Sip, sip, hooray 🍇

Columbia Food and Wine Festival announces events lineup

The Dinner on the Green event was hosted at the Robert Mills House. | Photo provided by Columbia Food and Wine Festival

Tickets are on sale for the Columbia Food and Wine Festival happening Wed., April 19 through Sunday, April 23 at venues across the Midlands.

Now in its sixth year, Columbia Food and Wine Festival is presented by Certified South Carolina, highlighting the connection between local farmers and chefs in the Capital City dining scene.

Over the course of five days, this year’s festival features several new and exciting dining experiences.

🍹 Highlights

Desserts and Digestifs | Thurs., April 20, 7-9 p.m. | Hosted by Tim Gardner, owner and head sommelier of the James Beard Award-nominated Lula Drake, this event pairs dessert wines and aperitifs with a selection of pastries and treats. Need we say more? Ok, there will be live jazz from local musicians and take place in the lobby of Hotel Trundle.
Mixer on Main: The Remix! | Fri., April 21, 6-9 p.m. | Mixologists from Main Street restaurants will compete in a cocktail competition to find the district’s tastiest drink. This event will take place on Boyd Plaza in front of the Columbia Museum of Art and feature live music, local art, and of course, local bites.
CAE Concert on the Runway | Saturday, April 22, 7-10 p.m. | Enjoy a night under the stars, and the jet streams, with a dining experience at the Columbia Metropolitan Airport’s Eagle Aviation hangar. The runway dishes this year will be offered by several of Cola’s food trucks. Stay tuned for the regionally acclaimed musical headlining act.

Cola Chefs.jpeg — Columbia chefs Alex Strickland (left) and Javier Uriarte (right) at the opening dinner in 2022. | Photo provided by Columbia Food and Wine Festival

📈 By the numbers

Since the inaugural event in 2018, the Columbia Food and Wine Festival has brought over 7,000 guests together, including nearly half of the attendees from last year coming from out of town.

Celebrating the entire Columbia Metropolitan area, the festival has featured more than 150 culinary partners at 26 events over the past five years.

Click here for five more events and information about how this event supports the local hospitality community.

Click here to have your event featured.

Wednesday, Feb. 8

Winter Stars Planetarium Experience | Wednesday, Feb. 8-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 Museum’s 55-ft digital dome planetarium.

Thursday, Feb. 9

Table for Six: Health & Wellness | Thursday, Feb. 9 | 5:30-8 p.m. | Publico Five Points, 2013 Greene St, Columbia | $25-$35 | Participate in a patio workout hosted by Basecamp Fitness and then indulge in a nutritious, handcrafted menu.
West Columbia’s Meeting Street Artisan Market - NIGHT MARKET | Thursday, Feb. 9 | 4-8 p.m. | Interactive Art Park, 425 Meeting St., West Columbia | Free | Thursday’s Meeting Street Artisan Market offers handmade Valentine’s gifts.

Friday, Feb. 10

Columbia RV Expo at the SC State Fairgrounds | Friday, Feb. 10-Sunday, Feb. 12 | Times vary | SC State Fair Grounds, 1200 Rosewood Dr., Columbia | $8 | Enjoy the convenience of shopping multiple dealers in one location, inside and outside the Cantey and Goodman buildings.
Journey: Freedom Tour 2023 with special guest TOTO | Friday, Feb. 10 | 7:30 p.m. | Colonial Life Arena, 801 Lincoln St., Columbia | $35-$198.50 | Rock & Roll Hall of Famers will take the stage with their catalog of chart-topping hits, including “Don’t Stop Believin’,” “Any Way You Want It,” and “Lights.”
Melissa Fennell EP Release Show w/ Zane Vickery | Friday, Feb. 10 | 7:30 p.m. | 1614 Barnwell St., Columbia | $7 | Celebrate the release of Melissa Fennell’s first album, “You Find Me.”

Saturday, Feb. 11

Soda City Market | Saturday, Feb. 11-Saturday, June 10 | 9 a.m.-1 p.m. | Main Street Columbia, 1300-1600 Main St., Columbia | Free | Find everything you need to nourish your brain, body, and belly — helping establish our city as the real southern hotspot for locals and visitors alike.

Sunday, Feb. 12

Art, Perception, and Social Transformation | Sunday, Feb. 12 | 2-3:30 p.m. | Columbia Museum of Art, 1515 Main St., Columbia | Free | South Carolina artist Dr. Leo Franklin Twiggs and art critic and historian Dr. Frank Martin will discuss the legacies of Elizabeth Catlett and Dr. Samella Lewis.*

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.

100+ MORE EVENTS

Weather

73º | Mostly cloudy | 8% chance of rain

Number

$1 billion. That’s how much Richland County could surpass in investments this year with help from an electric-vehicle battery plant and a solar-panel manufacturer. Richland County Economic Development Director Jeff Ruble told The Post and Courier that 2023 could be a “blockbuster year.” 🔨

Civic

SC Women in Leadership (WIL) is hosting its annual Spring Training on Saturday, Feb. 11, helping women learn more about running for office. The four-hour workshop series features multi-partisan presenters sharing campaign experience, including how to choose your office and build your team. 🗳️

Community

The Leadership Columbia Class of 2023 (LC23) is partnering with Homeless No More for this year’s class project to work with the St. Lawrence Place community. Plans include creating an indoor and outdoor communal space, refurbishing a playground, and painting a new mural. 🎨

Plan Ahead

The Make-A-Wish Foundation of South Carolina is hosting Wishful Shuckers, a fundraising oyster roast happening on March 3 at The Coop near Williams-Brice Stadium. The event features live music, a silent auction, and craft exhibits. Tickets are $75 and include a souvenir oyster knife. 🦪

Eat

Village Idiot Pizza is tossing it back to 1990 on Thursday for National Pizza Day, offering $1 slices at all three Midlands locations. If you’re looking forward to Super Bowl Sunday, the Idiot has a fly special of a pound of wings for $5 with the purchase of a large ‘za. 🍕
Want to do something good for your heart? Eat dessert. Yes, dessert can be good for you — but it requires these important ingredient swaps. ❤️ *

Cause

The Carolina Wildlife Center on Bush River Road is in need of volunteers and donations of food, bedding, and a wide range of general supplies. The nonprofit center works to rehabilitate injured and orphaned animals, like the baby squirrel that City Editor Sam rescued in her backyard. 🐿️
Grab the Ross to your Rachel and head down to The Blood Connection. Throughout February, donate blood and receive a $20 eGift card, plus a bonus $30 eGift card, and a Friends-themed sticker. A simple donation can save up to three lives in our community.🩸 *

Wellness

Not feeling like yourself lately? Talkspace makes getting help easy and convenient. With live chat, video, and audio sessions, starting at $69/week, it’s affordable for everyone to fit therapy into their lifestyle, with or without insurance. Start feeling better today with Talkspace.*

Content marked with an * is brought to you by our advertising partners and helps make this newsletter free.

Willy B getting a modern makeover?

USC announces the Stadium Project to modernize Williams-Brice

The Stadium Project aims to develop 800 acres near Williams-Brice Stadium and update the home of the Gamecocks football team. | Graphic via Gamecocks Online

USC released preliminary plans for a new Stadium Project — a potential $1 billion development undertaking that could change the landscape of the Soda City by modernizing Williams-Brice Stadium and the surrounding area.

Yesterday, the university issued a formal Request for Information (RFI) to find partners to develop more than 800 acres adjacent to the Congaree river near Williams-Brice Stadium.

🏗️ Here’s a quick rundown of the Stadium Project:

Phase one would develop areas adjacent to Williams-Brice Stadium, including renovations that would allow the venue to open for other public events in addition to football games (think: more Beyoncé and Rolling Stones concerts).
Phase two would develop 17 acres around Colonial Life Arena.
USC aims to fund the projects through a Master Development Agreement or a Ground Lease of owned properties to generate revenue without looking to taxpayers, students, or fans.
The timeline is still up in the air, but RFI submissions are due at the beginning of March.

LEARN MORE HERE

THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by David.

Editor’s pick: Here’s to hoping that next time Beyoncé announces a world tour that she’ll return to a modernized Williams-Brice Stadium. Her 2018 concert here was one of my favorite concerts I’ve ever attended in Cola.

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Read about Valentine’s Day events around Columbia, 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.

Sales: Lindsey Rhinesmith | Advertise with us.

Content marked with an * was created in partnership with 6AM City’s advertising partners. Paid content helps keep this newsletter free. 6AM City may also receive a commission on purchases made through affiliate links in this newsletter.

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