A road race, parade, some live music, and more await attendees on Saturday, March 15
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COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina’s largest one-day outdoor festival — St. Pat’s in Five Points — returns to Columbia’s entertainment district on Saturday, March 15. The annual event is in its 43rd year, with 2024’s festival welcoming more than 32,000 attendees from across the region.
This almost-all-day event is actually three events in one.
For racers, the day starts with the Get to the Green 5K/10K and 1-mile Family Fun Run at 7:30 a.m. Registration for this event ends on Friday, March 14.
For everyone else, the gates open and the official St. Pat’s Parade begins at 10 a.m. Parade watchers will want to pick a spot along Devine Street, between the starting point at Sims Avenue and Harden Street, or along Harden to the end point at College Street in Five Points. This year, the Grand Marshall is A’Ja Wilson, a former Gamecock legend, Olympic gold medalist, and WNBA champion and MVP player with the Las Vegas Aces.
Tickets are available online $30 in advance, $35 on Saturday.
There are some premium packages available:
Hornitos Lucky Leprechaun VIP Lounge, $125 for entry to event, access to special lounge area in the middle of the festival zone, climate-controlled restrooms with private stalls, games, VIP viewing area from the side of each performance stage, complimentary hors d’oeuvres, beer, wine and liquor
Saluda’s and Tito’s Ultrapremium VIP Experience, $200 for entry to event, access to Saluda’s restaurant during the event with access to the balcony overlooking the center of the festival, indoor private restrooms, premium hors d’oeuvres, complimentary beer, wine, liquor
Ticket booths/entrance gates will be located at:
intersection of Blossom Street and Saluda Avenue
Blossom and Harden streets
2100 block of Devine Street
intersection of Harden and College streets
2000 block of Greene Street (family gate)
Some of the festival highlights include:
The Saint, an alcohol-free mocktail lounge located near the Five Points Fountain, below the Greene Street family entrance. The exclusive selection of drinks are in collaboration with Godspeed, Backstreets, Columbia Fireflies and Sallie’s Greatest, and presented in partnership with Cola Love and Columbia Fireflies.
Logan’s Inflatable Irish Pub will be in the Irish Alley on Devine Street, serving up traditional Irish fare from Southern Way Catering
Refillable water stations! Bring your own water bottle and refill for free at various hydration stations throughout the festival
Pot O’Gold Playland at the parking lot of Andy’s Deli, 2005 Greene St. The playland is free for children age 12 years and younger from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Activities include balloon artist, face painting, rides and more, with the Playland Stage featuring Columbia Arts Academy student performances
Five stages of live music with performances beginning at 10 a.m.-6 p.m.:
Michelob Ultra Greene Street, headliner Shane Smith and the Saints, 5:45 p.m.
Miller Lite Blossom Street, headliner The Stews, 5:30 p.m.
Tito’s Vodka Santee Street, headliner Badfish, 5:15 p.m.
Saluda Avenue, headliner Lettuce, 6 p.m.
Free Times Fountain Stage with Master SPLNTA, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.
Parking information:
FREE satellite parking available at SC State Fairgrounds RV lot, 824 Andrews Rd. Parking Gate 22 will open at 6 a.m. Saturday and close at 10 p.m. Vehicles left over night can be picked up after 10 a.m. Sunday. The COMET will run FREE shuttles to and from the St. Pat’s in Five Points festival every 30 minutes, 6:30 a.m.-8 p.m., with shuttle drop-off/pick-up at the corner of Blossom and Laurens streets.
Uber and Lyft pick-up and drop-off locations are at Greene and Blossom streets
Parking is PROHIBITED in the following neighborhoods:
Hollywood-Rose Hill.
Melrose Heights.
MLK Park.
Old Shandon.
Shandon.
University Hill.
Wales Garden.
Waverly.
Wheeler Hill
ADA Accessible Parking lots are located on Blossom Street, in the 1900 block (near the train overpass, former Wells Fargo lot at 705 Saluda Ave.) and the 2100 block (behind Truist Bank). Proper identification will need to be displayed for patrons to access the lot.
St. Pat’s in Five Points has a clear bag policy, limiting the size and type of bag allowed in the festival. Clear bags should be clear from top to bottom and cannot exceed 12 x 6 x 12 inches in measurement. One-gallon clear freezer bags and small clutch bags no larger than 4.5 x 6.5 inches are allowed, as are clear fanny packs, diaper bags and medically necessary items.