Explore Lake Murray Country: Your Guide to Come Alive in the Jewel of South Carolina

In this episode of Explore Lake Murray Country, we’re taking a closer look at South Carolina’s capital with Mayor Daniel Rickenmann. From his roots in Columbia to his journey through public service, Mayor Rickenmann shares how the city continues to evolve and inspire. He talks about launching his own podcast, Around Town with @ColaMayor, memorable moments as mayor, and his vision for Columbia as a destination for food lovers, outdoor adventurers, and cultural explorers. Around Town Podcast About the Mayor Capital City/Lake Murray Country Explore Lake Murray Country is a part of the Destination Marketing Podcast Network. It is hosted by Kelly Hughes and produced by the team at Brand Revolt. To learn more about the Destination Marketing Podcast Network and to listen to our other shows, please visit https://thedmpn.com/. If you are interested in becoming a part of the network, please email adam@thebrandrevolt.com.

Katie Maglocci, the Operations Director of Palmetto Outdoor, is a lover of the outdoors who moved from Cincinnati to Columbia for school. She sits down with Kelly on today’s episode of Explore Lake Murray Country to talk about what drew her to the Columbia area and the summer job at Palmetto Outdoor that transformed into her career. She also discusses her favorite outdoor activities and gives out some info for people looking to book outdoor excursions of their own. Later in the episode, Katie touches on the importance of highlighting women in outdoor recreation spaces and introducing more people to the outdoors. Palmetto Outdoor Capital City/Lake Murray Country Explore Lake Murray Country is a part of the Destination Marketing Podcast Network. It is hosted by Kelly Hughes and produced by the team at Brand Revolt. To learn more about the Destination Marketing Podcast Network and to listen to our other shows, please visit https://thedmpn.com/. If you are interested in becoming a part of the network, please email adam@thebrandrevolt.com.

Located in the small town of Ridge Spring, SC is Juniper, a local restaurant run by Chef Brandon Velie. Chef Brandon sits down with Kelly on today’s episode to discuss his background, what drew him to cooking and the history behind Juniper. Chef Brandon also talks about the success of the South Carolina Chef Ambassador program, which he started to provide a network for local chefs in the area. Follow Juniper on Facebook Capital City/Lake Murray Country Explore Lake Murray Country is a part of the Destination Marketing Podcast Network. It is hosted by Kelly Hughes and produced by the team at Brand Revolt. To learn more about the Destination Marketing Podcast Network and to listen to our other shows, please visit https://thedmpn.com/. If you are interested in becoming a part of the network, please email adam@thebrandrevolt.com.

Known for decorating the Governor’s Mansion for the holiday season and lighting the State Christmas Tree, the Columbia Garden Club is an organization in the Capital City/Lake Murray Country region that promotes gardening and nature. Stephanie Cordum, the club president, sits down with Kelly on today’s episode to talk about the history of the club, its mission and how people can join. She also briefly talks about her history with gardening and the beginning of her membership in the Columbia Garden Club. Later in the episode, she also provides some information on the events and activities that the club holds throughout the year. The Columbia Garden Club Capital City/Lake Murray Country Explore Lake Murray Country is a part of the Destination Marketing Podcast Network. It is hosted by Kelly Hughes and produced by the team at Relic. To learn more about the Destination Marketing Podcast Network and to listen to our other shows, please visit https://thedmpn.com/. If you are interested in becoming a part of the network, please email adam@relicagency.com.

On today’s episode of Explore Lake Murray Country, Kelly sits down with Mayor Sloan Griffin III, the mayor of Blythewood. Mayor Griffin talks about his background in firefighting and disaster relief and how his work with FEMA led to him getting an initial taste of Blythewood before moving there years later. He also gives Kelly an in-depth rundown of some of his favorite local restaurants in and around Blythewood, like Lizard’s Thicket and Chubby’s Burgers. He also touches on how he’s embraced the Blythewood community as its mayor and some of his plans for the town's future. Town of Blythewood Capital City/Lake Murray Country Check out our blog post about this episode! Explore Lake Murray Country is a part of the Destination Marketing Podcast Network. It is hosted by Kelly Hughes and produced by the team at Relic. To learn more about the Destination Marketing Podcast Network and to listen to our other shows, please visit https://thedmpn.com/. If you are interested in becoming a part of the network, please email adam@relicagency.com.

On today’s episode of Explore Lake Murray Country Kelly sits down with Anne Pinckney Smith, the executive director of the Newberry Opera House, to talk about one of Newberry’s notable landmarks. Anne discusses the opera house’s impact on Newberry’s local arts scene and some of the big names that have performed at this venue like Willie Nelson and Chubby Checker. She also touches on the refresh that the Newberry Opera House underwent this past summer and some of the changes they’ve made to this historic property. The Newberry Opera House Capital City/Lake Murray Country Explore Lake Murray Country is a part of the Destination Marketing Podcast Network. It is hosted by Kelly Hughes and produced by the team at Relic. To learn more about the Destination Marketing Podcast Network and to listen to our other shows, please visit https://thedmpn.com/. If you are interested in becoming a part of the network, please email adam@relicagency.com.

The dynamic duo, Janet Jordan and Gloria Freeman with Two Gals and a Fork, join Kelly on this episode to celebrate their tenth anniversary of offering food tours in the area. They discuss their backgrounds in association management, the inspiration behind their food tour business and its evolution in Columbia, South Carolina. They share memorable moments including navigating chaotic events and a sudden downpour during tours. They also highlight unique encounters with guests, such as a death doula and former NASA employees. Capital City/Lake Murray Country Check out our blog post about this episode! Explore Lake Murray Country is a part of the Destination Marketing Podcast Network. It is hosted by Kelly Hughes and produced by the team at Relic. To learn more about the Destination Marketing Podcast Network and to listen to our other shows, please visit https://thedmpn.com/. If you are interested in becoming a part of the network, please email adam@relicagency.com.

Davy Hite is a decorated professional angler and broadcaster hailing from the Lake Murray region. Davy joins Kelly on today’s episode to discuss how growing up on Lake Murray formed his passion for fishing and his successful career as a professional angler. Davy also dives into some of his favorite things about fishing on Lake Murray and what makes it a fun fishing destination. Capital City/Lake Murray Country Check out our blog post about this episode! Explore Lake Murray Country is a part of the Destination Marketing Podcast Network. It is hosted by Kelly Hughes and produced by the team at Brand Revolt. To learn more about the Destination Marketing Podcast Network and to listen to our other shows, please visit https://thedmpn.com/. If you are interested in becoming a part of the network, please email adam@thebrandrevolt.com.

The Spirit of Lake Murray is a charter yacht that offers tours and can be rented out for weddings and birthday parties. Captain Rick Crout, one of the co-owners of the Spirit, joins Kelly on today’s episode to talk about the different charters you can take, such as sunset cruises, watching the Purple Martins and renting out the ship for different events. The Spirit of Lake Murray Capital City/Lake Murray Country Check out our blog post about this episode! Explore Lake Murray Country is a part of the Destination Marketing Podcast Network. It is hosted by Kelly Hughes and produced by the team at Brand Revolt. To learn more about the Destination Marketing Podcast Network and to listen to our other shows, please visit https://thedmpn.com/. If you are interested in becoming a part of the network, please email adam@thebrandrevolt.com.

Joining Kelly on today’s episode of Explore Lake Murray Country, local birder John Tjaarda talks about how he became a “bird nerd”. He also gives the scoop on the different bird species you can find in Capital City/Lake Murray Country, his favorite bird species and the different bird walks he hosts. Content Warning: Towards the end of this episode, our guest John Tjaarda discusses his profession at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, which includes information pertaining to mental health and suicide. The discussion starts at the 23:31 time mark in the episode. If this information is triggering for you we recommend turning off the episode. If you or a loved one struggles with suicide, you don’t need to go through it alone. Please go to https://www.iasp.info/suicidalthoughts/ or https://afsp.org/chapter/south-carolina Follow John Tjaarda on Instagram Capital City/Lake Murray Country Check out our blog post about this episode! Explore Lake Murray Country is a part of the Destination Marketing Podcast Network. It is hosted by Kelly Hughes and produced by the team at Brand Revolt. To learn more about the Destination Marketing Podcast Network and to listen to our other shows, please visit https://thedmpn.com/. If you are interested in becoming a part of the network, please email adam@thebrandrevolt.com.