2024 Columbia Wrapped: Soda City’s top news of the year

Hi Soda Citizens. It’s that time of year again — Spotify Wrapped is out, and so is ours. Ready to see how our year stacked up?

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2024 was a big year for Cola, to say the least. | Graphic by 6AM City

Your COLAtoday Wrapped is here, and it’s been a big year for the Soda City. Let’s dive into your top stories of 2024, but first, some stats.

53,994 of you are subscribed to COLAtoday and know all the best news and events in our city. Psst... send this newsletter to a friend to make sure they’re in the loop too.

You’ve read 263 newsletters. In those newsletters, we’ve shared over 1,000 News Notes, played around with our new look, and highlighted 1,500+ events to keep you in the know. Thanks for being here!

You’ve changed, and so has Columbia. Let’s look at how you felt throughout the year.

  • In February, Richland County and Forest Acres officials gathered to share plans for the redevelopment of the 32-acre Richland Mall property. We can’t wait to share info about the new park, grocery store, and retail spots coming soon.
  • In August, Liverpool F.C. + Manchester United came to town for a match at Williams-Brice Stadium as part of the Rivals in Red Tour for the biggest international sporting event in our state’s history.
  • A few years after we shared that Crystal Lagoons was coming to Columbia, it was announced that the beach-style lagoon with restaurants, parks, and a hotel, would be developed around Oak Hills Golf Club in north Columbia.
  • In November, you were excited to find out about the winter and holiday-themed events happening in and around Cola, and we had you covered.

We had fun connecting with you on social media as well. Here are our top three posts that brought in the most new followers.

More from COLAtoday
Columbia-born artist Rodney McMillian debuts a wide-ranging solo exhibition at the Columbia Museum of Art this spring.
Bookmark this guide for a curated list of events taking place each month that we’re most looking forward to.
Spring football gives way to a Darius Rucker–headlined concert and free Garnet & Black block party on Saturday, April 11.
SOCO opens a 9,500-sqft coworking space inside Gather COLA in the BullStreet District.
Dining in Columbia is always a fresh experience, with new restaurants popping up all the time — and more on the way.
Needlepoint is one of the biggest “analog hobby” trends. Here’s where to learn and meet other stitchers.
A Mount Pleasant artisan’s massive sweetgrass basket is now on display at the South Carolina State Museum.
Lexington’s Wingard’s Market leads USA TODAY’s Best Plant Nursery vote, and supporters can cast ballots daily through March 9 to keep them at No. 1.
Anchor Investment Management is celebrating 25 years by awarding $25,000 in grants to Midlands nonprofits focused on health and education.
Learn how and where to play disc golf in the Capital City.