Our seasonal Parents’ Gift Guide is in the works, and we want to feature your business’s product or service. Secure your spot just in time for Mother’s and Father’s Day celebrations.
🍓 Strawberry fields whenever
Grab a bucket and pick your strawberries at Cottle Farms. | Image via @daniswinda
Strawberries and stamps? Yep, berry season in the Midlands is more than just fresh fruit. It’s also a chance to explore SC’s growing agritourism scene.
From wagon rides through strawberry patches to hands-on farm festivals, many local farms offer more than just U-pick; they offer an experience. Did you know? The SC Agritourism Association even has a 2025 Passport Program that lets you collect stamps as you visit participating farms, with prizes like Certified SC items at the finish line.
Here are eight U-pick strawberry farms that are just a short drive from Columbia — plus one more spot where the berries come pre-picked, but the experience is still worth the trip.
Pick ‘em
Cottle Strawberry Farm | Fresh. Sweet. Local. Cottle Strawberry Farm, a local family-run farm for over 50 years, offers U-Pick and is a great fit for group visits and family outings.
Lever Farms | Reconnect with the land by picking your strawberries, and then stop in the farm’s market to pick up some homemade Five Pepper Strawberry Preserves to complement your next appetizer or breakfast dish.
Full Moon Yoga Flow | 6-7 p.m. | Yoga and Pilates with Ivory Howard | $30 | Transform your mind and body with a renewing flow to prepare for the full moon.
“Menopause the Musical 2" | 7:30 p.m. | Koger Center for the Arts | $23+ | This humorous musical focuses on going through “the change” with parodied pop songs and themes of joy, friendship, and hot flashes.
Columbia Fireflies vs. Charleston RiverDogs | 7:05 p.m. | Segra Park | $8+ | Food Fight Night: Cheer on the Carolina Grits as they take on an opposing food identity in a flavorful face-off.*
Friday, April 11
Sister Hazel | 6 p.m. | Icehouse Amphitheater, Lexington | $32 | It’s hard to say what it is, but this show featuring the folk rock band is “All For You.”
Gimme Gimme Disco | 7 p.m. | The Senate | $20 | Hustle to this dance party with all of your favorite ABBA tunes and more disco tracks by artists like The Bee Gees, Donna Summer + Cher.
Saturday, April 12
Arboretum: Bassoons in the Congaree National Park | 2 p.m. | Congaree National Park, upper boardwalk area | Free | Experience a unique soundscape as woodwinds bring Brad Balliett’s nature-inspired composition to life.
Sunday, April 13
Spring Fairy Flea Market | 11 a.m.-4 p.m. | Flora & Fauna Marketplace, Lexington | Free | This magical market features artisans showing off their talents, photo ops, and food vendors.
From tap dancing to audition prep to musical theatre bootcamp, Town Theatre has a summer camp your young performer will love. | Photo provided by Town Theatre
Whether your young star dreams of singing, dancing, acting, or all three,Town Theatre’s summer camps offer the perfect stage to shine.
With energetic instructors, engaging themes, and thrilling performances, campers can build confidence, make lifelong friends, and discover the magic of live theatre.
From learning Broadway hits to imaginative storytelling, every session is packed with creativity and fun.Pro tip: Enroll by May 1 to be eligible for scholarships.
Liberty Tap Room on the Lake is back. The Irmo restaurant reopened Tuesday with a revamped menu. The lakeside spot in Irmo had been closed since January for renovations, but reopened Tuesday with a revamped menu.
Sports
Ta’Niya Latson, the nation’s top scorer at 25.2 points per game, is transferring from Florida State to USC for her final season. She’ll reunite with high school teammate Raven Johnson as the Gamecocks reload for another NCAA title run.
Civic
Forest Acres’ roads are getting long-awaited repairs. SCDOT updated City Council on resurfacing plans for streets like Percival Road, Lakeshore Drive, and Clemson Avenue, with North Trenholm Road work expected to begin by summer. Sidewalk, drainage, and stop sign upgrades are also underway.
Eat
Whataburger opens its second Lexington spot today at 9:30 a.m. at 5440 Platt Springs Rd. The first 200 guests score freebies — think free Whataburger for a year, Honey Butter Chicken Biscuits + swag. Expect double drive-thrus, digital boards, and a mural repping Lexington.
Transit
One westbound lane of the new US 76/378 bridge over the Wateree River is now open, easing traffic between Sumter and Richland Counties. Crews plan to open both lanes by June as part of SCDOT’s efforts to reduce congestion and improve safety.
Festival
Riverfront Revival returns Friday-Saturday, Oct. 10-11, to North Charleston’s Riverfront Park. Curated by Darius Rucker, the lineup includes Riley Green, Whiskey Myers, Flatland Cavalry, Bill Murray and His Blood Brothers. The presale starts today at 10 a.m.
Listen
Are the Panthers preparing to draft Taylor Moton’s replacement? Go beyond the scoreboard and behind the scenes of the Carolina Pantherswith Locked On’s daily, team-focused podcasts.
Try This
Easter eggs. They’re easier than you think to make, and the kids love to help. Bookmark this recipe to make fun memories dyeing eggs with the fam this spring.*
Number
5. That’s how many minutes it takes to read 1440’s daily newsletter — an unbiased, fact-centric digest of global events, culture, business, and beyond. Subscribe for free.*
Number
$3,500. That’s how much dough you might have to drop if your dog eats their chew toy. Yes, pets are expensive, but they’re worth it — and this pet insurance could reimburse 90% of those expenses.*
Category
Festival
🦋 Art you glad it’s back
The Lantern Parade strolls through The Vista. | Photo by Artista Vista
Brush up on your weekend plans, Columbia’s 33rd annual Artista Vista runs Friday through Sunday, April 11-13, bringing a weekend of visual and performing arts to the Congaree Vista, an official SC Cultural District.
The event begins with the Gallery Crawl on Friday from 6 to 9 p.m., featuring more than 10 galleries and the opening of “Rooted,” the inaugural juried exhibition at Richland Library Main. Pick up a scavenger hunt passport at the Experience Columbia Visitor’s Center, and get it stamped at each gallery for a chance to win local prizes.
On Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Art Day includes artist demonstrations, a butterfly release, and turtle sculpture displays at Stormwater Studios. The nearby Live Art Mart will feature real-time artmaking.
Saturday night’s Light and Lantern Parade runs from 8 to 9 p.m. Sunday’s Live on Lincoln event, 5 to 8 p.m., is ticketed and features dining + performances.
The Buy
The Buy
There’s nothing like a seasonal wardrobe refresh. Join us in adding these five spring activewear essentials to your cart:
While The Vista showcases art on Saturday, Five Points will be alive with music. Free shows will happen throughout the day at New Brookland Tavern, BlueTile Skateshop, and Drip Coffee, while All Good Books offers a free drink with any performing arts book purchase. A perfect pairing with Record Store Day at Papa Jazz.
The Buy
The shoe of the summer: sneaker mules (aka smules). Effortlessly stylish and easy to slip on, these can be paired with your go-to shorts, sundresses, linen jumpsuits, and more. These are five of our favorites:
👟 Under $150: Dolce Vita’s sporty-chic sneaker mules in a fun + flirty pink floral pattern.
👟 Under $80: This pair by Anne Klein that will go with practically everything in your closet.
👟 Under $60: Blowfish Malibu’s platform style with adjustable lacing and a unique patterned insole.
👟 Under $50: These Naturalizer white leather smules made with comfort technology for all-day walking.
👟 Under $30: These canvas kicks available in 15+ colors and constructed with a memory foam insole for maximum comfort.
}})
