COLUMBIA, S.C. — Music fans, there’s a LOT on this weekend’s calendar for just about everyone, from jazz to bluegrass, rap to yacht music.

Local parks and amphitheaters are hosting bands, and if you’re up for a short road trip, there’s BirdFest: The Ultimate Bluegrass Festival in Pinewood.

That two-day event features the legendary Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder, and Steep Canyon Rangers as the headliners.

For the uninitiated, Skaggs has been a major force in country music for over 60 years.

The 15-time Grammy Award winner first picked up a mandolin at the age of five and was performing with bluegrass legends Flatt & Scruggs by the age of seven. Skaggs has been a member of the Grand Ole Opry since 1982, and at that time, was the youngest person to be inducted into the Opry. Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder are set to headline BirdFest Saturday night, taking the main stage around 6:30 p.m. Steep Canyon Rangers are headlining both Friday and Saturday, scheduled to go on at 8:30 p.m.

Another road trip to consider is ArtFields. The art show and competition is spread out through various exhibit spaces and local shops in Lake City, but closes on Saturday.

If you’d like to stay closer to home, there’s always the circus, a rodeo, a couple of barbecue (or BBQ!) competitions… and the Rosewood Crawfish Festival. Enjoy!

THURSDAY through SATURDAY, May 1-3

Midlands Clay Arts Society Spring Show & Sale. 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Thursday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday; Stormwater Studios, 413 Pendleton St., Columbia. Meet the artists who create one-of-a-kind ceramics and bring home a piece (or two).

ArtFields, various locations and times, Lake City, SC. Take the hour-and-a-half drive to wander through the annual town-wide display of public art. Start your self-paced journey at the Welcome Center at 110 E Main St. in Lake City and register to vote for the People’s Choice Award. There’s plenty to see — and eat – on the walkable tour.

Clyde’s, 8 p.m. (2 p.m. Sunday), Trustus Theatre, 520 Lady St. At Clyde’s truck stop, the kitchen is staffed exclusively by former incarcerated individuals looking for a shot or redemption – and the perfect sandwich.

THURSDAY through SUNDAY, May 1-4

UniverSoul Circus, various times, Columbia Place Mall, 7201 Two Notch Rd.  Acrobats, extreme riders, skaters, music, and a Caribbean Carnivale!

Columbia Fireflies vs Hickory Crawdads, various times, Segra Park, 1640 Freed St., Columbia. Join the Fireflies for a home stand against the Mudcats. Promotions include Thirsty Thursday and Food Fight! on Thursday, Military Appreciation on Friday, Bluey and Bingo night on Saturday with post-game fireworks, and Star Wars (May the Fourth…) Sunday with post-game fireworks, jersey auction and kids run the bases.

Les Miserables, various times, Koger Center for the Arts, 1051 Greene St., Columbia. Part of the Broadway in Columbia series, this is the classic tale of broken dreams, unrequited love, and redemption set against the backdrop of 19th century France.

FRIDAY & SATURDAY, May 2 & 3

Friends of the Irmo Branch Library book sale, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Mungo Room, Irmo Branch Library, 6251 St. Andrews Rd., Irmo. Check out some titles and build up your own home libraries at this public book sale to benefit the Irmo Branch Library.

BirdFest: The Ultimate Bluegrass Music Festival, 3:30-10 p.m. Friday (gates open at 10 a.m.), 9 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday (gates open at 8 a.m.); SC Waterfowl Association’s Wildlife Education Center, 8444 Old River Rd., Pinewood. Headliners include Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder, and Steep Canyon Rangers, with Della Mae, Fireside Collective, Chatham Rabbits, Cosmic Possums, and many, many more. Tickets available online only! Grab a tent and a cooler (no glass containers allowed), and make it a weekend, or come for one night only.

Blythewood Spring Championship Rodeo, gates open both nights at 5:30 p.m., show starts at 7:30 p.m. 10433 Wilson Blvd., Blythewood. Nationally-ranked cowboys and cowgirls compete in eight rodeo events. Fun for the whole family! Food and drinks available for purchase.

Yonder Mountain String Band, 8 p.m. The Senate, 1022 Senate St. Settle in for an evening of progressive bluegrass jams at this all-ages show. Cashless venue, ID required if purchasing alcohol, clear bag policy in place

Eastover BBQ Festival & Jam Fest, 7 p.m.-midnight Friday, noon-6 p.m. Saturday; Eastover Park, 1031 Main St. Eastover. Friday night jam features Pokey Bear, Meechie, Nelson Curry, Jake Carter, SugaRoy MG, Big C and Big Steve; Saturday’s parade starts at noon from Webber Elementary School through downtown. Live music, kids zone, food trucks and more

FRIDAY through SUNDAY, May 2-4

Barefoot in the Park, 7:30 p.m. Friday & Saturday, 3 p.m. Sunday, Chapin Theater Company, 830 Columbia Ave., Chapin. Classic Neil Simon romantic comedy follows a newlywed couple, her mother and their neighbor-in-the-attic.

SATURDAY, May 3

Play on the Plaza, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Boyd Plaza, Columbia Museum of Art. Weather permitting, this free, family friendly event allows participants to expand their imagination with oversized building blocks and materials

Prosperity’s Hoppin’ with Arts & Crafts festival, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Prosperity Market Square, downtown Prosperity. Enjoy an afternoon of shopping and dining, arts and crafts, car show and DJ music

Free comic book day, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Scratch N Spin, 513 12th Street, West Columbia. Grab up to three free comics, and meet Noah van Sciver, Logan Jones, Steven Prouse and Kristin Keely. Enter the cosplay contest and hang around for a performance by local metal band Lowercase Gods.

Rosewood Crawfish Festival, 11 a.m.-7 p.m., South Carolina State Fairgrounds. Enjoy Louisiana-raised crawfish in Columbia’s largest crawfish boil while listening to live music or enjoying games with the kiddos. Tickets available online in advance, kids age 12 and under get in free.

Kite Festival, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., Patriot Park Pavilion, 380 General Drive, Sumter. Go fly a kite, send it soaring! Enjoy food, music, games, and learn how to line dance.

Pickin’ & Piggin’ BBQ Cookoff, 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Saluda Shoals Park, 5605 Bush River Rd. BBQ teams face off, competing to be the best BBQ on the block. Live music by Water Kickers, beer, wine and non-alcoholic beverages for purchase

Sail boat racing on Lake Murray, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Lake Murray Yacht Racing Association, 173 Cedar Chase Lane, Lake Murray. Saturday’s race is Race 5 in the ISLAND Spring Series. Free for spectators

The Sense of It All: A Sensory Design Experience, noon-4 p.m., Columbia Museum of Art, Main at Hampton Streets. Explore how you experience design through your senses and how design impacts more of your daily life through taste, smell, touch, hearing, and sight.

Across the Sea and Through Time: A Conversation with Herb Frazier on Gullah Geechee Roots, 3-4:30 p.m., Richland Library Main, 1431 Assembly St., Columbia. Charleston-based author Herb Frazier shares stories, images and artifacts from his personal journey to three historic West African locations where enslaved Africans were held before being brought across the Atlantic. His latest book, Sleeping with the Ancestors: How I followed the footprints of slavery.

Heroes & Villains: The Art of the Disney Costume, you choose time, SC State Museum, 301 Gervais St., Columbia. Oooh and aah over 70 costumes from beloved Disney characters such as Cinderella, Maleficent, and more worn by actors such as Johnny Depp, Glenn Close, and Angelina Jolie. Tickets available online, select time you wish to enter the exhibition at time of purchase as gallery capacity is limited.

Pete the Cat, 2 p.m. and 6 p.m., Harbison Theatre, 7300 College St., Irmo. This upbeat musical follows Pete and his new friend Jimmy Biddle on a whirlwind adventure to Paris as they attempt to conquer a second-grade art assignment.

Katt Williams: Heaven on Earth Tour, 8 p.m., Colonial Life Arena, 801 Lincoln St. The comedian brings new material on tour in 2025, fresh from his “Woke Foke” comedy special on Netflix. No cameras or video. Colonial Life has a clear bag policy, cashless concessions in place

SATURDAY & SUNDAY, May 3 & 4

Orangeburg Festival of Roses, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, noon-6 p.m. Sunday; Edisto Memorial Gardens, 200 Riverside Dr SW; and DORA Farmers Market Pavilion, 1326 Russell St., Orangeburg. Take a walk and enjoy the roses in bloom, live music, food trucks, arts and crafts, and more.

SUNDAY, May 4

Music in My Neighborhood: Eastover, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Mr. Bunky’s Market, 10441 Garners Ferry Rd., Eastover. Take your turn on the podium and learn how to conduct an orchestra at this free, family-friendly event.