Favorite holiday events, a horse race and movie costumes top our event picks

“CHARLESTON SILVER LADY” COMES TO COLUMBIA: 7-9 p.m. Tuesday at the S.C. State Museum. The museum will give guests a one of a kind experience with nationally recognized silver expert Dawn Corley, known as the “Charleston Silver Lady.” A descendent of one of Charleston's colonial silversmiths, Corley has spent a lifetime collecting and gathering silver from South Carolina. Guests will get to see two special table tops designed by Corley with pieces dating to the 18th century. $40 for museum members, $50 for nonmembers. 301 Gervais St. www.scmuseum.org

TRIBUTE TO AUTHOR PAT CONROY: Pat Conroy will be honored at an event this week at Newberry Opera House that features a talk with his widow, the novelist Cassandra King. Conroy was a literary legend and South Carolina resident. He died of pancreatic cancer in March. “A Tribute to Pat Conroy” is the latest in a long line of people and places celebrating Conroy’s life and work. A portion of ticket sales will go to the new Pat Conroy Literary Center, an institute named after Conroy and founded in his hometown of Beaufort. $22-$45. 1201 McKibben St., Newberry. www.newberryoperahouse.com

19TH ANNUAL NATIVE AMERICAN INDIAN FILM & VIDEO FESTIVAL OF SOUTHEAST: Noon-10 p.m. Wednesday at Midlands Technical College Northeast Campus. This community-based event aims to present the richness and variety of indigenous cinematic expressions. Primarily the festival is a time to educate folks about contemporary Native American talents and issues, Native theme documentaries and to discuss film and the power it has to tell native stories by Native people. Other festival dates and locations offered this week. $7 for adults; $5 for students, seniors and military; free for tribal card holders. 151 Powell Road. http://nickelodeon.org/films/the-seventh-fire/

GRACE, JUSTICE AND MERCY: 6 p.m. Thursday at The Township. Justice Advocate Bryan Stevenson is the founder and executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative in Montgomery, Alabama. The lawyer has dedicated his career to helping the poor, the incarcerated and the condemned. Stevenson has successfully argued several cases in the United States Supreme Court and recently won an historic ruling that mandatory life-without-parole sentences for all children 17 or younger are unconstitutional. He is a featured speaker in this presentation from the South Carolina nonprofit Justice 360. Doors open at 5 p.m. Free. 1703 Taylor St. (803) 576-2350, www.richlandlibrary.com/event/lets-talk-justice

VISTA LIGHTS: 5-10 p.m. Thursday in the Vista district. The 31st annual Vista Lights kicks off the holiday season with artistic performances, live music, dancing, shopping, dining and the annual Vista tree lighting at 7 p.m. Free. www.vistalightssc.com

CMA JAZZ ON MAIN: 7 p.m. happy hour, 7:30 p.m. concert Friday at Columbia Museum of Art. Join the Noel Freidline Quartet as they pay tribute to one of the most iconic names in jazz, the great Dave Brubeck. Along with saxophonist Paul Desmond, bassist Gene Wright, and drummer Joe Morello, Brubeck helped define the genre of West Coast “cool” jazz. $35 general admission ($28 for members), $5 for students. 1515 Main St. www.columbiamuseum.org

CUT! COSTUME AND THE CINEMA: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday at Columbia Museum of Art. The newest featured exhibit here includes 43 period costumes from 25 films, depicting five centuries of history, drama, and comedy. The amazing costumes in this exhibition come from a collection of more than 100,000 costumes and accessories made by the renowned British costumer, Cosprop Ltd. $12 adults, $10 seniors and military, $5 students. 1515 Main St. www.columbiamuseum.org

PARSONS DANCE COMPANY: 7:30 p.m. Friday at Harbison Theatre at Midlands Technical College. The dance company is known for its energized, athletic ensemble work and will revisit its greatest choreography and share its newest creations, including a piece where a dancer does 100 leaps in six minutes. There also will be a “relaxed performance” tailored for audiences along the autism spectrum at 10 a.m. Saturday. 7300 College St., Irmo. $28. www.harbisontheatre.org

HISTORIC HOLIDAY TOURS BEGIN: Various times and days, at Robert Mills House and Hampton-Preston Mansion. Historic Columbia will officially kick-off the holiday season with holiday tours of the Robert Mills House and the Hampton-Preston Mansion. Guests are invited to see a variety of holiday decorations and experience traditions in both historic homes, through Dec. 31. Tour guides will provide stories of holidays past in Columbia and discuss how families decorated and entertained during the 19th and early 20th centuries. $8 adults, $5 youth, free for Historic Columbia members. Purchase tickets at 1616 Blanding St. Tour days and times: www.historiccolumbia.org

LIGHTS BEFORE CHRISTMAS: Opening night, 5-9 p.m. Saturday at Riverbanks Zoo. This favorite holiday tradition includes more than 1 million twinkling lights at Riverbanks Zoo. There are nightly visits with Santa, a Jingle Bell Bonfire and other activities. Runs through Friday, Dec. 30. $10 for adults, $8 for children 12 and under, free for children 2 and under. 500 Wildlife Parkway. www.riverbanks.org

47TH RUNNING OF THE MARION DU PONT SCOTT COLONIAL CUP: Gates open 9 a.m. Saturday at Springdale Race Course. There’s no better way to spend a fall afternoon than in the country, enjoying steeplechase horse racing at the Colonial Cup. In addition to the horse races, other highlights of the day-long event include terrier trials, a microbrew tent, and a shopping area. Base tickets start at $30; other packages are available. Children 11 and younger are free with an adult. Parking is extra. 200 Knights Hill Road, Camden. www.carolina-cup.org/news/

SOUTH CAROLINA OYSTER FESTIVAL: 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday at Robert Mills House and Gardens. Bring your chairs, blankets and oyster knives and enjoy live music, ice cold beer, wine garden and oysters (other food will be available). Reduced rates on historic house museum tours. $5 admission, does not include oysters, food, drinks. 1616 Blanding St. www.scoysterfest.com.