Community Corner
🌱 Patch AM: What’s planned for Columbia’s revived Italian Festival at Finlay Park?
Coming up: The South Carolina Black Film Festival with Queens (NY) Underground International Film Festival on the Columbia Patch calendar

Cheers Columbia! We're back, helping you stay up to date with what's happening. Let's take on the day together! ☀️
In today's newsletter:
- What's planned for Columbia's revived Italian Festival at Finlay Park?
- How Columbia's leaders are confronting domestic violence this month
- How a $750,000 grant will transform Benedict's historic Morgan Hall
Also on today's calendar: The South Carolina Black Film Festival with Queens (NY) Underground International Film Festival and 9 more events.
Today's riddle: Why do Norway's navy ships all have barcodes? 🤔 (Answer below!)
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- Tuesday: Mostly sunny and less humid, with a high of 79 and low of 55 degrees.
- Wednesday: Nice with periods of sun, temps: high: 80, low: 53.
- Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high of 83 and low of 58 degrees.
📰 News we're reading
1. Columbia's Italian Festival returns Oct. 10 (coladaily.com) — Columbia residents can enjoy the revived Italian Festival at Finlay Park on Saturday, Oct. 10, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., with free admission. Expect Italian food, live music, cultural performances, and a 2 p.m. ceremony featuring Mayor Daniel Rickenmann and other local leaders, plus convenient parking options around the park.
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2. Domestic Violence Awareness Month kicks off in Columbia (wistv.com) — Columbia is marking Domestic Violence Awareness Month with the 20th Annual Mayor's Campaign Against Domestic Violence and a celebration of Sistercare's 45 years serving Midlands survivors. City leaders are urging residents to recognize warning signs, speak up, and connect people to 24-hour help as South Carolina continues to struggle with high domestic violence rates.
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3. Benedict College receives $750,000 federal grant to continue Morgan Hall preservation (wltx.com) — Benedict College in Columbia has secured a $750,000 National Park Service grant to continue restoring historic Morgan Hall, the oldest building on campus. Over the next three years, the project will tackle water damage, aging infrastructure, and interior upgrades while preserving the hall's architectural character and its role in telling the broader HBCU story.
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4. 2 SC cities rank among top places for renters in the U.S., study says. Here's why (thestate.com) — Columbia renters will want to know the city ranked 83rd nationally in a new RentCafe study, with relatively low living costs but weaker local economy scores. The analysis highlights Columbia's decent quality-of-life ranking, modest renter income growth, and unemployment challenges compared with higher-ranked Greenville and Charleston.
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📸 Around Columbia
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🗓 Upcoming Events in Columbia
Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!
★ Featured events ★
- The South Carolina Black Film Festival with Queens (NY) Underground International Film Festival →
South Carolina State Museum, 301 Gervais St, Columbia
1:00 am - Free Bra Fittings to Support Breast Cancer Awareness →
Dillard's, 100 Columbiana Cir, Columbia
10:00 am
Saturday October 10
Friday October 16
Want to see your event featured? Click here!
Other local events
- Sip & Plant Workshop: Pumpkin Succulent Planter! →
Gardener's Outpost, 1211 Franklin St, Columbia
6:30 pm - Ridge View vs Spring Valley →
120 Sparkleberry Ln, Columbia
6:45 pm - Spring Valley at Ridge View →
Ridge View High School, 4801 Hard Scrabble Rd, Columbia
6:45 pm - South Carolina Medical Association Alliance 2026 Fall Conference →
South Carolina Medical Association, 132 Westpark Boulevard, Columbia
9:00 am - Little Gym Move and Learn Playtime →
132 Beckett Ln, Columbia
9:30 am - Bingo Night →
Busby Community Center, 1735 Busby St, Columbia
10:00 am - Richland County Safety Action Plan Public Meeting →
Richland County Public Library, 1431 Assembly Street, Columbia
4:00 pm - Presbyterians and the American Experiment →
FLPC Fellowship Hall, 6500 North Trenholm Rd, Columbia
6:00 pm - In Conversation with Jim "Soni" Sonefeld: The 2026 Townsend-Neuffer Lecture →
Joseph F. Rice School of Law, 1525 Senate Street, Columbia
6:00 pm - Columbia Boos & Booze Halloween Bar Crawl: 3rd Annual →
Tin Roof, 1022 Senate St, Columbia
5:00 pm
Tuesday October 6
Wednesday October 7
Saturday October 24
📣 Columbia Shout Outs!
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Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.
Thank you 👏👏👏 to these businesses for making Columbia PatchAM possible:
- John W. Molony Law Firm, LLC — (843) 762-5732
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💬 Chatter
What your neighbors are talking about on social media
- Air Force Update # 19
Today we are 18 weeks. I hadn't anticipated how much my wife being pregnant with my fifth child, and my first in 16 years, would affect me. But it… (Nextdoor The Summit) - I'm walking down Summit Parkway and someone's puppy is loose.
He seems very friendly. He ran up to me but then ran away. He does not have a collar on. Almost got hit by a car. He's by Timber Crest Dr but moving… (Nextdoor Summit Pkwy)
- Sam's Club posted a job opening for Freezer, Cooler and Deli Stocker Associate in Columbia. Apply here.
- Schulte posted a job opening for Room Attendant-Housekeeper in Columbia. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Columbia here.
Ok Columbia! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!
-- The Patch AM Team
P.S. The answer to today's riddle: "Why do Norway's navy ships all have barcodes?" — So when they come back to port they can just scan-da-navi-an! (Thank you Jessica C. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!
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