Columbia Regional Visitors Center Celebrates 26th Annual National Tourism Week With Week Long Events

This year’s theme encourages travelers to “Discover Great American Traditions”

The Columbia Regional Visitors Center (CRVC) joins hundreds of cities, states and travel-related businesses nationwide in recognition of the 25^th annual National Tourism Week, to be held May 9-17. Designated by Congress and established by presidential proclamation in 1983, the event celebrates the value and scope of the nation’s $740 billion travel and tourism industry, and the economic and social contributions it brings to Columbia, SC.

In celebrating the industry and its impact on the community, the CRVC has scheduled many events for National Tourism Week. The schedule is as follows:

Monday: Popcorn Day. A complimentary bag of popcorn will be given to visitors who will be entered into a drawing for a special giveaway basket filled with “Famously Hot” items!

Tuesday: Ticket Tuesday. A lucky visitor, selected at random will receive 2 complimentary tickets to one of our local attractions.

Wednesday: Cab Driver Appreciation, the CRVC is asking cab drivers working between the hours of 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. to stop by the visitors center for a boxed lunch

Thursday: Family Day at Fort Jackson. The CRVC will welcome visitors from all over the country to Columbia by providing them with brochures on places to see and do.

Friday: North Augusta Welcome Center. We will travel to North Augusta and share with the many travelers that funnel into our city what makes us so ‘Famously Hot!”

Saturday: Desert Competition Winners Announced. We will be partnering with the Carolina Children’s home announce the winners of our “Great American Southern Dessert” competition.

This year’s theme, “Discover Great American Traditions,” encourages travel to American locales and highlights the role that tourism plays in discovering the icons of a destination.

Ric Luber, president/CEO of the Midlands Authority for Conventions, Sports & Tourism states, “Hotels and meeting facilities, attractions, restaurants and transportation providers are among the local businesses greatly impacted by travel to Columbia, SC. This industry employees more than 10,000 people, generates more than $1 billion in revenue for our city and touches our community in countless other ways. This week in Columbia we will celebrate the people who visit here, the workforce that provides service for them and the development created as a result.”

National Tourism Week is sponsored annually by the Travel Industry Association, a Washington, D.C.-based trade association that represents the common interests and concerns of travel in America.

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Calling All Bakers! The Columbia Regional Visitors Center is Looking for You!

Columbia Regional Visitors Center holding a bake-off during National Tourism Week


The Columbia Regional Visitors Center (CRVC) is
calling on the citizens of the Midlands to enter its bake-off competition. That means cakes, pies, cobblers, and brownies! The competition will be held in conjunction with several other events during National Tourism Week, May 9 – 17.
National Tourism Week was designated by Congress and established by presidential
proclamation in 1983. The event celebrates the value and scope of the nation’s $740 billion travel and tourism industry and the economic and social contributions it brings to Columbia, SC.

Contestants will be placed in three different categories – professional, standard, and kids. Entries are due to the CRVC on Friday, May 15 between 9:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.Judging will take place on Friday and the winners will be announced Saturday, May 16 at 2:00 p.m. at the Carolina Children’s Home 22nd Annual BBQ Cook-off Festival at Gate 11 at the State Fairgrounds. For more information and official contest rules visit www.columbiacvb.com/ntw.

Rita’s Ice Custard Happiness Celebrates the First Day of Spring by Giving Away FREE Ice

You are invited to join us this Friday, March 20 at Rita’s Ice, Custard, Happiness, where spring is in the air. In celebration of the First Day of Spring, Rita’s is serving you a regular size cup of Italian ice - FREE - all day long. The menu is simple - Italian Ice, Custard and Happiness. Choose from over 30 flavors including Mango, Cherry, Cotton Candy, Green Apple, and Lemon to name a few - all made fresh daily. There’s a tempting flavor for every taste bud. Rita’s is located in the Village at Sandhill, next to AAA and across from the Movie Theater. The FREE Ice will be scooped from 12 noon to 10PM – don’t miss it.

Rita’s will also launch its new Mystery Flavor Italian Ice. After tasting this new, secret-flavored Italian Ice, guests will have the opportunity to submit their suggested name for the Mystery Flavor and vote for their favorite name at www.ritasice.com. The winner of the Mystery Ice Flavor Naming Contest will receive FREE Rita’s Italian Ice for one year.

Also new for 2009 is Rita’s “Light Line” menu, an offering of healthier frozen treat options. Rita’s “Light Line” menu items include Sugar-Free Italian Ice and Slenderita, a creamy and delicious fat-free soft serve. Cones, custard, and other sweet treats are also available at Rita’s, including Gelatis and the signature Misto® and Blendini™ creations. Friday, March 20 marks a “sweet” date for Italian Ice lovers – and those looking for a FREE dose of happiness. Just come by Rita’s to get your FREE regular size cup of Italian Ice. Come visit between noon to 10PM. Rita’s is located in the Village at Sandhill across from the Movie Theater.

FREE Italian Ice at Rita’s – worth the brain freeze.

Springtime at the Garden Festival This Saturday

Gardening in the Midlands: The Great Zone 8

What: Get motivated for a successful gardening season at the Springtime at the Garden Festival at Riverbanks Botanical Garden on Saturday, March 21.

· Get inspired with ideas for your garden

· See specialized gardening demonstrations

· Shop for plants, tools garden art from more than 30 vendors

· Listen to live music from local band Woodwork Roadshow

· Check out container and floral arrangements using plants and flowers only from the Great Zone 8

· Involve your kids with activities and crafts

· Ask the experts how to keep your backyard in bloom

When: Saturday, March 21, 2009

9:00am – 4:00pm

Woodwork Roadshow Performances

11:00 am – 1:30pm and 2:00pm – 3:30pm

Where: Riverbanks Botanical Garden

1300 Botanical Parkway

West Columbia, SC 29169

Tickets: Participation in Springtime at the Garden events are free with paid admission to Riverbanks Zoo and Garden.

Homewood Suites by Hilton® Honors Columbia, SC

Brand’s Annual Conference Pays Tribute to Exceptional Service

Columbia, SC – March 2, 2009 – Homewood Suites by Hilton®, the international brand of all-suite, residential-style hotels, announced the list of team members and hotels honored with awards at the brand’s 20^th annual conference in San Diego, Calif. last week. Ninety hotels were recognized in 12 different categories among the brand’s more than 260 hotels for their exemplary customer service, adherence to Homewood Suites values, and leadership within the industry. Homewood Suites by Hilton of Columbia was awarded Complimentary Services Team of the Year, Reservation Team of the Year, and Consistency in Delivery award for 8 “Outstanding” grades for quality assurance evaluations in a row. Last year, this same hotel won Front Desk Team of the Year as well as General Manager of the Year.

The entire staff works diligently to provide friendly and efficient customer service, clean comfortable surroundings, and high-quality accommodations. Our complimentary services staff, lead by Cry Leggett, continues to exceed our customer’s expectations. Her friendly leadership has directed her team to always listen for opportunities to serve our guests.

“In this down economy, top-notch customer service, targeted sales strategies and efficient hotel operations become even more important to the success of our individual hotels and our brand as a whole,” said Bill Duncan, Global Head of Brand Management, Homewood Suites by Hilton. “Homewood Suites takes pride in outrageously pleasing our guests and we congratulate these top performers with our brand’s highest honors.”

The brand’s annual conference gives general managers and sales directors the opportunity to participate in a variety of intensive training programs, including sessions on revenue management, food and beverage, and sales/marketing. Additionally, networking breaks and other team-building activities help to unify the brand voice and allow for individuals to share ideas, express best practices, and learn about unique programs.

Located at 230 Greystone Blvd, Homewood Suites Columbia offers a mix of 81 studio and one bedroom suites designed for the extended-stay traveler. Amenities include complimentary Suite Start hot breakfast buffet daily, Manager’s Welcome Home reception Monday – Thursday, complimentary parking, onsite heated indoor pool and whirlpool, complimentary HSIA, business center, and meeting space for up to 75 people. Nearby attractions include Riverbanks Zoo and Botanical Garden, USC, and Government Offices. For more information about rates and specials, call 803-239-4663.

Columbia's First Ever Triathlon

Columbia Downtown Triathlon to bike and run the city’s streets

Columbia, SC – (March 17, 2009) The Columbia Regional Sports Council would like to announce the arrival of Columbia Downtown Triathlon on Saturday March 21. This is Columbia’s first triathlon and the sports event will feature a 500meter swim, 10 mile bike ride, and a 5km run. More than 300 athletes have signed up to participate. The triathlon is scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m.

The swim will take place at the Blatt P.E. Center at the University of South Carolina located on Wheat Street. From the swim, athletes will bike 10 miles with a 3.3 mile loop that goes through Main, Gervais, Harden, and Blossom streets. Rounding out the triathlon is the run where athletes will utilize the pedestrian overpass at Assembly and Blossom streets and run down Lincoln Street. For more information or to sign up to participate, please visit www.setupevents.com and click on the South Carolina races.

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Riverbanks Welcomes Three Black-Necked Swan Cygnets

Chicks Can Be Seen in the Pond at Riverbanks’ Bird Garden

[Columbia, SC] – Riverbanks Zoo and Garden is proud to announce the birth of three black-necked swan cygnets (baby swans). On Friday, March 6, the parents carefully guarded the nest as the eggs they had tended to for nearly 36 days began to hatch.

The cygnets only spent about a day in the nest. By Saturday they ventured into the water with their parents in search of food. Unlike birds that nest in trees, the offspring of waterfowl are known as “precocial” species, which means they hatch with feathers, can see and can feed themselves.

The fluffy white chicks are currently on exhibit with their parents in the pond at Riverbanks’ Bird Garden (opposite the Bird Conservation Center). Guests will most likely see them swimming around the exhibit or catching a ride on the back of one of their parents; you may have to look closely though, sometimes they tuck under their parents’ wings for protection.

This is the first set of offspring for the pair. The male, 9, came to Riverbanks in 2000 from the Santa Ana Zoo and the female, 5, came in 2004 from the Alexandria Zoo. Both animals are considered young parents, as swans can live into their 40s.

Last year was the pair’s first attempt at creating a nest, and they had very little success. The nest lacked the proper structure and the eggs rolled from the nest.

“Each year birds become better nest-makers and better parents,” said Martin Vince, curator of birds at Riverbanks Zoo and Garden. “They quickly learn from their mistakes; and that is the case here with our black-necked swans. Last year was a dry run for a very young pair. This year they did much better, and the result was a successful breeding and hatching.”

The pair began nest-building in early January. The swans start by sitting on the ground and pulling organic material toward their bodies to build a nest up around them. The result is a conical-shaped shell. The birds then line it with feathers plucked from their own body to serve as insulation for the eggs when the parents are not on the nest.

The cygnets, which are currently covered in down feathers, will begin growing juvenile feathers in two months.

“Their first plumage will be a non-descript color all over their bodies,” said Vince. “After their second molt, their adult plumage will grow in, including the black feathers on the neck. That will take about a year.”

The black-necked swan is native to South America and the Falkland Islands and is the largest waterfowl found in South America. It is one of two species of swan found in the southern hemisphere; the other is the coscoroba swan.

The chicks will remain at Riverbanks until the fall when they will be transferred to other zoos.

Lake Carolina 5th Annual Oyster Roast Offers Big Entertainment Bang for the Buck

COLUMBIA, S.C. (March 16, 2009) – Don’t miss “Shuckin’ on the Shore of Lake Carolina”, the 5th annual Oyster Roast held on Lake Carolina’s Village Green on Saturday, April 4, 2009 from 5 p.m to 8 p.m. The annual fundraiser for the Children’s Charities of the Midlands will feature one of the Carolina’s most popular “trop-rock” bands, The Tsunami Wave Riders. The fun loving band features a truly unique blend of Caribbean, Hawaiian and Rock music. Proceeds from this family fun evening will enrich the lives of children in need in the Midlands of South Carolina. Shuckin’ on the Shore of Lake Carolina offers a big entertainment bang for the buck with all you can eat oysters. The event features fire roasted oysters and gumbo as well as several outdoor bars and food vendors. It’s a picture-worthy evening in an already-picturesque site. To help support the cause, t-shirts bearing the Shuckin’ on the Shore of Lake Carolina logo will be available for sale.

Admission is $20 at the gate and $5 for children ages 12 and under with an adult. Advance tickets are available for $15 at www.lakecarolina.com/oyster-roast. Contact Megan Plott at (803) 865-5452 for further information. For directions to Lake Carolina, please visit www.lakecarolina.com.

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About Lake Carolina

Lake Carolina, situated on 1850 acres in Columbia, South Carolina, has been named Community of the year for 8 years in a row. With over six miles of shoreline on a 200-acre freshwater lake where you and your family can swim, fish, sail and ski; resort-style amenities; a Town Center complete with everything from doctors’ offices to restaurants; Columbia's newest YMCA; and one of the finest school districts in the state, the interconnected, traditional neighborhoods of Lake Carolina have become the new gathering place for Columbia families. Lake Carolina truly provides a place for its residents to live, work, learn and play.

Riverbanks Zoo and Garden Sets Attendance Record

11,500 Guests Spent Saturday, March 7 at the Zoo

[Columbia, SC] – The tickets have been counted, the results are in and it is official…on Saturday, March 7, a new attendance record was set at Riverbanks Zoo and Garden – 11,500 visitors spent the day enjoying the park.

“This record-setting day is testament to Riverbanks’ continuing popularity,” said Satch Krantz, executive director of Riverbanks Zoo and Garden. “Riverbanks has served South Carolina as a top-tier attraction for more than 35 years, and it continues to be a draw for people from across the state as well as people from all over the country.”

In addition to record-breaking attendance, Riverbanks Society also sold a record number of memberships at the front gate. Nearly 200 households joined Riverbanks Society during their visit to the Zoo on Saturday, March 7. Society members receive a number of benefits, the most notable being free admission to Riverbanks Zoo and Garden for a year.

A driving force in the community, Riverbanks offers great value as an affordable and quality source of entertainment and education. A day spent at the Zoo and Garden provides families with unforgettable experiences and a multitude of memories.

“There are not many things that compare to feeling the tongue of a giraffe slide across your fingers as it gobbles greens from the palm of your hand or the look on a child’s face when a lorikeet lands on her head,” said Krantz. “Riverbanks is proud to share these experiences and many more with our community.”

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More about Riverbanks Society: Established in 1976 by a group of concerned citizens, Riverbanks Society continues today as the private, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization supporting the needs of Riverbanks Zoo and Garden. The Society has evolved from an original membership base of 200 households to more than 33,000 households today, representing more than 140,000 individuals and boasting one of the largest zoo societies per capita in the United States. Riverbanks Society members and donors provide important resources for the research, education and conservation efforts of the Zoo and Garden, strengthening Riverbanks' position within the community as the premier family choice for education and recreation.

Riverbanks Zoo and Garden is located at I-126 and Greystone Boulevard near downtown Columbia. The Botanical Garden entrance is located in West Columbia off Hwy. 378 at Botanical Parkway. Hours are 9am – 5pm and the Zoo is open daily except for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Admission is $9.75 for adults, $7.25 for children ages 3 – 12 and free for children under three. Group rates and other discounts may apply. For more information, call Riverbanks at 803.779.8717 or visit www.riverbanks.org.

Five Points Goes Green for St. Pat's

St. Pat’s in Five Points brings the best in food, fun and music for everyone!

The date is quickly approaching for the 27th annual St. Pat’s in Five Points on March 14, 2009. This year, festival planners have organized a wide array of events and activities to make the festival more fun, safe and convenient.

Festival gates will be open from 9 a.m. - 7 p.m. to give festival patrons enough time to see all that Five Points has to offer. Admission is $11 in advance and $15 at the gate.

To ensure you won’t miss a thing, here’s a run-down of the day’s events:

8:30 a.m. Get to the Green 5K Run and 1-Mile Walk

10 a.m. First Citizens Parade (Free - Devine St.)

10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Wachovia Children’s Carnival (Free - MLK Park)

Noon - 6 p.m. Musical Entertainment (5 Stages)

1 p.m. – 6 p.m. Shaggin’ On Santee

This year’s musical selection features 29 acts performing live on five stages, including: We The Kings, MuteMath, Seven Nations, The Airborne Toxic Event, Manchester Orchestra, Blue Dogs and the best local music the Midlands has to offer. Prefer to dance to the tunes of beach, boogie, shag and blues? Check out Shaggin’ on Santee, a celebration of our state dance, with DJ’s throwing down throughout the day.

Don’t miss a minute trying to find parking. Park and ride services will be available all day from Capital City Stadium on Assembly Street. New this year, bike valet gives you a chance to beat the traffic by pedaling to the festival and safely leaving your wheels with a valet attendant! Also, to get you home safely after a day of merriment, Budweiser of Columbia is sponsoring Alert Cab, covering the first $10 of the cab fare.

Can’t wait until March 14 to shake your shamrocks and celebrate the luck of the Irish? Join us in Five Points on these other fun and lively occasions:

March 13, 2009: Official Pre-Party Festivities – Free on Santee Avenue

5 p.m. – 10 p.m. Battle of the Bands

Riot Wresting Entertainment

Two great battles. One Great Night. What better way to pre-party than listening to local bands and checking out live wrestling entertainment.