The Covington Collective 2022

BOARD MEMBERS

Discover Covington is a 501c6 entity responsible for creating tourism and quality of life initiatives. Composed of a seven-person board of directors, Discover Covington helps facilitate a full slate of events ranging from drive-in movies to the July 4th Independence Day celebration.

Angi Beszborn

Laura Gafnea

Louly Hay-Kapp

Megan Dial DeAnn Ellis

Navin Shah

Brad Stewart

COVINGTON

Chartered in 1822, Covington is known for its southern hospitality, antebellum homes and rich flm history. Covington has rapidly become a premier destination to Live, Work, and Create!

OXFORD

Chartered in 1839, Oxford was established by the Methodist Episcopal Church as the birthplace of Emory College.

PORTERDALE

Founded in 1850, Porterdale was developed as a mill town beginning with a grist mill, sawmill, and foundry. At the time, Porterdale housed the largest twine mill in the world.

MANSFIELD

Incorporated in 1903, Mansfeld is a quiet little town that takes great pride in their history, homes, churches, businesses, and citizens.

NEWBORN

First known as Sandtown, Newborn was settled by Rufus Broome, his bride, Nancy Pitts, of Warrenton and two of her brothers, Westor and John Pitts.

SQUARE the

You may recognize the Covington Town Square from many popular movies and television shows, but the Square is more than just a picturesque small-town setting – it serves as the main stage for the City’s business, dining and entertainment district. The local businesses are the heartbeat of the Square. The merchants offer a wide variety of services from unique retail shops to charming offce spaces, along with some of the most delicious restaurants in the region. With an extensive selection of storefronts paired with southern hospitality, it is easy to spend the day supporting the local economy on the Square! Right in the middle of the thriving business district sits a quaint public park with perfect views of the historic courthouse and the surrounding stores.

WELCOME CENTER

Be sure to make the Welcome Center your frst stop for a wealth of information to help you begin your discovery of the lovely architecture and rich flm history that is Covington.

Our Welcome Center is unique as it houses a huge amount of flm props, costumes, set furnishings and memorabilia from the various productions flmed in Covington/Newton County. With actual items from television and flm sets, relive your favorite scenes from The Vampire Diaries, The Originals, In the Heat of the Night, The Dukes of Hazzard and many more.

Located just two blocks east of the extraordinary Covington Square, the Covington Welcome Center offers local historic home, flm locations, and cemetery self-guided tour brochures along with an abundance of material to enhance your state in Covington and the state of Georgia. 1143 Oak Street SE Covington, GA 30014

HISTORY

SELF-GUIDED TOURS

Historic Home Tour

The perfect guide to begin a discovery of the beautiful architecture in Covington, our self-guided tour offers a walking/driving tour of restored Antebellum and Greek Revival mansions and Victorian cottages. Brochures are available at the Welcome Center.

Historic Cemetery Tour

A peaceful stroll through the city’s historic cemetery, with graves dating back over 300 years, the Historic Cemetery Tour provides a unique look into the incredible history that is Covington. Our Voices from the Past highlights 17 historic residents and their contributions both locally and, sometimes, far beyond the beautiful town.

OXFORD COLLEGE

Oxford and Emory’s history is intertwined with that of the early Methodist Church, which received a charter for a new liberal arts college in 1836. In 1838 the church broke ground on 1,400 acres located north of Covington, Georgia, and named the new college Emory, in honor of Methodist bishop John Emory.

Oxford College is one of two options for beginning your undergraduate education at Emory University. Oxford offers an unusually intensive focus on the liberal arts, leadership, and service as well as the close attention of committed and outstanding faculty. At Oxford, you will be able to chart your course through Emory, where you can earn a bachelor’s degree in the sciences and humanities, business, or nursing. Building on Oxford’s solid foundation, there is no limit to where you will go or what you will do.

GAITHER’S AT MYRTLE CREEK FARMS

Gaither’s at Myrtle Creek Farms has one of the richest histories in rural Georgia. The house was the center of a rural Georgia farm for 100 years.

The main part of the house was built in 1850 and lived in until 1950. The Gaither family, for which the plantation was named, lived in the house until 1920. William Hulbert Gaither bought 875 acres of land and built the Gaither house around 1850.

Gaither’s at Myrtle Creek Farms has a plethora of history, new and old. Whether you visit to see the secret staircase and a bit of civil war history, or you visit to see the scenic landscape, you are sure to be amazed. It is the epitome of Newton County, it has history, hauntings, and Hollywood.

270 Davis Ford Road Covington, GA 30014

TELEVISION FILM +

Self-Guided TELEVISION/MOVIE TOUR

Known as Hollywood of the South™, Covington has become a mecca for the television and flm industry. Currently known as Serenity, SC, for Sweet Magnolias and Mystic Falls, VA, for The Vampire Diaries, Covington/Newton County has also been home to The Dukes of Hazzard, In the Heat of the Night and over 160 flm productions. Brochures are available at the Welcome Center.

Picture on left from Selma Picture above from Sweet Magnolias

Self-Guided WALK OF STARS

Continuing its Hollywood of the South™ theme, Covington’s downtown Square has its own Walk of Stars! Pavers placed all over the downtown area feature favorite stars, movies and television shows. Walking maps are available at the Welcome Center.

LIGHTING OF THE SQUARE

When the Georgia weather turns cool, it can only mean one thing: the holidays are coming! The Lighting of the Square offcially kicks off the holiday season in Covington on the Thursday before Thanksgiving each year. This beloved tradition includes entertainment from local children’s choirs and musicians, and it always ends with Santa Claus fipping the light switch to reveal hundreds of thousands of lights downtown. It’s the perfect backdrop for a classic, Southern Christmas.

The Lighting of the Square is the best way to usher in the holiday spirit, and get a head start on Christmas shopping with unique gifts from our local merchants.

ICE SKATING RINK

One of the more recent holiday traditions in Covington is the addition of Ice Days – an outdoor ice skating rink. Legion Field hosts the ice rink each year, and it serves as a great compliment to the shops and restaurants in Downtown Covington. It’s all walkable, and connected through the Cricket Frog Trail.

During the holiday season, thousands of lights decorate Legion Field, creating a merry and bright backdrop for your family day at the ice rink. When the holidays wrap up, Ice Days continue as a fun way to spend your afternoon in the cooler weather.

The skating rink typically opens in November, and serves as one of our favorite winter activities through the end of February.

CHRISTMAS PARADE & LATE NIGHT SHOPPING ON SQUARE

During the holiday season, the Square serves as the main stage of Christmas entertainment, shopping and dining. On the frst Saturday of December, the Lions Club hosts the annual Christmas parade. This tradition features foats from local businesses, performances from our high school marching bands and an appearance from Santa Claus himself. The best seat in town is right on the Square! After the parade, many people go to the shops on the Square for a bite to eat or for some shopping.

Throughout the month of December, you can always fnd something on the Square from photo ops with Santa to a family fun event. Many of our local merchants extend their hours on nights and weekends to make sure everyone can fnd the perfect gift for everyone on your list.

INDEPENDENCE IN THE PARK

Out of all of the many events that happen throughout the year in Covington, the largest, most treasured tradition has to be our Fourth of July Celebration we call Independence in the Park. We shut down the Square to traffc, and fll the streets with local vendors, games, food, and family fun. Local bands play on our huge stage set up in front of the historic courthouse, and people dance in the streets all day long. As soon as it gets dark, people bring out their lawn chairs and settle on the Square for the main event: freworks. Our 20 minute freworks show is one of the largest in the area, and it is the perfect ending to a perfect day celebrating our nation’s independence.

Peter Cottontail loves trails so what better place to have an Easter egg hunt! On the Saturday before Easter, the City of Covington hosts an Easter egg hunt at Legion Field and on the Cricket Frog Trail.

Three age groups: 3 and under will hunt in the feld at Legion Field; 4-6 years old will hunt around the perimeter inside Legion Field; and 7-10 years old will hunt on the trail near Legion Field.

EASTER ON THE TRAIL TRICK OR TREAT ON

THE TRAIL

Each year, we partner with the YMCA to celebrate the Spooky Season with Trick or Treat on the Trail! On Halloween night, we set up candy stations along the Cricket Frog Trail for kids to have a safe and fun flled Trick or Treat experience.

Legion Field, which connects directly to the trail, is packed with games, infatables and of course plenty of candy.

LIVE AT LEGION CONCERT SERIES

Our Live at Legion concerts hosted by The Arts Association are free and offer a great way for you and your family to enjoy some great music and entertainment at Legion Field. For more information about dates and times please visit www.newtoncountyarts.org/live-at-legion.

LIVE AT LUNCH CONCERTS

Our Live at Lunch concerts hosted by The Arts Association are set for Thursdays at noon on the Covington Square in the months of May and October. Concerts on the square are free and fun for the whole family! Bring your lawn chairs or picnic blankets and enjoy top-notch entertainment on the historic Covington Square.

YELLOW RIVER JAM

Each year the City of Porterdale hosts their Yellow River Jam, a 1-day music festival on a riverside stage. Enjoy craft beer, an excellent lineup of bands, a tasty selection of food trucks and a makers market. The Jam is about a halfblock away from downtown Porterdale- a vibrant, historic cotton mill village.

HORNYHEAD FESTIVAL

Hornyhead Fish Festival and Tournament is held the last Saturday of April in the town of Newborn, GA. This annual event celebrates a tiny fsh in a big way with a tournament, parade, vendors, and lots of fun. Visit hornyheadfshfestival.com for more information.

GET ACTIVE

FUZZ RUN

Founded in 1983, the Covington Police Department’s Fuzz Run is an annual 5K and one mile fun run benefting the Police Who Care Fund. On the second Saturday of every September, over 2,000 runners gather in historic downtown Covington and race through our scenic streets.

The Covington Police Department started the Police Who Care Fund (PWC) in 1973 as a way to raise money to help injured offcers and families of offcers who lost their lives in the line of duty. Over the years, the PWC fund has evolved into a pillar of the Covington Community, contributing to numerous local charities, donating $1000 to the benefciaries of every Georgia law enforcement offcer who dies in the line of duty, and helping fellow City of Covington employees when disaster strikes. The Fuzz Run serves as the main annual fundraiser event for Police Who Care.

The Fuzz Run continues to be a beloved tradition for the citizens of Covington. Not only is the race a morning of family fun, it serves as a great opportunity to get involved in the community and contribute to an incredible local cause. Visit covingtonfuzzrun.com to register.

YMCA CHEERIOS CHALLENGE

Our annual Covington Y Cheerios Challenge road race is our biggest fundraiser for our Annual Campaign, which helps to make Y programs possible for all families. Visit Ycheerioschallenge.com for more information.

YMCA SPORTS

The Covington Family YMCA is your local hub for all things family: youth sports, childcare, swim lessons, adult sports, group exercise, tennis, pickleball, and community service opportunities. At the Y we believe all people, especially children, deserve an equal chance to reach their full potential. Our Facility Memberships, which are available at no contract, provide access to our state-of-the-art cardio and strength equipment, free weights, and a variety of group ftness classes, plus childcare while you exercise and reduced rates on youth programs. Visit our Facebook page at Facebook. com/CovingtonYMCA.

GOLF COURSE

Here in Covington, we’re lucky enough to enjoy great weather year-round, making our City the perfect place to enjoy a round of golf. Ashton Hills Golf Course offers something for everyone, from beginner golfng classes to serious golfers looking for a challenge. Our course boasts pristine fairways and gorgeous greens. Desmond Muirhead designed the details of this course with a Picasso-like fair in mind. With 18 holes, it’s easy to enjoy the unique beauty of this GolfAdvisor’s Top 15 Courses in Georgia.

DISC GOLF

Just a short walk from Downtown Covington sits one of the City’s best kept secrets: Parker’s Pasture Disk Golf Course. When the City of Covington acquired the land in 2015, they wanted to put something there to engage locals and attract tourists, while also keeping the integrity of the property. A disc golf course seemed like the perfect way to do that! After a few years of planning and designing, Parker’s Pasture opened in 2018 to the public.

Disc golf enthusiasts describe Parker’s Pasture as a charming, well-kept course that is both challenging and fun. The rolling hills surrounded by mature hardwood trees make this particular disc golf course unique from most others in Georgia. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced disc golfer, you need to add Parker’s Pasture to your Covington itinerary. Parker’s Pasture is free and open to the public.

PARKS

LEGION FIELD

Capable of hosting anything from a large-scale concert to a birthday party, Legion Field is Covington’s premier event facility. Situated on 8.5 acres, Legion Field has been a staple of the Covington community for decades, but in recent years has been transformed into a modern event venue.

Legion Field features an amphitheater, a three-acre manicured sporting feld, paved parking for approximately 100 cars, a lighted and paved walking track, full restroom facilities and an open air pavilion. The crown jewel of Legion Field is a banquet hall complete with a caterers kitchen, multiple entrance and exit points and attached restrooms. Legion Field offers limitless possibilities for your next event. 3173 Mill

CENTRAL PARK

Central consists of 214 acres of mature southern forest framing Dried Indian Creek as it fows through the length of the park from the downtown area. Central Park will serve as the centerpiece for recreational activities in the heart of Covington for residents and visitors alike, featuring activities for every member of the family. The park is currently home to our championship disc golf course, Parkers Pasture, which is named for the farm which made up the northern half of the park. The course is already well known and has received rave reviews from golfers from across the country who have visited and played during the short time it has been open.

Whether you like to walk, cycle, picnic, play in the creek or watch the kids play on the playground, Covington Central Park has an activity for you.

3171 Pennington Street Covington, GA 30014

ACADEMY SPRINGS PARK

Academy Springs Park is located at the corners of Conyers Street and Legion Drive, and brings a sense of nature to Covington, GA. The park features a playground, butterfy garden, and pavilion which is a great place to host social gatherings or relax after a fun-flled day in the city.

3120 Conyers Street SE, Covington, GA 30014

CHIMNEY PARK

While focusing on getting children and families with all levels of abilities into nature, Chimney Park stands gracefully behind Newton County’s popular public library. There are miles of walking & biking trails that lead to the park, while the park also features a place for you to bring your furry friends for a day of fun.

HEIRLOOM PARK

Heirloom Park offers an abundance of activities for the entire family. Hammocks, grills, life-sized “Connect Four” and Chess, obstacle course for kids, and a community garden are all part of this beautiful park in downtown Covington.

Located adjacent to the Covington Welcome Center, this park has everything that visitors and citizens alike would enjoy while spending a day in the city.

1143 Oak Street SE, Covington, GA 30014

LAKE VARNER

Lake Varner offers a natural setting to relax and enjoy the outdoors. This is a great place for fshing, having a picnic, or to just enjoy nature and watch wildlife in the serene atmosphere.

11905 Alcovy Road, Covington, GA 30014

TURNER LAKE

If you’re looking to enjoy recreational activity, Turner Lake Complex (158 acres with 26 acre lake) has everything you need. This complex has a 34,000 square foot building housing Recreation Commission offces, a gymnasium, a full service senior center and a 275+ meeting room. The facility is also home to four state-of-the-art Girls Softball Fields.

6185 Turner Lake Road NW Covington, GA 30014

DENNY DOBBS PARK

Denny Dobbs Park offers a host of activities to enjoy the outdoors. This park has a ball feld, two basketball courts, a splash pad, a skatepark, and two playgrounds for two to fve year olds and one playground for fve to twelve year olds.

There is a LifeTrail with a series of handicapped accessible exercise stations designed to maintain and enhance fexibility, strength, and endurance for adults 50 and older. The stations are connected by a paved walkway that circles the entrance to the park.

At another end of the park is a sturdy blue electronic gaming station, called NEOS, in which teams compete in a fast paced game driven by blinking lights.

Additional amenities include a rental pavilion that houses picnic tables that can accommodate up to 175 people.

6244 Highway 212 North Covington, GA 30016

CITY POND PARK

City Pond Park sits on 80 acres and is located just off of Interstate 20 on Old City Pond Road. City Pond offers a wide variety of activities. Its six lighted baseball felds offer baseball excitement to children and adults.

These six felds are some of the fnest found in the state 1993,1997, 2002, 2008 Dixie Boys World Series. Batting cages are found throughout the park, giving young athletes a place to perfect their swings.

Young children can also enjoy the park’s amenities. A small playground has been built for them to enjoy. The four lighted tennis courts give tennis enthusiasts the option of playing around their schedules, whether it is day or night.

13501

ASBURY STREET PARK

Asbury Street Park is a 4.5-acre in Oxford, Georgia that includes a pavilion, ample picnic areas, several nature trails, a large playing feld and a playground designed for kids of all ages. The park is open from sun up until sun down and the pavilion can be reserved by residents for parties and special events.

104 West Watson Street, Oxford, GA 30054

POCKET PARKS

Each of our pocket parks were created to meet the specifc needs of the neighborhood in which it is located. Every pocket park in the City of Covington includes two things: activity and opportunity.

Our pocket parks offer a variety of options, including a place to meet friends, have lunch, take a break from shopping, or unwind after a long day at the offce.

PORTERDALE YELLOW

RIVER PARK

The 18-hole disc golf course winds in and out of a wetlands wooded area creating a challenge and fun for the beginner to more experienced player. Other facilities in the approximately 38 acre park include shaded picnic areas with grills and tables, paved walking trails, a nature trail, an Audubon Bird Sanctuary, grassy commons area and a canoe/kayak launch.

739 Railroad Street, Porterdale, GA 30014

TRAILS

CRICKET FROG TRAIL

The Cricket Frog Trail is a 15-mile trail running through central Newton County. Approximately six and a half miles of mostly primitive trail are open for public use. While the primitive sections are best suited to hiking and mountain biking, the concrete trail is accessible for all non-motorized traffc and wheelchairs.

The trail is being built on the section of the old railroad right-of-way that runs about 15 miles from Washington Street, just inside Covington’s western city limit to Ziegler Road, just east of Mansfeld. It travels through historic Covington, Starrsville, and Mansfeld as well as past scenic pastures and woodlands.

The Georgia Wildlife Federation recognizes the Northern cricket frog as one of the native species in the Alcovy River area, which the Cricket Frog Trail crosses. Visit newtontrails.org for trail maps.

EASTSIDE TRAIL

The Eastside Trail is a 2.5-mile, multi-use, greenway trail. Opened in early 2013, the 10-foot-wide concrete path begins off Ramsey Drive in Covington, on the west side of the Newton County Public Library. The trail features four wooden boardwalk sections that traverse forest wetlands and a tunnel beneath the Covington Bypass Rd that allows pedestrians and cyclists to pass safely beneath the traffc overhead. Visit newtontrails.org for trail maps.

OXFORD TRAIL

The Oxford Trail is a 1.2 mile, 8-foot-wide, concrete trail in the City of Oxford. Developed by Newton Trails in partnership with the City of Oxford and Oxford College, the path runs along wooded, undeveloped road rights of way behind the campus and along picturesque Turkey Creek.

The trail features benches, a kiosk with information about native plants and animals, both forest and meadow habitats, and a large deck under the tree canopy behind Oxford’s historic Old Church.

MANSFIELD TRAIL

The Mansfeld Trail is a 4.7-mile, soft-surface, multi-use trail at the Charlie Elliot Wildlife Center. Straddling Newton and Jasper Counties, the beautiful Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center is located in a wooded setting just south of the City of Mansfeld. Visit newtontrails.org for trail maps.

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER

Cher Smith, known to many as “Gigi” started her photography business, Pix by Gigi, in 2011 after picking up a Nikon camera to take photos of her grandchildren at the beach.

Cher is a published destination photographer specializing in children, families, seniors and equine fne art portraiture. She also loves to sew, and her two passions blend “seamlessly” since she makes all of her little girl ball gowns and maternity dresses.

Her fabulous and supportive husband recently built her a studio outside their home in Newborn, which they’ve titled, The Big Red Barn Studio.

Cher is amazing at capturing those precious moments clients will want to remember forever.