copy entire row (without knowing field names) - sql-server-2008

Question

Using SQL Server 2008, I would like to duplicate one row of a table, without knowing the field names. My key issue: as the table grows and mutates over time, I would like this copy-script to keep working, without me having to write out 30+ ever-changing fields, ugh.
Also at issue, of course, is IDENTITY fields cannot be copied.
My code below does work, but I wonder if there's a more appropriate method than my thrown-together text string SQL statement?
So thank you in advance. Here's my (yes, working) code - I welcome suggestions on improving it.
Todd
alter procedure spEventCopy
#EventID int
as
begin
-- VARS...
declare #SQL varchar(8000)
-- LIST ALL FIELDS (*EXCLUDE* IDENTITY FIELDS).
-- USE [BRACKETS] FOR ANY SILLY FIELD-NAMES WITH SPACES, OR RESERVED WORDS...
select #SQL = coalesce(#SQL + ', ', '') + '[' + column_name + ']'
from INFORMATION_SCHEMA.COLUMNS
where TABLE_NAME = 'EventsTable'
and COLUMNPROPERTY(OBJECT_ID('EventsTable'), COLUMN_NAME, 'IsIdentity') = 0
-- FINISH SQL COPY STATEMENT...
set #SQL = 'insert into EventsTable '
+ ' select ' + #SQL
+ ' from EventsTable '
+ ' where EventID = ' + ltrim(str(#EventID))
-- COPY ROW...
exec(#SQL)
-- REMEMBER NEW ID...
set #EventID = ##IDENTITY
-- (do other stuff here)
-- DONE...
-- JUST FOR KICKS, RETURN THE SQL STATEMENT SO I CAN REVIEW IT IF I WISH...
select EventID = #EventID, SQL = #SQL
end

Answer 1

No, there isn't any magic way to say "SELECT all columns except <foo>" - the way you're doing it is how you'll have to do it (the hack in the other answer aside).
Here is how I would alter your code, with these changes (some are hyperlinked so you can read my opinion about why):
use sys.columns over INFORMATION_SCHEMA.COLUMNS
use nvarchar instead of varchar
use scope_identity instead of ##identity
use sp_executesql instead of exec
use stuff instead of coalesce
use SET NOCOUNT ON
add semi-colons
use the schema prefix
use QUOTENAME since it's safer than '[' + ... + ']'
ALTER PROCEDURE dbo.spEventCopy
#EventID INT
AS
BEGIN
SET NOCOUNT ON;
DECLARE #sql NVARCHAR(MAX) = N'';
SELECT #sql += ',' + QUOTENAME(name)
FROM sys.columns
WHERE [object_id] = OBJECT_ID('dbo.EventsTable')
AND is_identity = 0;
SET #sql = STUFF(#sql, 1, 1, '');
SET #sql = N'INSERT dbo.EventsTable(' + #sql + ')
SELECT ' + #sql + ' FROM dbo.EventsTable
WHERE EventID = ' + CONVERT(VARCHAR(12), #EventID) + ';';
EXEC sp_executesql #sql;
SELECT #EventID = SCOPE_IDENTITY();
-- do stuff with the new row here
SELECT EventID = #EventID, SQL = #SQL;
END

Answer 2

If you know the what your identity column is called (and it won't be the column changing), you could do this:
SELECT * INTO #dummy FROM EventsTable where EventID = #EventID;
ALTER TABLE #dummy
DROP COLUMN MyIdentityColumn
INSERT EventsTable SELECT * FROM #dummy
DROP TABLE #dummy
Since a table can only every have one identity column, specifying that in the query shouldn't limit you too much.
As Aaron Bertrand points out, there are risks associated with this approach. Please read the discussion in the comments below.