Support Us Button Widget

Free Fridays are back at Riverbanks Zoo and Gardens

Richland and Lexington County residents get in free through the winter months.

Riverbanks Zoo amphibian

Riverbanks Zoo works with SCDNR to save different types of amphibian species. | Photo by COLAtoday team

Riverbanks Zoo and Garden is roaring into the new year with its Free Fridays offering for Richland and Lexington County residents. Beginning Friday, Jan. 5, locals with proof of residency can explore the zoo at no cost on Fridays through February. The initiative is a token of gratitude for the community’s support.

Opened in 2023, the Darnall W. and Susan F. Boyd Aquarium and Reptile Conservation Center recently welcomed its long-awaited guest, Susan the Octopus. The new center offers visitors an up-close look at Riverbanks’ wildlife conservation efforts.

More from COLAtoday
Columbia readers shared their wish list of new businesses they’d like to see in the Midlands.
Don’t be afraid. Concerns about everything from flood damage to environmental health can be solved by getting in touch not with the Ghostbusters, but with these Midlands resources.
Including gifts for significant others, retirees, holiday parties, young people, and gifts that ship fast.
Vista Lights returns Nov. 20 with live music, local vendors, and the annual tree lighting to kick off Columbia’s holidays.
Celebrate spooky season with Halloween happenings around Columbia, from trunk-or-treat trails to eerie zoo nights and family carnivals.
Get out your rolling pins + roll up those sleeves, Soda Citizens because the South Carolina Gingerbread House Competition is back with its annual gingerbread house competition benefit.
USC’s Homecoming Weekend returns Oct. 24–26 with events, tailgates, and a Saturday showdown vs. Alabama.
Methodical Coffee is now soft open in Columbia’s BullStreet District, serving drinks while its bakery nears completion.
Voodoo Brewing Co. Lexington will host a grand opening on Friday, Nov. 7, serving Pennsylvania-brewed craft beers, local food, and hosting community events downtown.
New SC license plates feature the Moultrie Flag and the phrase “Where the Revolutionary War Was Won.”