Earth Day works to protect views like these. | Photo via COLAtoday
Shoutout to planet Earth for keeping us all grounded. Tuesday, April 22 marks Earth Day — an annual holiday that is celebrated by more than a billion people across 193 countries. This year’s campaign is “Our Power, Our Planet,” and you can show your strength at these local events:
Celebrate Mother Nature with the Columbia Climate Protection Action Committee on Saturday, April 26 at Boyd Plaza. From 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. you can learn from educators and partake in activities. Be on the lookout for mascots, a photo booth, and face painting.
Safely dispose of hazardous materials on Saturday, April 19 at the Columbia Place Mall from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Items like household cleaners, pesticides, and fire extinguishers will be accepted. You can also securely bring paper and documents to be shredded.
In the Dark: Live Music in the Planetarium | Thursday, April 17-Friday, April 18 | 6-7:30 p.m. | South Carolina State Museum | $8+ | Orange Road performs String Quartet No. 3 “In iij Noct” by Austrian Composer Georg Friedrich Haas in the planetarium.
“The Book of Mormon” | 7:30-9:30 p.m. | Koger Center for the Arts | $56+ | It’s the last night to see this comedic play that’s believed to restore your faith in musicals.
Friday, April 18
The High Tides | 6-10 p.m. | Steel Hands Brewing, Cayce | Free | Enjoy the high-energy band as they cover past + present hits while you sip on beer.
The 6th Annual Augusta Baker Lecture featuring Vashti Harrison | 6:30-9 p.m. | Richland Library Main | Free | Dr. Nicole A. Cooke talks to the author and illustrator of “Big” at this virtual lecture focused on diversity and social justice in children’s literature.
Saturday, April 19
Riverbanks Zoo and Garden Plant Sale | 8-11 a.m. | Botanical Growing Center, West Columbia | $5 | Stock up and find something new while browsing 80+ varieties of rare and tropical plants.
Farm Festival + Family Day | 12-4 p.m. | Gadsden Park Community Center, Gadsden | Free | Learn about organic agriculture + gardening with entertainment, food trucks, activities, and rides for the family.
Sunday, April 20
Easter Egg Hunt | 11:30 a.m. | St. Martin’s-in-the-Fields Episcopal Church | Free | Bring your basket and hunt for eggs — you may even catch a guest appearance from the Easter Bunny.
Tomorrow, April 18, City of Columbia offices + buildings will be closed in observance of Good Friday. Waste and recycling routes will remain on their regular schedule, and emergency services will continue to operate.
Development
After eight years and many delays, the SC Department of Transportation anticipates the Hard Scrabble Road widening project will be completed this summer. Construction has been ongoing on a 2+ mile stretch of the 7-mile road. When completed, the project will add fresh asphalt, additional lanes, and new sidewalks. (The Post and Courier)
Traffic
Be prepared for delays crossing Neely Wingard Road next week. SCDOT will close the bridge over Little Black Creek for repairs on Wednesday, April 23, and set a detour route. Work is expected to begin at 6 a.m. and be completed by 8 p.m.
Biz
City council members voted to approve a $2 million sale of a vacant state office building on Devine Street in Five Points to Southeastern Technology Centers, LLC. The exact plans for the building have not been shared, but officials hope it will bring new jobs to the area. (WISTV)
Outdoors
Columbia City Council allocated $200,000 for security enhancements as part of the effort to revitalize Finlay Park. The funding will primarily be used to install surveillance cameras and emergency call boxes, and Finlay Park remains on track to reopen in the fall. (WLTX)
Festival
Lower Richland’s spud-centric celebration is coming back. The Sweet Potato Festival will return to Hopkins Park on Saturday, April 26. The free fest kicks off at 11 a.m. with a parade and will be stuffed with live entertainment, activities, and vendors throughout the day.
Arts
Nonprofit One Columbia for Arts & History will use augmented reality to bring three local phenomena to life: fireflies, the thousand-year flood + a heat island. The Earth Day effort aims to highlight climate change’s impact with public art displays located on Lady Street, Main Street, and Tapp’s building. (Free Times)
Talk
Acclaimed bestselling author + illustrator Vashti Harrison has been selected to give the Richland Library’s Augusta Baker Lecture — an honor given to writers who showcase social justice and diversity in children’s literature. The free talk takes place tomorrow at the Richland Main Library at 6:30 p.m. (ColaDaily)
Sports
Writer Joe Person from The Athletic shares his thoughts on the Panthers’ best draft options. Go beyond the scoreboard and behind the scenes of the Carolina Pantherswith Locked On’s daily, team-focused podcasts.
Calling all small business owners. Features in our 2025 Parents Gift Guide are now 20% off. Secure a spot for your business’s product or service by using code PGG2025 at checkout.
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Plan Ahead
🎷 Jazzing up Main Street
We like the sound of free music on Main Street. | Photo via ColaJazz Foundation
Let the music play — Main Street Jazz Fest is swinging back on Saturday, May 10 + Sunday, May 11. The award-winning music event will feature a different experience on each day.
On Saturday, music will fill the air on the 1700 block of Main Street for a show from 2-9 p.m. Attendees will be able to enjoy live performances on the Main Stage from five jazz acts: Left Bank Big Band, Amos Hoffman, Jessy J, Alex Cuba, and The Gotham Kings. As the music plays, there will also be food trucks and other activities. This event is free to attend, but there is a VIP experience available for purchase.
On a different note, Sunday’s show will be indoors at the Koger Center for the Arts starting at 6 p.m., featuring performances by the Kenny Garrett Group + the Tia Fuller Quartet. This show is ticketed, and you can purchase seats now.
Really cute waterdrop earrings, with one pair of gold and one pair of silver for $12.99. The minimalist earrings hug ears + look heavy while feeling surprisingly lightweight.
Earth Day is a great reminder to reduce, reuse, and recycle, but this doesn’t have to be a hard task. I think it’s a lot of fun to explore local thrift + vintage shops, and I get to give a second life to an item or article of clothing.
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