7 Shocking Facts About St. Pat’s In Five Points 2025: The Southeast’s Biggest Green Party

The St. Pat’s in Five Points festival in Columbia, South Carolina, is gearing up for its 43rd annual celebration, cementing its status as the largest one-day festival in South Carolina and the Southeast’s biggest St. Patrick’s Day party. This year, the event is set for Saturday, March 15, 2025, from 10 am to 7 pm, promising a massive street party that transforms the historic Five Points entertainment district into a sea of green, drawing approximately 45,000 attendees for a day of live music, a massive parade, road races, and Irish-themed revelry. The 2025 event is already generating buzz with the announcement of a dynamic music lineup and the implementation of new event policies, including a completely cashless system, to enhance the festival experience for the tens of thousands of visitors. The celebration, often simply called "St. Pat's," began unofficially in 1982 with a small gathering at Yesterday's Restaurant and has since ballooned into an economic powerhouse and charitable fundraiser for the Midlands region. It is more than just a party; it's a full-scale cultural event that features a variety of activities for all ages, from the annual parade and 5K run to multiple stages hosting national and regional musical acts. The following guide provides the most up-to-date information for the 2025 festival, covering everything from the must-see headliners to the essential rules you need to know before you go.

The 2025 Festival Snapshot: Essential Facts, Lineup, and New Rules

The 2025 iteration of St. Pat’s in Five Points is scheduled to take place on Saturday, March 15, 2025, allowing attendees to celebrate just a couple of days before the official St. Patrick’s Day on March 17. The festival runs all day, from 10:00 am until 7:00 pm, and is a rain-or-shine event, meaning all tickets are non-refundable.

The Massive 2025 Music Lineup and Stages

Music is the cornerstone of the St. Pat’s festival, with the 2025 event featuring over 20 bands performing across four distinct stages throughout the Five Points district. The organizers have unveiled a strong lineup of headliners and supporting acts that cover a wide range of genres, ensuring there is music for every taste, from funk and rock to country and folk. The confirmed headlining acts for the 2025 St. Pat's in Five Points festival include:

• Lettuce: A renowned funk band known for their high-energy, improvisational performances.
• The Stews: A rapidly rising rock band that has been gaining significant traction on the national scene.
• Shane Smith & The Saints: A popular country/Americana group that will bring a touch of Texas to the South Carolina streets.

Additional regional and national acts confirmed to perform include Cottage House, Cameron Whitcomb, SCYTHIAN, Penelope Road, Bombargo, Winyah, and Virginia Man. Specific stage lineups, such as Master Splnta and Soda City Brass Band at the Fountain Stage, and The Regulars at Breakers Live, highlight the variety of musical entertainment available throughout the day.

Key 2025 Rules: The Cashless Policy and Security

To streamline operations and improve the customer experience, the 2025 St. Pat’s in Five Points festival has implemented a critical new rule: It is a completely Cashless Event. This means all purchases for food, drinks, and merchandise within the festival grounds will require a credit card, debit card, or mobile payment (such as Apple Pay or Google Pay). Attendees should plan accordingly and leave cash at home to avoid any inconvenience. Security and public safety remain a top priority for the event, which draws crowds that can swell to over 45,000 people.

• Entry Procedures: All entrants into the entertainment area are subject to a pat down, wanding, and bag search by security and ticketing personnel.
• Prohibited Items: Strict enforcement of laws is a given, especially regarding underage drinking and outside alcohol. No one will be allowed to enter the festival with outside alcoholic products.
• Tickets: General Admission Advanced Sale tickets are typically available for a discounted price—around $30—until midnight the day before the event, with the price increasing to approximately $35 at the gate on the day of the festival.

More Than Just Music: The Full St. Pat’s Experience

The St. Pat’s in Five Points festival is a multi-faceted event that offers much more than just a concert series. It is a full-day celebration of Irish culture, community spirit, and athleticism, all wrapped into one massive street party.

The Annual St. Pat’s Parade and Road Races

The day kicks off with a variety of activities designed to engage the entire community, from families to serious runners:

• St. Pat’s Parade: The annual St. Patrick’s Day parade is a centerpiece of the morning, featuring festive floats, marching bands, and local organizations making their way toward the Five Points district. It’s a vibrant, family-friendly spectacle that officially starts the day's festivities.
• Get to the Green Race: The festival also hosts the "Get to the Green" 5K and 10K road races. This popular tradition encourages thousands of runners to don their green gear and participate in a healthy, competitive event before the music stages open.

These morning events ensure that the festival maintains a broad appeal, welcoming all demographics, including children, families, college students, and senior citizens, before the main music and bar-focused activities begin.

The Economic and Charitable Impact

While the festival is known for its party atmosphere, its roots are deeply charitable. The event operates under the banner of "Celebrating for a Cause," and its proceeds are dedicated to supporting local charities and non-profit organizations within the Midlands region. The financial and community impact of St. Pat’s in Five Points is substantial:

• Economic Driver: The festival is a major economic driver for Columbia, bringing in tens of thousands of visitors who spend money at local businesses, restaurants, and hotels.
• Charitable Giving: Over its four decades, the festival has raised significant funds for various local groups. Recent and recurring beneficiaries include A C Moore Elementary School PTO, the Ancient Order of Hibernians, the Association of the United States Army, Curing Kids Cancer, and DACS, Inc., focusing on supporting women and children in South Carolina.

Attendees can take pride in knowing that their ticket purchase directly contributes to the success of these vital community organizations, making the day of fun a meaningful investment in the local area.

History of the St. Pat’s in Five Points Phenomenon

The sheer scale of the modern St. Pat’s festival makes its humble beginnings almost unbelievable. The tradition started in 1982 when a local establishment, Yesterday’s Restaurant, decided to host a St. Patrick’s Day party. The turnout was "ridiculously large," far exceeding expectations and immediately sparking the idea for a larger, community-wide event. In the early years, the festival faced challenges, including heavy rain that sometimes dampened the spirits and attendance. However, the enthusiasm for a local celebration of Irish culture was undeniable, especially since many locals were leaving town to attend the larger, more established Savannah St. Patrick's Day parade. The merchants of Five Points banded together to create a local alternative, and the event quickly grew from a small parking lot gathering into the massive street festival it is today. By the 43rd annual celebration in 2025, St. Pat’s in Five Points has evolved into a meticulously organized event that requires the closure of the entire entertainment district and months of planning. It has established itself as a regional powerhouse, often earning accolades as one of the best St. Patrick's Day celebrations in the entire Southeast. The combination of a strong music lineup, a commitment to local charity, and a deep-rooted history ensures that the St. Pat's in Five Points festival remains a must-attend event for both South Carolina residents and visitors from across the country.

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