Check out the Italian Street Festival at the SC State Museum on Saturday.  10am-8pm.  Sidewalk chalk painting, children’s coloring and crafts, pizza!  Mmmm, pizza.  Most of the kids’ activities are in the morning, but there are events all day.  Italian Street Festival is free with the price of museum admission ($5 adults/$3 children/Free for children 2 and under).  Oh, and while you are there, pick up some cute puppets from the Museum Gift Shop to add to the Christmas present stash.

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Columbia’s arts and entertainment district gives you a head start on holiday shopping and offers a dose of holiday cheer as more than 60 galleries, restaurants, bars, entertainment venues and shops open their doors and offer free hors d’oeuvres, cider and wine during Vista Lights on Thursday, November 20, from 5 - 10 p.m.  As always, there will be a tree-lighting ceremony at 7 p.m. with Mayor Bob Coble at the intersection of Gervais and Lincoln streets. The lights on this year’s tree will be green, celebrating a new ongoing recycling effort by the Vista Guild taking place in the Wayne Street lot.  Live music, a visit from Santa, trolley and horse/buggy rides will all be part of the evening festivities.  So go early, grab some pizza at Mellow Mushroom so the kids won’t be cranky, and then enjoy the evening.

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Well, er, I mean, my kids want this!  I am sure they do.  How could they not want it?  It may be the most awesome playhouse ever!

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November 15th is shaping up to be a big eco-friendly day here in the Midlands.  After you stop by the Grand Opening event at K.D.’s Treehouse to buy some awesome organic cotton clothes for your children, head out to Sandhills for America Recycles Day!  Join in the fun of Richland County’s America Recycles Day celebration at the Clemson Sandhills Research & Education Center (across Clemson Road for the Sandhills Mall).   The free event runs from 10am - 4pm, with hourly door prizes, recycling games, pony rides, moon bounce, clowns, face painting, and live entertainment (including Elvis)!  Also, you can help your Richland County School win money for an eco project:
$500 to the school with the most signatures at the Sonoco Recycling Booth.
$250 to the school with the best entry in the recycled fashion show.

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If you haven’t been to K.D.’s Treehouse yet, you MUST go.  It is awesome.  Everything is just perfect!  From the simple, but fashionable organic cotton clothes and the beautifully designed Plan Toys to the perfectly delightful treehouse in which the littlest customers can play, owners Dea Baughman and Kris Burns have created the perfect blend of hip but practical!  Columbia is so lucky to have such an awesome children’s boutique.  Don’t miss the Grand Opening event this Saturday, November 15th.  Doors open at 10am.

• 11am to 3pm - Balloonopolis will be on hand to give out balloon creations to the children.

• 11am to 1pm - Delia Corrigan and Elizabeth Tighe, authors of Go Team! Mascots of the SEC , will be available to autograph copies of the book (The book is available for purchase from K.D.’s Treehouse.).

• Under the Nile clothes are in!  Plan Toys are in!  More Kate Quinn Organics items are on the way!!!

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Tamra Davis whips up some Peanut Butter Noodles backstage!

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If you don’t already have this on your calendar, be sure you add it now!  The Nickelodeon Theatre will show My Neighbor Totoro on Saturday morning (November 8th) at 10am.  Sure to be a great film!  The central characters are two sisters and the woodland creatures they encounter.  It is a Japanese film that continues to be shown at many children’s film festivals around the world.  Don’t miss this opportunity to see it in Columbia!  My Neighbor Totoro features no villains, no scary monsters, nor cranky adults.  How refreshing!!  Great review of the film at Common Sense Media .  Suitable for ages 3+.

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