No one can say there’s nothing to do in Columbia on Thursday evenings in June.
Downtown’s Twilight Festival begins at 6 this evening, and there will be some added attractions to go along with the usual mix of local artists, musicians and family activities.
History will come alive at a Lewis and Clark exhibition in Flat Branch Park at Fourth and Cherry streets from 6 to 8 p.m. The Discovery String Band will perform along with the Eagle Talon Brotherhood American Indian Dancers. There also will be a Lewis and Clark Exploration Outpost.
Carrie Gartner, director of the District, said the new venue at Flat Branch will add excitement to the festival. “The whole state is doing so much Lewis and Clark, and I’m glad we can do our own thing,” she said.
Columbia Farmers Market vendors also will be set up this evening in Flat Branch Park.
The concert series this year will be at Courthouse Square on the William Woods Stage, and music will range from salsa to swing. Tonight’s performance will feature the Rank Sinatras from 8 to 10.
Other events tonight are from 6 to 8, including the US Cellular Kids Camp at Courthouse Square. Children will have the chance to create safety packets with the Columbia Police Department; these include fingerprints and a photo. Live animals, hands-on activities and playful adventures also will be featured at the camp.
Another staple of the Twilight Festival, carriage rides, will be departing this year from the Missouri Theatre.
The Twilight Festival, which is in its 14th year, will continue every Thursday evening through June and every Thursday evening in September.