Explore Lake Murray Country: Your Guide to Come Alive in the Jewel of South Carolina
There’s so much living to be done, especially in the Capital City/Lake Murray Country region! Explore Lake Murray Country is a podcast built around one grand, meaningful, enriching invitation— “Come Alive!” Join us as we hear fun, uplifting and unique stories about living life to the fullest from Palmetto State locals who call Capital City/Lake Murray Country home. There’s endless adventure out there to be found — what are you waiting for?!
Episodes
October 15, 2025 • 52 mins
In this episode of Explore Lake Murray Country, host Kelly Hughes sits down with Chef Chris Williams, owner of Roy’s Grille and celebrated South Carolina Chef Ambassador. Chef Chris shares his journey from small-town beginnings in Olar, SC, to building one of the Midlands’ most beloved restaurants. He talks about the inspiration behind Roy’s Grille, his commitment to scratch-made southern cooking, and his experiences competing on t...
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September 18, 2025 • 30 mins
In this episode of Explore Lake Murray Country, host Kelly Hughes sits down with Suzanne Brooks of Historic Columbia, the nonprofit dedicated to preserving and sharing the Midlands’ rich history. Suzanne shares her journey into the world of preservation, the unique experiences visitors can have at Historic Columbia’s house museums and gardens, and the importance of telling inclusive stories about our past. From guided tours to imm...
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June 24, 2025 • 27 mins
In this episode of Explore Lake Murray Country, we’re going behind the scenes of South Carolina’s largest fireworks show with Brent Munnerlyn, owner of Munnerlyn Pyrotechnics. Brent shares the personal passion that led him to a career in pyrotechnics, what it takes to orchestrate Lake Murray’s Independence Day Celebration, and the cutting-edge effects launching this year. Learn how Capital City/Lake Murray Country, with the support...
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June 10, 2025 • 17 mins
In this episode of Explore Lake Murray Country, host Kelly Hughes heads to one of the region’s most beloved outdoor destinations—Dreher Island State Park. Park Ranger Sam Worley shares what makes the park such a unique experience for campers, boaters, anglers, and nature lovers alike. With 12 miles of Lake Murray shoreline, lakeside villas, hiking trails, and prime fishing spots, Dreher Island is where visitors come to relax, rech...
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May 20, 2025 • 44 mins
In this episode of Explore Lake Murray Country, we’re diving into one of the summer’s most exciting events—Weekend With the Pros. Co-founder Chris Farr joins host Kelly Hughes to share the story behind the SC Rough Riders, the roots of WWTP, and how this two-day wakeboarding experience has grown into a major draw for riders and families alike. From pro-led lessons to high-energy exhibitions, Chris gives us a behind-the-scenes look ...
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April 25, 2025 • 36 mins
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, outdo...
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February 25, 2025 • 31 mins
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 boo...
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January 10, 2025 • 36 mins
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.
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Capital Cit...
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December 11, 2024 • 28 mins
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 ga...
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November 15, 2024 • 37 mins
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 Thic...
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October 30, 2024 • 23 mins
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 underwen...
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August 22, 2024 • 32 mins
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 a...
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July 17, 2024 • 26 mins
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
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June 14, 2024 • 16 mins
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
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May 14, 2024 • 30 mins
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 Suici...
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April 12, 2024 • 45 mins
Today on Explore Lake Murray Country, Kelly is joined by Chef Brian Duffy and Olympian Mark Henry, who are celebrity judges at the Southeastern BBQ Showdown in Columbia, SC. Chef Duffy, known for his appearances on Food Network and Spike TV’s Bar Rescue, shares his background, how he met co-judge Mark Henry and the secrets to a perfect plate of barbecue. Later in the show, Mark Henry, an Olympic weightlifter and former wrestler, ta...
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March 5, 2024 • 19 mins
In Episode 6, Vickie Davis, Senior VP of Special Events & Funding at Capital City/Lake Murray Country, joins Kelly to give a rundown and history of the annual Taste of Lake Murray fundraiser for the 4th of July Celebration on Lake Murray. Tune in to learn about Vickie’s background, her involvement in the fundraiser, and the sentiment of these events to our local community and the village of volunteers it takes to put on the event.
...
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February 16, 2024 • 36 mins
Located in West Columbia, Palmetto Outdoor offers tubing and kayaking experiences across the Lake Murray Country region. Owner Micahel Mayo sits down with Kelly to talk about why he started his company and his passionate mission to get people outside in nature. Michael also talks about the different tours that he offers and what to expect when you book a trip with Palmetto Outdoor.
Palmetto Outdoor
Capital City/Lake Murray Country
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January 5, 2024 • 39 mins
In Episode 4 of Explore Lake Murray Country, Kelly sits down with Michael Geddings, a local mural and portrait artist in the area. Tune in to hear about Michael’s history with art and what its creation means to him. Michael also details his process when creating murals and portraits as well as his involvement in the colorful Cayce Arts District.
Where to see Michael's work:
"Paint the Town" The Cayce Chameleon - Cayce River Arts D...
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December 13, 2023 • 57 mins
Open to the public since 1974, Riverbanks Zoo and Garden is one of the top attractions in South Carolina with a wide variety of animals in its care. Tommy Stringfellow, the president and CEO of Riverbanks Zoo and Garden, joins Kelly on this episode to give a rundown of everything you can experience at Riverbanks. Tommy also talks about the new "Wild Lights" experience at the Zoo this winter, where you can discover nearly 60 larger-...
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