UPCOMING EVENTS
UPCOMING EVENTS
MAY 16TH & 17TH
2026 Festival of Gardens in the Historic Forest Hills Neighborhood
Saturday, May 16th from 9:30am - 4:00pm
Sunday, May 17th from 12:30am - 4:00pm
Check-In Location: 2604 Canterbury Rd Columbia, SC 29204, USA
Join us for the 33rd annual Festival of Gardens which will be held on May 16th and 17th in the Forest Hills neighborhood, rain or shine! As our biggest event of the year, the festival is vital to supporting our programs and exemplifies the beautiful greenery our city has to offer!
By purchasing a ticket, you will have access to 11 gardens in the Forest Hills neighborhood. Additionally, there will be Art in the Gardens sponsored by The Five Points Association. Throughout the tour, 10 artists will display pieces in each garden for sale with a portion of the proceeds going to benefit Columbia Green. There will also be educational stations from some of our partners!
Tickets are $25 at the early-bird discount price or $35 at the door. To purchase your tickets ahead of time, visit our Zeffy page linked here.
NOW
Columbia Green’s Beat the Heat Tree Giveaway
Get up to 3 free trees and help us Beat the Heat, Columbia!
Columbia Green is accepting orders from Columbia-area property owners for free shade trees to help us address urban heat across our city. We planted over 1,500 trees during the 2024-2025 planting season and aim to plant even more this year! Visit our Beat the Heat page to find out how you can become part of the solution to urban heat. Then sign up to receive up to three free shade trees for your property.
If you rent your home, you can still participate…download this flyer and send it to your property owner. Volunteer to plant the trees if they will order them for your home!
5 WEEK PROGRAM
Community Engagement University Program
Address: Virginia Bedford Center Earlewood Park, 1113 Recreation Dr., Columbia, SC 29203
Discover Your City - Engage, Learn and Participate!
This is a five-week course designed to enhance citizen awareness and provide a behind the scenes look at various departments and divisions that make our city run smoothly. These courses will begin on Wednesday, April 8th, 2026 and end on Wednesday, May 6, 2026. Participating in all sessions will earn you a Certificate of Completion! Light refreshments will be provided.
Class Dates and Times:
Wednesday, April 8th, 2026 from 5:30 - 7:30pm
Wednesday, April 15th, 2026 from 5:30 - 7:30pm
Wednesday, April 22th, 2026 from 5:30 - 7:30pm
Wednesday, April 29th, 2026 from 5:30 - 7:30pm
Wednesday, May 6th, 2026 from 5:30 - 7:30pm
MAY 14TH
Living Wright Foundation’s Bees & Blossoms Spring Fundraiser
6pm at The Hall at Senate’s End, 320 Senate St., Columbia, SC 29201
Join the Living Wright Foundation for some Hor'doeurves, Cocktails, Auction and more at their Bees & Blossoms Spring Fundraiser!
Step into an elegant evening of beauty, community, and purpose. This is more than a fundraiser-it's a celebration of compassion, connection, and collective impact. Together, we can ensure that every family has access to nourishment, dignity, and the support of a caring community.
MAY 16TH
Open House and Native Plant Sale Fundraiser
10:00 AM - 2:00 PM at Whitehall Gardens for Wildlife, located at 195 Shareditch Road
Join the Whitehall Garden Club at their open house and native plant sale fundraiser!
You can enjoy a guided tour of the garden, light refreshments, and access to many native plants! With your purchase, you are not only supporting the Whitehall Garden but the wildlife that depends on it. Birds, bees, and butterflies will thank you!
Species Available For Sale:
Orange Milkweed, Swamp Milkweed, Prairie Coneflower, Common Milkweed, False Indigo (blue and white), Black-eyed Susan, Columbine, Schweinitz’s Sunflower, Woodland’s Sunflower, Small-headed Sunflower, Smooth Mountain Mint, Mountain Mint (P. incana), Blanket Flower, Lance Leaved Coreopsis, Large Flowered Coreopsis, Dotted Horsemint, Texas Star Hibiscus, Purple Coneflower, Golden Alexander, Green Dragon, Atamasco Lily, Tall Goldenrod, Cardinal Flower, Purple Hyssop, Coral Honeysuckle, Purple Passion Flower, New England Aster, A Small selection of Uncommon Sandhill Plants Including: Georgia Bear Grass, Blazing Star (L. pilosa), Thread Leaf Coreopsis, Woodland Coreopsis, Sandhill Milkweed, Yellow Flowered Butterfly Weed (A. tuberosa var. “rolfsii”)
AND, as always, some last minute surprises!