Best Local Festival: St. Pats in Five Points

ST. PAT’S IN FIVE POINTS is a combination of music, culture and community hosted by the Five Points Association to bring people together for the energetic holiday. Tens of thousands of people come to see a lineup of musicians, try local foods and snap a picture with the green fountain.

“They have four stages set up, so you look at the lineup beforehand and decide which concerts you want to go to,” Molly Brown, a fourth-year student, said. “You go stage to stage listening to the concerts you’ve picked out.”

The day kicks off with the Get to the Green 5K on Devine Street, followed by the St. Pat’s Parade, which highlights local businesses and organizations. Then, the festival begins! Bands from all over perform throughout the day, and the family-friendly event includes VIP areas, a playground for kids and fun activities throughout Five Points.

“It’s an all-day concert. It starts with a 5K in the morning,” said Brown. “You can come all day to Five Points, and it’s easy to walk to.”

The festival celebrates St. Patrick’sDay, but it also works to benefit local charities in Columbia. It has raised over a million dollars over the past 42 years and contributes more than $12 million annually to the local economy.

“Everyone’s there to have fun and celebrate St. Patrick’s Day,” Brown said. “I’ve never had a bad experience with anyone. Everyone’s there to listen to music and have fun.”

This jack-of-all-trades festival caters to everyone. From a 5K to live music performance and everything in between, it’s hard not to have fun at South Carolina’s biggest one-day festival.