is sponsored by the International Paper Foundation.
Meet the lucky boy who discovers a ginormous robot one night, sparking an unforgettable adventure to protect his new metallic friend. This 1999 classic is rated PG and runs for 87 minutes.
Museum doors will open at 7 p.m., and the movie will start upstairs at 8 p.m. Arrive before showtime to create your own mechanical marvels and explore the wonders of physics on the museum floor.
Please remember that this is a family-friendly event, so no pets, coolers, alcohol, or smoking is permitted. Refreshments will be available for purchase. For more information, call 910.788.5100. The NCMNS-W can be found at 415 South Madison Street in Whiteville.
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.
