Events in Sumter today

Try a new flavor for just two dollars during $2 Tuesday. Call-in orders are available at +1 (803) 747-7450, and delivery can be placed through DoorDash or Uber Eats. Open seven days a week.

Restore and move with a full-body Pilates class set among inspiring works of art in the galleries at the Columbia Museum of Art. Instructor Michaela Leung, who has practiced since 2018 and began comprehensive certification in 2023, blends classical Pilates principles with contemporary movement for a well-rounded, intentional practice. Sessions focus on core strength, flexibility, and posture, with modifications available for all experience levels. An upbeat soundtrack, ranging from hip-hop to indie, keeps the atmosphere motivating and inclusive. No prior experience is required. Mats are provided, and participants are welcome to bring their own mats and yoga props. Open to ages 13 and older. Minors must be accompanied. The fee is $20, or $16 for members, and members receive priority registration. This program receives partial support from the Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation. For accessibility accommodations, contact 803-799-2810 or info@columbiamuseum.org.

Explore expressive handwriting in a two-session calligraphy workshop at the Columbia Museum of Art. Participants develop a personal lettering style while learning to shape every character in a classic hand with care, then try contemporary techniques and unexpected tools to spark creativity. It is designed for both newcomers and enthusiasts and is open to ages 15 and up. All supplies and equipment are included. Instruction is led by designer and educator Stephanie Nace, a professor of graphic design and illustration at the University of South Carolina for more than two decades. She holds a BFA in graphic design from Penn State and an MFA in visual communication design from Kent State, is an award-winning practitioner and teacher, and focuses her research on conceptual development, experimental typography, letterpress, and three-dimensional design forms. She also guides The Design Studio as faculty coordinator and creative director, a faculty-led, student-run agency. Tuition is $120, with a $96 rate for members. For accessibility accommodations, contact 803-799-2810 or info@columbiamuseum.org.

Play Magic: The Gathering in Pauper, a format built around cards that have been printed at common rarity. A card is legal if it has ever appeared as a common in a paper release or on Magic Online, and you may use any version of that card. Common promo cards are allowed only when the card has had a common printing. Lands printed with a common set symbol and the L rarity code are treated as common for this format. Decks must include a main deck of at least 60 cards, with no upper limit on size. The focus on commons helps keep the format accessible.

Heroes Hideout in Florence hosts a weekly Lorcana tournament that brings Illumineers together to play, trade, and connect with the community. The format is Core Constructed with Swiss rounds lasting 55 minutes. Participants should bring a legal deck that follows the current rotation and banned card guidelines. Entry is $10. All players receive a booster pack and a promo card, and the winner takes home an additional booster pack.

Riftbound Nexus Night at Heroes Hideout brings the TCG community together for head-to-head play that welcomes both competitive streaks and relaxed games. The atmosphere is friendly and social, with time to connect before and after matches. Entry is $10. With fewer than nine players, prizes are a booster pack for each match win. With nine or more, prizes are determined by match record. If packs are unavailable, entry is reduced to $5 and promo packs are used for prizes so participation is still recognized.

Explore the Hampton-Preston gardens with Historic Columbia and local birder John Tjaarda during a free guided walk focused on birding and the many resident and migratory species found in Columbia. Learn techniques for recognizing birds by sight, sound, and behavior, with time to practice along the garden paths. Registration is required and attendance is limited to 20 people. Binoculars are encouraged but not required. Dress for the weather, wear comfortable shoes, and consider bug spray in warmer months. Meet at the front gate of the gardens at Hampton-Preston Mansion. This program will be canceled if it is raining or if winds exceed 25 mph, so check the forecast before arriving.

Little Chicks offers an early literacy storytime for children ages 2 to 5 and their parents. Kids can sing together, choose books to explore, and practice social skills alongside their caregivers. The program takes place in the Storytime Room.

Thirsty Thursdays features $5 make-your-own treats where any ice cream flavor can be blended into a milkshake or turned into a float. Orders are available for pickup, with delivery offered through DoorDash and Uber Eats. First-time Uber Eats customers can use the code eats-cai1n1tifk for a discount. Call +1 (803) 747-7450 to place an order by phone. Service is available seven days a week.

The Pee Dee Women’s Professional Association hosts a luncheon at Florence Country Club featuring Mikaela Preteroti, Marketing Librarian for the Florence County Library System. Through a presentation focused on how the library can support personal and professional growth, attendees will learn about no-cost resources for career development, lifelong learning, creative projects, and building community connections. Drawing on eight years with the library system, including experience as the bookmobile librarian and now in marketing, Mikaela shares outreach insights that have helped residents discover services they did not know were available. This program is well suited for anyone aiming to build new skills, explore a passion project, expand a network, or make fuller use of local library offerings.

Enjoy a free outdoor concert on the Koger Center Plaza Stage, presented by the Koger Center as part of the Levitt AMP Columbia Music Series, featuring Molly Martin with an opening set from Homemade Haircuts. Molly Martin brings indie rock with a sly edge, drawing on early Smashing Pumpkins, Land of Talk, and the grit of the Pretenders. Her debut album, Mary, arrived in January 2023 and shines a light on life before and after quitting drinking, an eight track exploration of self discovery that moves between a buttoned up Mary and a buttoned down Molly. Homemade Haircuts, a four piece indie rock band from Columbia, South Carolina, began as a bedroom recording project and shaped an effervescent live sound through years of touring the Southeast. The group’s brash new chapter includes the single "Clown," which pivots from their usual melancholy to blend societal observations with flatulence jokes and circus themes. The music embraces bolder tones and crisper production influenced by producer Tommy Trautwein, turning "Clown" into both a reply to naysayers and a statement of the unorthodox confidence needed to chase one's dreams.

Readers meet at Piecewise Coffee for a welcoming book club conversation focused on James by Percival Everett. Participants can receive 10% off book club selections at All Good Books, and they connect on the Fable book club app to track progress and meet fellow members ahead of the next gathering. The club is free and open to the public, with no registration required. Future selections include The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas and The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride.

Heroes Hideout hosts a regular Gundam gathering that welcomes both seasoned Gunpla fans and those new to the Gundam trading card game. It offers a friendly place to battle, pick up tips, spend time with the community, and represent favorite factions. The entry fee is 5 dollars. Prize support scales with attendance. With fewer than nine participants, each win earns a pack. With nine or more, prizes are awarded based on match record. Friends are welcome, and players can enjoy ramen or bubble tea while they play. Test your skills and see who commands the battlefield.

This relaxed, judgment free karaoke night lets you sing nearly any song available on YouTube without a long wait for your turn. If your favorite track does not have a karaoke version, request it in advance through @beveradb. The setting is easygoing, and you can enjoy a beer with friends while taking the mic. Admission is free.

Subarashii! brings together teens who love anime, manga, and hands-on creativity. This club explores Japanese culture, art styles, and history through engaging craft activities. All materials are provided, and refreshments are offered. Open to ages 12 to 17. The gathering takes place in the Multipurpose Room.

Join an hour of STEM activities. This engaging program helps children build problem-solving and critical thinking skills while having fun and making new friends.

The Night Shift at Re•Find offers an easygoing evening with late-night shopping, local food trucks, and beer and wine from Craft & Draft. Explore vendor booths, uncover unique vintage treasures, and enjoy a relaxed community atmosphere throughout the night.

Meet the authors of Loving Me to Pieces in person at VIBEZ.Coffee. Talk about the book, ask questions, and pick up a signed copy in a relaxed, casual setting alongside other readers. Admission is $20, sent via Cash App to $Piecesnonprofit. After payment, register on Eventbrite.

WWE NXT returns to Columbia for a live event at The Township Auditorium. Featured performers include NXT Champion Tony D’Angelo, NXT Women’s Champion Lola Vice, NXT North American Champion Myles Borne, and North American Women’s Champion Zaria, along with Keanu Carver, Kendal Grey, Shiloh Hill, Jaida Parker, Naraku, and additional NXT superstars. Ticket access includes a public onsale, venue and Ticketmaster presales, and several WWE presales through web, social, partner, talent, email, and WhatsApp channels, plus special promotions such as an Independence Day discount and a SummerSlam Weekend offer with 30 percent off.

A solo performer brings live tunes to Sumter Original Brewery in Sumter.

Twilight screens as part of the Late Night Staff Pick Series, a program where Nick staff members choose films they believe the audience will enjoy, spanning genres from classic horror to screwball comedies and more, with each title presented as a single-night screening. The story follows seventeen-year-old Bella Swan after she moves to Forks, Washington to live with her father. She is drawn to the enigmatic Edward Cullen and soon learns he is a vampire, setting the stage for a relationship tested as Edward and his family work to protect her from a dangerous coven targeting her. Directed by Catherine Hardwicke and adapted from Stephenie Meyer’s bestselling novel, the film became a major commercial success, earning over $407 million worldwide on a modest budget and setting a then-record opening weekend for a film directed by a woman, surpassing Deep Impact.

A welcoming youth tournament for participants ages 8 to 16.

Climb into a real NASCAR stock car with NASCAR Racing Experience and drive it yourself. You will not be following a pace vehicle and there is no instructor in the cockpit, so it is just you and the racetrack. Those who would rather feel the speed from the passenger seat can opt for a pro-driven ride that tops 150 miles per hour. A bucket list experience for motorsports fans.

Now in its 14th year, the Columbia WALK to End Hydrocephalus brings people together to honor warriors and raise awareness about hydrocephalus. This community walk focuses on solidarity and support, offering a meaningful way to recognize strength and spotlight the cause.

Orangeburg comes together for the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Orangeburg Walk at Edisto Memorial Gardens. This community event honors survivors and caregivers, supports those in treatment, and remembers loved ones, while raising funds for education, research, and hope. The goal is $20,000, with $10,237 already raised and $9,763 still to go. Participants can register to walk, start a team or join one, make a donation, become a sponsor, and help spread the word by inviting family and friends. Many share the names of those they are walking for to recognize every story and every life touched by breast cancer, with a shared commitment to making a lasting impact in Orangeburg County.

Celebrate and support local veterans at a community-focused day of food, entertainment, and good company. Everyone is welcome, whether arriving by motorcycle, car, truck, or on foot, and family and friends are welcome too. Proceeds support veterans and veteran-focused programs through the mission of Vets Helping Vets, turning a fun gathering into meaningful community impact.

Created by the Future Leaders in Medicine Group, this annual 5K fun run at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine in Columbia, SC brings medical students from across the country together to support Curing Kids Cancer and advance critical pediatric research. The event welcomes all ages and running abilities, whether aiming for a fast finish or enjoying a relaxed run for a meaningful cause. Teams of four or more get a $5 per person discount on individual registration, and the top three teams receive a special award on race day.

Heroes Hideout hosts a weekly Yu-Gi-Oh event in Florence that welcomes duelists who want to compete or simply get more practice games. Entry is $5, and each participant receives two OTS packs upon signing up. For every eight players in the field, one booster box is added to the prize pool. Payout depends on attendance. With 16 or fewer players, prizes go to the top four finishers, allocated as 40 percent for first, 30 percent for second, and 15 percent for both third and fourth. With 17 or more players, prizes extend to the top eight, awarded as 30 percent for first, 20 percent for second, 15 percent for third and fourth, and 5 percent for fifth through eighth.

A gala is on the calendar, and the official start time will be shared on the event website. Please check the site for the latest schedule information and any updates before you make plans.

Now in its fourth year, the Caregiver’s Gala centers on the theme Bridges, emphasizing stronger connections between kinship caregivers and the essential supports that help the children they nurture. Across communities, grandparents, relatives, and close family friends often step into crucial caregiving roles with little preparation and steady dedication, holding families together while carrying significant responsibility. This event both celebrates their resilience and encourages wider support. The awareness it builds, along with funds raised, fuels the growth of programs that link families with support services, advocacy, training opportunities, and wellness resources.

Cola Cafe Fest launches as a celebration of coffee, tea, pastries, desserts, and cafe culture at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center. Local and regional cafes, coffee roasters, tea brands, bakeries, dessert makers, specialty drink vendors, artisan food businesses, and other makers come together for a marketplace filled with distinctive drinks and treats. Attendees can discover new cafes, shop cafe-inspired products from artisan vendors, watch live demonstrations, and connect with the people behind local brands. Highlights include a latte art throwdown competition, offerings from tea and matcha specialists, boba and other creative beverages, coffee roasters and cafes, and plenty of photo-worthy sips alongside pastries and desserts. The festival offers something for fans of specialty coffee, matcha, boba, baked goods, sweets, and the easygoing atmosphere of a great cafe.

Historic Columbia leads a guided walking tour of Main Street, highlighting the architecture and history of buildings along the 1300 through 1700 blocks. The route begins and concludes at Boyd Plaza and lasts about 75 minutes. Only 20 advance tickets are available, and no walk-up sales will be offered. Tickets are $5 for HC members and $10 for non-members, with free admission for youth 17 and under.

Free roller skating lessons at Finlay Park are tailored for true beginners and those returning to the activity, and they welcome participants of all ages. Instruction focuses on essential skills that are revisited during monthly sessions to build confidence and consistency. For a more progressive option, a separate 6-week Beginners Group course is available. For information on upcoming classes, pricing, and locations, email info@letsgetrollnsc.com or check the Events section of the organizer’s Facebook page. Expect a friendly, supportive environment that encourages getting active outdoors with guidance provided throughout.