Greg Vandervelde and Kim Igou discuss native plants at the Columbia Green birthday par ty. Columbia Green gave itself a birthday party Sunday, October 25, and hundreds of Midlands residents turned out to help celebrate.

Columbia Green is “a non–profit, volunteer–driven organization that promotes horticulture and conservation to beautify the Greater Columbia Metropolitan Area,” according to its Web page. For 25 years, it has been doing just that, and the “Canalapalooza” gala on Sunday afternoon at Riverfront Park was its chance to show the community the variety and extent of its mission.

Co–hosts for the party were the City of Columbia, Historic Columbia Foundation, South Carolina State Museum, and USC McKissick Museum. Park Rangers and volunteer guides demonstrated the myriad projects of conservation and nature development that keeps Columbia Green busy.

Families, students, seniors, bicyclists, kayakers, babies, and dogs converged on the Riverfront Park for a breezy fall afternoon, visiting booths and hearing talks on nature and on Columbia’s history.