Happy New Year!!! It’s never too early to write down these 2 special dates on your calendar:
“America 250 Years” PC Wind Ensemble & Chamber Winds (Band) April 16th (Thursday) - Belk Auditorium, 7:30pm
“Appreciating Classical Music” PC Orchestra & String Quintet April 23rd (Thursday) - Edmunds Hall, 7:30pm
Looking forward to sharing more great music with all of you!
Best, Dr. Giovani Briguente, Director of Bands - Orchestra Director - Flute Instructor
ALSO - CHOIR: The Presbyterian College Choir presents “America’s Anthem, 250 Years in Song,” 4 pm at Belk Auditorium.
March 4 - Baby Day, Presbyterian College Occupational Therapy Doctoral Program, for ages 0-4 years old, 9 am - 3 pm at PC Bailey Hall. Program is searching for familiesof infants and toddlers to participatre in a developmental screening with students and licensed therapists. This screening is free to all participants.
March 5 - Samuel Calvin Waters Lecture - Ben Rhodes at Presbyterian College., 7 pm, Edmunds Hall.
March 7 -- District 56 Arts Mix 56, 10 am - 1 pm at Clinton High School -- Performances: 10, Clinton Elementary Pan Jammers; 10:30, Clinton, Eastside, Joanna-Woodson Elementary Schools; 11, MS Bailey Child Development Center; 11:15, Clinton Midele Chorus; 11:45, Clinton Middle Honor Band; 12:15, Clinton High Bands; and 12:45, Clinton High Winter Guard; also, art displays & art stations.
March 7 - Circle of Strength: Wisdom from Native Women, 10 am - Noon at the Laurens County Museum. Speaker: Marcy Hayden. Drum Circle demonstration from 1 to 3 pm. Free & open to the public, celebrating Women’s History Month.
March 9 - Laurens County Council public hearing on ordinance establishing procedures for county-initiated road closures, 6 pm at the Laurens County Voter Registration/Veterans Affairs Office, 105 Bolt Dr., Laurens.
March 10 - Clinton Planning Commission public hearing on request to rezone 4 properties totaling 2.84 acres from R-1 (residential, low density) to C-3 (general commercial).
March 12 - Junior Golf Academy at Lakeside Country Club starts March 12, Thursdays 4:30 - 5:30 pm, includes 10 clinics, after clinic golf, driving range privileges, 3 Saturday play dates. $150 member, $175 non-member. Register now: 864-907-8910, davidfels@lakesidesc.org
March 12 - Laurens District Genealogical Society Meeting, Thursday, March 12, 2026 Time 7 pm, Laurens County Museum
Program: Tell us about your Revolutionary War ancestor or hero.
Your ancestor or hero does not have to be from Laurens County or South Carolina.
Is your ancestor a Tory, a female or a Patriot?
As long as you say their names and tell their stories, their stories will live to the next generation.
The meetings are Free and the public is welcome.For more information, call 864-684-3033.
Please share with your friends, Thank you,
Sarah Jane Armstrong
Vice President of the Laurens District Genealogical Society.
March 14 - Democrats SAVE THE DATE! Join us for the 2026 Laurens County Democratic Party County Convention, Saturday, March 14, 2026, 10 AM – 12 PM, Laurens County Agriculture Center.
Keynote Speaker - Christale Spain, Chair of the South Carolina Democratic Party
This is an important opportunity to come together, organize, and strengthen our party as we head into 2026. Democrats across Laurens County are encouraged to attend!
Please pre-register here on Mobilize:
https://www.mobilize.us/scdp/event/890858/
March 14 - Lake Greenwood Clean-up, 9 - 11 am.
March 14 -- Save the Date! Open House for the Magnolia Room at the Laurens County Museum, Noon - 3 pm drop-in. Are you looking for a wedding venue or an event space to hold a party? Visit the beautiful Magnolia Room. Talk to local vendors such as caterers, photographers and event planners, and enjoy refreshments. Contact 864-681-3768 or laurensmuseum1@gmail.com for info - Laurenscountymuseum.org - at 116 S. Public Sq., Laurens.
March 14 - April 25 - Community Art Show, by Barbara & Jim Brinson, and Jim’s community art class at the Laurens County Museum.
March 21 - 8th Annual Gone to the Dogs Car Show, 10 am - 2 pm at Laurens County Park, 409 State Rd., S-30-854, Laurens - www.laurenscoiuntycruisers.com $20 entry fee, benefits Laurens County Sheriff’s Office Animal Control.
March 21 -- Book Signing, A South Carolina Jewel: Celebrating the Laurens County Museum, by Peggy Cwiakaia, 1-3 pm at the Museum. Books will be available for purchase. The book tells the story of the Museum from its early beginnings to its vibrant home in the Witherspoon Building on The Square. A South Carolina Jewel highlights treasured collections and the enduring role a museum plays in preserving local identity and share history, the author says.
March 21 - Crusader Cook-out & Auction, 4 - 7 pm at Laurens Academy Gym -- Prize - 1 year of free tuition. Join us for bids, hot dogs, inflatables, burgers, ice cream, silent auction and music, proceeds to be used for upgrades to athletic facilities.
March 21 - A Night 30 Years in the Making
Main Street Laurens proudly invites you to an evening of elegance, celebration, and purpose as we commemorate 30 years of revitalization, community, and progress at the Main Street Laurens 30th Birthday Gala & Annual Meeting.
Join us as we celebrate three decades of impact—while also investing in the future. This unforgettable evening is also one of our most important fundraisers of the year, helping fund the events, promotions, and programs that keep downtown Laurens vibrant all year long.
SATURDAY,
MARCH 21, 2026
The Magnolia Room
5:30| Cocktail Hour
6:30| Dinner &
Annual Meeting
8:00| After Hours
Tickets must be purchased ahead of time. Ticket prices are $100/person or $180/couple and include (2) drink vouchers and dinner. After hours celebration features a cash bar.
This is more than a gala—it’s a milestone moment, a celebration of legacy, and a chance to directly support the future of Main Street Laurens.
Save the date. Dress to the nines. Celebrate 30 years in style.We cannot wait to celebrate with you.
Purchase tickets online at https://www.mainstreetlaurens.org/event-details/30th-birthday-gala-annual-meeting
March 23 - School District 56 Board of Trustees, 7:30 pm at District Conference Center, 100 Legion Dr., Clinton.
March 28 - Free Community Event, STEAM on the Square, celebrate science, technology, engineering, arts & mathematics, 9 am - 1 pm, Laurens Square. Hands-on activities, student performances, robotics, STEM bus, vendors and more. Schools District 55 & 56.
March 28 - Mike-Mike’s Egg-stravaganza, 1-4 pm at the Laurens County Park, 421 Recreational Park Rd., Laurens, in loving memory of Michael “Mike Mike” Vinson. Fun games, prizes, egg decorating, bounce house, ice cream & hotdogs, emergency vehicles & Easter egg hunt. Free.
March 28 - The Joanna Project presents “The Threads That Bind: The Story of Joanna, SC, Its Textile Mill and Baseball Legacy” on March 28, 7 pm at the Newberry Opera House. This event is “a historical and musical journey connecting Joanna’s textile past to its baseball heart.”
April 2 - Laurens County 4-H Achievement Banquet, 6:30 pm, Laurens County Ag Center.
April 11 -- The Sawmill Training Complex Grand Re-opening, 10 am - 4 pm, open and free to the public. Patrons check in at the pro-shop where they will enter in a prize give-away and purchase tickets; each stage requires ticket to participate, no limit on tickets purchased. All new lodge, gym, pro-shop, O course, food trucks and live band. Free admission, just pay to play. Location: 8524 Neely Ferry Rd., Laurens.
April 18 - Laurens County SAFE Home 5K Run/Walk to end domestic violence 9 am at CrossFit864, 207 W. Pitts St., Clinton.
April 23 - Child Abuse Prevention Month, celebrating safe children event, 4 - 7 pm at The Ridge, Laurens. Laurens County First Steps invites families, businesses, and community partners to come together for an evening of awareness, celebrations, and communuty connection -- Child abuse is preventible. Help Local Familes: we are collecting diapers, non-perishable food items, canned goods; all donations benefit C4 Ministries (formerly Family Promise). Info: 864-984-8130.
April 25 - Light the Night 5K Glow Run, 8:30 pm at 291 Professional Park Rd., Clinton. Support the Laurens County Museum while also experiencing a night of fitness, fun and glowing excitement - run, jog or walk the Swamp Rabbit Trail. Kids’ run is free - Museum info: 864-681-3678.
April 27 - School District 56 Board of Trustees, 7:30 pm at District Conference Center, 100 Legion Dr., Clinton.
May 1 - 31 - ART Clinton 2026, citywide exhibit, ART Battles, plein air session, awards reception. Info: Clinton Art Gallery.
May 2 - Eastside Elementary Spring Fundraiser, Family Color Run/Walk - run starts at 9 am, block party at 10 am, family fun run, food trucks, entertainment, door prizes, entry fee: $15, signups coming soon.
May 2 - The Open Door Golf Tournament, 12th Annual fund-raiser; info: 864-833-7670.
May 9 - Presbyterian College 149th Commencement at 503 S. Broad St., Clinton.
May 16 - Ag + Art Tour Laurens County, 9 am - 4 pm, Clemson Cooperative Extension.
May 18 - School District 56 Board of Trustees, 7:30 pm at District Conference Center, 100 Legion Dr., Clinton.
June 27 - July 5, 2026 - Carolina Days, be a part of it at SC250.com
CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION
Laurens – Laurens County First Steps is pleased to announce that registration is now open for community organizations, local businesses, and food vendors interested in participating in the upcoming Child Abuse Prevention & Celebrating Safe Children Event, scheduled for Thursday, April 23, from 4 to 7 p.m. at The Ridge at Laurens, 301 Exchange Road.
Recognizing Child Abuse Prevention Month, this annual community event brings families, service providers, businesses, and local leaders together to raise awareness of child abuse prevention and promote safe, healthy environments where children can grow and thrive.
The event will feature community resource booths, family-friendly games and activities, community service vehicles, live performances, special guests, and interactive experiences for children and parents.
Organizers anticipate strong community attendance and encourage organizations and vendors to reserve their space early.
“We believe prevention begins with strong partnerships,” said Toni Able, Executive Director of Laurens County First Steps.
“By bringing together community organizations and local businesses, we are demonstrating visible support for children and families throughout Laurens County.”
Community agencies and nonprofits are invited to host informational booths to share services and resources with families. Local food vendors are also encouraged to participate and help make the evening festive and welcoming.
In addition to the event activities, Laurens County First Steps will collect diapers and non-perishable food items to benefit C4 Ministries (formerly Family Promise) and support families in need.
Organizations, businesses, and food vendors interested in participating may register online at https://forms.gle/G9ppNprgoetXD4ed9
For additional information, please contact:
Laurens County First Steps
864-984-8130
toniable@laurensscfirststeps.org
Laurens County First Steps is committed to promoting healthy families and improving outcomes for young children. Through collaboration and community engagement, the organization works to ensure every child in Laurens County has the opportunity to grow up safe, supported, and prepared to succeed.
Presbyterian College to host the Supreme Court of South Carolina
Presbyterian College will host the Supreme Court of South Carolina for a special term of court this spring, offering students, educators and community members a rare opportunity to witness the state’s highest court in action.
The Court will convene in Belk Auditorium on Tuesday, March 31, and Wednesday, April 1, hearing two cases each morning. Proceedings will begin at 9:30 a.m. and conclude at 12:30 p.m. daily. After each argument, the justices will entertain questions from the students.
South Carolina ETV will livestream both days of proceedings.
Presbyterian College will welcome middle school and high school students from local schools, along with PC students from across academic disciplines. The sessions will give young people a first-hand look at the judicial process, appellate arguments, and the role of the judiciary in state government.
PC president Dr. Anita Gustafson said hosting the state’s highest court reflects the college’s longstanding commitment to public service, civic education and democratic engagement.
“We are honored to welcome the Supreme Court of South Carolina to Presbyterian College,” Gustafson said. “Providing our students — and students from throughout the region — an opportunity to witness the judicial process in action aligns perfectly with PC’s mission.
We challenge our students to become engaged citizens who understand how institutions of government operate and why they matter.”
The Supreme Court of South Carolina is the state’s highest appellate authority.
The Court is composed of a chief justice and four associate justices, all elected by the South Carolina General Assembly to staggered 10-year terms. Justices may be re-elected to additional terms.
The Court exercises both appellate and original jurisdiction. It has exclusive authority to hear appeals involving death sentences, constitutional challenges, election matters, bonded indebtedness and certain orders from the Public Service Commission and State Grand Jury. The Court also reviews family and circuit court rulings in post-conviction relief cases. The Supreme Court may also review a decision of the South Carolina Court of Appeals by issuing a writ of certiorari, and it may affirm, reverse, or modify the Court of Appeals’ decision.
In its original jurisdiction, the Supreme Court may agree to hear cases directly when significant public interest is involved. The Court may also answer legal questions certified by federal courts or the highest courts of other states.
Since its creation in 1868, the state’s Supreme Court has periodically held special sessions outside of Columbia to expand public access and engage with schools and communities.
The session at Presbyterian College continues that tradition, allowing students and citizens to observe the deliberative process of the state’s judicial branch.
“The Supreme Court cares deeply about the state of South Carolina and its citizens,” said Chief Justice John Kittredge. “We hope you will sense that commitment, and in turn, you will gain an appreciation and respect for all in the Judicial Branch who strive to uphold the rule of law. Please join the Supreme Court at Presbyterian College!”
The session at Presbyterian College continues that tradition, allowing students and citizens to observe the deliberative process of the state’s judicial branch.
All proceedings in Belk Auditorium are free and open to the public, and seating will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Further details about parking and visitor guidance will be announced closer to the event.
