Clearly, Oconee County hopes to attract more visitors — including business interests — with its recently produced “Experience Oconee” video, but that’s not the only market local promoters have in mind. If you live here, you are also in their sights.

Too many of us have spent far too little time experiencing the beauty and excitement that exists in our own backyard.

“Experience Oconee” highlights what we may have missed and what visitors will encounter if they take time to explore this corner of Upstate South Carolina.

The video showcases the county’s breathtaking natural beauty, colorful events and one-of-a-kind attractions. It moves quickly across images ranging from lakes, parks, the Chattooga River, water sports, camping and sports events. The video also takes in dining spots and scenes from a wide variety of local events such as the South Carolina Apple Festival in Westminster, Mountain Rest Hillbilly Days and Walhalla’s Oktoberfest.

While designed primarily for marketing tourism to people and businesses that may choose to visit or relocate here, this 12-minute production is being debuted for local folks like Bill Koepnick, a transplant to Oconee from bustling Los Angeles. Koepnick acknowledges that he learned more about his new home while tagging along with the video production crew than he ever learned in the three years he has lived here.

The video will be shown free — with popcorn thrown in — three times this Thursday evening at Duke’s World of Energy. Those planning to attend are asked to call (864) 882-2097 to indicate which showing — 5:45, 6:15 or 6:45 — they plan to attend.

We think it will be time well spent.

Primary sponsors of “Experience Oconee” are the Oconee County Chamber of Commerce, Mountain Lakes Convention and Visitors Bureau and Oconee County Parks, Recreation and Tourism. Congratulations and thanks are in order to these organizations and many others who helped underwrite the project, including the Walhalla and Westminster chambers of commerce.

When combined with “The Great Canoe Rescue” and “Oconee: Land Beside the Waters,” the addition of “Experience Oconee” gives Oconee County a package that captures both its heritage and its future.