The best St. Patrick’s Day events in NYC

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 Saturday, March 16, 2024. Here's our full guide to timings, road closures, and more.

For the first time ever, Staten Island will hold a separate St. Patrick's Day Parade on March 17, two weeks after the official event takes over the borough, in response to the latter's much talked-about, long-standing anti-gay ban. 

According to SI Live, which first reported the news, the Forest Avenue Business Improvement District (BID) applied for a permit to organize a second parade “to celebrate Irish heritage on Forest Avenue” that will be inclusive of all groups and run along Forest Avenue like the original iteration of the celebration.

The change has been a long time coming: the original Staten Island St. Patrick’s Day Parade, which will take place on March 3 this year, has historically prohibited LGBTQ+ marchers from walking under their banner.

Believe it or not, the New York City St. Patrick's Day Parade, which runs around Manhattan, also banned the groups for two decades but ended the practice back in 2014.

If this wasn’t a leap year, St. Patrick’s Day would have fallen on a Saturday for the first time since 2018. Unfortunately, the calendar had other plans, and now we have to wait until 2029 for another St. Paddy's to fall on the sixth day of the week.

Fortunately, Jameson—yes, the beloved whiskey brand—has made up a whole new holiday this year called "St. Patrick’s Eve" so that you can celebrate on both Saturday and Sunday: They even managed to get the Times Square Ball to drop on Saturday, March 16 in celebration of the fake, but honestly iconic, holiday.

The ball will drop at 8pm, which is midnight in Ireland, and they’re calling it the St. Patrick’s Eve “Rock” Drop, which is a play on the phrase "on the rocks." A kickoff event will start at 5pm in Times Square between 43rd and 44th Streets and will include a set by a surprise DJ, giveaways, and more.

Anyone over the age of 21 can RSVP for this Saturday's celebrations here. If you want to watch from home, here's a link to do that.

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! 

Partiers pack onto Stone Street each year for the annual St. Patrick's Street Fest. This quaint street (the oldest paved street in NYC) is the closest thing you'll get to feeling like you're actually across the pond for the holiday. 

It's free to attend the massive two-day extravaganza on Saturday, March 16 nd Sunday, March 17 from noon to midnight both days. A dozen outdoor bars will sell food and drinks, including beer on draft, Guinness, wine, cocktails, green margaritas, frozen drinks, and non-alcoholic options. As for food, expect Irish dishes, Mexican food, empanadas, pizza by the slice, and more.

A DJ and traditional bagpipers will keep the energy lively during the party. Plus, a few Irish bands will play indoors on stage the Ulysses.