St. Pat’s in Five Points announces 2026 band lineup
January 22, 2026
Columbia, South Carolina’s largest one-day festival returns Saturday, March 14 with 25+ acts across five stages
All roads lead to Five Points on Saturday, March 14, as St. Pat’s in Five Points, one of the largest St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in the Southeast, announces the lineup for its 44th annual festival in Columbia, SC.
The 2026 St. Pat’s in Five Points lineup is led by Grace Potter and Switchfoot, with additional headlining performances from The Creekers and Congress the Band. The full lineup features a mix of national and regional acts alongside 15 local artists performing across five stages throughout the Five Points district. Columbia-based recording artist, producer, entrepreneur and hip-hop activist Master Splnta (formerly FatRat Da Czar) will return as this year’s host.
“There’s a little bit of Irish spirit woven into this year’s lineup,” said Heather McDonald, executive director of the Five Points Association. “From artists with “Grace” in their name to bands tied to roads, streets, and journeys, it all fits in with what St. Pat’s in Five Points has always been about. With familiar favorites and a lot of new discoveries, this year’s lineup helps bring Five Points to life for a day of music and celebration.”
Last year’s event was headlined by Lettuce, Shane Smith and the Saints, Badfish, and The Stews. Some notable artists from previous years of the festival include: Lainey Wilson, Zach Top, Blues Traveler, Blake Shelton, Hippo Campus, Walker Hayes, Hootie & the Blowfish, Morgan Wallen, Judah & The Lion, The Avett Brothers, Atlas Road Crew, Rodney Atkins, St. Paul and The Broken Bones, Dashboard Confessional and many more.
“Every year, our goal is to build a lineup that keeps the energy up from the first set to the last,” says Trae Judy, talent buyer for St. Pat’s in Five Points. “For 2026, that means a mix of local favorites, regional standouts, and national acts, with everything from rock and Americana to country and more. St. Pat’s draws such a wide mix of people, so we want the music to feel like there’s something here for everyone.”
Bio: Grace Potter is a can’t-miss live act, blending roots rock, soul, and sharp songwriting with a powerhouse voice. A three-time Grammy nominee, she has toured relentlessly and performed alongside artists like the Rolling Stones, Robert Plant, and Bonnie Raitt.
Bio: Switchfoot has sold nearly 10 million albums worldwide across twelve studio releases, including the double-platinum The Beautiful Letdown and the Grammy Award-winning Hello Hurricane. Known for an uplifting, emotionally intelligent take on alternative rock, the band has delivered a string of radio hits and played sold-out tours, selling more than 5 million concert tickets in over 40 countries.
Bio: Hailing from Eastern Kentucky, The Creekers bring a high-energy mix of bluegrass-rooted country with a few familiar covers. In 2025, their breakout track “Tennessee” caught fire online, landing in Spotify’s Viral 50 U.S. top 5 and racking up millions of streams.
Bio: After packing out their set at St. Pat’s in Five Points in 2025, Congress The Band is back this year for a headlining slot. Based in Charleston, the band has quickly grown into a regional touring force with an anthemic sound rooted in indie rock, Americana, and Southern rock.
Rising and Regional Acts
Bio: Buffalo Traffic Jam is a folk band from Bozeman, Montana, led by Frankie Cassidy and Nathan Ross. Riding a breakout wave from their Take Me Home era, they kicked off 2026 with the new single “I Don’t Care” and a fast-selling run of tour dates.
Bio: Grace Bowers is an award-winning guitarist, singer-songwriter, and bandleader who’s quickly become one of the most in-demand young artists in music. She won Instrumentalist of the Year at the 2024 Americana Music Association Honors & Awards, earned Variety’s Next Gen recognition, and performed with Chris Martin during the 67th GRAMMY Awards.
Bio: Born and bred in Oklahoma City, Jason Scott & the High Heat mix Americana and heartland rock with country grit. Named Texas Emerging Group of the Year at the 2025 Texas Music Awards, they’ve lit up festivals like Stagecoach, Born & Raised, and Mile 0 while earning praise from outlets like Rolling Stone and NPR.
Bio: Returning to St. Pat’s in Five Points, rousing and raucous, Scythian (sith-ee-yin) plays roots music from Celtic, Eastern European and Appalachian traditions with thunderous energy, technical prowess, and storytelling songwriting, beckoning crowds into a barn-dance, rock concert experience. Nashville’s Music City Roots says Scythian is “what happens when rock star charisma meets Celtic dervish fiddling,” and the Washington Post says “Scythian’s enthusiasm is contagious, and shows seem to end with everyone dancing, jumping around or hoisting glasses.”
Bio: Dogpark, an emerging East Coast band, was forged in the basements and backyards of the University of Richmond in 2023. What began as a medley of jazz and a cappella club misfits turned into four-hour sets at beer-covered frat parties and, eventually, a high-flying and highly capable indie rock act cultivating audiences across the country.
Bio: Arts Fishing Club is more than just a band; they are storytellers, explorers of the human condition, and purveyors of living life boldly. Their rock-meets-folk live show has landed them on major festival stages including Bonnaroo, Summerfest, Treefort, and Mile of Music.
Bio: Harvey Street blends indie and alt-rock sensibilities with grace, carving a powerful new groove into contemporary music. Described as “disciplined electricity,” the band is best known for their energetic live experience. In addition to four headline tours, the band has supported notable acts such as Flipturn, Moon Taxi, Futurebirds, The Stews, Arcy Drive, Daniel Donato, Winyah, Penelope Road, and Stop Light Observations along the way.
Bio: Tobacco Road is an emerging blues-rock band based in East Nashville with a simple motto: “Take your art seriously, not yourself.” Their sound blends Southern rock and indie groove with modern soul, and they’ve already released the debut EP “All in Time” and built a reputation for a high-energy, welcoming live show.
Local ties
Bio: JWADI (Jordan David Miller) is a Columbia, South Carolina native and co-founder of The Movement, where he helped write the band’s early albums and penned the #1 Billboard Reggae chart debut One More Night (2012).After stepping away from music in 2012, he returned in 2022 and has since released All That Glitters (2023) and The Year of Subtraction (2025), channeling his recovery into independent, genre-blending songs that move between soul, rock, hip-hop, and reggae.
Bio: MASTER SPLNTA (MSSSPLNT), is a recording artist and hip-hop activist based out of Columbia, SC. As a cornerstone of South Carolina hip-hop, MASTER SPLNTA began his career in the late ‘90s as a member of the Columbia-based rap group, Streetside. By 2012, he was an established solo act, releasing his acclaimed Da Cold War album trilogy under moniker FatRat Da Czar. With a total of eleven studio albums, SPLNTA is widely recognized as South Carolina’s godfather of hip-hop and has opened for national acts to include Notorious B.I.G., Snoop Dogg, and Lauryn Hill.
P&C Mardi Gras Columbia 03/01/25
Bio: George Fetner and the Strays “unleash their leathery loose-limbed approximation of Bacchus with a blowtorch” (Free Times), have been called “a herd of magnanimous proportions that turns any stage into a groove-laden party” (Jasper Project), and “since adding a full horn section to their lineup, their stage show has become an all-out swagger fest” (Post and Courier). GFATS remains a favorite of live music fans with appearances at Fall for Greenville, the Jam Room Music Festival, Columbia’s Mardi Gras Festival, Jerry Fest, and St. Pat’s in Five Points delivering a soulful, brassy sound rooted in rhythm and blues, improvisatory rock, and captivating musical left turns.
Bio: Based in Columbia, SC, MIDS is a riffs-first rock band built on loud guitars, heavy fuzz, and no-frills intensity. Their sets bounce between jammed-out stretches and quick, punk-edged songs.
Bio: A five-piece rock band formed in the halls of McBryde at USC in Fall ’23, Silk Road quickly grew from dorm room jams to stages across Columbia and the Southeast.
Bio: Rut Spence is a country rock singer/songwriter from Lexington, SC. Rut’s cowboy roots began when he was a child living on a horse farm in Gilbert, SC. Being one of four boys, hunting, fishing, and playing sports with his brothers and his dad became a way of life. As much as Rut loved being outside, he equally loved spending time with his mom and Nana, learning how to write poetry, which is where his love for writing music originated.
Bio: M.C. Loud is a dynamic DJ and crowd-pleaser hailing from Columbia, SC. Known for her electrifying sets that span a variety of genres, she has an innate ability to read the room and deliver exactly what the crowd needs to keep the energy high and the dance floor packed.
Bio: The Podunk Ramblers are a five piece Bluegrass band based out of Columbia, SC playing a mix of traditional Bluegrass and modern Jamgrass. Their goal is to bring high-energy performances and fast pickin’ to every show we play.
Bio: Danny Anderson is a singer-songwriter from Fort Mill, South Carolina whose music sits at a crossroads between indie folk and modern pop. He draws inspiration from artists like John Mayer, The Backseat Lovers, and Sam Barber to write songs that don’t just capture a listener’s attention, but drive an emotionally charged journey with honest storytelling, memorable melodies, and live performances that linger long after the final note.
Bio: Dune Dogs are a New England–based rock band focused on strong songwriting and tight live performances. Drawing from classic rock influences with a modern approach, the band delivers a confident, straightforward sound suited for live events and festivals.
Greene Street Records Presents: In partnership with the University of South Carolina and sponsored by Greene Street Records, the festival will also feature a new student-focused stage on the Greene Street Stage.
Tomorrow’s Problem is an energetic, upbeat rock band from Columbia, SC, formed at the USC. After a 22-city tour in fall 2025, they’re gearing up to release new music in late February and hit even more road dates in 2026.
In addition to live music, the festival features a variety of vendors, food trucks, artisans and family-friendly attractions, including:
- Get to the Green 5K/10K and 1-Mile Family Fun Run will begin at 7:30 a.m. on Devine Street near the festival entrance. Registration includes a “Get to the Green” race shirt and medal along with festival entry.
- St. Pat’s Parade begins at 10 a.m. and covers a one-mile route that starts at Devine Street and Sims Avenue and ends on College Street.
- Pot O’Gold Playland, a children’s area offering balloon artistry, face painting, rides and more, will be open from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. in the Andy’s Deli parking lot at 2005 Greene St. ● The Saint mocktail lounge returns this year near the Greene Street entrance. ● An inflatable Irish pub will join the festival again on Devine Street.
Tickets to the festival can be purchased online at StPatsColumbia.com.
- General admission
o Advance tickets: $30
o Gate price: $35 on March 14.
- Lucky Leprechaun VIP Lounge
o Location: Corner of Harden Street and Saluda Avenue, in front of the Postcard Mural.
o Price: $125 per ticket (limited quantities).
o Includes:
▪ Festival entry.
▪ Access to special lounge area in the middle of the festival zone.
▪ Climate-controlled restrooms with private stalls.
▪ Yard games, tables and seating.
▪ VIP viewing area from the side of each stage (first come, first served). ▪ Complimentary hors d’oeuvres, beer, wine and liquor.
- Saluda’s and Tito’s Ultra Premium VIP Experience
o Location: Saluda’s Restaurant, 751 Saluda Ave.
o Price: $200 per ticket (very limited quantities).
o Includes:
▪ Festival entry.
▪ Access to Saluda’s restaurant, featuring a balcony overlooking the center of the festival.
▪ Complimentary beer, wine and liquor.
▪ Premium hors d’oeuvres.
▪ Indoor restroom facilities.
The 2025 St. Pat’s in Five Points festival welcomed more than 30,000 attendees of all ages from across the Midlands region and beyond.
The festival brings in approximately $12.7 million to the City of Columbia and Richland County, allowing the Five Points Association the opportunity to give back to the community that has been its biggest supporter. Throughout the event’s 42-year history, the Five Points Association has donated more than $1.3 million to local charities.
For more information, visit StPatsColumbia.com or follow the festival on Facebook @StPatsinFivePoints and Instagram @stpatsinfivepoints. To learn more about sponsorships, vendor or parade applications and/or volunteering, please email [email protected].
About St. Pat’s in Five Points
Set in the vibrant Five Points district of Columbia S.C., St. Pat’s in Five Points is one of the largest St. Patrick’s Day festivals in the Southeast, drawing 30,000+ attendees of all ages from across the region and beyond. The annual event showcases a diverse lineup of musical acts across multiple stages and
also features a variety of vendors, food trucks, artisans and family-friendly attractions, including the Pot O’ Gold Playland, the Get to the Green race and the St. Pat’s Parade. Originally conceived by Duncan MacRae of Yesterday’s Restaurant & Tavern, Steve Gibson of Peddler Steak House, Chuck Pettit of the Columbia Jaycees and Tony Latella of PYA Monarch, St. Pat’s in Five Points is a Columbia tradition known for its fun atmosphere and focus on giving back to the Midlands community. To date, the Five Points Association has donated more than $1.3 million to local charities.
About the Five Points Association
Founded in 1983, the Five Points Association is a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to the growth and evolution of Five Points, a one-of-a-kind commercial and residential district that is home to more than 100 businesses. Led by an executive director and governed by a board of directors, the Five Points Association oversees the efforts to promote, grow and support the Five Points district. The Five Points Association oversees the district’s events, development, clean and safe team and beautification projects. Visit https://fivepointscolumbia.com to learn more.
