Lucky you. You just found COLAtoday’s Plan Ahead, a list of some of the biggest events taking place throughout Columbia each month.
Take out your calendar, grab your day planner, or text all your friends — these are the top events we recommend heading into April. Psst: Don’t forget to bookmark this page and come back; we update our guide monthly.
Festivals
Columbia Food & Wine Festival | Wednesday, April 22-Sunday, April 26 | Times vary | Columbia | Meet chefs and try their creations as they get creative for this annual event.
Columbia International Festival | Saturday, April 18-Sunday, April 19 | South Carolina State Fairgrounds | $10 | The annual festival showcases the music, culture, food, and performing arts of the various cultures, nationalities, races, and language groups represented in SC.
Garnet & Black Spring Fest Block Party | Saturday, April 11 | 1-6 p.m. | Colonial Life Arena | Free | Come out and meet the players and hear Darius Rucker live.
Meeting Street Music Festival | Saturday, April 18 | 3-9 p.m. | 900-1200 blocks of Meeting Street, West Columbia | Free | Enjoy 11 bands, great food, and a free two-day street festival in the River District, headlined by Sugar Ray.
Harambee Festival | Saturday, April 18 | 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m. | Charlie W. Johnson Stadium | Free | Benedict College’s longtime festival returns with live performances, cultural showcases, and community programming.
WOW Studio One Theatre and Film Festival | Thursday, April 30-Saturday, May 2 | 9 a.m.-9 p.m. | South Carolina State Museum | $79+ | The festival is a bold, three-day celebration of storytelling, creativity, and opportunity, bringing together theatre makers, filmmakers, actors, and creative visionaries from across South Carolina and beyond.
Theater and Talks
“Wicked” | Through Saturday, April 4 | Times vary | Koger Center for the Arts | $85+ | A misunderstood green-skinned woman forms an unlikely friendship that reshapes the story behind the witches of Oz.
The Squirrels | Thursday, April 23-Sunday, May 3 | Times vary | Trustus Theatre | $35 | The Squirrels is a boundary-pushing, darkly satirical look at wealth inequality in which no creature comes out unscathed.
Concerts and Comedy
Finlay Fridays | Each Friday night | 6-9 p.m. | Finlay Park | Free | Come hear a new local artist each week.
Juvenile’s Boiling Point Album Release Tour with The 400 Degreez Band | Thursday, April 9 | 8 p.m. | The Senate | $63 | Come hear the “Slow Motion” artist perform his new album with his full band.
Monster Jam at Colonial Life Arena | Saturday, April 18 | Times vary | Colonial Life Arena | See your favorite trucks like Monster Mutt and Gravedigger.
The Avett Brothers and Mike Patton present AVTT/PTTN | Saturday, April 18 | 8 p.m. | The Township Auditorium | $63+ | Come hear the North Carolina band’s latest collaboration project.
Flatland Cavalry | Friday, April 24 | 8 p.m. | The Township Auditorium | $35 | Flatland Cavalry brings its signature blend of Texas country and Americana to the stage with storytelling-driven songs and high-energy live performances.
Irmo Town Limits Spring Concert Series | Friday, April 24 | 6-10 p.m. | Moore Park Amphitheatre, Irmo | Free | Lounge back with these free afternoon concerts to finish off your work week.
Superchunk & Rosali | Friday, April 24 | 7 p.m. | $30 | The legendary NC indie rock band returns to the Soda City.
The Gamecocks baseball players warming up in Founders Park. | Photo via Gamecocks Online
Sports
Columbia Fireflies Baseball | Tuesday, April 7 | Times vary | $8+ | Head out to the ballpark to cheer the Fireflies back to the championship.
Gamecock baseball | The yardcocks have mid-week games and weekend home series throughout April.
Gamecock softball | Catch the team at one of their home games at Beckham Field.
Seasonal
Spring Plant Sale | Thursday, April 9-Saturday, April 11 | Times vary | Hampton-Preston Mansion & Gardens | Free | Attendees will be able to purchase and learn about a wide array of plants propagated from the Living Collections across all of our historic sites.
Riverbanks Zoo and Garden’s Annual Spring Plant Sale | Saturday, April 18 | 8-11 a.m. | Riverbanks Zoo and Garden Growing Center, West Columbia | $5
Richland County Master Gardener Annual Plant Sale | Friday, April 24 | 9 a.m.-3 p.m. | Clemson Sandhill Research & Education Center | Free | Shop native plants and learn from the best.
16th Annual Blythewood Spring Championship Rodeo | Friday, April 24 | 5:30-10 p.m. | Prisma Health Arena, Blythewood | $20 | Professional cowboys and cowgirls gather in Blythewood to compete in eight action-packed rough stock and timed events, including bucking broncs, steer wrestling, barrel racing, and bull riding.
2026 Cocky Trot 5K | Saturday, April 25 | 9-11 a.m. | South Carolina State Fairgrounds | $45 | This spirited race will take participants through Gamecock Park and the indoor/outdoor football practice fields with the start and finish at the South Carolina State Fairgrounds.