FRIDAY, NOV. 21

Wild Lights
Riverbanks Zoo & Garden (500 Wildlife Pkwy.) invites you and the kids to enjoy Wild Lights. Take a walk through the Zoo and check out more than 60 larger-than-life handcrafted wildlife lantern displays inspired by nature. Plus, there’s nightly snowfall, photo ops and visits with Santa. Wild Lights run from 5 to 9 p.m. and admission is $25.99. Visit riverbanks.org for more information.

Main St. Sip & Vibe
Head over to Icehouse Amphitheater (107 W. Main St.) for the laid-back Main St. Sip & Vibe event, presented by The Perry Agency. Check in at the amphitheater and then take a walk through downtown Lexington to sample wines, browse through local merchandise and connect with local business owners. It’s a perfect opportunity to look for some stocking stuffers with a little vino in hand. This event runs from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Tickets cost between $40.75 and $51.95. Visit lexingtonsc.org for more information.

Jim Graddick & Lonesome Grit (concert)
Bill’s Music Shop & Pickin’ Parlor (710 Meeting St.) welcomes Jim Graddick & Lonesome Grit to its Friday night concert stage. The band plays a unique mix of traditional bluegrass and high-wire jazz improv starting at 8 p.m. and running until 9 p.m. The dance floor is open, as is the snack bar. Admission is a $10 donation, and the show will be followed by a free electric jam at 10:30 p.m. Visit billsmusicshop.com for more information.

SATURDAY, NOV. 22

Holiday Market
Crooked Creek Park (1098 Old Lexington Hwy.) and the Irmo Chapin Recreation Commission host a Holiday Market. The market, held inside the Crooked Creek Park gymnasium, features one-of-a-kind treasures made by local artisans and small businesses, including holiday decorations, cozy handmade gifts and delicious baked goods. Soak up some holiday cheer and check some people off your gift list. The Holiday Market runs from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and is free to attend. Visit icrc.net for more information.

JaVonne Jones (concert)
Chayz Lounge (607 Meeting St.) and violinist JaVonne Jones invite you to a special presentation called “An Evening of Soulful Rhythms.” Jones will unplug her violin for a unique acoustic evening that includes hits and classics by Tony! Toni! Toné!, Patti LaBelle, Stevie Wonder, and more. Admission is $85 (dinner included). Dressy attire is required. Visit chayzlounge.com for more information.

Jazz & Cocktails (concert)
The Corley Mill House & Gardens (221 Corley Mill Rd.) presents a special evening called Jazz & Cocktails for fans of one or the other or both. Join popular Columbia saxophonist Robert Gardiner and his sextet for an evening of exciting jazz. This evening’s admission also includes three signature jazz-inspired cocktails mixed to match the mood of the music. Gardiner performs two sets, one at 6 p.m. and one at 8 p.m. Admission starts at $55. Visit corleymillhouse.com/jazz-cocktails for more information.

SUNDAY, NOV. 23

Cirque Kalabanté
The Harbison Theatre at Midlands Technical College (7300 College Blvd.) becomes a mystical wonderland when Cirque Kalabanté hits the stage. Their program, called “Afrique en Cirque by Cirque Kalabanté,” is a dazzling performance based on daily life in Guinea. It blends high-flying acrobatics and human pyramids with the rhythms of live Afro-jazz, traditional percussion, and more. Showtime is 3:30 p.m. and tickets cost between $35 and $40. Visit harbisontheatre.org for more information.

Coffee Lager Festival
Head over to Steel Hands Brewing (2350 Foreman St.) for the last day of the Coffee Lager Festival. Get a little extra pep in your step with new coffee lager brew releases on draft and in cans, take part in the chili cookoff or just hang around and enjoy the all you can eat waffle bar with delicious toppings and syrups. This event begins at 10 a.m. and is a fundraiser for Harvest Hope Food Bank. Visit facebook.com/steelhandsbrewing for more information.

MONDAY, NOV. 24

Sleigh Bell Trot
Saluda Shoals Park (5605 Bush River Rd.) invites you and the family to enjoy a Sleigh Bell Trot through the park. This trot is a 4-mile timed race that takes runners on a journey through Holiday Lights on the River in Saluda Shoals Park. This festive nighttime event features more than 1 million twinkling light displays up close. It’s the perfect holiday event for you and the kids. The Sleigh Bell Trot check-in begins at 5 p.m. and the race starts at 7 p.m. Registration fees cost between $35 and $45 per person. The first 1,150 registered runners get a free t-shirt. Visit icrc.net for more information.

Monday Morning Book Club
Get your week started off right at the Lexington Main Library (5440 Augusta Rd.) and join the Monday Morning Book Club. In this adult-friendly club, you’ll read a variety of books and enjoy lively discussion in a friendly, casual atmosphere. The book club meeting runs from 10 to 11 a.m. and is free to attend. Visit lexcolibrary.com for more information.

TUESDAY, NOV. 25

Sleigh Bell Stroll
If the Sleigh Bell Trot sounds a little too strenuous, Saluda Shoals Park (5605 Bush River Rd.) also offers the Sleigh Bell Stroll. It’s a festive 2-mile family walk at your own pace through more than a million twinkling lights at Holiday Lights on the River. The Sleigh Bell Stroll is an all-ages event and runs from 6 to 8 p.m. Admission costs $7 for ages three and up and $2 for ages two and under. Visit icrc.net for more information.

Across the county line

The SC State Museum (301 Gervais St.) invites you to experience the Northern Lights in a new way with “Áróra” on Friday, Nov. 21. Created by some of Iceland’s leading scientists, artists and musicians, Áróra is a sweeping, epic presentation projected onto the 55-foot digital dome of the museum’s BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Planetarium. It takes you across Iceland’s breathtaking landscapes and into outer space to uncover the mystery and science behind the aurora borealis. “Áróra” shows from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and admission costs between $15 and $18. Visit scmuseum.org/explore/astronomy/planetarium/arora for more information.

The Jamil Temple (206 Jamil Rd.) and the Columbia Gem & Mineral Society host the first day of the 57^th Annual Gem, Mineral and Jewelry Show on Friday, Nov. 21. Browse through more than 30 dealers offering gemstones, mineral specimens, fossils and more. There are also interactive stations where you and the kids can pan for gold, cut open geodes and watch live jewelry-making demonstrations. This show runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and admission is $7. Visit cgms.rocks/2025-show for more information.

Historic Columbia invites you to take a Historic Holiday Tour on Saturday, Nov. 22. Step back in time and explore two of Columbia’s most iconic homes: The Robert Mills House and the Hampton-Preston Mansion. Each house is decorated for the holidays with an emphasis on 19^th century items and cultural touchstones. You’ll also hear stories about the local customs and unique ways that people of the Midlands celebrated Christmas back in the day. These 75-minute guided tours run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and admission costs between $14 and $20. Visit historiccolumbia.org for more information.

The Newberry Opera House (1201 McKibben St.) presents a one-of-a-kind experience with “The Met: Live in HD Arabella” on Saturday, Nov. 22. Enjoy this cinematic broadcast from the Metropolitan Opera, and experience Richard Strauss’s Arabella, a romantic opera set in 19^th century Vienna that follows the young Arabella as she navigates the expectations of her family while seeking a true love for herself. This event begins at noon and admission costs between $10 and $20. Visit newberryoperahouse.com for more information.

The Trustus Theatre (520 Lady St.) invites you to an enchanting evening on Sunday, Nov. 23, with their production of “Into the Woods.” This Tony Award-winning musical by James Lapine and Stephen Sondheim mixes classic fairytale characters in a story that focuses on a young baker and his wife, who desperately wish for a child. “Into The Woods” begins at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, and admission costs between $37 and $43. Visit trustus.booktix.com for more information.