There will be plenty of action in the night sky this year. | Photo via Pexels
Calling all stargazers. Weâve put together a handy guide of this yearâs celestial events so you wonât miss a thing. Grab your calendar, mark down these dates, and start planning your 2023 night sky viewing adventures.
đ« Meteor showers
If you missed the Quadrantid meteor shower on January 3 and 4, fear not â there will be plenty more showers to catch this year. Hereâs a rundown of what to expect:
Lyrids: April 22-23
Eta Aquarids: May 6-7
Delta Aquarids: July 28-29
Alpha Capricornids: July 30-31
Perseids: August 12-13
Draconids: October 7
Orionids: October 21-22
Southern Taurids: November 4-5
Northern Taurids: November 11-12
Leonids: November 17-18
Geminids: December 13-14
Ursids: December 21-22
đ Full moons and supermoons
It may technically be the Year of the Water Rabbit, but itâs also the moonâs year to shine. While most years there are 12 full moons, 2023 will welcome 13 (two will occur in August). Hereâs the full list, according to the Old Farmerâs Almanac.
February 5: Snow moon
March 7: Worm moon
April 6: Pink moon
May 5: Flower moon
June 3: Strawberry moon
July 3: Buck moon
August 1: Sturgeon moon
August 30: Blue moon
September. 29: Harvest moon
October 28: Hunterâs moon
November 27: Beaver moon
December 26: Cold moon
đ Where to go
When choosing a spot to view celestial events, aim for a location that is away from man-made light. Here are some spots that we suggest:
Read Southall Band | Monday, Jan. 23 | 7-11 p.m. | New Brookland Tavern, 122 State St. West, Columbia | $15 | This Oklahoma-based Southern rock band has over 900,00 monthly listeners on Spotify and is touring in support of their new album âFor the Birds.â
MR. BURNS | Monday, Jan. 23-Saturday, Feb. 4 | 8 p.m. | Trustus Theatre, 520 Lady St., Columbia | $35 | Anne Washburnâs imaginative dark comedy propels us forward nearly a century, following a new civilization stumbling into its future.
Tuesday, Jan. 24
Winter Stars Planetarium Experience | Tuesday, Jan. 24-Sunday, Feb. 12 | 10 a.m.-5 p.m. | South Carolina State Museum, 301 Gervais St., Columbia | $11.95-$13.95 | Explore the beauty of the night sky in the South Carolina State Museumâs 55-ft. digital dome planetarium.
Wednesday, Jan. 25
Dick Goodwin Presents The Big Band Experience | Wednesday, Jan. 25 | 7 p.m. | Chayz Lounge, 607 Meeting St., West Columbia | $25 | This 12-piece band, featuring a brass section, will perform a blend of popular music selections from a number of decades.
Thursday, Jan. 26
Garden Asana - Grass Roots Yoga | Thursday, Jan. 26 | 8:15-9:15 a.m. | Gardenerâs Outpost, 1211 Franklin St., Columbia | $15 | Breath-centric, in-person, for everybody.
Line Dance Lessons | Thursday, Jan. 26 | Billâs Music Shop, 710 Meeting St, West Columbia | $40 for four sessions | Dances will combine classic and current line dances learned over four weekly sessions.
The Essence of Humanity: An Artist Talk with YoYo Lander | Thursday, Jan. 26 | 5:30-8:30 p.m. | Columbia Museum of Art, 1515 Main St, Columbia | Free with CMA membership or admission | Join the Friends of African American Art & Culture to welcome home artist and South Carolina native YoYo Lander for a moderated conversation.*
Saturday, Jan. 28
Savage Craft 2nd Anniversary | Saturday, Jan. 28 | 12-11 p.m. | Savage Craft Ale Works, 430 Center St., West Columbia | Free | Spend the day at Savage Craft Ale Works to celebrate the breweryâs second year of business with live music, a custom menu, and fun for the whole family.*
We have a calendar filled with events and activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.
All scholarships are made possible through charitable funds established by generous donors committed to furthering the education of students across the Midlands. | Photo provided by Central Carolina Community Foundation
Calling all parents of high school seniors and college-age students: Now through Sunday, March 5, Central Carolina Community Foundation is accepting scholarship applications for the 2023-2024 school year. The median scholarship award is $2,000, and nearly half of the opportunities are renewable.
Bonus: One general application opens the doors to 230+ scholarship opportunities.
Students will be notified in May if theyâre awarded a scholarship. See how easy it is to apply below.*
The Midlands meat-and-three staple, Lizardâs Thicket, is opening a new location on the 1700 block of S. Lake Dr. in Red Bank, just past the Shoppes at White Knoll. Construction hasnât started, but the restaurant hopes to open by the end of the year. đ„ (The State)
The Devine Street Districtâs annual Winter Sidewalk Sale begins Friday, Jan. 27, and runs through Sunday, Jan. 29. We love an opportunity to purchase a special Valentineâs Day gift on sale from places like Just the Thing, Brittonâs, and Gardenerâs Outpost. đïž
Sports
Batter up. Gamecock BaseballFlex Passes are now available. The passes allow fans to purchase 10 vouchers for any home game at Founders Park. The first pitch of the season for the No. 23 ranked team is on Friday, Feb. 17 against UMass Lowell at 4 p.m. âŸ
Job
New year = new job. Grow yourself professionally in 2023 and work for a company known for delivering innovative patient-centered care. Palmetto Primary Care Physicians has severalmedical + administrative job openings. Learn more + apply.*
Content marked with an * is brought to you by our advertising partners and helps make this newsletter free.
Drink Small is depicted in the V and the E of the Five Points postcard mural. | Photo by COLAtoday
Some know him as âThe Blues Doctorâ and others may recognize him as the man with his guitar on the Five Points mural facing Harden Street. On Saturday, Feb. 4, youâre invited to celebrate Drink Smallâs90th birthday at the South Carolina State Museum.
Hosted by The ColaJazz Foundation, the event will celebrate Drink Smallâs career in a variety of ways, including:
A curated exhibit showcasing photos, instruments, and mementos from his career.
A new art piece featuring a guitar made of guitar picks.
Cardboard guitars for children to decorate.
A concert from fellow blues legend Mac Arnold & Plate Full Oâ Blues.
And, of course, a performance from the legend himself, Drink Small.
Grab tickets here, but if you canât make it, the exhibit will be available for viewing in the museum through the end of February.
THE WRAP
Todayâs issue was written by David.
Editorâs pick: I am back from my Southwest adventure in Santa Fe and did find several Columbia, SC references at the Georgia OâKeefe Museum. It didnât take long once I was there, the first information I read mentioned the impact teaching art at Columbia College had on her work. Just a few years later, she was recognized as one of Americaâs most important artists.
Missed yesterdayâs newsletter? Read about the entertainment lineup at this yearâs St. Patrickâs Day Festival in Five Points, here.
Connect with us.
Editorial:Samantha Robertson, David Stringer, Erin McPherson, Emily Shea, Jessalin Heins-Nagamoto, Dayten Rose, Sarah Leonhardt, Katie Smith | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.
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