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 Tuesday, March 17, 2025. Here's our full guide to timings and more.

Stone Street's St. Patrick's Day celebration is pretty legendary—outside of the official parade itself, it's New York's biggest annual Paddy's party. And this year, the spirited street festival is spanning Friday, March 13 through Tuesday, 17 with live Irish bands, traditional bagpipers, DJ sets and more, keeping the fun going from noon to 10pm daily. A dozen outdoor bars will be set up along the block and selling both food (classic Irish pub specials, Mexican street food, Caribbean treats and more) and drinks, including beer on draft (Guinness, duh), green “Shamrock” margaritas, green jello shots and other specialty drinks, as well as non-alcoholic options.

Arguably New York's premier Irish bar, The Dead Rabbit is bringing back its "It’s Paddy’s, Not Patty’s" bash for St. Patrick's 2026. From Thursday, March 12 through Tuesday, March 17, the whiskey-sloshed Water Street spot will host 11 spirited events, including live comedy from Síomha Hennessy, musical performances from Mike O'Malley, Lauren Craig and Smacht, traditional Sunday seisiún, festive cocktail specials like the Irish Coffee Martini (from the 14th onward), classic Irish food, DJ sets and screenings of all all the Six Nations Round 5 games. Sláinte!

This spirited event promises six-hours of non-stop fun featuring 40 different musical and dance acts from America and Ireland. Stop by the New York Irish Center in Queens anytime from 3-9pm on Tuesday, March 17 to see a variety of local and international performers at this cultural marathon. Performers include: The Celtic Tenors; Donie Carroll & Mo O’Connor; Jason E. Bernard; Emer Dunne; Bronagh and Bob Batch; Tim Connell; Mary Courtney; Darrah Carr Dance; Mollie Downes; Colin Harte; JiGGiG; Ceredwin McCooey; John McDermott; Trisha McManus & the McManus School of Irish Dance; and Madelyn Monaghan.

Literature is central to Ireland's history and culture, and this event celebrates the country's literary heritage. This year's Book Day on Tuesday, March 17, honors voices from the Irish and Irish American literary heritages. As always, the Center and its sponsors, partners and supporters—Culture Ireland, the Emigrant Support Programme, the Adrian Brinkerhoff Poetry Foundation, the Society of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, New York, and The H. W. Wilson Foundation—will hand out thousands of free books across all five boroughs. Events start at 8am and last until the books run out. find out exactly where right here.

Let your ginger freak flag fly at this spirited St. Patrick's Day race, which welcome redheaded runners rich with Irish heritage to bring those swift steps to Brooklyn's Prospect Park on Saturday, March 14 starting at 1pm. After you hit your 10,000+, head over to the nearby Ginger's Bar for the official after party. You deserve a beer (or three) after all of that running!

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!