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Rise and shine, Columbia!

In today’s planning-your-week edition: Cottontown art crawl, Ramadan night market, and Sapphire ballet & gala + all our favorite events happening over the next seven days.

Today’s sponsor, American Hartford Gold, is helping folks around Columbia protect their savings as gold and silver continue to gain momentum. Their free guide explains what’s driving the surge… and what to know before adding precious metals to your portfolio. Grab your free copy here.

📰 In the news

Help restore native canopy: Columbia’s Bradford Pear Bounty tree exchange will return March 14 at 2404 Main St, with preregistration required. Residents can trade up to five removed Bradford pears for free native replacements — see how to register.

Celebrating roots and resilience: St. James AME Church in Columbia, founded in 1872, recently unveiled a historical marker honoring 154 years of community, preserving Wheeler Hill’s civil rights legacy for future generations — see why this marker matters.

Drivers face temporary changes: I-77 southbound detours in Richland County start today at 8:00 p.m. between mile markers 24 and 27, with another planned March 9 at 8:30 a.m., for Exit 26 interchange work — get the detour schedule.

Nothing prepares you for a pet emergency: I learned that the hard way after charging $10k to a credit card for life-saving surgery on my cat, Miss Stache. As soon as we got home, I signed up for Spot. It’s super affordable – and reimburses up to 90% of the bill.

Highlights this week:

• Experience Cottontown’s bustling art crawl
• Tour Georgian gallery with Joseph Bruce
• Celebrate St. Pat’s in Five Points
• You’re probably overpaying for car insurance

🏆 Gold and silver are heating up

Together with our sponsor American Hartford Gold

Gold just posted its strongest run in decades… and the momentum is carrying into 2026. Silver has become one of the most talked-about assets as investors look for ways to stay ahead of market volatility.

While many are still sitting on the sidelines, others are quietly repositioning.

If you’re wondering whether you’re missing something, AHG has a free guide explaining what’s driving the renewed interest… and how investors are approaching precious metals right now.

It’s free and worth reading before the next move.

🫶 We got your back

Serious wing craving: Nothin’ But Wings is a family-owned north Columbia spot serving classic and specialty wings, plus a few extras, that hit the spot without fuss. Keep it local, keep it crispy, and let this standby rescue dinner when your brain says wings now.

Treat yourself properly: POUT Cosmetics and Skin Studio is the neighborhood fix for upgraded skin and stash, with curated makeup, skincare, haircare, and fragrance. Think facials, including Hydrafacial, plus brow and lash shaping and spray tans. Expect smart recs and results that leave you suspiciously radiant.

Weekend fairway fix: Tuck a sleeve of balls and play 18 that rewards smart swings at The Spur at Northwoods, with sneaky doglegs, quick greens, and just enough bite to keep it honest. Shake off the week, find your rhythm, and maybe notch a small personal win.

Thinning hair? It only gets worse: A few months ago, I noticed my ponytail getting thinner. I tried the usual stuff (biotin, shampoo, etc.) but mostly just hoped it would fix itself… until I learned that active follicles can permanently go dormant if you don’t do something about it. The good news? You can get treatment that actually works with no office visits or trips to the pharmacy. Learn more about my favorite online options here.

📆 Our favorite events this week

Have an event to share? BaseLocal Verified Businesses can submit them for free! Learn more about how to submit an event here →

All events are subject to change without notice. Always check official event pages for the most up to date information.

🌙 Ramadan Night Market @ Columbia Museum of Art | Thursday (3/5) at 5:00 PM – Skip the First Thursday shuffle and head to Boyd Plaza for Columbia’s Ramadan Night Market, a free mix of culture, shopping, and good eats. Browse handicrafts, sip chai, hit the food trucks, try henna, hear Qur’an recitation, and pop into the CMA galleries, free.

🔨 Craftsmen’s Spring Classic @ SC State Fairgrounds | Friday (3/6) at 10:00 AM – Columbia’s award-winning spring art fix lands at the State Fairgrounds, all indoors, so your sinuses can enjoy it. Hundreds of juried makers bring pottery, glass, jewelry, and more, most taking custom orders. Buy once, then loop back with the free return pass.

🎨 8th Annual Cottontown Art Crawl @ Cottontown/Bellevue Historic District | Saturday (3/7) at 10:00 AM – Cottontown is transforming into an open-air gallery with 230 artists, live music, and enough food trucks to test your willpower. It’s free, family- and pet-friendly, and you’ll meet the makers, buy local, and call it cardio, then still bump into three neighbors you like.

🐕 Bark to the Park @ Saluda Shoals Park Soccer Complex | Saturday (3/7) at 11:00 AM – If your dog’s been angling for beads, here’s your Mardi Gras fix, Midlands style. Join the pup parade and easygoing walk, then let tails roll at After-Pawty with contests, freebies, a car show, K9s in Flight, and more, all benefiting pets in need.

🐶 Puppy Pals Live @ Harbison Theatre at Midlands Technical College | Saturday (3/7) at 3:30 PM – Think your dog’s talented? These rescue pups pull off stunts and goofy tricks in a family show where the dogs are in charge. Bring kids or grandkids, and snag $5 off for seniors, students, and military, plus savings when you bundle three or more shows.

🩰 Sapphire Ballet & Gala @ Koger Center for the Arts | Saturday (3/7) at 7:30 PM – Dress up, show up, and toast 65 years of SC Ballet with classical and contemporary works, plus Dick Goodwin Big Band at the Koger Center. Go Gala if you fancy an open bar, Scott Hall’s heavy hors d’oeuvres, and mingling with dancers, donors, and alumni.

🍀 11th Annual Shamrock Parade @ Downtown Lexington | Sunday (3/8) at 3:00 PM – Downtown’s turning emerald for the Shamrock Parade, with Irish dancers, brass, and more beauty queens than a church cookbook. Claim a spot on Main, sip something warm, and let the floats, local characters, and color commentary roll by. Wear green, avoid pinches, bring the kids.

Live music & entertainment:

• 3/4 Singing for Sami @ Koger Center for the Arts – 7:00 PM
• 3/5 First Thursday on Main @ Arcade Mall – 5:00 PM
• 3/6 Brandon Oakes @ O’Hara’s Bakery Café – 7:00 PM
• 3/6 Tauren Wells: The Take It All Back Tour @ Mt. Horeb Church – 7:00 PM
• 3/7 The Magic Purple Circle @ Mike Brown Contemporary Art Gallery – 11:00 AM
• 3/7 Latin Nights @ Lola B – 6:00 PM
• 3/8 Salsa Sundays @ Gather Cola – 3:00 PM

Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →

🔥 Worth a peek

We’re always on the hunt for useful resources, deals, services, and products we think you’ll love. Here’s what caught our eye this week.

• Industry-leading home warranty protection ($150 off right now)
• 62+? See how much tax-free cash your home could unlock → free calculator
• This free tool helps connect you with the right financial advisor
• Got debt? You may be able to pay less than you owe
• Protect your pet from disaster with this pet insurance plan
• Treat yourself: Save $ on self-care during the CVS Epic Beauty Sale
• You can own physical gold and silver in your retirement account

📻 Columbia report

Weather forecast

Today – High: 56°F – Low: 46°F – Precip: 5%

Mostly cloudy, with a high near 56. Northeast wind around 9 mph. Later: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 46. Northeast wind around 6 mph.

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Tomorrow – High: 66°F – Low: 50°F – Precip: 9%

Mostly cloudy, with a high near 66. East wind around 3 mph. Later: Partly cloudy, with a low around 50.

Someone Googled you this week 👀

It may feel like an invasion of privacy, but unfortunately It’s the new normal. Whether you’re joining a committee, selling something locally, dating again, or just meeting new neighbors… people are going to look you up online.

Like it or not, the internet has a way of surfacing past mistakes and outdated information that no longer reflects who you are.

Thankfully, there’s a really easy way for you – or someone you care about – to clean up outdated results that no longer tell the real story. Learn more here.

This house is wild

This 4-bed, 3-bath corner-lot gem sits catty-corner to Heathwood Park with 2023 updates to the primary bath, laundry, and hall. A living room and den flank an open kitchen. The vaulted family room features a stone fireplace, opening to a privacy-fenced backyard with a saltwater pool, a cabana with outdoor kitchen, and a plumbed studio. Primary suite on main.

Take a peek inside →