With a full slate of community events, early holiday festivities, concerts, football and so much more, there’s no slowing us down this month! Read through our roundup below, then take a look through our calendar of events for all the fun things going on in Columbia SC. 

Cola Community

Tap into life as a Columbia SC local. Mosey amongst the vendor booths at Soda City Market, Meeting Street Artisans Market and Sandhill Farmers Market to shop for handmade or homegrown goods. Or pop into various restaurants and shops along Main Street for First Thursday on Main

Sample a locally-made craft brew as River Rat faces off against Columbia Craft during Battle of the Brews – Round 2, alongside the river at sunset at Bierkeller at Riverfront Park, with your furry friend in tow at Woofstock 2019 at Hunter-Gatherer Brewery at The Hangar or during Columbia Museum of Art’s quarterly Arts & Draughts event.

Fall means it’s officially oyster season. Celebrate by stopping by the South Carolina Oyster Festival, Oyster Fest at Swamp Cabbage Brewing or Oyster Roast and BBQ at River Rat Brewery.

Warm up with some Southern barbeque at Bubble Q, which pairs all your favorite smoked proteins with dozens of champagnes from all over the world, or at Paddle & Pickin’ on the Broad, where you can work up your appetite with a paddle on the river.

Cozy up with the kids to watch Toy Story 4 or Aladdin at Icehouse Amphitheater.

Fuel your creativity during the State Street Art Crawl, Stop-In Studios at Columbia Museum of Art or Universal Fashion Show 2019: Bringing Unity to the World at Tapp’s Arts Center.

Make room for the miscellany, like a Fall Festival and History Day at the South Carolina State Museum, a celebration of Daylight Saving Time with West Columbia’s Fall Back Fest, the 52nd Annual Gem, Mineral & Jewelry Show or Repticon Columbia Reptile Show. 

Holiday Cheer

Soak up the last bits of Halloween with Emo Night Columbia: A Very Emo Halloween 2 and the remaining few days of Deceased Farm and Hollywood Horror Escape Rooms by Genesis Studios.

Then, switch gears to the winter holiday festivities. Enjoy the various kickoff events in our different neighborhood districts like Devine Night Out, Vista Lights, the 53rd Annual Governor’s Carolighting and Christmas at the Mill 2019. 

Get holiday décor inspo that’s both old and new during either Historic Columbia’s Historic Holiday House Tours or Lexington’s Holiday Open House.

Start your shopping early at the Craftsmen’s Christmas Classic Art & Craft Festival and the 35th Annual Jamil Craft Show Christmas Craft Fair.

Stock up on matzoh, kugel, brisket and more at Bubbie’s Jewish Food Festival.

Feast your eyes upon the dazzling displays at Riverbanks Zoo and Garden’s Lights Before Christmas, Holiday Lights on the River at Saluda Shoals Park and the 30th Festival of Trees.

Finally, get your steps in at the Sleigh Bell Stroll or pay an early visit to the North Pole at Santa’s Holiday Village at EdVenture.

Put Your Hands Together For...

There’s plenty to keep you entertained this month. Snag a ticket to a performance of Much Ado About Nothing at Drayton Hall Theatre, Into the Woods at Town Theatre, Marjorie Prime at Trustus Theatre, I And You by UofSC Lab Theatre or Murder And All That Jazz | Murder Mystery Dinner Theater at The Joint. Or catch John Crist – Immature Thoughts Tour at Township Auditorium for a night of laughter.

Stop by The Senate this month to see Hippo Campus, Abbey Road Live! Beatles Tribute, Mason Ramsey, Chris Lane, EnRage Against the Machine, Matt and Kim, Loud Luxury, GRYFFIN and HARDY take the stage. Then skip over to Tin Roof for Levi Hummon. 

Be a part of the show with Dueling Pianos or Karaoke Night at The Main Course.

From country to heavy metal, Colonial Life Arena is running the genre gamut this month with Miranda Lambert Roadside Bars and Pink Guitars Tour and Five Finger Death Punch.

Enjoy the music of Live in the Lobby – Celebrating South Carolina’s Jazz Culture at Koger Center for the Arts, Boyd Plaza Sonatas and Reimagining Vivaldi with the South Carolina Philharmonic, Hail Britannia at Harbison Theatre at Midlands Technical College and CMA Chamber Music on Main. 

Be sure to make a trip to Township Auditorium this month for the Southern Soul Music Festival or head to Koger Center for the Arts for TobyMac The Theatre Tour.

Football and Finish Lines

Round out the rest of regular season college football with us as the Gamecocks take on Vanderbilt, Appalachian State and Clemson this month.

Work up a sweat at the Superhero 5K + Family Fun Day or the Shandon Turkey Trot & Burn 5K.

Exhibits, Tours and More

Discover science, art, history and nature in different museums, galleries and programming this month. Hope on a tour and hear it straight from the experts. Might we recommend Palladium Fall Tour | Columbia Modern, Second Sunday Stroll | Melrose Heights, Under the Dome: McKissick Museum’s Behind-the-Scenes Tours, Guided Nature Tour with Dr. Rudy Mancke at the Cayce Riverwalk, Murders and Mysteries Lexington Walking Tour or Vin as in Vincent: A Tour & Tasting.

Head to the South Carolina State Museum to check out Apollo 50: Journey to the Moon, Reflections on the River or to enjoy the last few days of Museum of Oz.

Spend the day meandering through McKissick Museum to see Thank You! Love, McKissick, Abstract Art from the Permanent Collection or Piece by Piece: Quilts from the Permanent Collection.

Immerse yourself in the artistry of Van Gogh and His Inspirations at Columbia Museum of Art or Wide-Open Spaces: Alicia Leeke New Abstract Landscape Paintings at City Art Gallery.