4/15/16
Relay for Life
USC's chapter of Relay for Life begins at 7 p.m. on Friday with an opening ceremony. As the night progresses, there will be a survivors walk at 7:30 p.m., a Luminaria ceremony at 10:30 p.m., a talent competition at 11 p.m. and many more activities, until the closing ceremony at 6:30 a.m. on Saturday. Whether you are with a fundraising group or you would just like to attend solo, this is the perfect place to feel a sense of our cherished Carolina community banding together for a good cause.
Ballet Stars of New York
Dancers from the New York City Ballet will jete across the stage with USC dancers at the Koger Center for the Arts at 7 p.m for the 11th annual Ballet Stars of New York performance. Seven of the New York City Ballet's talented dancers — including Columbia native Sara Mearns — will be taking the stage with USC's own dance students for a night at the ballet, accompanied by the USC Symphony. Tickets are $15 for students, and will range from $25 to $35 for all other patrons.
OlympiaFest: Pasta in the Park
Get your fair share of carbs this Friday at 5 p.m. on the corner of Whaley and Wayne streets. Village Idiot Pizza will be organizing a huge pasta buffet, as well as live music and a dance party. Tours are also available of the Vulcan Materials Quarry, where a Quarry Crush Run will be held on Saturday. This event ends at 9 p.m., with tickets ranging from $8 to $10 for the pasta buffet and $10 to $15 for the pasta buffet and tour of the quarry.
4/16/16
Columbia International Festival
The 21st annual Columbia International Festival returns this weekend with food, dancing, music and more. The festival will run from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday and 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday at the state fairgrounds. The fair will feature ethnic dance groups every hour. There will also be cultural exhibits, an international food court, a fashion show at 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, and the Parade of Nations at 2 p.m. on Saturday. Tickets are $7 or free to any children 12 and under.
Indie Grits River Concert
Indie Grits, a large music and film festival hosted by the Nickelodeon, makes its annual appearance this weekend, starting on Thursday and going until Sunday. One main event that will be hosted with Indie Grits this Saturday is the River Concert, free to all and lasting from noon to 10 p.m. Big Freedia will headline the show, followed by many local and regional artists, such as Dear Blanca and New Madrid. This large celebration of indie music will take place on the banks of the Congaree River.
Neon Indian Concert
Electronic music band Neon Indian will come to the Music Farm at 9 p.m. on Saturday, with an opening act from Xenia Rubinos. Tickets are $15 in advance and $18 dollars at the door, with a $3 dollar surcharge for those who are under 21 and purchasing tickets at the door. If you are not ready to call it quits after a day of food, music and dancing, end your night at the Music Farm with more music from this unique, techno band.
4/17/16
The Tempest
Theatre South Carolina will be taking the stage with a unique twist on Shakespeare's "The Tempest" from April 15 to 23. Although the play is originally set on a remote island, director Robert Richmond envisioned this island to rather be an island or psychological space of the mind. This performance of "The Tempest" will take you to a mystical and eerie world with intricate costumes and a unique artistic vision. The Sunday matinee will begin at 3 p.m. at Drayton Hall, with tickets that are $12 for students, $16 for USC faculty and staff as well as military personnel and seniors and $18 for the general public.