Suddenly canceled in 2024, Columbia’s Gervais Street Bridge Dinner announces return
The Gervais Street Bridge Dinner is set to make a comeback.
The popular dinner held on the iconic bridge between Columbia and West Columbia each year was suddenly canceled in 2024. But organizers now say they are confident the event will come together without issue this October. Last year, the dinner was canceled about a month before it was scheduled to take place because of “insurmountable challenges” including the permitting process and “inflationary pressures.”
“It’s been very clear that this event is beloved by the community, and there’s been strong support to see the event come back,” said Erin Curtis, CEO of Soda City Market and a special advisor overseeing the bridge dinner this year. Curtis, who previously served as the event’s director from 2016-19, plans to take over as the bridge dinner’s executive director in 2026.
The dinner brings over 1,000 ticketed patrons to the point between Columbia and West Columbia, gathering at long tables stretching across the length of the bridge. In the past, ticket prices have ranged from about $150 per seat to over $1,600 for VIP admission. Organizers say it sells out every year.
The prices for this year’s dinner have not yet been announced. Curtis could not provide specific details about the (mostly) annual meal, but when a date is set, it will be shared on the event’s Facebook page, according to a release announcing the event’s return.
The dinner has been held almost every year since 2015. It was canceled during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic but returned in 2021. By that point, the event had raised over $250,000 for local charities since it began, according to Experience Columbia.
Some of the charities that have received donations following that event over the years include Senior Resources, Congaree Land Trust, Camp Cole, River Alliance, MIRCI, Serve & Connect and many others.
Leaders of Soda City Market originally led the dinner, but the nonprofit Carolina Together bought the event rights in 2020. That organization remains the event sponsor in 2025.
That nonprofit cited a “prolonged” permit approval process as one of the reasons it was canceled in 2024, though civic leaders said they believed the permits had been approved.
Both the cities of Columbia and West Columbia at the time said they had provided proper permits. The event requires a series of approvals because it requires closing the Gervais Street Bridge to traffic and rerouting those vehicles.
Curtis said both cities have been “instrumental” in making sure the event can return, and added that she did not expect any issues this year.
This story was originally published April 10, 2025 at 5:30 AM.
