This post is all about NYC St Patrick’s Day events.
New York doesn’t do anything half-heartedly. When St. Patrick’s Day rolls around on the calendar, it doesn’t matter if you’re Irish or not, the whole city is invited to celebrate! From the oldest and largest St. Patrick’s Day parade in the world to pub crawls, cultural events, and musical performances, it’s no wonder so many people travel to New York to join the festivities.
Read on for some of the best NYC St. Patrick’s Day events to attend this year.
9 NYC St. Patrick’s Day Events
1. St. Patrick’s Day Parade
The first ever St. Patrick’s Day Parade took place in New York City (not Ireland!) on March 17, 1762, 14 years before the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Centuries later, it remains a tradition with over 200,000 people marching and 2 million viewers. With all of this history in mind, it’s no surprise that this is the largest St. Patrick’s Day parade in the world.
See this iconic parade for yourself along 5th Avenue between 44th Street and 79th Street. The parade starts around 11am and ends at 4:30pm. For a prime spot, make sure you arrive early.
Insider tip: you can snag a free grandstand spot by sending a letter to the parade organizers.
2. Stone Street St. Paddy’s Day Street Fest
As tradition goes, parade-goers would head to Stone Street after the parade, New York’s oldest street that was once home to many Irish pubs. Although the restaurants have changed, the tradition remains and the annual Stone Street St. Paddy’s Day Street Fest attracts thousands of visitors.
At this block party, the local bars & restaurants go all out with Irish food, green beer (of course, there’s Guinness for the purists), Shamrock Margaritas, and more! As you might expect, this gets very crowded, so if you’re expecting a leisurely or family-friendly activity, you may want to skip it.
3. Irish Pubs
You must go to an Irish pub on St. Patrick’s Day, right? There are loads of pubs across the boroughs but here are some of the most popular that get the most lively on St. Patrick’s Day:
- McSorley’s Old Ale House (NYC’s oldest Irish pub!)
- The Four-Faced Liar
- The Dead Rabbit
- Molly’s Shebeen
4. Corned Beef and Soda Bread
I know some will argue that St. Patrick’s Day isn’t complete without corned beef and cabbage. If that’s you, Peter McManus has you covered.
For a killer corned beef sandwich (and likely fewer crowds than Irish pubs), check out Katz Delicatessen or Sarge’s Deli.
And if you’re itching for some Irish soda bread, Mary O’s is the place to go.
5. Irish Heritage Concert at St. Patrick’s Cathedral
Visit the majestic St. Patrick’s Cathedral that crowns Fifth Avenue for a free Irish heritage concert. This free concert usually takes place the Sunday before St. Patrick’s Day. Guests can expect traditional Irish song and to the tune of fiddles, guitars, flutes, harps, and organs.
6. Irish Culture
This family-friendly event is fun for all ages! Visit the Irish Arts Center to steep yourself in Irish culture. The open house features music and dance performances, lessons to learn the basics of the Irish language or a new dance step, and more!
7. Free Books by Irish Authors
Get a free book by an Irish author at the “Get Lit” pop-up, another event hosted by the Irish Arts Center. The St. Patrick’s Day book distribution is a celebration of authors from Ireland and the Irish diaspora. There are book stations across all five boroughs with books in all genres.
8. Irish Hunger Memorial
St. Patrick’s Day is a time for celebration, but it’s important to pause and reflect on the past as well. Visit the Irish Hunger Memorial, a moving tribute in Manhattan’s Battery Park neighborhood that is dedicated to the Great Irish Famine.
9. Music and Dancing
What’s St. Patrick’s Day without traditional music and some dancing?
You’ll get non-stop music at the annual 40 Shades of Green cultural feast in Queens. The celebration runs 6 hours straight from 3pm-9pm and features talented local and international performers.
And I need to give a shout-out to the legendary local watering hole, Paddy Reillys. It’s one of the few spots that serves only draft Guinness and it features live music every night of the week. Fun fact: it’s where Black 47 and The Prodigals started their careers (among many others). You know they’re going to go all out on St. Patrick’s Day.
That concludes this post about NYC St. Patrick’s Day events.
Whether you’re drawn to parades, pubs, or culture on St. Patrick’s Day, New York has it all. I hope you have an exciting and fun-filled celebration!