Natural-born teachers and mentors

If the holidays are your favorite time of the year

If you live and breathe Columbia

• Golden Night of Jazz | Thu., Oct. 20 | 6-9 p.m. | Hampton-Preston Gardens and Greenhouse, 1615 Blanding Street, Columbia | Hosted by Always United, this event is a celebration of the music, culture, and wine of South Carolina.
• Diwali Kickoff Party | Thurs., Oct. 20 | 6-9 p.m. | Columbia Museum of Art | Free | Celebrate the Indian festival of lights on Boyd Plaza with dancing, henna, crafts, light Indian bites, and more.*
• College Night at the State Museum | Thu., Oct. 20 | South Carolina State Museum, 301 Gervais St, Columbia | Present a valid student ID with a ticket at check-in for validation.
• COLAughs Comedy-Laughs Out Back | Thu., Oct. 20 | 8:03 p.m. | The Warmouth, 209 Franklin St, Columbia | $12.50 | COLAughs Comedy returns to the back patio of The War Mouth featuring New Orleans comics Amanda G and Keeda.
• Mt. Joy | Thu., Oct. 20 | 8 p.m. | The Township Auditorium, 1703 Taylor St, Columbia | $27.50 - $42.50 | Based in folk rock, Mt. Joy took off with their single “Silver Lining” that hit #1 on the Billboard charts and has over 120 million plays on Spotify.

• Oyster Roasts at Steel Hands! | Fri., Oct. 21 | 5-9 p.m. | Steel Hands Brewing, 2350 Foreman St, Cayce | No tickets are necessary for this shuckin’ good time, but all oyster orders are first come, first served.
• Palimpsest Live | Fri., Oct. 21 | 7-8:30 p.m. | Columbia Museum of Art, 1515 Main St, Columbia | $10.00 - $15.00 | In celebration of the podcast Palimpsest’s fifth anniversary this Halloween, join creators Jamieson Ridenhour and Hayley Heninger for an intimate live performance featuring two complete stand-alone
• Picnic in the Park with Forest Acres + Town Theatre | Fri., Oct. 21, Fri., Oct. 28 | 6 p.m. | Pinetree Park , 4626 Winthrop Ave., Columbia | $5.00 | Grab dinner from your favorite Forest Acres restaurant to bring to this concert series featuring well-known Town Theatre and Midlands performers.

• Earth Wind and Fire - Legacy Reunion | Sat., Oct. 22 | 7:30 p.m. | Koger Center for the Arts, 1051 Greene St, Columbia | $39.00 - $110.00 | Earth, Wind & Fire dominated the 70’s with their monster grooves and high energy, danceable hits.
• Univ of South Carolina Gamecocks Football vs. Texas A&M Aggies Football | Sat., Oct. 22 |7:30 p.m. | Williams-Brice Stadium, 1174 George Rogers Blvd, Columbia | $70.00 - $130.00 | The South Carolina Gamecocks look to win their fifth game of the season against SEC West opponent Texas A&M.

• 67º | Partly cloudy | 10% chance of rain 🌤

• The new Sephora coming to Trenholm Plaza (4840 Forest Dr.) is hosting a grand opening this Fri., Oct. 21. If you visit the store during opening weekend, grab a scratch card for the chance to win a prize + shop its new holiday set drop. 💄

• The Richland Mall (a ~one million-sqft facility) located at 3400 Forest Dr. has been approved by the Richland County Council to be redeveloped into a mixed-use commercial development. More details are to come about the project, but the new development has the potential to generate ~$101 million in taxable investment. 💰 (The State)

• Third Thursday Art Nights return today to The Vista from 5-8 p.m. Enjoy an evening of art by visiting displays at Lewis + Clark, One Eared Cow Glass, Stormwater Studios, and Mike Williams Art. See a full list of participating businesses here.

• The Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE) is launching the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Program. The program offers a discreet way for passengers with hidden disabilities to alert the staff that they may need a little extra help. Beginning Mon., Oct. 24., CAE will be the first airport in the state to implement this program. ✈️
• There’s nothing to wine about here. Tickets for the Charleston Wine + Food Festival go on sale today at 11 a.m. Snag your tickets early so you can land a spot at all of the popular spots — including 100+ events and upgrades in the Culinary Village. Cheers, COLA. 🍷 *

• 4,338. The number of days since the last SEC East team beat Alabama before the Tennessee Volunteers defeated them 52-49 last Saturday. Oh, and did we mention that the team that held the historic streak against the Tuscaloosa team was the Gamecocks? 🏈

• The Town of Lexington is hosting the inaugural Downtown Scarecrow Contest. Walk down Main Street, find your favorite scarecrow, and place your vote on The Town of Lexington’s Facebook page. The one with the most likes will win the People’s Choice Award. 🎃
• The Fireflies announced its new holiday lights happening between Nov. 19-Dec. 31. Segra Park will be decked out in over a million lights. Locals can enjoy 10-themed areas, holiday shopping, kid activities, Santa Claus, and incredible holiday-themed food and drinks. See the full lineup of pricing here. 🎅

• No. 1. The ranking the South Carolina Women’s Basketball team received from the Associated Press. The team finds itself at the top of the Associated Press’ Women’s Basketball Preseason Poll for the third season in a row. This marks the seventh time in the last nine seasons they are in the top five of preseason rankings. 🏀

• Did you know there are ways to reduce your risk of ovarian cancer? South Carolina OBGYN Associates’ Margaret Papadea, MD, discusses what you need to know about ovarian cancer, including signs, prevention, and the gene that increases your risk.*

• Did you know? Soda Citizens can access free tax services to file their returns + claim their tax refunds via the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. The Cooperative Ministry is searching for volunteers to help support VITA for the upcoming tax season. Learn more + sign up to volunteer.*

• Did you know? Babbel offers multiple ways to learn a new language (think: lessons, podcasts, videos, and live online classes). COLAtoday readers can choose from 14 languages with lessons that focus on practical, everyday phrases — plus useful tips and cultural knowledge to better understand the words they’re learning. Me encanta. 🗺️ *

• Ditch the ribbon and twine. Natural wreaths made with dried flowers, berries, and grains are trending. This southeast Etsy seller makes beautiful arrangements we love — like this timeless dried lavender wreath. If you’re looking for something a little more seasonal, peep this fall garden wreath. 💐*

• Beezers, 919 Sumter St. | A longtime late-night staple, Beezer’s is located just across the street from the UofSC Horseshoe serving sandwiches ‘til 4 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
• Eddie’s Calzones, 817 Harden St. | If you decide to hit a bar on your way home and then need a little nosh, Eddie’s is the go-to spot for a calzone in Five Points — it is open ‘til 4 a.m.
• Jack Brown’s Burgers 711 Harden St. | Another Five Points institution, Jack Brown’s is serving up its signature burgers ‘til 2 a.m.