COLUMBIA, S.C. — Summer is officially here!

If you're looking for something to do this weekend, try one or more of these cool ideas...

Black Eats Week 803, various locations, highlights Black-owned restaurants, eateries and establishments in the Midlands

Summer solstice, the official first day of summer 2024 arrives at 4:51 p.m.

Drag Bingo, 7-9 p.m., Columbia Museum of Art. Hosted by Patti O’Furniture, prizes for the bingo game winners as well as those dressed to impress on the Rainbow Runway. $35 for public, $28 for CMA members or buy a table for your group.

Meeting Street Artisan Market: Summer Series, 4-8 p.m. 425 Meeting St., West Columbia. Makers offer up arts and crafts in this evening market.

The Prom, 8 p.m. Trustus Theatre, 520 Lady St. Musical tells the story of Emma, a high school student in small-town Indiana who only wants to take her girlfriend to the prom. When the PTA cancels the dance rather than allow the girls to attend, a group of eccentric Broadway stars champion her cause. Runs weekends through July 13.

Gentle Yoga on the Plaza, 7-8 a.m. Boyd Plaza, 1515 Main St. Bring your own mat or settle into one of the provided mats or chairs for a morning session of mindfulness and wellbeing. Free with registration, no unaccompanied minors.

Make Music Day, 10 a.m.-7:30 p.m., Koger Center for the Arts, 1051 Greene St. Enjoy a full day of free music exploration. Anyone can join in on the fun and music making with ukulele lessons, drum circles and other available instruments.

U-Pick Lavender, 5-8 p.m. Heritage Valley farm, 3040 Summerland Highway, Batesburg-Leesville. Come out and pick a bundle of lavender for sachets or arrangements.

Pride on Harden, 6 p.m.-midnight, 1112 Harden St. Spread love and positivity, and enjoy a day of music, food and fun.

Bluegrass on the Point, 6:30 p.m., St. Martin’s-In-The -Fields Episcopal Church, 5220 Clemson Ave., Forest Acres (across from Crayton Middle School). Bring a blanket or a chair and enjoy the bluegrass sounds of The Millhands, free. Light refreshments provided or bring your own picnic.

Small Talk with Angie Stone & The Sequence, 7-9 p.m. Richland Library Main, 1431 Assembly St. Columbia native and singer/songwriter Angie Stone sits down with members of The Sequence, one of the first all-female hip hop groups, and talks about music and her career. Free.

Dam Boat Run at Lake Murray. Friday: 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Skip Day Fun Run and Raft Up at the Sandy Beach family side. Saturday: 9:45 a.m. boats stage at Lake Murray Dam Towers; 10 a.m.-2 p.m. boat run; 2-4 p.m. raft up at Hurricane Hole; 4 p.m.-until banquet at Liberty/Lake Murray Marina

Soda City Poetry Festival, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Richland Library Main, 1431 Assembly St. Open for all ages so young and experienced poets can share the same space and learn from each other. Conversations on writing, poetry readings, workshops and publishing a manuscript.

Strategy Saturday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Kershaw County Library Elgin, 2652 Main St., Elgin. Game day for all ages! Bring family and friends or meet up with other gamers at the library for a day of classic and indie board games.

Juneteenth Celebration: Inclusivity for Everyone, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. EdVenture Children’s Museum, 211 Gervais St. Enjoy African dance with Imani School of Dance, West African Drumming, storytelling, jazz music and food from Scott's Southern Smoke BBQ & Dirty V

Juneteenth Celebration in Hopkins, noon-6 p.m., Harriet Barber House, 116 Barberville Loop, Hopkins. The free event features live music by Cammwess, Quan Howell, Dante Lewis, Brandon Waller and Lil’ Co, food trucks, vendors and more.

Soul Food: The R&B Picnic + Festival Tour, 2-9 p.m. Historic Columbia Speedway, 2001 Charleston Highway, Cayce. Bring your lawn chairs and blankets and settle in for a day of music and good food. Coolers welcome but the site will have 3 full-service bars.

Concert in the Park: Under the Oaks, 2-4 p.m. Sesquicentennial State Park, 9564 Two Notch Rd. Come and enjoy the Upstate Brass Quintet under the oaks at the spillway. Bring your chairs or blankets and snacks for this family-friendly outdoor event. Free with park admission.

Glowing for Cancer Awareness Walk, 6:30-7:30 p.m. presented by Randy Sims Cancer Network. The evening walk starts at Wayman Chapel Church, 400 South Garden St., Winnsboro, and ends at Fairfield High School Alumni Administration Building.

Columbia’s 8th Shrimp and Grits Fest, 6-9 p.m. Seawell’s, 1125 Rosewood Dr. Enjoy the classic combination of shrimp and grits as presented by some of the area’s top chefs. Sample the different versions and decide the winner. Tickets include unlimited shrimp and grits samples, live music and door prizes.

The new homes, which are part of a planned neighborhood along Interstate 20 in northeast Columbia, were given initial approval by the city's planning commission June 13. If the proposed project gets city council approval, 220 single-family homes would be built on 59 acres near Jacobs Millpond Road in the planned development known as Woodcreek Farms.

The existing homes in the neighborhood are averaging around $768,000, according to Zillow listings, which is significantly higher than the average home cost in Columbia. The average home value is $231,000, according to Zillow. An additional 18 single-family townhomes were also approved as a part of the subdivision.

The massive housing development comes amid northeast Columbia's extensive growth, with big-name retail gets like Publix and Starbucks along increasingly busy roads. Spears Creek Church Road, a heavily trafficked route in the midst of the development, is set to be widened by early 2029.

New gym opens in the BullStreet District, another in West Cola

Columbia Business

The BullStreet District, the city's massive redevelopment project in downtown Columbia, is bulking up its offerings with a new gym.

Pvolve, a franchise gym endorsed by "Friends" star Jennifer Aniston focused on low-impact workouts, became the first gym in the retail district when owner Ashley Lamb cut the ribbon June 12.

The gym opened on the first floor of luxury apartment complex Bennett at BullStreet. Pvolve was started in 2017 when its founder, Rachel Katzman, wanted to find a better way to exercise that didn't involve high-intensity workouts, according to its website.

It joins a handful of other businesses that have opened or are slated to open in the growing retail district that's anchored by Segra Park, home to Columbia minor league baseball team the Fireflies.

Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant, a Delaware-based chain, opened in the area last year. In November of last year, Scout Motors, the electric vehicle company opening a $2 billion plant in Blythewood, opened its first South Carolina office in the district. Outdoor outfitters REI and a Starbucks also anchor the development.

On the horizon, popular Asheville brunch chain Tupelo Honey is set to open in late 2024, and the University of South Carolina plans to build a $300 million medical school campus near the district.

But if fancy, low-impact workouts aren't your speed, fear not. Another gym — judgment-free chain Planet Fitness — opened in West Columbia this week.

The gym chain, known for its cheap prices, "lunk" alarms and general opposition to stuffy fitness culture, opened at 2410 Augusta Road on June 10, according to a press release. The company announced in May that it would up its basic membership price for the first time in nearly three decades, from $10 a month to $15.

Columbia nonprofit names acting leader

Historic Columbia, a local nonprofit tasked with preserving the Capital City's history and culture, has named an interim director after longtime director Robin Waites announced in October that she'd retire in June after more than two decades with the group.

Columbia Business

Jeffrey Richardson, who's been with the organization since 2022, will take over as acting director June 28, according to a press release. Historic Columbia will continue to search for a permanent leader.

"I am honored to step into the role of Acting Executive Director," Richardson said. "Historic Columbia is a cornerstone of our community, and I am committed to continuing our efforts to preserve and share our connections to the past."

Last year, the nonprofit generated more than $2.7 million in revenue and paid Waites an annual salary of $153,714, according to the nonprofit's 2023 tax filings.

COLUMBIA — There's a common phrase Columbia residents will use when they describe living here:

"It's two hours from the mountains and two hours from the beach."

While the geography checks out and Columbia's centrality does make trips to the Lowcountry and the Blue Ridge Mountains easy, this description shortchanges the state's capital.

It presents this place as one to escape from instead of being a destination where more than one weekend is needed to check off all the boxes of things to do.

But with the right itinerary, Columbia can be the escape for those looking to experience something different than those mountains, beaches or larger Southern cities.

It's home to a national park, multiple James Beard Award-nominated restaurants, a unique arts scene and plenty of breweries. Here's how to experience just a few of those things in one weekend.

Food & Drink

Embrace Columbia's Easy-Going Vibe

After the drive-in, Columbia's breweries will offer a place to unwind and enjoy a quick bite. There are several options around, but Columbia Craft Brewing Company is a great place to start. It's near the heart of downtown, providing easy access to Main Street, The Vista and Five Points (more on what to do there later.)

Right across the Saluda River in West Columbia, Savage Craft Ale Works is a relative newcomer to the area's brewing community but has earned a reputation for its food, unique brews and cocktail menu. Plus, the adults-only rooftop offers a great view of downtown Columbia.

If bar food and some fun are in the cards, head to Transmission Arcade on Main Street. It's become a go-to not only for pinball machines but also for its creative menu of bar staples and some of the best wings in town.

Discover Columbia's Iconic Events and Places

Saturdays are for Soda City, where coffee and breakfast will kick off a busy day.

Soda City Market is one of Columbia's hallmark events. Sprawling along Main Street, the market draws over one hundred vendors to offer unique and local finds. There are plenty of coffee stands that offer classic brews, or you can try something totally different, like Turkish coffee.

The food ranges from unique takes on classic Southern breakfast to dishes from across the world.

Along with checking what each vendor offers, Soda City is the best way to explore Columbia's Main Street. Most shops and restaurants are open, giving visitors the chance to see what downtown's local businesses offer.

While downtown, the next move is a visit to the South Carolina State House, which rises at the intersection of Main and Gervais Streets.

Food & Drink

A walk around the building will reveal historic monuments and the offices where much of the state's business is conducted. And the stars on the State House's exterior aren't there for decoration. They mark the spots where Union artillery found its mark during Sherman's march through Columbia in the Civil War.

Free tours are also available, giving an inside look into where the state's laws are made and some interesting background on South Carolina's history.

It Can Get Wild Here

Before the day gets too warm, head to South Carolina's only national park, Congaree National Park, which is about a 30-minute drive from downtown.

While this could take up an entire day, the park's 2.6-mile Boardwalk Loop Trail will give visitors an elevated view of the old-growth bottomland hardwood forest. Plenty of wildlife will be around, including deer, otters, the occasional snake and a wide range of birds. Plus, admission is free.

Here are just a few coming up this summer:

Workshop Theatre takes on "The Addams Family"

Workshop Theatre kicks off the summer season by embracing the dark side of musical comedy, with a junior edition of “The Addams Family,” winkingly subtitled “Young@Part.”

Director Julian DeLeon, a veteran educator and children’s theater artist, will revisit the delightfully eccentric clan whose popularity has grown from their start as one-panel New Yorker cartoons to a cult 1960’s television series, to a more recent string of films and tv revivals. With help from musical director Taylor Diveley and choreographer Roxanne Livingston Rich, a young cast will explore what happens when proto-Goth girl Wednesday hits her teen years and meets a boy from a more “normal” family. This macabre romance runs for one extended weekend only, June 20-23 in Columbia College’s Cottingham Theatre. http://workshoptheatreofsc.com

Town Theatre tells a tale as old as time

Town Theatre follows suit after the July 4 holiday with a revival of Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast,” running July 12-28. When the animated film - featuring the voice of Robby Benson as the Beast — just months after his stint as visiting professor at the University of South Carolina — became a smash, much credit was given to the Broadway-style musical numbers created by composer Alan Menken and lyricist Howard Ashman, including the now-ubiquitous “Be Our Guest” and the tender title ballad, sung by Angela Lansbury (in the guise of an enchanted teapot.)

The perfect place to avoid awkward silences: Transmission Arcade

Main Street's Transmission Arcade is good for a lot of uses: happy hour, weekend brunch ... and avoiding those awkward lulls in first-date conversations. The plethora of vintage arcade games gives you something to do together without all the added pressure keeping up repartee. And the bar's location makes for great people watching along Main Street. Plus, the affordable prices and casual setting lower the stakes for an already stressful night.

For a day date with comfortable ambiance: Drip Coffee

Sometimes, adding alcohol or late-night hours into a first-date scenario can be too much for someone. A place like Drip, one of Columbia's top coffeeshops in Five Points, takes away the uncertainty alcohol or dinner might provide. It's casual and typically busy, so the chattery ambiance will help ease you into conversations. And if the date goes poorly ... you can always blame those pesky Five Points parking meters.

For cozy, casual drinks: Goat's

Across the street and around the corner from Drip sits Goat's. The craft cocktail and wine bar has a dark, intimate interior that doesn't feel stuffy. It's a place where regulars and first-timers can sit at the bar and make light conversation. It's also got a killer cocktail and food menu. For a classic first-date spot, Goat's is my go-to.

For the cultured set: The Columbia Museum of Art

For those of us with a creative mind, what could be a better litmus test than taking a potential new partner to an art museum? Are they bored? Do they find the ugliest thing the most beautiful? Do they read the information cards beside each piece? All can be revealed at Columbia's art museum on Main Street. Plus, from now until Labor Day, SC residents get free admission. So it's a free date, too.

For impressive meals that won't break the bank: War Mouth

Story continues below

Tucked off North Main Street, War Mouth has been a long-time favorite for great bites in a laidback setting. In fact, this is where I had my first (friend) date with my now-bestie. It's a cool enough space that choosing War Mouth might just make you seem cool, too.

For the classic dinner-and-a-movie date: The Nick

What's more classic for a first date than dinner and a show? On Main Street, you can do both and barely walk a block. The Nick is Columbia's only indie nonprofit theater, so not only will that give you a cool edge, but you can check out arthouse films and talkbacks instead of whatever mess Marvel is putting out these days. After — or before — the movie, hit up the plethora of spots on Main Street for a quick bite or strong libation.

For a no-spend date: The riverwalk

Some of us are trying to save money, but that shouldn't stop us from trying to find love, right? Solution: a walk and/or a picnic on one of the area's riverwalks. Whether on the Richland or Lexington side of the water, public trails and parks offer free and well-maintained spaces to go for a stroll, take in nature and spend some time together. If you're looking for a space a bit more populated, check out Columbia's entrance near CanalSide or to West Columbia. For a quieter walk, head to Cayce.

For catching live music with a crisp beer: Steel Hands

Sometimes a stuffy first date feels like too much pressure. A place like Steel Hands Brewing in Cayce takes the stuffiness out of the equation, but the brewery's expansive dinging and patio area, regular rotation of live music and food trucks, and a lengthy beer list is impressive enough.

For European vibes and good views: Black Rooster rooftop

Sometimes it's hard to find something truly cosmopolitan in Columbia. But Black Rooster in West Columbia offers an elegant menu and sweeping views without feeling like you need a suit and tie just to get in the door. To make things romantic, head to the rooftop, where you can watch the Columbia skyline from across the river.