Historic Columbia announces October 2026 events
October 1, 2026
Fall in love with all the events Historic Columbia (HC) has to offer in the coming weeks. From a new walking tour to the highly anticipated Fall Plant Sale, there is something for everyone to enjoy this month at HC!
PROGRAMS & EVENTS IN OCTOBER:
Thursday, October 8 & Thursday, October 22 | 8:00 – 9:00 a.m. | Hampton-Preston Mansion & Gardens | 1615 Blanding Street
Keep your eye to the sky and join Historic Columbia to learn how to identify local and migratory birds by sight, sound, and behavior. This free walk is led by HC’s “Resident Bird Nerd” John Tjaarda and Assistant Horticulturalist Jake Armstrong, who will offer tips and tricks for attracting feathered friends to your home this fall.
Admission: FREE; registration is required
Historic Columbia’s Annual Meeting
Thursday, October 8 | 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. | Robert Mills Carriage House | 1616 Blanding Street
Historic Columbia invites you to its Annual Meeting and Reception on Thursday, October 8, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. Join us for a review of the past year, the introduction of new members of the Board of Trustees, and the unveiling of Historic Columbia’s three-year strategic plan. Following the meeting, enjoy a reception across the Robert Mills campus, where you’ll have the opportunity to meet our staff, learn about the Robert Mills Vision Plan, and celebrate the launch of our three-year Annual Fund campaign.
Admission: FREE; registration is encouraged.
Historic Columbia’s Fall Plant Sale
Friday, October 9 (10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.) & Saturday, October 10 (8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.) | Hampton-Preston Mansion & Gardens | 1615 Blanding Street
Browse the Plant List and begin planning your garden—this year’s Fall Plant Sale is coming up! Discover heirloom flowers, shrubs, vegetables, and perennials, all grown in Historic Columbia’s gardens. With many rare or hard-to-find varieties and our horticulture experts on-site to share growing tips and recommendations, this plant sale will elevate your garden to historic heights!
Admission: FREE
NEW! Family Birdwatching in the Gardens
Saturday, October 10 | 8:00 – 9:00 a.m. | Boyd Foundation Horticultural Center | 1615 Blanding Street
Bring the whole family for a special birdwatching adventure during Historic Columbia’s Fall Plant Sale! Join local birder John Tjaarda and Historic Columbia Assistant Horticulturalist Jake Armstrong for a fun, guided exploration of the Hampton-Preston Gardens as you discover the resident and migratory birds that call Columbia home. In addition to the guided birdwatching experience, families will enjoy a hands-on, bird-themed craft that’s perfect for young nature enthusiasts.
Admission: $5 youth; FREE accompanying adults
Thursday, October 15 – Saturday, October 17 | 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. | Begins at Trinity Episcopal Church | 1100 Sumter Street
Join Historic Columbia’s Director of Preservation John Sherrer as he explores downtown graveyards to uncover the roles cabinetmakers, blacksmiths, and stonemasons played in 19th-century burial traditions. Drawing upon extensive material culture and archival research, Monumental Undertakings traces the stories behind the stones and the “architecture” of legacy and memorialization. This 90-minute walking tour will be offered for three consecutive evening.
Admission: $35 HC members; $25 general admission
Free Sunday at the Robert Mills House
Sunday, October 18 | 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. | Robert Mills House & Gardens | 1616 Blanding Street
The third Sunday of the month, residents of Richland and Lexington counties are invited to tour of one of Historic Columbia’s house museums for FREE! This month, visit the Robert Mills House.
Admission: FREE; space is limited and admission is first come, first served.
Sunday, October 18 | 1:00 – 2:30 p.m. | Begins at Village Church Downtown Campus | 2204 Park Street
Join Historic Columbia for a stroll through the Elmwood Park neighborhood. Established in 1904 as a suburb of Columbia, Elmwood Park stands today as one of the city’s most architecturally intact neighborhoods. Participants will learn about different architectural forms and some of the notable residents who once called this neighborhood home in this 75-minute tour.
Admission: $5 HC members; $10 general admission; FREE youth 17 and under
Behind-the-Scenes Tour | Seaboard Vista
Thursday, October 22 | 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. | 919 Gervais Street
Join Historic Columbia and Avant Holdings for a behind-the-scenes look at Seaboard Vista, a collection of historic properties that will be activated for dining, culture, creativity, and residential life in the coming year. Participants will tour buildings once occupied by Murray Drug Company, National Biscuit Company, and Richland County’s dispensary, while hearing from HC staff and the preservation developers, architects, and artisans who are bringing the project to life. Light refreshments will follow the tour.
Admission: $30 HC members; $40 general admission
Monday, October 26 | 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. | Robert Mills House & Gardens | 1616 Blanding Street
Put on your costumes and join Historic Columbia for a safe, fun, and free Halloween experience on the grounds of the Robert Mills House. Children of all ages can enjoy music, games and activities, and, of course, lots of candy. Come support this great community event!
Admission: FREE
Tuesday, October 27 | 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. | Hampton-Preston Mansion & Gardens | 1615 Blanding Street
Performers from the South Carolina Philharmonic will join Historic Columbia for an enchanting outdoor concert in the gardens at the Hampton-Preston Mansion. This program will feature The Honeymeads, a Charleston-based Americana duo whose rich harmonies, guitar, and fiddle bring together beloved folk and roots classics with original songs.
Admission: $20 HC members; $25 general admission
COMING SOON:
Community Scanning Day: Cotton Mill District | Thursday, November 12 | 701 Whaley Street
Renovation Rodeo | Tuesday, November 17 | Cottontown District
VISIT US:
Explore over 200 years of local history at Historic Columbia! Tickets to our historic house museums may be purchased online or at the Welcome Center at Robert Mills, located at 1616 Blanding Street.
- Hampton-Preston Mansion & Gardens | 1615 Blanding Street
- Wednesday – Saturday | 10:30 a.m.
- Sunday | 3:00 p.m.
- Journey to Freedom: Mann-Simons Site and Modjeska Monteith Simkins House | 1403 Richland Street & 2025 Marion Street
- Wednesday – Sunday | 3:00 p.m.
- The Museum of Reconstruction Era at the Woodrow Wilson Family Home | 1705 Hampton Street
- Wednesday – Saturday | 1:30 p.m.
- Robert Mills House & Gardens | 1616 Blanding Street
- Wednesday – Saturday | 12:00
- Sunday | 1:30
Plan a visit to downtown’s premier public gardens! Historic Columbia offers 14 acres of historically-informed landscapes in the heart of Robert Mills Historic District, which include interpretive signage to help bring history to life. The gardens are free and open to the public seven days a week.
- Hampton-Preston Mansion & Gardens | 1615 Blanding Street
- Monday – Saturday | 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
- Sunday | 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.
- Robert Mills House & Gardens | 1616 Blanding Street
- Monday – Saturday | 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
- Sunday | 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.
- Seibels House & Gardens | 1601 Richland Street
- Monday – Friday | 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
- Woodrow Wilson Family Home | 1405 Hampton Street
- Monday – Saturday | 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
- Sunday | 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Become a Member
Join Historic Columbia and become our partner in advocacy and education. Members help Historic Columbia preserve places and share complex stories from the past that connect us in the present and inspire our future. Your membership helps HC create educational and entertaining historical programming that pulls people together and builds strong bonds within our community. Learn more about the perks of membership at historiccolumbia.org/membership.
About Historic Columbia
In November 1961, a small group of individuals intent on saving the Ainsley Hall House (now known as the Robert Mills House) from demolition officially incorporated as Historic Columbia. Over the next five decades, the organization, which was founded on the premise of preservation and education, would take on the stewardship of six historic properties in Richland County. Today, the organization serves as a model for local preservation efforts and interpretation of local history. Visit historiccolumbia.org or find us on Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube for more details.
