Columbia’s 11th annual Downtown Days will take place next weekend, Friday, Oct. 10 and Saturday, Oct. 11. Some new events are joining the schedule along with the old favorites.
Downtown Days is hosted every year by the Renaissance committee, which began as a downtown restoration group, committee chair Rhonda Loy said.

New events to join the schedule include the karate Kickin Kids demonstration and the Columbia Masonic Lodge #96 open house.
“The Masonic Lodge will be celebrating their 200th year since they were first started in 1814, so they’re going to have an open house,” committee member Jada Coomer said.
All of the events are free, except for registration fees for competitions, such as the 5K and a pageant. Vendors will vary from food to crafts and everything in between.
“Just bring a lawn chair and you can sit out all day and eat from the food booths and hopefully enjoy the good weather,” Coomer said.
The final event and main concert will feature Trick Pony at 7 p.m. Saturday night.
Downtown Days will take place on the square, which will be closed to traffic from midday Friday to Saturday night.
“Just be sure and come out and spend the day with us,” Coomer said.
There will also be a beauty pageant this Saturday. The registration deadline is 5 p.m. Friday, and there is an entry fee.
Contact City Hall at 270-384-2501 or visit www.downtowndayscolumbia.com for more details.
By James D. McIntosh Jr.
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