The Blue Ridge Parkway | ~3 hours

Dahlonega, GA | 3.5 hours

Greenville + Travelers Rest, SC | ~2 hours

Jackson County, NC | ~3.5-hours

• Peak Drift Patio Party at Smoked | Thursday, Sept. 5 | 5 p.m. | Smoked | Free | Revel in live tunes, savor beer specials, and engage in thrilling games, all set on Smoked’s back patio.
• Mat Pilates with Hannah Boyles | Thursday, Sept. 5 | 6 p.m. | Icon on Taylor | $10 | Get ready to work on your core strength, flexibility, and overall well-being in a welcoming and supportive environment.
• AAF Midlands Fireflies Game | Thursday, Sept. 5 | 7 p.m. | Segra Park | Free | Enjoy $1 sodas, $2 tacos + draft beer, and $3 cocktails and craft beer.
• Columbia Fireflies vs. Charleston RiverDogs | Thursday, Sept. 5 | 7:05 p.m. | Segra Park | $6-$18 | It’s USC Night: The Gamecocks take over Segra Park, with the first 1,000 fans in attendance receiving a special co-branded Fireflies Rally Towel.*

• Vintage Market Days “A Carolina Fall” - Fall Market | Friday, Sept. 6-Sunday, Sept. 8 | 9 a.m.-3 p.m. | SC State Fair Grounds | $10-$42 | Vintage Market Days provides an opportunity for vendors to showcase their passions, crafts, and more.
• Meeting Street Music Fest | Friday, Sept. 6 | 6-9 p.m. | Meeting Street, West Columbia | Free | Groove to a lineup of multiple genres of music, including nationally and regionally renowned artists on multiple stages throughout the River District.
• Saluda Shoals fall Jazz Series | Friday, Sept. 6 | 7-9:30 p.m. | Saluda Shoals Park | $12-$15 | Listen to Live jazz outdoors on the deck featuring Amos Hoffman, an internationally recognized Israeli jazz guitarist.

• Car Cruise-In + Cookout | Sunday, Sept. 8 | 12-4 p.m. | Steel Hands Brewing | Free | Calling all hot rods, classics, and muscle cars — enjoy cool cars and a cookout.

• New Brookland Tavern is temporarily closed + unable to sell alcohol, citing issues with the venue’s taxes and liquor license because it wasn’t renewed by Saturday, Aug. 31. The venue hopes to reopen by Friday but still faces heavy insurance burdens. (The State)

• Mr. Toy Hibachi & Sushi Takeout, a new Japanese restaurant, opened on Leesburg Road off of I-77 at the end of August. Guests can expect a full menu featuring appetizers, soups, salads, lunch specials, dinners, sushi rolls, combos, and more. (The State)

• The SC Board of Education approved a statewide ban on cell phones in the classroom following the Free to Focus initiative. The ban will begin in January + districts that don’t comply could lose state funding. (The Post and Courier)

• Carter Lumber, an Ohio-based lumber company, expanded to Columbia and created a full-service lumberyard. The location will bring 10-20 new jobs to the area. (The Post and Courier)

• $3.2 million — that’s the listing price of a 4,736 sqft, six-bedroom, resort-style property on Lake Murray in Chapin. The three-story home comes with a large pool, lazy river, private dock, outdoor kitchen, guest house, and more. Take a look.

• Voting registration deadlines are approaching for the Tuesday, Nov. 5 election. The online registration deadline is Sunday, Oct. 6, the register-by-mail deadline is Monday, Oct. 7, and the in-person registration deadline is Friday, Oct. 4.

• Locked On is finding the positives from the ODU game + giving a LaNorris Sellers breakdown. Go beyond the scoreboard and behind the scenes of the South Carolina Gamecocks with Locked On’s daily, team-focused podcasts.
  

• Between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, Kiawah Island Golf Resort transforms into a holiday wonderland. Think: Decadent dining, breathtaking decor, and festive events for all ages — from a tree lighting ceremony to Santa sightings, gift-crafting workshops, and more. Start planning your holiday getaway.*

• In case you missed it, USC’s College of Nursing recently opened a new, state-of-the-art teaching facility located on the main campus of Lexington Medical Center. The expansion will allow the university to train more nurses + address SC’s nursing shortage.*