CLOVER, S.C. — This year, the luck of the Irish is gracing the Town of Clover to help it bring back its annual St. Patrick’s Day Festival after a two-year absence.
The festival is set to take place on March 11 and 12 in downtown Clover.
It’s the first time since 2019 that the festival has been able to happen due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and it’s an important celebration to a community that got its name from a clover patch.
"Last year there was a lot of disappointment in just not being able to have it for the safety of staff and the community,” Sam Green, special events coordinator for the Town of Clover, said. “But for the community to know that we are bringing back one of their favorite events, they're beyond excited."
The event draws out a crowd of thousands with vendors, food trucks, live music, and even a dog show.
The live entertainment line-up for March 11 includes bands such as Fiftywatt Freight Train, while the entertainment for March 12 will feature two live stages with Scottish music by Ghosts of Bannockburn and The Tim Clark Band.
Green said organizers are working hard to make sure this year’s event is better than ever.
"The community as a whole is so excited for this event where they can bring their family, friends, pets, and enjoy each other's company and just enjoy a day out in Clover,” Green said.
The festival also includes a talent show and live performances.
The Connick School of Irish Dance looked forward to performing at Clover's St. Patrick’s Day Festival before the pandemic.
"It's been really hard, especially early 2020 when most of our St. Patrick's Day shows, we had to cancel them unfortunately due to the pandemic,” said Stacie Greiner, owner and director of the Connick School of Irish Dance. “That's when like as an Irish dancer, you feel like a Rockstar is on St. Patrick's Day."
The dancers have been practicing routines for months to prepare to take the stage in Clover again this year and perform for St. Patrick's Day festivities across the Carolinas.
"We call that our own March Madness,” Greiner said. “It's something that we look forward to every year, just already, it's like kind of buzzing around our studio, the excitement for it, and we've already started training different routines."
Clover’s St. Patrick’s Day Festival kicks off at 6 p.m. on March 11, with live entertainment, street food, and a beer garden. Festivities on March 12 start at 10 a.m. The kid zone, dog show, live entertainment, vendors, performances, and more will be featured on this day.
Contact Kendall Morris at kmorris2@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.