Things to do across the Midlands: Laugh with William Lee Martin, eat your fill of oysters, meet authors, attend Duckfest and plan your Christmas festivities

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SUMTER COUNTY

Need a good laugh? Get your tickets for the Saturday, Nov. 9, night of laughter with Texas native William Lee Martin, hailed as the "King of Cowtown," at the Sumter Opera House, 21 N. Main St. Martin's career spans over 27 years in the world of stand-up comedy. His one-of-a-kind humor captivates audiences through heartwarming family centered tales and uplifting spirits, particularly during life's toughest moments. Known for his down-home charm and laugh-out-loud stories, Cowboy Bill delivers humor that resonates with folks who appreciate the simple joys of Southern living. Get your tickets at https://tinyurl.com/43vjdtun.

Learn about nature and the vital role of local land conservation at Congaree Land Trust's Conservation Celebration, "Sunday at Sans Souci Farm," from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 10, at the farm at 1935 Sans Souci Road, Sumter. This event is being held on historic protected property in Sumter with views that reach 20 miles into the High Hills of Santee, overlooking the Wateree River Basin. It will be open to the public, and attendees are invited to celebrate the local ecosystem and biodiversity through participating in any of the day's planned activities: live music and a barbecue lunch; hayrides featuring the history of Sans Souci Farm; a nature walk with a master naturalist; connect with conservationist Billy Cate during a book signing; watch retriever and falconry demonstrations; learn how to fly cast with Orvis staff instruction; and various children's games and activities. Tickets: adult, 18 and up, $35; junior, 10-17, $15; kids, 10 and under, free. Register for tickets by visiting the website, www.congareelt.org/#events.

Join the Sumter County Museum, 122 N. Washington St., at 6 p.m. Monday, Nov. 11, for a fun evening filled with laughter, wine and friendship with three celebrated authors sharing about their newly released novel, "The Author's Guide to Murder," described as Agatha Christie meets Murder, She Wrote. New York Times bestselling team of novelists Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig and Karen White will be on hand to sign books at the event. Ticket options: event only, $10 members, $15, public; and event and book, $30 members; $35 public. All tickets include admittance to event and refreshments. Books can be signed at event. To purchase tickets, visit https://tinyurl.com/5ef4e9tc.

The Sumter County Museum's 26th Annual Carolina Backcountry Oyster Roast, presented by Prisma Health, is the perfect chance to have all-you-can-eat oysters, barbecue, chili, collards and more while enjoying time with others. The museum's largest annual fundraiser will be held from 6-9 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 21, at the museum, 122 N. Washington St. A wide selection of beverages including beer, wine and soft drinks will be available. Music will be provided by HeyBo. Cost is $50 for members and $75 for non-members. Purchase tickets at https://tinyurl.com/34jznw97.

Don't miss out on South Carolina's largest free Christmas lights display beginning with the opening-night ceremony of the annual Swan Lake Fantasy of Lights at 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 1, at the Visitors Center, 822 W. Liberty St. (in the case of inclement weather, the ceremony will be held at the Heath Pavilion, 165 Garden St.). Through Dec. 31, visitors to Swan Lake Iris Gardens can see the gardens come alive with more than 1 million lights. The light display will be open Sunday-Thursday until 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday until 10 p.m. The event is designed as a drive-through, but visitors are allowed to park to take photos. Access to the walking trails is closed after dusk. Lights are displayed along the main parking lot area to the gardens, along Liberty Street and along Garden Street (enter at Liberty Street and exit onto Oakland Avenue). No parking is allowed along Garden Street; however, parking will be available in the lot across from the Heath Pavilion. Santa's Village, located in the Heath Pavilion, is a part of the holiday celebration. Children can write letters to Santa and take photos with the big guy (bring your own camera). Enjoy a variety of holiday music and entertainment each night. Food, hot cocoa and other holiday treats will be available for sale on site. Santa's Village will be open from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 6; Saturday, Dec. 7; Friday, Dec. 13; Saturday, Dec. 14; Friday, Dec. 20; and Saturday, Dec. 21. Admission to both Fantasy of Lights and Santa's Village is free. For more info, call the Visitors Center at (803) 426-2640.

The Holiday Tour on the 240th birthday of The Ruins in Stateburg on Saturday, Dec. 7, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., offers a visit throughout the main floor of The Ruins, with docents on hand to point out architectural embellishments and the many beautiful and intriguing pieces of original furniture. The inside and outside of the house will be decorated with natural arrangements and greenery that would have been used in the 1800s. The grounds will showcase many exhibits from various periods, including Revolutionary-era weapons with periodic mortar firing, a museum of 19th-century tools and household items, a few beautiful Model A cars, Native American dancing by the Sumter Cheraw Tribe, the surprising history of Stateburg and its homes and history exhibits by Sumter County Museum and Temple Sinai. The Ruins is one of the few remaining historic homes in the Stateburg area of Sumter. The land was purchased from Thomas Sumter, a hero of the Revolutionary War. The original 40'x45' house was built in 1784 by John Mayrant, a sea-faring hero who served with John Paul Jones in the same war. It was expanded several times with the final and most lavish one by Videau Marion Singleton and her husband, Robert Marion DeVeaux, in 1838. The address for The Holiday Tour at The Ruins is 1257 Barnwell Drive, Sumter. There is no admission fee for the event.

The Evening Optimist Club will hold its annual Sumter Christmas Parade at 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 8. The theme for the 2024 Christmas Parade is "Believe."

CLARENDON COUNTY

The 10th-annual Duckfest will be held on Saturday, Nov. 2, at Camp Woodie, 8444 Old River Road, with dozens of events such as a cornhole tournament, dog retrieving demonstration, Duckfest Cook-Off, car show, Clarendon County Fire Rescue demonstration, lots of delicious food and many more games and fun activities. For more information or if you'd like to become a vendor, log onto duckfestfun.com or email duckfestfun@gmail.com.

COLUMBIA

Repticon Columbia: A Walk Among the Wild Things! will be held Saturday-Sunday, Nov. 2-3, at Jamil Temple, 206 Jamil Road, Columbia. The family oriented event offers guests the opportunity to learn about animals not normally seen in local pet stores. Guests can shop for a family pet among the hundreds of reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates, arachnids and small exotic animals as well as cages, supplies, and both live and frozen feeders, as well as get expert advice about caring for their new household member. Show hours: Saturday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., and Sunday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Ticket options (sold online only): $15 Super Ticket (entry for both days); $11 Saturday (all day); $10 Saturday after 1 p.m.; $11 Sunday (all day); $6 for children 5-12; and children 4 and under are admitted free. To purchase tickets or for more information about the show, please visit our website: https://repticon.com/south-carolina/columbia.

A favorite holiday event returns to the South Carolina State Fairgrounds, 1200 Rosewood Drive, Columbia, Friday-Sunday, Nov. 8-10. The 49th-annual Craftsmen's Christmas Classic is the ideal place to load up on Christmas gifts from hundreds of artists and craftsmen from more than 20 states. Choose from contemporary, traditional, functional, whimsical and decorative treatments of pottery, fine art, glass, jewelry, baskets, weaving, clothing, furniture, sculpture, photography, wood and much more, including specialty foods. Enjoy all three days with a free return pass. Show hours are Friday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; and Sunday, 11 am.-5 p.m. Visit CraftShow.com for more information.

Join the Riverbanks Zoo for its all-new Wild Lights experience starting Nov. 15. Walk through the zoo from 5 to 9 p.m. and discover nearly 60 larger-than-life handcrafted lanterns inspired by nature, from pollinators and plants to endangered (and even extinct) animals. Enjoy interactive activities, fun photo ops and seasonal favorites including nightly snowfall and visits with Santa (through Dec. 23). Select nights begin Nov. 15. Tickets go on sale Nov. 1. Advance reservations are required for all members and guests. Visit www.riverbanks.org/events/wild-lights.

Fireflies Holiday Lights at Segra Park will brighten the holiday with even more lights, more activities and the return of the Fireflies Express presented by Thermal Technologies. The park will open from 6 to 9 p.m. (with last entry into the park at 8:45 p.m.) Friday, Nov. 15, through Saturday, Jan. 4, at 1640 Freed St., Columbia. Lights will be closed Nov. 18-21 as well as Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Years Day. The lights will operate under different hours on Dec. 31, with special New Years Eve hours of 5 to 8 p.m. Ticket prices are $10 per person in November and $12 per person in December. Children 2 and under get in free and do not require a ticket. Military members will receive $2 off their tickets with proof of valid military ID. All tickets are general admission and get you access to the view of more than one million LED Christmas lights with themed areas, numerous vendors and visits with Santa Claus. We encourage fans to purchase their tickets online, but you can purchase tickets by calling the Dukes Investigations Fireflies Ticket Office at (803) 726-4487 extension 1, or by visiting the ticket office during the week (Monday-Friday) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The ticket office will also remain open from 6 to 8:45 p.m. during Fireflies Holiday Lights event days to assist those who did not purchase tickets in advance. To purchase group tickets for Fireflies Holiday Lights, contact the Fireflies sales team at sales@columbiafireflies.com or call (803) 726-4487 extension 2. Food and drink choices will be available, as well as holiday-themed drinks and concessions throughout the concourse. Visit www.firefliesholidaylights.com.

FLORENCE

The S.C. Pecan Music and Food Festival will be held from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 2, in Downtown Florence. The all-day, free-admission festival is a one-day outdoor event featuring entertainment across nine stages, more than 250 vendors spread across seven blocks, free kids and family activities, amusement rides, pub for the grown-ups, culinary competitions, artist displays and activities, a classic car show, Run Like a Nut 5K, 10K and USATF-certified half-marathon races, and Bike Like a Nut half-century and century bike rides. Visit https://scpecanfestival.com or call (843) 678-5912.

Get into the holiday spirit and purchase unique gifts at the Jingle Bell Market set for Friday-Sunday, Nov. 15-17, at the Florence Convention Center. Times are Friday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; and Sunday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

See your favorite characters lace up their ice skates for Disney On Ice, which presents Into The Magic on Friday-Sunday, Nov. 29-Dec. 1, at the Florence Center Arena. According to the center's website, "The show takes families on a high-sea adventure as Moana sets sail on a life-changing quest to save her island with help from the demigod Maui. With the ice floor transformed into the vast oceanic scape, Disney On Ice allows Moana's strength and determination to take center stage. This engaging atmosphere lets audiences deepen their existing connection to their favorite way finder and discover one's true identity is never out of reach. Journey across the Marigold Bridge with Miguel from Disney Pixar's Coco into the magnificent and mystical Land of the Dead and discover a vibrantly colorful performance with skeletons in a beautiful cultural celebration of family. Beautiful production numbers invite audiences into the world of 'Beauty and the Beast,' as Belle shows what it means to be fearless. Along with her new friends in the enchanted castle, Belle is encouraged to step outside the ordinary and find joy in the bleakest situation. As she looks beyond the harsh exterior of the Beast to reach his gentle heart, fans learn there are teachable moments in everyday life. Through the athleticism and grace of Anna and Elsa, Rapunzel and Flynn, and Cinderella, brave heroes from 'Frozen,' 'Tangled' and 'Cinderella' ignite passions to believe." Show times are 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. Friday; 11 a.m., 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 30; and 1 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 1. To purchase tickets, visit https://tinyurl.com/bdf9sk6e.

ORANGEBURG

The City of Orangeburg invites the public to its free Children's Garden Christmas and Kids' Walk from Sunday, Nov. 24, through Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025. The Children's Garden Christmas, a drive-through display in Edisto Memorial Gardens, 218 Riverside Drive SW, Orangeburg, boasts thousands of lights including still and animated displays such as Old Man Winter, a river boat, Santa and his elves, a nativity scene and more than 60 lighted cherry trees. Kids' Walk features interactive displays including a hopping bunny, a squirrel running up a tree and colorful Christmas trees. Be sure to visit the Twelve Days of Christmas display. The holiday event is open seven days a week. Children's Garden Christmas is open from 5 to 10 p.m., and the Kids' Walk from 5 to 9 p.m. For additional information, call (803) 533-6020.