Snowville is cooler than ever! Put your snow hats on and grab your cozy mittens! Snowville returns this winter with all your favorite activities: • Crawl through an ice tunnel and slide down a snowy hill • Strap on some carpet skates and play a game of ice hockey • Toss some snowballs in the Frigid Forest • Go ice-fishing in Gotta Fish! • Take a joy ride on a musical snowmobile • Bake some pretend muffins in side the cozy Snowed Inn • Visit a seven-foot polar bear in the North Pole • Learn about the penguins of the South Pole • Get creative in an exciting igloo-building activity Challenge your knowledge in an exciting new science program called Brrr! Have you ever wondered if snow is colder than ice? Learn this and more with wacky experiments and scientific fun that teach you all about winter weather. Showtime is 2 p.m. daily beginning November 22.

Help raise money for a great cause while enjoying live entertainment and authentic Lowcountry oysters! The cost is $75 per person and includes food catered by Southern Way Catering, open bar, and live music. Call 256-3999 or e-mail bsmith@stlawrenceplace.org for tickets or more information.

This gala event will feature a fabulous South Carolina art show and sale, include a wonderful reception and entertainment in the beautiful house and garden. All profits from this event will be donated to Historic Columbia Foundation's Garden Restoration Project. Tickets are $30 and $25 for Historic Columbia Foundation members. For information and tickets, please call 803.799.4416 or visit www.ColumbiaGardenClub.com

Get ready for St. Pat's in Five Points by helping us turn green! All area children are invited to dye the fountain green to kick off the St. Pat's celebration. Merchants will be offering specials and sales to after work shoppers. Other Activities: Balloonopolis - The Masters of Balloon Twisting Face Painting by Michael Hodges Palmetto Pipes and Drums Logan the Leprechaun Free St. Pat's Goodies and More! We'll see you at the fountain!

Join us for this annual two-day event on March 6 -7. This year's symposium will feature keynote speaker Felder Rushing, noted author and 10th generation gardener, along with many other guest speakers. The symposium will also include workshops, tours, book signing, reception, and much more. Two day admission is $75 for non-members, $55 for members, and $35 for students. Single day admission is $50 for non-members, $30 for members, and $25 for students. The deadline for early registration is March 2. The late fee after March 2 is $20. To register, please call 803.252.1770 ext. 33.

The 26th Annual Craftsmen's Spring Classic features original designs & work from more than 250 talented artists & craftspeople from across North America. See the creative process in action as many demonstrate throughout the show. There is something for every style, taste & budget, with items from the most traditional to the most contemporary. Experience the extraordinary at the Craftsmen's Classic as you visit with your favorite exhibitors and meet those new to the show this year. Admission: $7/Adult, $1/Child (6-12), Same Day Free Return, Advance Discount & Group (15+) Tickets available through promoter. 336-282-5550.

The B106.7FM Children's Hospital Radiothon will be held March 7-10 at Palmetto Health Children's Hospital in Columbia. Tune in to B106.7FM, and call in your pledge to 803.434.3000 or 866.434.B106 (2106). Tune in to WIS News 10 on March 10 for live coverage throughout the day. Radiothon proceeds will benefit Palmetto Health Children's Hospital. For more information, visit b106fm.com or palmettohealthfoundation.org.

Lace up you running (or walking) shoes on March 7 and march through Riverbanks for a very important cause. Join Riverbanks as we host March for Meals 5K Run and Walk. The race will kick off at 7:30am and check-in begins at 6:15am. The cost of registration is $20 for adult runners, $15 for adult walkers and $10 for children 12 and younger until February 15. Those registering after February 15 will pay $25 to run and $20 to walk. On the day of the race, the registration fee increases to $30 for both runners and walkers. Registration fees include a T-shirt and a one-day pass to the Zoo. T-shirts are only guaranteed if you register by February 15. Those interested can register online at www.seniorresourcesinc.org or call 803.252.7734. All proceeds benefit Meals on Wheels. Please note: Jogging strollers will only be welcome on the walker course. No strollers will be permitted on the running course.

Spring forward with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and zoos nationwide as we continue to raise awareness of the amphibian extinction crisis and engage the public in related conservation efforts. In association with this international campaign, Riverbanks Zoo & Garden will leap into action with a corresponding event on Sunday, March 8. Visit www.riverbanks.org for more information.

The Love for Katie Golf Tournament on Monday, March 9, 2009, raises money for three-year-old Katie Fitch, a Florence, South Carolina, girl with a rare childhood liver cancer, recently diagnosed as terminal. Held at Charwood Country Club in West Columbia, South Carolina, the tournament is a four-person team, captain’s choice, $50 per player, which includes green fee, cart, range balls, practice green and hamburgers, hotdogs, chips and drink after the tournament by L.C.'s Grille. Prizes include first, second and third place teams, closest to the hole, longest drive and a $1 raffle after the tournament. Sponsorship opportunities are also available. For additional information, visit http://www.katiefitch.com or contact Mary Ellen Gardner at 803.755.1269 or juzzme2@aol.com.

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey presents Over the Top, an all-new live entertainment extravaganza featuring the ultimate tug of war between Ringmaster Chuck Wagner and clown eccentric Tom Dougherty over a magical top hat that controls the circus. Colonial Life Arena. www.thecolonialcenter.com • 1-866-4SC-TIXX.

Don Quixote is a stirring comedy featuring stand-out dancing and a festive atmosphere. www.columbiacityballet.com • 803-799-7605.

One of the Southeast's biggest St. Patrick's Day celebrations, St. Pat's in Five Points, has delighted visitors for 26 years and continues to improve with each passing year. Be on the look-out for information regarding this year's festival which will be held on Saturday, March 14, 2009

Sculpture Tour by Artist Bob Doster Coordinated with the South Carolina Art Education Associatio.The Curtis R. Harley Art Gallery is pleased to present Bob Doster, an internationally acclaimed artist, as the featured sculptor for the 2008- 2009 season. His unique style of metal design ranges from whimsical free-floating steel in multi-colored tables and chairs to the distinction of outdoor monumental sculpture. Doster’s Backstreet Studio is located in Lancaster, SC. Contact: Jane Nodine, Director jnodine@uscupstate.edu (864) 503-5838. Curtis R. Harley Art Gallery 800 University Way Spartanburg, South Carolina 29303

Professional Bull Riding brings their adrenaline-filled, heart-pounding action of the toughest sport on dirt to Columbia! Experience more than two hours of bull riding action, as well as rock & roll music and pyrotechnics. Colonial Life Arena. • 1-866-4SC-TIXX.

Enjoy the Botanical Garden and get motivated for successful spring gardening with specialized demonstrations, live music, plant vendors, art and activities for the kids and a variety of experts from local businesses. Containers and floral arrangements containing only plants and flowers from the Great Zone 8, created by local garden centers and florists, will be judged and on display – check them out for inspiration. Activities will be held from 9am to 4pm, and participation is free with paid admission to Riverbanks Zoo and Garden.

Enjoy an evening of local food from area restaurants while bidding on silent and live auction items, stopping only long enough to dance to live entertainment. www.tasteoflakemurray.com • 803-781-5940.

For two days in March 2009, Columbia will be in the spotlight as the city hosts the 8th Annual Landmark & Preservation Conference. Architects, city planners, consultants, historians, and citizens interested in history and historic preservation will be able to attend educational sessions and tours that highlight the best preservation practices and success stories from Columbia and the surrounding areas. 2009 will mark the first time that the joint conference has been in Columbia and it is guaranteed to have something for everyone!

Come see why Life’s Better Outdoors at this 25th annual event. • 803-734-4008.

The Carolina Cup race-meeting is a time honored South Carolina tradition that has achieved premier social event status. The annual 'rites of spring' draws over 65,000 fans from throughout the southeast, to enjoy the thrilling sport of steeplechase horse racing amid a flurry of spring fashions and elaborate tailgate parties. Springdale Race Course. • 800-780-8117.

Come celebrate the beginning of spring by experiencing an afternoon of entertainment inspired by the classic 19th-century garden party. Guests will have the opportunity to relax, play, and learn while sampling such refreshments as finger sandwiches, cakes, and punch. They can also enjoy performances by a classical trio from the USC School of Music and the Dreher High School dance team. More active guests can try their hand at the popular lawn games of croquet and badminton, or participate in a short dance class to learn the waltz. Those particularly interested in the historic aspects of the event may opt to take a tour of the Hampton-Preston Mansion, whose former gardens were once nationally renowned. Other activities include flowerpot painting, two rounds of historic trivia, a coloring contest, and learning to write with quill and ink. Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for children under 18 and college students. Admission is free for Historic Columbia Foundation members. The fee includes all activities and food. Donations are encouraged, and all proceeds will go directly to Historic Columbia to benefit its current projects, one of which is the restoration of gardens at all of its properties and the surrounding historic district. For more information, please call 803.252.1770, ext. 33. or visit their website at www.HistoricColumbia.org.