St. Patrick's Day 2015
Photograph: Brett Carlsen | March 17, St. Patrick's Day Parade
Photograph: Brett Carlsen

The best St. Patrick’s Day events in NYC

Forget green beer. Check out our list of awesome St. Patrick's Day events including concerts, dance performances, pubs to visit, sober celebrations and more.

Rossilynne Skena Culgan
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They say everyone is Irish on St. Patrick's Day, which is all the more reason to celebrate! From the annual St. Paddy's Day parade in Manhattan to pub crawls and live music, the Big Apple is alive with joyful festivities splashed in green. If partying isn't your scene, there's still plenty to do, like trying Irish dancing and participating in Sober St. Patrick's Day activities. Either way, grab your green attire, belt your favorite Irish songs and bust out a limerick—St. Patrick’s Day in NYC is going to be a blast this year!

RECOMMENDED: See the full St. Patrick’s Day in NYC guide

Best St. Patrick’s Day events in NYC

  • Things to do
  • Festivals

The New York City Saint Patrick's Day Parade is coming up soon, and NYC's parade is a really big deal. It's the oldest and largest St. Patrick’s Day Parade in the world. The first NYC parade was held in 1762, and it's been a time-honored tradition of Irish pride ever since. 

From pipe and drum bands to dancers and performers in regalia, midtown Manhattan transforms into a big party with a sea of green revelers every year for this festive affair. More than 150,000 people march in the parade every year, with more than 2 million spectators cheering them on.

The St. Patrick’s Day Parade takes place on Monday, March 17, 2025. Here's our full guide to timings, road closures, and more.

  • Things to do
  • Events & Festivals

The house in Bay Ridge looks to be fit for a leprechaun. Illuminated shamrocks decorate the windows, green lights cover the trees out front, and a Happy St. Patrick’s day sign greets visitors on the sidewalk. If you look closely enough, you might even notice a pot of gold.

Find Bay Ridge Holiday House at 635 79th Street, about a 10-minute walk from the R train. You’re allowed to take photos of the house, but (and we hope this is obvious) don't take the stuff. Remember that you’re in a residential area, so please be respectful to the neighborhood. The St. Patrick’s display will be up through March 17, then it will be taken down to prepare for the next display.

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Glugging down pints of Guinness shouldn't be reserved solely for St. Patrick's Day, but we understand the craving will be strong on March 17. After the infamous parade, bask in the Celtic atmosphere at some of the city's best traditional Gaelic taverns.

Our list of Irish pubs offer combo of cocktails, some of the best beer in the city and plenty of Irish coffees inspired by the Emerald Isle. Toast to drinking like the Irish! 

  • Things to do

This event keeps the St. Patrick's fun going well after March 17. If your mastery of the Irish language doesn’t go much past proclaiming “Sláinte!” after ordering a Guinness (guilty!), you can have a crash course in the beautiful dialect as part of the St. Patrick’s Day programming at the Irish Arts Center.

Held on Saturday, March 29 from noon to 6pm, this year’s Féile na Gaeilgethe IAC’s annual bilingual event open to speakers of all levels, including absolute beginners and those simply curious about Irish cultural heritagewill focus on the music of Ireland’s past, and what it can tell us about the present. Traditional musician, academic and television presenter Doireann Ní Ghlacáin will join for a full day of workshops, performances, conversation circles and film, including a screening of Seán Ó Riada—Mo Sheanathair, a documentary about her grandfather, the iconic composer and arranger Seán Ó Riada.

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  • Nightlife
  • Nightlife

Ginger's Bar has been a staple of queer Brooklyn for a quarter of a century now, and the beloved lesbian bar is gearing up to throw a massive rager for St. Patrick's Day weekend from March 14 until March 16.

In an Instagram post announcing back-to-back events and parties, the bar mentioned the current threats to queer rights and their desire to create a space for "queer joy, resistance, community and love."

For its 25th anniversary, Ginger's will have live Irish music, DJ sets, Irish dancing and special guest appearances from Ireland itself. Limited tickets will be available at the door, but your safest bet is to get presale tickets to all of these events, which you can find here.

Celebrate the holiday at Irish-owned and operated bar Jackdaw, located in the East Village.

Green beer will be flowing all weekend long, plus hear Irish traditional folk music throughout the weekend, too. On Saturday, March 15 and Sunday, March 16, a full Irish breakfast will be on offer with eggs, rashers (bacon), baked beans, hash browns, black & white pudding, tomato, mushrooms, and soda bread. 

It all leads up to Monday—St. Patrick's Day—which includes a traditional performance (with kilts, of course) by County Cork’s Pipes and Drums. Make the celebration even sweeter with a scoop of Tipsy Scoop Irish Whiskey ice cream.

Want to celebrate with some Irish cuisine?

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