Order ahead

• Order a vegan Thanksgiving meal with options like Mac & “Cheese,” purple cabbage, candied yams, sweet and spicy “spareribs,” BBQ Drumstix, and more.

• Preorder a variety of Thanksgiving desserts, scones, cakes, and more.

• Don’t be a turkey cheeseball, order from the special Thanksgiving catering menu.

• Choose your favorites from this menu and place your order by calling 803-783-1061 or by email.

• Place your order for a baked or jerk turkey through its Facebook page.

Dine in

• Reservations are required for this Thanksgiving brunch buffet featuring all of your Turkey Day favorites. Catering is also available.

• The Grand is a great spot to dine if you have family or friends in town. Plus, you can bowl after you eat.

• Make a reservation to feast across from the State House and enjoy Halls’ special Thanksgiving menu.

• Make your reservation and dine downtown with HSV’s French-inspired cuisine.

• Lizard’s Thicket is open on Thanksgiving Day, but if you’d like to bring it home, order ahead from the catering menu.

• Enjoy upscale Thanksgiving dining at MOA with premium dry-aged meats and full-service grilling at your table.

• Wicks & Wine - Custom Candle Making Workshop | Friday, Nov. 10 | 7-8:30 p.m. | AR Workshop Columbia, 4711 Forest Dr. #14, Columbia | $40 | Create your custom candle while vibing to your favorite tunes and sipping on complimentary wine.
• Arts & Draughts | Friday, Nov. 10 | 7-10 p.m. | Columbia Museum of Art, 1515 Main St., Columbia | $15 | Columbia’s most creative party is back with live screen printing from Screened Out Printers + music from Gamine and Candy Coffins.

• Irmo Community Park Holiday Market | Saturday, Nov. 11 | 10 a.m.-2 p.m. | Irmo Community Park Holiday Market, 7507 Eastview Dr., Irmo | Free | Kick off the holiday season with this market that includes a cookie decorating class from Luna Rosa Cakes.
• USC Gamecocks Football vs. Vanderbilt Commodores | Saturday, Nov. 11 | 12 p.m. | Williams-Brice Stadium, 1125 George Rogers Blvd., Columbia | $65-$120 | Watch the Gamecocks take on the Commodores as they near the end of the SEC schedule.
• Day of the Dead Celebration | Saturday, Nov. 11 | 10 a.m.-12 p.m. | Columbia Museum of Art, 1515 Main St., Columbia | Free | This free event includes a Day of the Dead altar, arts and crafts, live music, folkloric dances, a live painting session, and other cultural activities.

• Gamecocks Women’s Basketball vs. Maryland Terrapins | Sunday, Nov. 12 | 1 p.m. | Colonial Life Arena, 801 Lincoln St., Columbia | $25-$35 | The Gamecocks return from Paris to kick off their home schedule against No. 14 Maryland.
• Stone River Fall Vendor Fair | Sunday, Nov. 12 | 12-5 p.m. | Stone River, 121 Alexander Rd., West Columbia | Free | Head to Stone River for food and cocktails while strolling and shopping with local artists and craftsmen.
• Lake Murray Symphony Orchestra presents “Dance Party” | Sunday, Nov. 12 | 3:30 p.m. | Harbison Theatre, 7300 College St., Irmo | Free | This is the first fall concert of their upcoming season.

• Tour & Tasting: the Art of Drag | Wednesday, Nov. 15 | 6-8 p.m. | Columbia Museum of Art, 1515 Main St, Columbia | Learn what drag as an art form means to local drag queens and kings while touring the CMA Collection and featured exhibition “Lee Alexander McQueen & Ann Ray: Rendez-Vous."*

• Vista Lights presented by Prisma Health | Thursday, Nov. 16 | 6-10 p.m. | The Vista, 1200 Lincoln Street, Columbia | Free | Kick off the holiday season in the Vista with great food, live entertainment, and Santa — plus, help light the tree at 7 p.m.*

• Overnight accommodations + valet parking
• Daily breakfast at Blue Ridge’s Morning Table Buffet
• Holiday gingerbread cookie (one per registered guest)

• Renowned SC naturalist Rudy Mancke, cherished for his NatureScene program on SCETV and walks on the Horseshoe, has passed away at 78 after battling liver disease. A Spartanburg native, Rudy’s passion for educating others about the state’s natural beauty touched countless South Carolinians.

• Did you vote? Election day was Tuesday, Nov. 7, and the votes are in. From local mayors to city council members, see the full results of the 2023 municipal elections. (WISTV)

• Spice Wing opened its first SC location at 4400 Fort Jackson Blvd., suite 600B (in the former Smallcakes Cupcakery location in the Rosewood Crossing shopping center). The new chicken spot offers 20 wing flavors, four types of fries, and chicken + waffles. (The State)

• Planet Fitness will be the new anchor of the Danwood Shopping Center at 2410 Augusta Rd. in West Columbia (across from the Wal-Mart Supercenter). The space, formerly a Home Decor Outlet, is undergoing a facade renovation. No opening date has been announced. (West Metro News)

• Beginning July 1, the South Carolina Department of Agriculture (SCDA) will assume responsibility for retail food safety inspections, including restaurants and school cafeterias. The SC legislature passed a bill that aims to streamline services and bolster food safety, transferring ~115 positions from DHEC to SCDA.

• Time is running out to send in your festive fall photos for our Fall-tography contest. Share your views of autumn in the Midlands with photos featuring leaves, festivals, foods, etc. Send in your photo, and we’ll share the top pick next week.

• This FDA-registered, doctor-recommended vibrator is clinically proven to heighten arousal and help alleviate dryness, thanks to its ultra-flexible shape designed to hit all the right spots. Even better? Our readers get 30% off.*

• From improving digestion to boosting endurance to making your complexion glow, here are 10 reasons you may want to include beets in your diet.*

• Your new first drink of the night: ZBiotics, a probiotic engineered by PhD microbiologists to break down the byproduct of alcohol. Try it to wake up feeling refreshed tomorrow.*

• 1 in 9. That’s the number of South Carolina jobs supported by South Carolina Ports. A world-class port in our state helps businesses thrive and attracts companies to invest in new facilities + expand existing operations, creating opportunities for generations of South Carolinians. Discover how SC Ports makes an impact.*