City of Hickory Parks, Recreation & Sports Tourism

06/16/2026

Perfect your three-pointers at our upcoming Summer Shootout! This fun basketball competition will test players on their speed and skills for a chance to win prizes. Register now at https://tinyurl.com/57bwhxtp, then join us at Highland Recreation Center on Monday, July 13, from 5:30-8:30 p.m.

06/16/2026

Get ready to hear the sound of drums downtown! The Hickory Music Factory, in partnership with City of Hickory Parks, Recreation & Sports Tourism, will host a Community Drum Circle under The Sails on the Square this Thursday, June 18, from 7-8 p.m. This is a free program. All ages and skill levels are welcome to attend. A limited number of drums will be provided. So if you have your own drum, bring it and join in the fun!

06/15/2026

Congratulations to our 12U baseball teams for a strong season dedicated to improving skills and gaining confidence! Thank you to Everett Chevrolet Buick GMC Cadillac for sponsoring the Braves, and Take 5 Oil Change for sponsoring the Rangers.

06/12/2026

Hickory Parks, Recreation & Sports Tourism is saddened to hear of the passing of Paul David "P.D." Fowler.

P.D. Fowler was born in Burke County. He joined the United States Army in 1964 and served as a military police officer and a K-9 trainer. When he came home from Vietnam, he moved to Catawba County, where he began his career at the Hickory Police Department (HPD) in 1966. Fowler retired from HPD in 1990, after serving his community in law enforcement for more than two decades.

Fowler loved the sport of baseball and seized every opportunity to play the game and coach others with an interest in the sport. As a dedicated and generous coach, he shared his passion for baseball with kids and adults for many years. He enjoyed teaching baseball fundamentals, as well as instilling the values of teamwork, sportsmanship, and hustle.

Over the years, Fowler devoted his time and talents to coaching and through those efforts, he inspired several generations. He coached for Hildebran High School in the 1960s and Hickory High School in the 1970s. He also helped coach at LR College and with the Hickory Crawdads Baseball Club. He even scouted for the Atlanta Braves for three years during the 1990s. In addition, he coached at the Hickory Foundation Center for 41 years as well as at Grandview Middle School and Granite Falls High School. He helped coach at East Burke High School, as well.

P.D. Fowler Field was named after him in 2022. The field is located in Jaycee Park at 1250 15th Avenue NW in Hickory.

P.D. Fowler once said, “Helping kids with baseball is my life; I have seen a lot of good come out of it."

The Hickory Police Department is saddened to hear of the passing of Retired Officer Paul David “P.D.” Fowler.

P.D. Fowler was born in Burke County. He joined the United States Army in 1964 and served as a military police officer and a K-9 trainer. When he came home from Vietnam, he moved to Catawba County, where he began his career at the Hickory Police Department in 1966. Fowler retired from HPD in 1990, after serving his community in law enforcement for more than two decades.

We are thankful for P.D. Fowler’s dedication to serving his country and community as a veteran, officer and baseball coach. HPD invites the community to join us in remembering him and all his selfless acts. We offer our condolences to his family, friends and all who loved him.

06/12/2026

Our 12U Lady Bombers took the fields in style all season long! Thank you to Dunkin' for sponsoring these great players!

06/11/2026

Sit back, relax, and enjoy free movies this summer! Saturday Screenings take place at 8:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Saturdays of July and August.

The film series will feature Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl on July 11, A League of Their Own on July 25, Inside Out on Aug. 8, and A Minecraft Movie on Aug. 22. All movies are family-friendly with a PG or PG-13 rating.

Weather permitting, all outdoor screenings will be held at Union Square in downtown Hickory.

Concessions and games will be available before each movie begins. Audience members are encouraged to bring blankets or lawn chairs. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Saturday Screenings are presented by Jay Brown, Realtors® and hosted by the City of Hickory Parks, Recreation & Sports Tourism Department in partnership with the Footcandle Film Society.

For more information about Saturday Screenings, please contact the Hickory Parks, Recreation & Sports Tourism Department at 828-322-7046.

06/10/2026

Our 10U boys got stronger, faster, and more confident throughout a fantastic season! Congratulations to the Pirates for winning the regular season, and the Cardinals, for winning the tournament! Special thanks to all of our great sponsors for their support:
Pirates: Maple Springs Laundry
Cardinals: Establishment Inc.
Mets: Northwest Drywall Company
Royals: Hickory, NC Elks Lodge #1654
White Sox: McKinney-Graham Dental Arts
Hickory Tornadoes: Turf Pro

06/10/2026

Explore the beauty of Lake Hickory this July at The Lake Hickory Experience! We're partnering with Lake Hickory Pub & Marina to host group paddle boarding and kayaking excursions from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on select Thursdays and Fridays in July. City of Hickory residents pay only $25, and all kayaks, paddle boards, and safety equipment are included. Learn more and register at https://tinyurl.com/32pcnuwp.

Trips depart from Highland Recreation Center at 9:30 a.m. and include 90 minutes of water time from 10-11:30 a.m. After lunch, return to Highland Recreation Center by 1 p.m.

06/09/2026

Master boxing fundamentals and self-defense techniques at next month's Non-Contact Boxing workshops! Beginning July 8, join us on Wednesdays from 6-7 p.m., at Ridgeview Recreation Center. Learn more and register today at https://tinyurl.com/2jzwf7ac.

06/08/2026

We are so proud of our 10U softball teams, who finished a fun season strong! Special thanks to EmergeOrtho - Foothills Region for sponsoring the Diamond Divas, and We Are Haworth for sponsoring the Batties.