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Spotlight
E Newsletter
Columbia offers a wide range of recreation; exciting attractions and spectator sports; and top-notch meeting facilities.
Calendar of Events
Welcome to the Official Columbia Calendar of Events managed by the Columbia Regional Visitors Center. Events are searchable by date, keyword and category, with ongoing events listed on the lower portion of the page. If you would like your event to be considered for a listing on our calendar, please review our calendar criteria and submit the details of your event.
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Friday Aug 17, 2012
18th Annual Home Improvement Show
- August 17, 2012
- Address: 1101 Lincoln Street, Columbia, SC 29201
- Venue: Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center
- Times: Friday, 1:00pm- 8:00pm; Saturday, 9:00am - 7:00pm; Sunday, 11:00am - 6:00pm
Mark your calendars! The 18th annual Home Improvement Show is set for August 17- 19 at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center- with 100+ exhibitors, educational seminars and door prizes every 15 minutes! One lucky attendee will also win a 5-night cruise for two! We hope to see you at the Home Improvement Show!
A Carolina Chair Affair
- August 17, 2012
- Location: Columbia Museum of Art
- Address: 1515 Main Street, Columbia, SC 29201
- Venue: Columbia Museum of Art
- Times: Tuesday - Friday 11 am - 5 pm; Saturday 10 am - 5 pm; Sunday Noon - 5 pm
Corporate and community support is vital to the success of the Columbia Museum of Art. Community leaders are our friends, advocates, and most importantly partners, who enable the Museum to continue its vision of providing world-class art and educational opportunities to our community and its visitors. A Carolina Chair Affair is a unique opportunity to honor these men and woman and their many contributions to the arts and the Museum's summer exhibition, The Art of Seating: 200 Years of America...
Abstract Art in South Carolina: 1949-2011
- August 17, 2012
- Location: SC State Museum
- Address: 301 Gervais Street, Columbia, SC 29201
- Venue: South Carolina State Museum
- Recurrence: Recurring daily
- Times: Open Tuesday - Saturday 10 am - 5 pm; Sunday 1 -5 pm; Open Mondays - Memorial Day through Labor Day; Closed Easter.
Abstract Art in South Carolina: 1949-2011 looks at the evolution and influences of abstract painting and sculpture in South Carolina. The exhibit includes work by pioneering artists such as William Halsey, Corrie McCallum, J. Bardin, Carl Blair and Merton Simpson, and contemporary artists currently working in communities across South Carolina today, such as James Busby, Shaun Cassidy, Enid Williams, Paul Yanko, Katie Walker and Tom Stanley, among many others. In all, work by more than 40 arti...
Blooming Butterflies
- August 17, 2012
- Location: Edventure
- Address: 211 Gervais Street, Columbia, SC 29201
- Venue: EdVenture Children's Museum
- Recurrence: Recurring daily
- Times: Monday-Saturday: First entry is at 9:30 a.m. Last entry is at 4:30 p.m. Sunday: First entry is at 12:30 p.m. Last entry is at 4:30 p.m.
Come explore the world of the butterfly! Visit EdVenture's living exhibit, a 2,500 square foot enclosed habitat designed to showcase the lifespan of over 20 species of butterflies. The exhibit is filled with dozens of species of trees and plants that support hundreds of butterflies from more than 20 different species native to the Southeast. Be sure to check out the Bloom Room to observe chrysalises and emerging butterflies. Look, but please don't touch! Although it is tempting to touch these...
Bold Banners: Early Civil War Flags of South Carolina
- August 17, 2012
- Location: SC Confederate Relic Room & Military Museum
- Address: 301 Gervais Street, Columbia, SC 29201
- Venue: South Carolina Confederate Relic Room and Military Museum
- Recurrence: Recurring weekly on Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday
- Times: Tuesday - Saturday 10 am - 5 pm; First Sunday 1 - 5 pm
Rich. Colorful. Bold. Words that may not initially evoke images of Civil War flags but the South Carolina Confederate Relic Room & Military Museum's upcoming exhibit shows that many of the earliest Civil War flags were hand-crafted works of art and not simply "stars and bars." Bold Banners: Early Civil War Flags of South Carolina will be exhibited at the Relic Room from May 6, 2011 through September 29, 2012. The exhibit will display some of the earliest flags representing units fr...
Born from Fire: American Studio Glass from the Collection
- August 17, 2012
- Location: Columbia Museum of Art
- Address: 1515 Main Street, Columbia, SC 29201
- Venue: Columbia Museum of Art
- Times: Tuesday - Friday 11 am - 5 pm; Saturday 10 am - 5 pm; Sunday Noon - 5 pm
In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the founding of the American Studio Glass Movement, the Columbia Museum of Art showcases a special exhibition, Born from Fire: American Studio Glass from the Collection, featuring more than 30 examples of glass made by leaders in the movement. Born from Fire is on view May 29 - September 16 in the Mamie and Andrew Treadway, Jr., Gallery. The American Studio Glass movement began with two glass workshops held at the Toledo Museum of Art in 1962. The wo...
Civil War in 3D
- August 17, 2012
- Location: South Carolina Confederate Relic Room & Military Museum
- Address: 301 Gervais Street, Columbia, SC 29201
- Venue: South Carolina Confederate Relic Room and Military Museum
- Recurrence: Recurring weekly on Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday
- Times: Tuesday - Saturday 10 am - 5 pm; First Sunday 1 - 5 pm
Back by demand after the museum's popular World War I in 3D, this exhibit will showcase Civil War images as they were meant to be seen using 3-D technology and a large, flat screen TV! Visitors will also learn about the political and social importance of photography during the war and why it almost undermined the Northern war effort.
Get Cocky!
- August 17, 2012
- Location: Second Floor
- Address: 945 Bull Street, Columbia, SC 29208
- Venue: McKissick Museum
- Recurrence: Recurring daily
- Times: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm M-F; 11:00 am - 3:00 pm Sat.
Get Cocky! will examine the dynamic role of athletics at the University and how it has impacted the students' college experience. This exhibit examines the shared experiences of success and failure, along with shared traditions, that connects the athletes, students, and fans in a common identity of being a Gamecock. Guided exhibit tours may be available, call The McKissick Museum at 803.777.7251 for more information.
Le Cafe Jazz at Finlay Park Cafe
- August 17, 2012
- Location: Le Cafe Jazz, Finlay Park
- Address: 930 Laurel Street (edge of Finlay Park), Columbia, SC 29201
- Venue: Le Cafe Jazz
- Recurrence: Recurring weekly on Friday, Saturday
- Times: Friday & Saturday 8 pm - 11:00 pm
The Skipp Pearson Jazz Foundation presents Come to Jazz Town USA... Columbia, South Carolina and take a trip each and every Friday+Saturday to France... Le Cafe Jazz at Finlay Park offers an indoor and outdoor Bistro for the Culture in You. Make your reservation prior to arrival at (803) 400-1879 or by email. Reservations are not required for Le Cafe Jazz but strongly recommended to avoid any inconvenience.
Moneyville
- August 17, 2012
- Location: EdVenture Children's Museum
- Address: 211 Gervais Street, Columbia, SC 29201
- Venue: EdVenture Children's Museum
- Recurrence: Recurring daily
- Times: 9 am - 5 pm Monday - Saturday; 12 Noon - 5 pm Sunday (Open Mondays from Memorial Day through Labor Day)
You'll see money-and math-in a whole new way. You'll discover that money is really all about making choices-with the power of math. Money isn't just dollars and cents. The ancient Aztecs used chocolate for money, and Yap Islanders used 500-lb. stones! So what is money and how does it work? You and your family can explore the history, science, math, and economics behind money in Moneyville.
Saying Goodbye: A Retrospective Celebrating the "Old" Nickelodeon Location
- August 17, 2012
- Address: 937 Main Street, Columbia, SC 29201
- Venue: Nickelodeon Theatre
- Recurrence: Recurring daily
- Times: Various Times
To celebrate their move to a new theatre on Main Street, the Nick has 33 films scheduled to commemorate 33 successful years at their current theatre. Check out the Nickelodeon Theatre's website to purchase tickets and read our blog for more information. Full showing list and times: '79 Sunset Boulevard - Friday, August 10 at 5:30pm '80 Casablanca - Friday, August 10 at 8:00pm '81 The Seventh Seal - Saturday, August 11th at 5:30pm '82 Annie Hall - Saturday, August 11th at 8:00pm '83 Bre...
SC Watermedia Society Annual Juried Exhibition
- August 17, 2012
- Address: 1224 Lincoln Street, Columbia, SC 29201
- Recurrence: Recurring daily
- Times: Opening Reception 4 - 6 pm; Hours opened: Monday - Thursday 10 am - 6 pm; Friday 10 am - 5 pm; Saturday 11 am - 3 pm
The SC Watermedia Society (SCWS) Annual Juried Exibition. The juror for the show is Carol Carter (www.carol-carter.com), an internationally-renowned watercolorist from St. Louis, MO. The exhibition will feature 60 of the most talented water-based media artists from across the region. The exhibition will culminate with the 30-award winning entries featured in a show that will travel throughout the state. The exhibit will provide public access to the “best of the best” and is ...
Susan Lenz presents "Sun and Sand" at Frame of Mind
- August 17, 2012
- Location: Frame of Mind
- Address: 1520 Main Street, Suite 1E, Columbia, SC 29201
- Venue: Frame of Mind, the art of eyewear
- Recurrence: Recurring daily
- Times: Tuesday – Friday from 10 AM until 6 PM and on Saturday from noon – 4 PM
Susan Lenz presents over thirty fiber art works inspired by a month-long artist residency at The Studios of Key West at Frame of Mind, 1520 Main Street. The opening reception is during "First Thursday", August 2 from 6 - 9. The work reflects the brilliant ocean colors and sandy beach textures from a tropical paradise. http://www.susanlenz.com
Tangible History: Stoneware from the Holcombe Family Collection
- August 17, 2012
- Location: South Carolina State Museum
- Address: 301 Gervais Street, Columbia, SC 29201
- Venue: South Carolina State Museum
- Times: Tuesday - Saturday 10 am - 5 pm; Sunday 1 - 5 pm
From the oldest traditional art form east of the Mississippi River to the birthplace of the American alkaline-glazed stoneware tradition, South Carolina represents some of the most important milestones in ceramic arts. This exhibition will focus on the broad history of traditional pottery found in South Carolina, and will feature the incredible collection of the Holcombe Family from Clinton, South Carolina, housed on loan to the State Museum. This exhibit will include pottery made by the Spanis...
The Art of Seating: Two Hundred Years of American Design
- August 17, 2012
- Location: Columbia Museum of Art
- Address: 1515 Main Street, Columbia, SC 29201
- Venue: Columbia Museum of Art
- Times: Tuesday - Friday 11 am - 5 pm; Saturday 10 am - 5 pm; Sunday Noon - 5 pm
Most chairs encountered throughout the day define themselves fairly simply - a place at the family table, a comfortable spot with a great view of the river, a seat of corporate power. When looking at the 43 chairs selected for The Art of Seating: 200 Years of American Design, however, there is much more to see than simple pieces of furniture. These works of art have compelling stories to tell about our national history, the evolution of American design and incredible artistry and craftsmanship....
The Civil War in South Carolina: Naval Warfare on the Coast and Failed Attempts to Take Charleston
- August 17, 2012
- Location: South Carolina State Museum
- Address: 301 Gervais Street, Columbia, SC 29201
- Venue: South Carolina State Museum
- Recurrence: Recurring weekly on Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday
- Times: Tuesday-Saturday 10 am - 5 pm; Sunday 1 - 5 pm
The third installment of the Museum's series of exhibits focusing on the sesquicentennial of the Civil War.
The Life and Times of Congressman Robert Smalls.
- August 17, 2012
- Location: South Carolina State Museum
- Address: 301 Gervais Street, Columbia, SC 29201
- Venue: South Carolina State Museum
- Recurrence: Recurring weekly on Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday
- Times: Tuesday - Saturday 10 am - 5 pm; Sunday 1 - 5 pm
This exhibit tells the story of Robert Smalls, a slave who worked on the CSS Planter during the Civil War and made history when he stole the ship and steamed his way to freedom on May 13, 1862. After the war, Smalls was awarded the rank of major general and later elected to the S.C. legislature and U.S. Congress.
Thunder Tower presents Hogs & Hot Rods
- August 17, 2012
- Location: Thunder Tower
- Address: 190 Pontiac Business Center Drive, Elgin, SC 29045
- Venue: Thunder Tower Harley-Davidson and Buell
- Times: 6 - 10 pm
Join Thunder Tower for Hogs & Hot Rods! Enjoy a Bike Show, Hot Rod Show, Live Music, Food & Beer, Vendors, and Bike games with Riding Club Challenge!
Titanic: The Artifact Exhibit
- August 17, 2012
- Location: SC State Museum
- Address: 301 Gervais Street, Columbia, SC 29201
- Venue: South Carolina State Museum
- Recurrence: Recurring daily
- Times: Open Tuesday - Saturday 10 am - 5 pm; Sunday 1 -5 pm; Open Mondays - Memorial Day through Labor Day; Closed Easter.
On April 15, 1912, Titanic, the world's largest ship, sank after colliding with an iceberg claiming more than 1,500 lives and subsequently altering the world's confidence in modern technology. One hundred years later, the South Carolina State Museum will pay tribute to the tragedy which continues to resonate through Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition, where legendary artifacts conserved from the Ship's debris field are showcased offering visitors a poignant look at this iconic ship and its passen...
Trustus Theatre presents "The Palace of the Moorish Kings"
- August 17, 2012
- Location: Trustus Theatre
- Address: 520 Lady Street, Columbia, SC 29201
- Venue: Trustus Theatre
- Recurrence: Recurring weekly on Sunday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday
- Times: Thursday 7:30 pm; Friday & Saturday 8 pm; Sunday at 3 pm
Based on the short story by Evan S. Connell, A New play by Jon Tuttle, Directed by Dewey Scott-Wiley Thanksgiving Day, 1970: the Cowboys and Packers are on ABC, John Gary's on the hi-fi, and friends are gathering for their traditional feast at the Zobrowski home. Members of the greatest generation now living in comfortable suburban split-levels, now settled into conventional marriages and predictable careers, now living the ordinary lives of ordinary middle-class Americans, they are vaguely aw...
