Belton Events Scheduled Through the Winter and Spring:

Events and activities scheduled for Belton during the winter and early spring, emphasizing Belton’s slogan “A Historic Heart….with a new beat!” include:

• Combo Kings:  Enjoy great music and dancing….and open to the public at the Listening Room on Main.  $10/person admission.  Most events at the Listening Room start at 7:00 and the band plays until 9:45  Wine, beer, soft drinks and water are sold for $3.  The band usually performs on Tuesday evenings.  See the separate post on the Combo Kings for their latest schedule.  Events are starting again after a long break due to Covid.
• Artists’ Gathering, Belton Center for the Arts-Every Tuesday morning from 10:00 to 12:00.  Members of the Belton Center for the Arts are offered the opportunity to use the upstairs classroom at no charge.  Get inspiration or critique from other artists if you’d like, or just work independently.  Depending on interest, live models may be available occasionally.  Bring your own materials and no instruction is provided.  Email Mary Anne Porter at [email protected] if you are interested in attending.  No registration is required.
• Belton Farmers Market-Open on the third Saturday of every month from 9:00 to 2:00.  The market is located just off North Main Street near the Belton Senior Citizens Center.  Purchase homegrown, homemade and healthy items.  Contact ERic Lewis at 706-247-9303 or [email protected] if you would like a space or need further information.
• Expedition!  A Natural History Adventure Around the World, Belton Area Museum-The newest Belton Area Museum Association exhibit is now open for visitors at the historic Belton train depot.  Expedition:  A Natural History Adventure Around the World features fossils, gemstones, and minerals from across the globe and animal mounts from three continents.  Come face to face with the world’s 5th largest lion to come out of Africa. Look at the various adaptations of squirrels from North America.  Marvel at the markings and sharp teeth of fish caught in the Amazon River.  See gemstones gathered from quarries all around the world. Ponder fossils that are millions of years old.  “There’s something for everyone to enjoy,” said Belton Area Museum Association executive director Abigail Burden.  “It’s amazing to see how majestic and varied these creatures are, and the beautiful gemstones and interesting fossils help us all to learn about the vast biodiversity our world has contained.”  The exhibit is open Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, 9 am to 2 pm, and Saturdays, 10 am to noon until May 29, 2021 in the North End Gallery of the historic Belton train depot. Special group tours can be arranged by contacting executive director Abigail Burden at 864-338-7400 or [email protected]  All guests are encouraged to follow safety guidelines such as wearing protective masks and practicing social distancing.  Thanks to Sportsman’s Warehouse, special backpacking and nature themed items will be given away throughout the exhibit to visitors who sign in and win the bi-weekly drawing.  Admission is free of charge to the exhibit because of the patronage of the following companies:  Sportsman’s Warehouse, Home Instead Senior Care, S and  M Auto Parts, Friddle’s Orthopedic Appliances, Inc., City of Belton Hospitality Fund, Anderson County ATAX Fund, and Diamond Hill Mine.  Join us as we take a natural history adventure around the world!  The exhibit will be on display during regular museum hours through May of 2021.  As a special activity, each fourth Saturday, BAMA members can take an adventure to Diamond Hill Mine and dig for amethysts.  Charge per person is usually $20 to dig, but with a BAMA membership card visitors will receive a $5 discount each.  Check out all that Diamond Hill Mine has to offer at https://diamondhillmine.com/.  The last date for special discount is April 24.
• 12X12, Small Works Exhibit, Belton Center for the Arts-This exhibit features artwork smaller than 12 inches X 12 inches in both dimensions.  Opening reception Saturday, April 10 7:00 to 9:00.  The exhibit will continue through May 14.
• Chili Pepper Golf Tournament, Belton Area Museum-May 14 at Saluda Valley Country Club.  Lunch and putting contest at 1:00; shotgun start at 2:00.  $300 per 4-main team includes BBQ lunch, beverages, snacks, prizes, cart and golf.  Captain’s choice format.  Top three places will receive awards.  Prizes for closest to the pin and longest drive.  Drawings for door prizes.  Entry deadline May 10.  Main entries to Belton Area Museum Association, 100 North Main Street, Belton, SC 29627.  Call 864-958-5264 or 864-338-7400 for more information.bama golf tourney poster 21BAMA Golf Tournament Application 2021
• South Carolina Chili Cookoff Championships, Belton Alliance-May 15 & 16.  This year’s event will be for cooks only and will be held at the Belton Community Center.
• Belton Rail Trail Dedication, Belton Alliance-May 20-5:00.  Join the Belton Alliance for the dedication of the new Belton Rail Trail, which runs along North Main Street from the Belton Library to Leda Poore Park.    The dedication will be held at the trail head near the Belton Library.  The trail’s name will be unveiled and everyone will be given the opportunity to walk any portion of the trail at the conclusion of the ceremony.  After the ceremony Southern Smoke Barbeque will be selling plates On The Square and the Combo Kings will present a concert.  The concert will be held outside weather permitting. 
• Palmetto Championships, Presented by Chick-fil-A of Anderson, Belton Tennis Association-May 29, 30 & 31.  This junior tennis tournament was established in Belton in 1957 and is the largest and most prestigious event played in the state.  Singles and doubles championships will be determined for boys and girls in 10U, 12U, 14U, 16U & 18U age divisions.  Matches will be played in Belton, Anderson and Greenville.
• Nat Morris:  Hindsight Is…, Belton Center for the Arts-June 5-July 9.  Anderson native, oil painter and tattoo artist, Nat Morris, has shown numerous works around the upstate including the Peace Center, Anderson Arts Center and several pop up shows.  Nat was also one of the artists included to display a portrait at the Memorial of Chadwick Boseman held at the Anderson Civic Center which is on display at the Carolina Wren Park in downtown Anderson.  Nat’s paintings tend to depict pop culture and literary icons.  But he is no stranger to thought provoking imagery and subject matter.  His show titled Hindsight Is… will be a perfect example of just that.
• Unexpected Careers Exhibit, Belton Area Museum Association-Suggested by BAMA’s teen board, the newest museum exhibit will open on June 13.  The exhibit will feature artifacts from people in our area who have held unusual types of jobs or careers.
• Summer Camps, Belton Center for the Arts-June 22 through July 15.  Big Kids, ages 7-12 will be held from 9:30 to 12:30 with 3 sessions (June 22-24, July 6-8 and July 27-29.  Cost is $45/week for members; $50/week for non-members.  Little Kids, ages 4-7 will be held from 10:00 to 12:00 with 2 sessions (June 29-July 1 and July 13-15).  Cost is $40/week for members; $45/week for non-members.  Register online at www.beltoncenterforthearts.org/classes.
• Special Populations Unified Doubles (SPUD), Belton Tennis Association.  July 16 & 17.  Sponsored by South State Bank.  Special athletes from South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia and Alabama will play doubles with unified partners in team competition.  Matches will be played at the Belton Tennis Center, Leda Poore Park and Belton-Honea Path High School.
• Summer Camps, Belton Area Museum Association-Two weeks of summer camps for children ages 7 to 12.  Camps will be held July 27-29 and August 3-5.  The camps will be run in conjunction with BAMA’s exhibit on unusual careers.  Students will be exposed to a variety of jobs and fun skills used in those jobs.  Both weeks will be full of fun hands-on activities, guest speakers, and crafts.