Best Places to Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day – with some Unexpected Gems !
Lá fhéile Pádraig sona dhuit! Or, more commonly, "Happy St Patrick's Day!"While St. Patrick's Day was originally celebrated in Ireland with religious services and feasts in honor of St. Patrick, one of Ireland's patron saints, it has evolved into a global day of celebration, merriment, beer, and even a green-dyed river.
While you can find some sort of St. Patrick’s Day festival almost anywhere in the world, these are some of the top destinations to cheers green beers, watch epic parades, and listen to the melodies of kilt clad bagpipers.
This may seem strikingly obvious choice, but with a massive four-day festival featuring parades, music, dancing, and green-lit landmarks it truly is the epicenter of St. Patrick’s Day celebrations.
Dublin hosts the biggest parade in Ireland, featuring floats, performers, and marching bands from all over the world. The city is also home to endless taverns and pubs hosting days’ long parties and celebrations. For the biggest and best pub parties, head to The Temple Bar, The Auld Dubliner, and The Brazen Head.
The Best spot for the parade is O’Connell Street or Dame Street, but make sure to get there early to secure a spot.
For family friendly celebrations, be sure to check out the Festival Quarter at Collins Barracks for events, storytelling, and Irish dance workshops.
☘️If you want to celebrate St Patrick’s Day in true Irish fashion, but the massive celebrations in Dublin aren’t your style, we highly recommend checking out the celebrations in these other Irish cities and towns:
Galway
Best for traditional music & pubs, this stunning city with a mix of coastal beauty, medieval charm, and great food hosts a vibrant St. Patrick’s Day Parade with a smaller, more local feel.
Cork
If you are looking for a fantastic party vibe, with less crowds than Dublin, Cork is the perfect option.
The Cork St. Patrick’s Festival lasts all weekend, featuring parades, live music, and food markets.
Limerick
If you are looking for something more family friend and & culture-focused, Limerick is a great destination.
The city is home to one of Ireland’s biggest St. Patrick’s Day parades with colorful floats and street performers.
As an added bonus, The International Band Championship is held on March 18th and features marching bands from around the world.
Kilkenny
With smaller crowds compared to major cities, but still a fantastic atmosphere, Kilkenny is a great place to head for Medieval charm & relaxed celebrations. Kilkenny hosts a historic parade and festival with storytelling, music, and street performances.
Kilkenny Castle lights up in green, adding to the magic.
Since 1762, New York has hosted one of the largest and oldest St Patrick’s Day Parades in the World.
Drawing over 2 million spectators annually, the parade boasts over 150,000 marchers and performers, lasting upwards of 5 hours.
The parade travels 35 blocks up the iconic Fifth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan. It starts at 44th Street, passes by St. Patrick's Cathedral between 50th and 51st streets, and then reaches the finish at 79th Street on the East Side of Central Park.
A benefit (for spectators) of the parade route being so long is that the crowds are spread out and not as congested in some areas, but for the best views, get a spot early between 44th & 79th St.
Fun Fact
Though officially postponed in 2020, which would have broken the tradition of the longest run St Patrick’s Day Parade, 30 members of the Fighting 69th led about 20 parade officials and volunteers on a route that started at the Regiment Armory on Lexington Avenue and 26th Street and wound its way up Madison Avenue. A lone bagpiper, the Regiment’s Jim Brady, played his pipes intermittently, and social distancing, the new norm, was practiced, thus maintaining the 260 year tradition.
Since 1962, thanks to the creative idea from then-Mayor Richard J. Daley, the Chicago River has been dyed green to kick off the city’s massive St Patrick’s Day festivities.
The long running The South Side Irish Parade draws crowds upwards of 150,000 and has a lively festive vibe with Irish dancers, bagpipers, and elaborate floats.
Following (and proceeding) the parade, Chicago’s endless bars and pubs host parties and celebrations serving up traditional pub fare and stouts.
For the best place to watch the dyeing of the river, post up early near Michigan Ave & Wacker Dr. The 70 year running parade, starts at Columbus and Balbo drives in Grant Park.
For those looking to party, join the (in)famous Wrigleyville St. Patrick’s Day Crawl, or grab a pint at The Irish Oak & The Kerryman.
Being one of the most Irish cities in America, with over 20% of residents claiming Irish ancestry, it is no surprise Boston is touted as one of the top destinations to celebrate St Patrick’s Day.
Commonly referred to as “legendary”, presented by the South Boston Allied War Veterans Council, the Southie parade is full of colorful floats, marching bands, bagpipes and dancing. The parade celebrates not only St. Patrick's Day, but also Evacuation Day, when the British left Boston during the Revolutionary War.
For those hoping to catch the best views: Broadway between the Broadway T station and L Street is the best spot. But if you're looking to avoid the crowds, we recommend Medal of Honor Park or Thomas Park.
To round out your celebration with a pint or two fingers of whiskey, we recommend The Black Rose & The Burren.
Featuring a parade and large festival with Irish music and dancing in Trafalgar Square, as well as being home to numerous Irish pubs, London is a great place to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.
Organised by the mayor of London and the London Irish Centre, the parade features floats, marching bands, dance troupes and pageantry. The parade travels from Hyde Park past Trafalgar Square and on to Whitehall.
For the best, and most comfortable views of the parade, there's the option to pay for a place on one of the St. Patrick's Festival Grand Stands – which are covered and tiered with allocated seating, located at five different areas along the Parade route.
If the coveted grand stand seats aren’t your cup of Guinness, head to Hyde Park Corner, where the parade begins, and follow its route through Piccadilly, St. James's Street, Pall Mall, Cockspur Street, and onto Whitehall, culminating in Trafalgar Square.
For those looking to dive in to the party/pub scene, join the Shamrock Stroll Pub Crawl, a massive event in Soho & Covent Garden.
Home to one of the oldest St. Patrick’s Day parades, held since 1824, Montreal hosts a massive celebration with marching bands, colorful floats, and enthusiastic crowds.
Amongst its incredible bar and restaurants, Montreal has many Irish pubs, all hosting St Patrick’s Day parties and celebrations with traditional food, music and entertainment.
With attendance ranging from 250,000 to 500,000 people, the parade route gets crowded, so get there early for the best spots. The parade runs down De Maisonneuve Avenue from noon to 3 p.m
Latin America may not be the first destination that comes to mind when thinking about St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, but Buenos Aires is home to a large Irish community and sure knows how to party.
Traditional Irish dancing and music performances can be found throughout the city, and a lively street party is held in Plaza San Martín.
Buenos Aires is home to numerous Irish pubs, going all out for their annual St Patrick’s Day celebrations. Some top choices are The Kilkenny, John John, Druid Inn, The Shamrock, and The Temple Bar.
Like Argentina, Japan may be a surprising choice for a St. Patrick’s Day Celebration, but Tokyo hosts the largest event in Asia.
Offering a bit of a “fusion” experience, Tokyo’s parade features both Irish and Japanese elements. Lasting about 3 hours, the parade is held on the weekend closest to March 17th, and runs along Omotesando Dori.
After the parade, you can grab a pint at one of the many bars serving up Irish libations, where you may even find bar staff in green kimonos!
With these destinations being so popular, planning the perfect St Patrick’s Day Getaway can be overwhelming!
We are here to take all the stress out of planning, so you can sit back, relax and enjoy all the festivities without a worry.
Don’t leave your St. Paddy's Day planning to the luck of the Irish, reach out to our knowledgeable and capable team today!
☘️Sláinte!☘️
