It’s time to poke our heads out from our holiday hibernation and face the fresh year ahead. Dine out, dress up, listen and learn this month in the Heart of SC.

Wild Lights at Riverbanks Zoo and Garden | Jan. 2 – 5, 8 – 12

If you find yourself subject to the post-holidays blues, take comfort in knowing that Wild Lights is sticking around a couple weeks into the month to help ween you off the magic of the season. Come see for yourself why USA Today named the dazzling display the #8 best zoo lights in the whole country.

Restaurant Week at varying locations | Jan. 9 – 19

If you spent the holidays indulging in sumptuous feasts and sweet treats, why stop now? Restaurant Week is here with dozens of participating establishments ready to lavish you with the luxury of an expertly prepared (and often multi-course) meal priced at a steal.

Central Carolina Comic Con 2025 at South Carolina State Fairgrounds | Jan. 11 – Jan. 12

There’s a new Con on the block and it’s taking over the fairgrounds for a weekend full of cosplay, panels, vendors and special guests like Gates McFadden from the Star Trek franchise, Michael Jai White from Spawn, John Schneider from The Dukes of Hazzard and more.

Donut Fest at Steel Hands Brewing | Jan. 18

You may not think donuts and beer make for a good combo, but please allow Steel Hands to change your mind. Featuring the release of their Jelly Donut Amber Ale, donut and flight pairings in partnership with Duck Donuts, donut food specials and games like a donut toss and eating contest, this day is sure to cement the two as a staple duo forevermore.

Winter Oyster Roast at Blossom Plant & Produce | Jan. 18

Cozy up in this charming corner of Five Points at this inaugural oyster roast event put on by the district’s new plant purveyors. Shuck and slurp your fill of the saltwater delicacy, warm up with a bowl of chili and take in some live music for a Saturday night well-spent.

FAAAC Presents A Storytelling Celebration at Columbia Museum of Art | Jan. 20

Part of the free Martin Luther King Jr. Day at the CMA programming, this is the fifth annual storytelling performance celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy. Featuring the theme “A Garden Grows Where We Tell,” attendees can enjoy line dancing and immersive stories in tribute to one of history’s most inspiring figures.

Constellation Concert Series: Music in the Observatory at South Carolina State Museum | Jan. 23

How do you pull off an evening concert series under the stars when it’s the dead of winter? Why, you host it in an observatory, of course! First, enjoy the song stylings of local artist Danielle Howle. Then, take a peek at the cosmos through the museum’s historic 1926 Alvan Clark telescope (weather permitting).

Two Gals and a Fork Vista Sites and Bites Food Tour at Vista District | Jan. 25

Two of the best ways to get a sense of place is through its history and culinary scene, so it’s just our luck that Historic Columbia has teamed up with Two Gals and a Fork to deliver both in one educational and delicious outing. Sample morsels from five Vista restaurants and learn about the district’s past as you make your way to each one.