Movies Under the Stars at Saluda Shoals Park Tonight! #famouslyhot

Movie Under the Stars: The Bee Movie

Date: Friday, May 22, 2009
Time: 8:30pm - 10:30pm
Location: Saluda Shoals Park
Street: 5605 Bush River Road

Phone: 803.213.2035
Email: dpatton@icrc.net

Bring your family, lawn chairs, blankets and picnic baskets to join us for an outdoor movie on a giant 30 ft. screen. Concessions are available. Saluda Splash will be open until the movie begins. ($5 parking fee unless you are a Foundation or Park members - then it's free.) Hope to see you there!

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Facebook Promotion -- Free Late Night Breakfast at The Clarion Hotel Downtown this Weekend

Free Late Night Breakfast at The Clarion Hotel Downtown this weekend!!!! The first 10 people that mention they saw this promotion on Facebook get a Buy One Get One Free Late Night Breakfast on Friday or Saturday night. Late Night Breakfast is from 10 PM-2 AM Friday and Saturday-check out our fan page for more info!

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Rocky Shoals Spider Lily Festival at Riverfront Park | #famouslyhot

For Immediate Release:
May 22, 2009

Contact:
Jim Devereaux
(803)609-2343
JDEVEREAUX@scana.com

Rocky Shoals Spider Lily Festival at Riverfront Park
Event to Help Generate Support for Endangered Species

[Columbia, SC] – Visit Riverfront Park on May 30, 2009, to enjoy lively entertainment, indulge in delicious food, cool off with a beverage or take a guided tour at the second annual Rocky Shoals Spider Lily Festival.

Festival goers can explore the river shores with rangers and natural history experts, participate in guided kayak outings to view blooming lilies or purchase non-endangered lilies for their own gardens.

The festival, put on by Riverbanks Zoo and Garden, SCANA and the City of Columbia, is open from 3 to 8pm and features a magic show by Sarah Dippity, presentations by The Nature Learning Company and tunes throughout the afternoon provided by DJ Mike Goodlet. From 6 to 8pm break out your best moves at the Dance Party on the Knoll with DJ Woody Windham. There are activities for kids including face painting, a bounce house and a chance to meet the Chick-fil-A cow and “Wet Willie” the Water Drop.

The Rocky Shoals Spider Lily Festival was created to enhance awareness and generate support for the continued restoration and conservation of the Hymenocallis coronaria, more commonly known as the Rocky Shoals Spider Lily, in the Riverbanks region.

The Rocky Shoals Spider Lily is native to Richland and Lancaster counties in South Carolina. It thrives in areas where fast moving, well oxygenated water passes over rocks, which makes the Saluda, Broad and Congaree rivers a prime habitat for this plant species.

Listed as a plant of national concern, the Rocky Shoals Spider Lily is imperiled statewide and is on Georgia’s endangered species list. The restoration project is part of a plan developed by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

“Raising public awareness of the Rocky Shoals Spider Lily is a major step toward the conservation of this species,” said Andy Cabe, director of Riverbanks Botanical Garden. “The festival is a creative outlet that allows us to educate and inspire the community to support the restoration of this native plant in the wild.”

SCANA is committed to protecting the future of the imperiled lily and has made an additional contribution to the festival.

Tickets for the festival are $5. Proceeds fund ongoing restoration of the Rocky Shoals Spider Lily. Visit www.columbiasc.net for a full schedule of events or more information regarding the festival.

[PHOTOS AVAILABLE]

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Lindsay Burke, Communications Specialist
PO Box 1060, Columbia, SC 29202
803.978.1126
803.253.6381 fax
lburke@riverbanks.org
www.riverbanks.org

What are people Tweeting about National Tourism Week? #ntw09 #rallyday

The Four Lads Return For Vista After Five

The forecast is for gorgeous weather, friendly people, cold beverages, and great fun today at Vista After 5! The world's all-time greatest music will be featured today when ABBEY ROAD LIVE takes the stage! These four lads from Athens will recreate the authentic sounds of The Beatles from the various stages of their career. We thank you all for your attendance and overwhelming support of our events! We hope you will join us again this Thursday for a unique and extraordinary show! This and all of our shows offer Free admission and entertainment by one of the southeast's finest dance/show bands every Thursday in the heart of the Vista!

These concerts are held Outdoors from 5:30- 9PM each Thursday through June 11th behind Jillians Entertainment Complex at 800 Gervais Street in the Vista. We also offer Free parking in the concert area while it lasts. Plan to arrive early to get your spot.

The Vista After 5 concerts are fantastic social and business networking events. There is never an admission fee, and beverage proceeds and your generous donations support the The Carolina Children's Home.

FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION AND FUTURE CONCERT SCHEDULES, PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE: www.vistaafter5. com

Columbia Museum of Art offers Workshop with artist Vanessa Somers Vreeland, mosaic artist trained at Vatican Mosaic Studio in Rome

Contemporary studio artist Vanessa Somers Vreeland returns to Columbia to teach a two-day fused-glass workshop Saturday, June 6 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. and Sunday, June 7 noon until 4:00 p.m. at the Columbia Museum of Art.

The Speedy Mosaics workshop allows students of all levels to create and fire fused modern glass mosaics. After a tour of the exhibition, Turner to Cézanne, students learn the importance of brush stroke and color graduation as they make their own mosaic in small glass pieces and then fuse in the kiln. For more information on pricing or to register, visit columbiamuseum.org.

Vreeland trained with professor Odoardo Anselmi, art director of the Vatican Mosaic Studio in Rome and taught at Corning Museum of Glass and Penland School of Crafts, as well as the Columbia Museum of Art in 2006. She has had gallery shows in Paris, Rome, London, Brussels and North Africa. Vreeland's artistic path to mosaics began with painting on canvas and then on glass. She independently developed a fused glass mosaic technique and also works in marble and cold glass in traditional Roman style.

Historic Columbia Foundation Celebrates National Public Gardens Day

Historic Columbia Foundation invites the public to spend a day at the Seibels House & Gardens, 1601 Richland Street as a part of National Public Gardens Day on Friday, May 8.

Historic Columbia invites visitors to tour the renovated gardens at the Seibels House from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. and enjoy abbreviated guided walking tours of the Robert Mills Historic Garden District at the top of each hour from 10 a.m. - noon.

During the day, visitors can obtain information on gardens, suitable water use, historic rentals, and enjoy light refreshments in the garden. In addition, tours will be offered at the gardens of the Governor’s Mansion Complex and the S.C. Memorial Garden at 10:30 and 11:30. A shuttle will be available to take visitors to each site.

National Public Gardens Day takes place annually on Mother’s Day weekend and kicks-off other spring garden activities hosted by Historic Columbia. For more information on Historic Columbia events, please visit our website or call 803.252.1770 ext. 33.

Celebrate Shopping, Dining and Culture on Main Street

Urban Tour is a free event for the whole family, showcasing all that Columbia’s downtown has to offer. The self-guided walking tour includes special offers and giveaways from retailers, live entertainment, a glimpse into downtown living and the stories behind some of our historic buildings as well as plenty of FREE food and drinks including beer with valid ID.

Date: Thursday, May 7, 2009
Time: 5:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Location: Main Street, Columbia, SC

Businesses along the tour will keep their doors open late for the event. Free shuttle and horse carriage rides are available from 5 to 9 p.m. to assist pedestrians.

The event will take place rain or shine with the entertainment adaptable to street performances or inside designated buildings throughout the tour.

Urban Tour Highlights:

Historic Columbia Foundation will be providing guided historic tours at the top of every hour starting at Free Times.

The Columbia Museum of Art will be offering a Pay-What-You-Wish admission to Turner to Cézanne: Masterpieces from the Davies Collection, National Museum Wales, sponsored by Family Medicine Centers of South Carolina.

Urban Tour Musicians & Performers:

The Heart of Columbia Chorus is a chapter of Sweet Adelines International

John English

Elizabeth and Mike Cameron

Adam Whitehead, Chip Mosteller and Tom Coolidge

Soul Food Jazz

The Adam Gardner Trio

Dr. Christopher Lee

Columbia Alternacirque

Mac’s All-Stars

Visit the City Center Partnership’s website for more information.

FREE EVENT: National Public Gardens Day this Friday

National Public Gardens Day
Friday, May 8
9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Seibels House
1601 Richland Street, Columbia, SC

Free Event

Historic Columbia Foundation invites the public to spend a day at the Seibels House & Gardens, 1601 Richland Street as a part of National Public Gardens Day on Friday, May 8.

Historic Columbia invites visitors to tour the renovated gardens at the Seibels House from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. and enjoy abbreviated guided walking tours of the Robert Mills Historic Garden District at the top of each hour from 10 a.m.- noon. During the day, visitors can obtain information on gardens, suitable water use, historic rentals, and enjoy light refreshments in the garden. In addition, tours will be offered at the gardens of the Governor’s Mansion Complex and the S.C. Memorial Garden at 10:30 and 11:30. A shuttle will be available to take visitors to each site.

National Public Gardens Day takes place annually on Mother’s Day weekend and kicks-off other spring garden activities hosted by Historic Columbia. For more information on Historic Columbia events, please visit our website or call 803.252.1770 ext. 33.

Riverbanks Saying Goodbye to Sea Lions

Animals Moving to Brookfield Zoo in Chicago

Riverbanks Zoo and Garden will bid farewell to its two California sea lions later this month when they are transferred to the Brookfield Zoo in Chicago.

“The decision to move the sea lions, undoubtedly one of the Zoo’s most popular attractions, was not an easy one to make,” said Satch Krantz, executive director of Riverbanks Zoo and Garden. “Riverbanks is committed to providing the best possible care to each animal. The current condition of the 35-year-old sea lion exhibit will simply not allow us to provide the level of care that these amazing animals deserve.”

The sea lion exhibit was constructed in 1974, just prior to the Zoo’s opening, and is one of Riverbanks’ few remaining original structures. The Zoo has made several upgrades to the exhibit over time, but the husbandry guidelines under which it was built no longer apply.

“Bringing sea lions back to Riverbanks is one of our highest priorities, and we are doing everything we can to make that a reality,” said Krantz.

Zuma, 18, and Sonoma, 8, have been residents of Riverbanks since April 2001. Guests can visit the Zoo during the next two weeks to view the sea lions and say their goodbyes. The daily sea lion presentation will continue at its regularly scheduled time of 10:30am and 3:00pm through the second week in May.

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 to 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.