Summertime in the City

From arts to crafts and alternative circus performances, take in a bit of what the Capital City has to offer.

Thursday

Five Points hosts it’s annual blood drive from 11:00 until 4:00 at the Fountain at the corner of Greene and Harden Streets. All presenting donors get a voucher for a free chicken sandwich from the Five Points Chic-fil-a.

Donate blood this summer and help other live to make and share summer memories and stories. For more information or to schedule an appointment, visit www.redcrossblood.org and enter sponsor code fivepoints or call1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-722-2767). Walk-ins are always welcome and appreciated

Thursday Night

Our neighborhood here on South Carolina’s Main Street is coming alive and stays alive after work on the first Thursday of every month. From live performances to gallery openings. It goes from Main and Gervais (wave at Eric & Alicia) to the Tapp’s Arts Center. Don’t forget to stop in to all the galleries in the Equitable Arcade right next door to our home in the Historic Barringer Building. Learn more here.

This month: the winning groups from the SC Chamber Music Competition will perform at Tapp’s Art Center (1644 Main St  Columbia, SC 29201)/

The C Street Brass

Clocks in Motion at 7:30 p.m.
Quintet Sciroco at 8:30 p.m.
C Street Brass at 9:15 p.m.

Friday Night

Don’t go home after work, the Columbia Museum of Art kicks off it’s Craft.Bar.Happy.Weekend. a two-day expansion of the popular Friday evening beer and DIY crafting event.

Friday night starting at 6:00, its live music, local food and art…and crafty camaraderie!

Beat the crowds with exclusive first access to handmade crafts from artists across the Southeast before Saturday’s open craft market!

Plus, WXRY Unsigned alum Ned and the Dirt will be performing.

You’ll also get to check out both the new exhibit Lost in Translation, but also the newly opened crowd-sourced exhibit ONEx100 with 1 foot by 1 foot pieces submitted by 100 local and regional artists.

Of course, beer and food will be available.

Admission

• $10 for non-members
• $6 for members
• $4 for students
• Free for children under 10

Saturday, the indoor craft fair opens with FREE admission for the crafting area and there will be workshops and hands-on-activities for all ages to enjoy.

Learn more here.

1001Arabian Nights

Friday and Saturday nights, Columbia’s professional circus company presents the first of two weekend runs on their new prodiction 1001 Arabian Nights in the Earlewood Park Amphitheater.

The performance of acrobatics, fire and story telling is based on middle eastern fairy tales. It’s a paid-admission event.

Learn more here.

Of course, we are just skimming the surface of what is happening. Discover more and subscribe to a free weekly newsletter here.

There’s Always Something to Do in the Capital City

Tonight

It’s live music after work tonight at the Riverbanks Zoo and Garden botanical garden when Rhythm and Blooms wraps up. From 6:00 until 9:00 tonight, Jackaroe performs.

Jackaroe

Admission is $5 for non-members. It’s FREE for zoo members, so doesn’t a membership make sense? Learn more here.

Saturday

EdVenture Children’s Museum hosts the first South Carolina Mini Maker’s Faire. Maker’s Faires in other cities have become large multi-day events where folks that create something (yes, its really that broad) exhibit, demonstrate and perhaps even do a little hands-on for ever-increasing audiences.

This is the first event in South Carolina for Maker’s Faire, which includes a broad selection of tinkerers, inventors and creators. You’ll meet artisans, technicians, programmers, coders, crafters, DIYers, cinematic explorers, and performers as they share their talents with the world. From 3-D printing and light graffiti to frisbee throwing robots and zombie dolls, this is something that you don’t want to miss.

It’s 9:00 to 5:00 on Saturday and its geared to all ages.  Learn more here.

Through Sunday

The tiny hometown of Darla Moore, Lake City, South Carolina, hosted it’s first arts exhibition called Artfields which pretty much put the town on the map of the art scene. If you missed it, you can see a selection of the exhibited works at Gallery 8080 on Lady Street in the Vista in Artfields Extended, which closes on Sunday. Admission is FREE. Learn more here.

This weekend is the first Civic Day of Hacking. “Public information” is often the most difficult data to use, although it includes things we want, need, and have a right to know. Learn what what’s available, and how to unlock it. Hang out with others who want to share information to improve our communities.  If you’re up to a challenge, you might actually do something to help in just 30 hours.

More than just a bunch of computer geeks, there will be presentations, lectures and demonstrations (the exhibit kind) at locations throughout the South Carolina Main Street area. It concludes from a block party Saturday night from 6:00 until 9:00 on the plaza behind the IT-ology building at the corner of Sumter and Gervais Streets. Learn more here. Not the computer type but still want to be involved? Find out how you can be a volunteer with COR.

Sunday

You may have caught the broadcast on Sunday nights. If you haven’t WXRY Unsigned presents the best of local and regional unsigned music every Sunday night live from The British Bulldog Pub.

The Morrison Brothers

This Sunday’s nights guests are The Morrison Brothers, a D.C. based band that is starting to turn heads in the Southeast. They are making a stop  to talk with Brent and Randy and play a couple songs for you. So, grab a pint and a seat. No cover charge.

 Official site

Twitter

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Tuesday: Get Involved.

You’re obviously interested in being part of what makes Columbia great: participating and doing interesting things. Learn how you can be involved in any number of events going on year round in your City. Show up to Tuesday night’s COR Action Team meetup. We all have something we are really good at: learn how you can put your talents to use and help and meet other young, active adults.. Anyone is welcome to attend a meetup, so you are encouraged to bring a friend! After work, 5:300 to 6:30 at 930 Richland Street. Learn more here.

Of course, we are just skimming the surface of what is happening in the Capital City. Find out more about what’s happening in town and subscribe to a free weekly email here.

Officially the Summer Season Starts in the Capital City

We’re not a sleepy Southern town anymore. Except for this less than two week period where Columbia takes a break from school, work and the hustle and bustle of the social calendar.

There aren’t any big festivals going on. Independence Day is still a month away.

Nonetheless, take a moment to catch your breath, remember those that died to ensure that our representative democracy continues to thrive, and perhaps be a tourist in our own hometown.

Thursday and Friday

The USC Department of Theatre and Dance presents a play written by two USC professors entitled Flight. A self-described “theatrical poem,” it explores the thrill and daring of the first women aviators. The play’s narrative follows two French actresses who are preparing to make a history-making flight from Paris to Moscow in 1913. Curtain is at 8:00 Thursday and Friday night in Longstreet Theatre (Sumter and Greene Streets, USC Campus) and the admission is a really affordable $5. Learn more here.

Friday and Saturday

The USC Dance Conservatory presents something for the whole family: Hansel and Gretel. There are two performances Friday night (6:00 and 8:00) and two matinees on Saturday (2:00 and 4:00) in the Drayton Hall Theatre at the corner of College and Sumter Streets (opposite the Horseshoe on the USC Campus). Admission prices vary. Learn more here.

Sunday

The Palmetto Concert Band hosts their annual Memorial Day Concert at the Koger Center for the Arts on Assembly Street in the Vista. The program is free and filled with patriotic favorites played by your neighbors in the band. It starts at 4:00 and lasts approximately 90 minutes.

Artist Phillip Mullen gives a gallery talk about his exhibit at the 701 Center for Contemporary Art. It’s a 2:00 and it is free, although 701 CCA is a small non-profit so they won’t turn down a small donation. Hint, hint. 701 Whaley Street, Second floor.

Now through Sunday

The Town Theatre’s run of the musical Miss Saigon ends on Sunday. There are plenty of showtimes to see it through Sunday.

Check the theater’s website for showtimes and ticket information.

This is just some of the highlights of what is going on this weekend. Listen to The Buzz on the half hour all day on 99.3 FM and the TuneIn radio app or discover what else is happening this week.