From biking, hiking + riding to arts and crafts to craft beer — 2023 is the Year of the Trail in Jackson County.
| Photo provided by Jackson County
It’s time to rethink trails, COLA. While Jackson County, NC’s stunning outdoor scenery and trails galore make it a fab place to put on your hiking shoes, there are multiple ways traverse the county’s mountain towns + backroad adventures. Whether planning your summer travels or visiting during the less-crowded Secret Season, here is our round up of eight types of trails to experience in Jackson County:
🥾 Hiking
If you’re looking to lace up your boots and explore, there are plenty of adventurous hiking trails — from family-friendly walks at the Panthertown Valleyto challenging treks atPinnacle Park to scenic strides with wildlife and waterfall views at Silver Run Falls.
🚲 Biking
Ride, stride, and glide on bike-friendly trails like a casual ride on the Tuckasegee River Greenway Biking Trail or an experienced trek on the daring Panthertown Valley Mountain Biking Trail.
Did you know? Jackson County’s Tuckasegee River is known as a fly fishing paradise. Cast your line at the Western North Carolina Fly Fishing Trail with 15 prime spots to catch trout in crystal-clear streams.
🌳 Low-impact and accessible
Embark on an accessible adventure with a number of low-impact trails offering untouched landscapes, lofty mountains, and picturesque views.
🍽️ Culinary adventure
This one’s for the foodies. Take your tastebuds on a trip through Jackson County’s culinary scene. From casual eats to food trucks and wine bars, you’ll find it all in towns like Cashiers, Cherokee, Dilsboro, and Sylva.
🍻 Craft beverages
Ready for happy hour? Well, beer you go. From smooth ales to hoppy IPAs + more, sip your way through the Ale Trail.
🎨 Arts and culture
This is a different kind of scenery. The Blue Ridge Craft Trail celebrates the rich artistic heritage and contemporary creations of the area with a variety of stops in Jackson County.*
Which trail will you check out on your next visit to Jackson County?
A. One that will get my heart racing B. Give me an easy stroll with river views C. I’m going to eat my way through Jackson Co.'s culinary scene D. I’m ready to dive into the area’s arts and history
Garden Asana — Grass Roots Yoga | Thursday, Jan. 26 | 8:15-9:15 a.m. | Gardener’s Outpost, 1211 Franklin St., Columbia | $15 | This class is for everyone, focuses on breath, and you will have the opportunity to receive personal adjustments.
Live In The Lobby: Admiral Radio | Thursday., Jan. 26 | 7:30-9 p.m. | Koger Center for the Arts, 1051 Greene St., Columbia | $15-$20 | Catch local folk duo Admiral Radio perform in the scenic lobby of the Koger Center.
Ribbon Cutting: Crumbl Cookies - Harbison | Thursday, Jan. 26-Friday, Jan. 27 | 12 p.m. | Crumbl Cookies Harbison — 150 Harbison Blvd., Unit C, Columbia | Free | Celebrate the ribbon-cutting with Crumbl Cookies and local community.
Friday, Jan. 27
Town Theatre’s The Play That Goes Wrong | Friday, Jan. 27-Sunday, Feb. 12 | 7:30 p.m. | 1012 Sumter St., Columbia | $15 to $25 | This play-within-a-play is often called a “hilarious hybrid of Monty Python and Sherlock Holmes.”
The Water Kickers “Winter Alone” Single Release Concert | Fri., Jan. 27 | 6:30-10 p.m. | The Living Room, 6729 Two Notch Rd., Suite 70, Columbia | $10 | A songwriter collaboration of Kelley and Brodie Porterfield, The Water Kickers celebrate the release of their newest single “Winter Alone.”
Saturday, January 28
Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition | Sat., Jan. 28 | 10 a.m.-3 p.m. | Spears Center for the Arts, Columbia College, 1300 Columbia College Dr., Columbia | Free | The Metropolitan Opera Company of New York sponsors the Laffont Competition in 42 locations in North America to identity young talented singers for the opera world.
Sunday, Jan. 29
Freeman Sundays @3 | Sunday, Jan. 29 | 3 p.m. | USC School of Music Recital Hall, 813 Assembly St., Columbia | $5-$15 | The ticket sales raise money for student scholarships.
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.
B.L.D. Dinerhas closed. The neighborhood restaurant in Trenholm Plazadidn’t announce its closing on any social media, but The Post and Courier stated that the Google listing says, “permanently closed.” (The Post and Courier)
The Gap inside of Columbiana Centre is closed. The next closest location to Soda Citizens is now in Greenville, Charleston, Bluffton, or Myrtle Beach. The national retailer also announced it will be closing ~200 more locations. 👕 (The Post and Courier)
Sports
MiLaysia Fulwiley — a high school student at W.J. Keenan High School — will compete in this year’s 2023 McDonald’s All-American Games on March 28 in Houston. MiLaysia is a five-star recruit and is set to play for USC next year. 🏀
Biz
Loveland Coffee(7475 Carlisle St.) is hosting a 10-year anniversary party on Sunday, Jan. 29 from 2-5 p.m. The local coffee spot invites the community to celebrate with live music, free food, giveaways, and of course, coffee. 🎉
Plan Ahead
A Taste of Lake Murray — a fundraiser for the annual 4th of July Fireworks event— will take place on Thursday,March 2 at 6 p.m. at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Columbia. Dance to local music, sample foods, bid in silent auctions, and more. Tickets are on sale now for $75. 🎟
Job
Looking for a job? The Columbia Fireflies will host a job fair on Saturday, Feb. 18 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at Segra Park. There are ~300 open positions across six different departments for the 2023 baseball season. Print off this application and bring it with you to the job fair. ⚾️
Stat
1 in 33. That’s the number of pregnancies that result in a birth defect. While not all birth defects can be prevented, Lexington Medical Center’s Dr. Margaret Papadea shares what you can do before + during pregnancy to optimize the health of your child.*
Arts
Consider this your invitation. On Saturday, Feb. 4, ColaJazz Foundation and the State Museum will throw a celebration in honor of the blues and legendary SC musician Drink Small’s 90th birthday. Blues lovers can enjoy a curatorial talk, mini-exhibition, documentary screening, and (of course) birthday cupcakes.*
Eat
Don’t just eat better — eat the best.Sunbasket’smeal kit service delivers delicious, healthy meals created by award-winning chefsstraight to your front door. Bonus: COLAtoday readers can get $100 off their first four deliveriesand more when they sign up. 🍽️ *
Shop
Have you heard? Amazon now offers subscription boxes. Best of all — there’s a huge selection. Love trying out top rated beauty products? Subscribe to the Allure Beauty Box. Music aficionado? Join the Vinyl of the Month Club. Pet parent? Your cat will love the KitNipBox. 📦 *
Finance
Erase credit card interest until nearly 2025? Sounds good to us. This balance transfer card can do just that, providing you up to 21 months for the important stuff: travel, education, good food, time with family, or paying off debt. Apply today in minutes.*
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Stop by for a glass of wine from Lula Drake’s rotating menu to go with their housemade pasta | Photo from Main Street District Facebook
The James Beard Foundation — an organization that recognizes and celebrates exceptional talent in the culinary arts, hospitality, and food systems — released its 2023 Restaurant and Chef Semifinalists. Across 23 categories, Columbia, SC popped up under three of them.
The list of semifinalists — broken up by individual categories — will be narrowed down to a much shorter list on Wednesday, March 29, followed by the announcement of winners on Monday, June 5.
In the meantime, get to know our local nominees:
Outstanding Restaurateur
In this case, it’s restaurateur(s) — Aaron Hoskins, Sarah Simmons, Nicole Storey, and Elie Yigo from City Grit Hospitality Group. Think: SmallSUGAR, CITY GRIT, and Il Focolare Pizzeria.
Editor’s pick: The James Beard Award Semifinalists listed above are so deserving of awards. To celebrate these local foodie friends and their businesses, let’s all do a James Beard Award tour. Grab a latte and pastry from smallSUGAR, snag lunch at Spotted Salamander, and sip on a glass of wine before dinner at Lula Drake.
Missed yesterday’s newsletter? See eight places around town to get ramen or pho, here.
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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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