Best Festival: St. Patricks Day in Five Points

If you catch the legendary fountain of Five Points looking a little green, don’t be alarmed! It’s not the water, it’s just time for the annual St. Pats in Five Points extravaganza! Tens of thousands of people attend each year, and the fountain is just an added delight to the extensive list of activities for festival participants. 

The day typically lands on the Saturday after St. Patrick’s Day and in its entirety, runs from 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., featuring a Get To The Green 5K/10K and 1-mile Family Fun Run, a St. Pat’s parade, and national, regional and local bands on multiple stages. There’s also a Pot O’ Gold Playland throughout the day making it so that all ages can enjoy the day. The headliners for the event in 2023 included the indie rock band Hippo Campus and others from various genres for all types of fans. 

This tradition lasting over 40 years is sacred to Columbia residents. 

“It’s like our Mardi Gras, and I’m so lucky to live in a place that offers something like this. I look forward to it every year,” festival goer Caroline Reid mentioned. She’s a USC student and her friends from other schools have made it their own yearly tradition to visit the event each year. They come to shop locally at street vendors, eat greasy fair food, drink on the street, see their favorite bands and most importantly, dress in green!