Enjoy The Sights, Sounds & Tastes Of Soda City Market

What are you doing on Saturday? Heading to Soda City Market, of course. 

The Soda City Market, held on Main Street weekly, is Columbia’s largest street market.  It’s open every Saturday morning, rain or shine, 9 a.m. –1 p.m., year-round.  There are between 5 and 7,000 visitors to Soda City Market on a regular Saturday.  The market averages 150 vendors a week and around a dozen food trucks. A vendor list is posted on the Soda City Facebook page weekly. 

You can find everything you need to nourish your brain, body, and belly, which is Soda City Market’s theme. The Soda City Market is a microcosm of Columbia, a melting pot of cultures, an inviting community experience and a visitor must do.  

With over a dozen food trucks at the market, it’s a fantastic way to kick off the weekend, enjoy breakfast, brunch or lunch. My favorite go to are the Mimosas; I grab one when I arrive and start to browse. 

For visitors, the market is a great spot to find souvenirs to bring back home. Everything sold at the market is unique, handcrafted and produced in South Carolina.  Worried about parking?  Don’t worry!  It is free on Saturdays. Parking spots can be found on Assembly Street, adjacent side streets and there are parking garages on Lady and Taylor Streets. 

So, why is it called the Soda City market?  Columbia is often shortened to ‘Cola’, an abbreviation first created by the U.S. Postal Service. From Cola, the market came up with “Soda City,” a moniker which resonates well with locals. Since coining Soda City and changing the market’s name, over one hundred other entities have now included the Columbia nickname in their own business names, projects, etc.

All Images ©Shell Suber