Community Interest
Current Columbia Curiosities
From the hundreds of local businesses that form its backbone to the residents who nurture its strong sense of community, Columbia offers endless opportunities for discovery.
An enthusiast’s guide to local dining, shopping, arts, and community in Columbia, South Carolina
Arts & Culture
Authentic: Nora Williams
There’s an impressive power in Nora Williams’ photography—a stillness that invites viewers to pause, listen, and feel. A Midlands native and graduate student at the University of South Carolina, Williams has built a body of work that captures the heart and complexity of life in the South.
Community Interest
Social Mission: Palmetto Place Children and Youth Services
For the past two issues of Fig Columbia, it has been our honor to highlight Palmetto Place Children and Youth Services as our Social Mission for 2025.
Things to Do
Where to Be in Cola this Fall
Fill your calendar with some of Columbia’s popular community events!
Things to Do
Staycation in Soda City
Our itinerary for a night’s staycation in our home city: where to stay, where to eat, and where to visit.
Community Interest
Columbia’s Curious Lore
With its storied past, rich history, and vibrant arts and culture scene, Columbia is anything but ordinary. In this article, we’re diving into interesting facts from Columbia’s history that make up the lore of the city.
Shopping & Retail
Curious Finds
We’re inviting readers to open the doors to Columbia’s cabinet of curiosities—shops and restaurants where you can find out-of-the-box gifts, decor, and experiences that broaden your horizons.
Fall 2025
The Curious Minds Issue
In this issue, you’ll discover that vivid art & abundant, rich culture can be found everywhere in Soda City. From the small business owners behind Columbia’s markets and boutiques to the artists that fill galleries and magazines, every single person in these pages possesses a curious mind and a fierce passion for discovery. Flip through these pages and explore the stories that make Columbia the city we love.
Food & Drink
The Ultimate Guide to Game Days in Cola
As the autumn breeze ushers in the football season, Columbia transforms into a vibrant hub of sporting passion and community camaraderie. Whether you’re a visitor or a Soda Citizen, game days in Columbia are a quintessential Southern tradition.
Experience Columbia: Capital City Bites & Sips
The Columbia food scene is buzzing with new and exciting restaurants popping up all the time, while seasoned chefs continue to marvel diners with their culinary creations.
Plan a Soda City Picnic Day
It’s the perfect time of year to spend an afternoon outside! Here are four picnic ideas for you to enjoy, complete with locations and what to pack in your basket.
Eat Local
In Columbia, food brings us together. It brings us together inside of restaurants, on Saturday mornings on Main Street, outside of breweries, at tailgates in the fall, in our homes with our family and friends, and even on the city’s most iconic bridge for a beautiful seated supper of over 1,400 people.
Community Interest
Authentic: Matt Catchpole
Local business owner aims to push the envelope for Columbia’s food and beverage offerings.
Authentic: Minh Le
From Vietnam to South Carolina: Minh Le makes her mark on Columbia and beyond.
Authentic: Meena Khalili
Design has a story to tell—and so does Meena, our Fig Authentic spotlight.
Authentic: Tammy Jones
When Tammy Jones first moved to Columbia after graduating high school, she fell in love with Main Street and city living.
Featured Events
Subscribe to Fig Magazine
Designed and produced four times a year, Fig Columbia magazine is filled with the latest in Columbia including local shopping, dining, arts, events, and community.
Arts & Culture
Art Abounds
Whether you aspire to See the Art, Be the Art, or Create the Art, there’s room for everyone on Columbia’s canvas.
The Left and Right Brains of Soda City
In this Arts & Culture issue, we’re shaking things up with a “left brain perspective.” Take a journey through eight iconic boroughs that perfectly encapsulate how care for the arts, thoughtful development, and architectural preservation play a role in Columbia’s unique cultural landscape.
City of Art
There are an abundance of theatre productions, live music performances, and art displays for all to enjoy. Dive into the variety of fantastic ways to appreciate the coming of autumn here in our Capital City!
Listen Closely…
Everybody’s got a story about the first concert that they ever went to, and around Columbia, you’ll often find that those stories include a local band or artist and a hidden hole-in-the-wall venue that you’d only know about if you were a local…
Local Services
Spruce Up Your Home for Fall
Sometime this season, pay a visit to any of these local businesses to see all they have in store for your home.
Selling made sweet
The Sweeten Group @ RE/MAX At The Lake has been making waves in the Columbia real estate community for the last 13 years.
Game, Set, Match
You are in good hands with The Sweeten Group.
Thank you to our Small Business Champion!
This book would not have been possible without our small business champion—BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina.
