JerryFest 2024… Celebrating ten years in Five Points!

A free outdoor concert held annually in Five Points will feature regional music acts on two stages, artisan vendors, a Lil’ Hippie Corner and more.

JerryFest, a FREE outdoor concert annually held on the first Sunday in October, returns October 6, 2024, to celebrate ten years calling Five Points home and will once again feature regional music acts on two stages. JerryFest runs from 11:30 am-8:00 pm with an official after party at Publico from 7:30 pm – 10:00 pm. Multiple bands will be performing Jerry Garcia and Grateful Dead music, along with the addition of other jam-band favorites, Widespread Panic and The Allman Brothers Band.

JerryFest originated to commemorate the life and art of Jerry Garcia. Rock guitarist and musical icon, Garcia was best known as the lead guitarist for the Grateful Dead that inspired legions of followers known as “Deadheads.” The last time the Grateful Dead performed in Columbia was on Halloween 1985 at the Carolina Coliseum. Every year, JerryFest aims to recreate that atmosphere in Five Points.

Housed in various bars and clubs, JerryFest, was started over twenty years ago by Five Points’ local mom and pop hippie shop – Loose Lucy’s. In 2014, the owners of Loose Lucy’s – Don and Jenn McCallister – brought the festival to the Five Points Association because they had not found a venue that just felt “right” and decided that Five Points was the best place to call the festival’s permanent home. Amassing over 500 attendees in that first year, it has remained one of Five Points’ signature events for the past ten years and has grown steadily.

The festival footprint expanded from the fountain plaza and Saluda Avenue in 2018 with the addition of the 2000 Block of Greene Street, to accommodate the 1,200+ attendees to the Five Points village. In 2022, the festival swelled with 2000+ festival goers. In 2023, the festival expanded once again to include a second stage, a “Lil’ Hippie Corner”, and more fun for the entire family to enjoy.

JerryFest in Five Points will feature 5 bands acrosstwo stages —

Greene Street Stage:

• New Potato Caboose – With almost 40 years of music bonding and bringing it all to every show, New Potato Caboose is rolling strong with epic jamband groovy goodness. The roots of NPC stretch back to the early days of the jam scene, sharing stages with the likes of Blues Traveler, Widespread Panic, Dave Matthews Band, and legendary ground-floor acts like The Band and the Neville Brothers. As the first band ever to play the iconic Wetlands Preserve in NYC, NPC was featured in the Sundance documentary. At one point, the group was playing over 200 dates a year and garnering write-ups in Pollstar, Billboard, and Variety. They’re currently performing at outstanding venues and bringing their one-of-a kind live act to a fervent fan base.
• JGBCB – Jerry Garcia Band Cover Band – Formed in Athens, GA in 2012, JGBCB has been filling a hole in the Grateful Dead scene by offering up spirited covers of classic songs pulled exclusively from the repertoire of the Jerry Garcia Band, Garcia’s long-running side-project. JGBCB has played shows from Key West to Colorado, exciting audiences with performances of beloved Garcia tunes not found within the traditional Grateful Dead catalog.
• Machine Funk – “Tribute to Widespread Panic” was formed in the summer of 2006 in Florence, SC. The band tours the southeast covering the music of Widespread Panic. Night after night their set lists are never the same, with having over 150 songs in rotation you will not see the same show twice.
• Grateful Brothers – Formed in early 2016, The Grateful Brothers combine the catalogs of The Allman Brothers and The Grateful Dead. Often intertwining songs through segues and transitions, they carry out the improvisational spirit of the two groups in their own space. They use the songs as more of a template rather than adhering to strict album-style covers, creating a unique, high-energy, and genuine crowd experience at every performance. The seven musicians making up the band have known each other and played in various outfits with one another for upwards of twenty years. The camaraderie between them is obvious and the familiarity leads to the ease of musical exploration.

CJ’s Stage Band (throughout the day):

• Ten Mile Ride – Grateful Dead Tribute
• Columbia Community Drum Circle – An open forum for creating rhythm & movement in Columbia, SC. Beginning at 11:30 am. All are welcome.

Official After Party @ Publico:

• Cletus Baltimore
• Gentle Jack

“We are so very grateful to be celebrating ten years of JerryFest in Five Points,” says Heather McDonald, executive director of the Five Points Association. “Last year we welcomed our largest crowd to date and the response to the new additions to the festival was overwhelmingly positive. We can’t wait to welcome everyone back to the district for a full day of music, love, and good vibes for all to enjoy.”

In addition to the two stages of music:

• FREE Family Yoga Morning sponsored by Fit Columbia, 10:00 am at Publico (Back Patio) – Start your morning off right with a family-friendly inspired Yoga session before enjoying the festival. Pre- registration not required.
• Lil’ Hippie Corner sponsored by The Mad Platter, a kids’ friendly zone featuring face painting, tie- dye and friendship bracelet making stations, and more!
• Food trucks
• Artisan Craft Vendors
• Official unveiling of new Robot Head, Five Points newest permanent art installation by local artist, Clark Ellefson

Festival Vendors:

• Bangback Pinball Lounge
• Cagen’s Cuisine
• Chickiebooms
• Drifter Merch
• Hippy Do Da
• Homeys Head Vibes
• Kona Ice
• Les Bijoux
• Nessy’s Naturals
• Reba’s Dancing Dyes
• Ruffled Rooster Co
• Something Special By Hope
• Zinnialou
• Zosh LLC

Admission is FREE to the festival. JerryFest has a “No Pet Policy” (except for service animals). Please leave your furry friends at home.

This year’s festival is presented by the Five Points Association and Loose Lucy’s. We are also grateful for our Community Partners:

• Keisler Insurance Group
• McDonnell and Associates
• Stone Buenaveza Salt & Lime Lager
• The Mad Platter
• Tito’s Vodka
• CJ’s
• FIT Columbia
• Rock Block Consulting
• Publico
• Saluda’s
• City of Columbia
• Experience Columbia
• Richland County

For more information on JerryFest, please follow the festival on Facebook @FivePointsJerryFest and Instagram @fivepointsjerryfest. To learn more about sponsorships and/or volunteering, please email [email protected]. Vendor applications are closed for this year’s festival.

 

About JerryFest in Five Points

Since 2014, the event has welcomed around 1,800 to the Five Points village for a family- and pet-friendly afternoon of fellowship and music along with artisan crafts, food, beverage, and bohemian merchandise vendors. JerryFest was started to commemorate the life and art of Jerry Garcia. Rock guitarist and musical icon, Garcia was best known as the lead guitarist for the Grateful Dead that inspired legions of followers known as “Deadheads.”

About Loose Lucy’s

Loose Lucy’s, located at 709 Saluda Avenue in Five Points, is celebrating their 32nd year in business as Columbia’s original “mom-and-pop hippie shop.” They offer the best quality tie-dyes, rock tees, incense, tapestries, decals, posters and funky, festive fashions, jewelry, and home décor at kind prices.

About the Five Points Association

As an advocate for the district’s businesses, the Five Points Association strives to guide development and improvements that will enhance the vitality of Five Points. The Five Points Association also works diligently to promote Five Points to Columbia and beyond while cultivating inclusivity internally as a neighborhood. Evident by over 100 years of history, viability and recognition as an iconic locale, the success of Five Points would not be possible without the reciprocating support between the neighboring businesses, support staff, partners and companionship of the City of Columbia and Richland County. Visit https://fivepointscolumbia.com to learn more.