Columbia is bringing back its Day 2 Festival on Nov. 15, a free celebration at Finlay Park that doubles as the one-year anniversary of the park's reopening after a $25 million overhaul. Gates open at noon, music starts at 2 p.m., and the festival wraps up at 8 p.m., with headliner King George topping a lineup that also includes LaSell Williams & Time of My Life Band and the Terence Young Experience, led by a Columbia smooth jazz guitarist.
According to the Post and Courier, the city is holding Day 2 on the Sunday following the second annual Jam Room Music Festival's run through Finlay Park, a pairing that started last year when the city hosted Day 2 as a free Sunday festival during Jam Room weekend. Master Splinta is set to emcee the event, with DJ Roy Neptune spinning as festival DJ. The event could become an annual tradition, and organizers are framing it as a community homecoming of sorts: “Bring your family, bring your friends, and celebrate the music, energy, and community that make Columbia special,” the City of Columbia said.
Admission to Day 2 is free, per the article, continuing the model the city has used to draw crowds back to the renovated downtown green space. Jam Room Music Festival itself moved from Main Street to Finlay Park, joining other events held there.
A Park Built for Big Crowds
Finlay Park's transformation has been central to the story since its reopening, and the Post and Courier has reported the park has been hosting successful music festivals and free programming that have drawn thousands of residents since its November reopening following the $25 million renovation. The Jam Room Music Festival and a second music festival held in November marked the park's grand reopening last year, with performances from acts including Shovels & Rope, DIIV and Sunny War. Last year's Day 2 lineup featured a performance by the Donovan Twins at Finlay Park on Nov. 16, 2025.
The pace of programming hasn't slowed since. Reporting from thestate.com earlier this year noted the park has hosted big music events like Jam Room and Songbird music festivals, along with holiday celebrations and other community activities, all in the months following reopening.
City Looking for Help Running the Show
That steady stream of events has apparently stretched city resources. Back in July, The State reported Columbia plans to hire help to organize more events and festivals at Finlay Park, bringing on a contractor to assist with everything from booking talent to organizing safety plans. The move suggests city officials see the park's momentum as something worth formalizing rather than leaving to ad hoc planning.
For now, the Day 2 Festival stands as the latest proof of that momentum, with the Post and Courier's Jordan Lawrence, who serves as Columbia editor for the outlet, covering the festival's return as part of the publication's music section. Columbia residents looking to mark the park's first full year back in action can do so for free on Nov. 15, from noon to 8 p.m.
