Philadelphia St. Patrick’s Day Parties, Bar Crawls, and Events
Whether you want to drink a Big Beer, watch an Irish-themed movie, or send a kid on a Leprechaun hunt, we’ve got you covered.
Your guide to Philadelphia St. Patrick’s Day events / Photograph courtesy of Getty Images
My fellow Philadelphians, St. Paddy’s Day will be here sooner than you think, since our fine and respectable city has once again seen fit to make this single-day holiday a multi-weekend affair. What can I say, we love saints, we love parties and we rarely say no to a parade. It’s a great time to be Irish. Though by Irish I don’t mean the people of Ireland, but the people of America who are, they’re pretty sure, descended from the people of Ireland, allegedly, at least on one side of their family, and what’s with all the questions? (No, I’m not doing 23andMe.) So let’s broaden the scope and say we’re all Irish. For a limited time. Welcome aboard. Hope you’ve got sunblock.
THE PARADE
How’s that old saying go? Everybody tolerates a parade? Something like that. Well it goes double for Philly’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade — the second oldest of its kind in the country. While the banjos and fiddles march by playing “I’m Something Something a Four Leaf Clover” and “Irish Guys Are Smiling,” get yourself a plastic derby or some other green single-use souvenir and dance on the sidewalk like nobody but your ancestors is watching. As a child I was dragged many times to this jubilant, working class parade, and those sense memories stay with me to this day.
Free, Sunday, March 12th*, starts 11 a.m. at 16th and JFK Boulevard, goes clockwise around City Hall then down Market, ends at 6th and Market Street. TV coverage noon-3 p.m., on CW Philly 57.
THE CRAWLS
Generally speaking, when opinion columnists write their post-St. Paddy’s Day articles about privilege, they’re thinking of the pub crawls and the roving bands of merry mischief-makers these events sometimes let loose on the streets like a ravenous river-dancer on a Knights of Columbus roast beef banquet.** If you don’t want to end up in a viral video/police report/photo beneath a headline that says “Philadelphians Are A Mess,” then try to behave yourself out there. Drink water. Don’t block traffic. Make sure you stop to grab some food. Don’t fight a parking kiosk or put a green derby on the Octavius Catto statue. (I am genuinely worried somebody will do this and I hope that my putting this fear out there into the world means it can’t happen.) Okay, with all that in mind, here are some St. Paddy’s Day Pub Crawls taking place this year, typed with crossed-fingers.
St. Patrick’s Day Bar Crawl Philadelphia and Erin Express, comes with an official t-shirt and “green swag” (hats, beads, glasses, etc.). Multiple locations including Rec & Royal, Xfinity Live, New Deck Tavern, Green Room, Cavanaugh’s Headhouse and more. March 11th, noon-8 p.m., $16.95-$20.
Kiss Me, I’m Irish: Philadelphia St. Patrick’s Day Bar Crawl, wristband grants entry to/drink specials at Howl at the Moon, Blume Burger, Moriarty’s, Hard Rock Café, Bru Craft & Wurst, more. Note: Someone’s Irishness is not, you know, a reasonable factor in determining consent or kissability. Saturday, March 17th & 18th, 5 p.m., $20.
2023 St. Patrick’s Bar Crawl, wristband gets you entry into Woody’s, GloBar, Voyeur, Pulse and Concourse Nightclub, themed drink, DJs and “on-site staff guiding the crawl,” March 11th, 17th & 18th, 3-10 p.m., $15-$30.
The Shamrock Crawl, wristband gets you into a crawl that’s all over the map, from South Street to Manayunk including Barstool, Ladder 15, Misconduct Tavern Locust, Paddy Whacks, Bayou and lots more, plus a “signature Shamrock mug.” March 11th, noon-6 p.m., $9.95-$24.95.
Shamrock Stroll St Patrick’s Day Weekend Bar Crawl, wristband gets you into Howl At The Moon, Wicked Wolf, Top Tomato 11th, Finn McCool’s and more, plus a “free green collectible St. Patrick’s Day Cup,” March 18th, noon-8 p.m., $10.99-$24.99.
For more pub crawls, even though they’re all very similar, here’s this.
MUSIC, MOVIES & MISCELLANY
Whether you want to drink a Big Beer, watch an Irish-themed movie, or send a kid on a Leprechaun hunt, we’ve got you covered.
Belfast Connection — St. Paddy’s Celebration, “classic drinking tunes, Celtic folk standards, and modern folk jigs,” March 10th, 8 p.m., $15-$20, Kennett Flash, 102 Sycamore Alley, Kennett Square.
St. Paddy’s unWINEd Weekends, Yardley’s Shady Brook Farm hosts two family-friendly weekend of foods, drinks, live music, dance and competitive cornhole, March 10th-13th, 17th & 18th, $10, Shady Brook Farm, 931 Stony Hill Road, Yardley.
St. Paddy’s Block Party & 0.5K, Fishtown’s Evil Genius Beer Company offers live Irish music by Killen & Clark, face-painting, axe-throwing, Lucky Charms IPA and a very short race with beer at the finish line, March 11th, noon-6 p.m., block party is free till you spend money, $30 for the run, Evil Genius Beer Company, 1727 Front Street.
The Great Narberth Leprechaun Hunt, this family-friendly scavenger hunt has kids collecting gold coins*** and winning prizes, March 11th, 1-4 p.m., free, starts at the Blarney Booth at Haverford and Forrest Avenues, downtown Narberth.
Conshohocken St. Paddy’s Day 5K Classic, run awhile and raise money for the Conshy fire co., medals for all who finish, March 11th, 1-3 p.m., $40, downtown Conshohocken (here’s the route).
Shamrec’d St. Patty’s Block Party, music by DJ Casper, Reed Streets, DJ Savage, Yonah, Mike-O and more, March 11th, 17th & 18th, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Rec & Royal, 111 South 17th Street.
McGillin’s St. Patrick’s Day Party, drink specials including the Irish Potato Martini, plus bangers and mash, corned beef cheesesteak (!), green beer, etc. March 11th, 17th & 18th, opens 10 a.m., free-$10 depending on when you get there.
Irish Ballad session with Kevin McCloskey, “Great craic and a few rebel songs too,” March 12th, 7 p.m., free, Fergie’s Pub, 1214 Sansom Street.
The Mary Wallopers, contemporary Irish folk with an anti-capitalist bent, March 13th, 8 p.m., $18-$20, Fillmore Philly, 29 East Allen Street.
Angela’s Ashes, the 1999 movie starring Emily Watson and Robert Carlyle, based on Frank McCourt’s memoir, March 13th, 7 p.m., $5, Uptown! Knauer Performing Arts Center, 226 North High Street, West Chester.
St. Paddy’s Day Workshop, a rep from Tullamore DEW Irish Whiskey tells you how to make cocktails and sends you home with some swag, March 14th, 7 p.m., $100, Art in the Age, 116 North 3rd Street.
Gaelic Storm & the High Kings, rock and drinking songs by the actual “Irish Party in Third Class” band from Titanic, March 15th, 8 p.m., $39.50-$65, Keswick Theatre, 291 North Keswick Avenue, Glenside.
Glengarry Bhoys, “world renown Canadian alt-celt group,” March 16th, 8 p.m., $29.50-$39.50, Sellersville Theater, 24 West Temple Avenue, Sellersville.
A Celtic Evening with Rakish, Irish and folk music on violin and guitar, March 16th, 7:30 p.m., $15, City Winery, 990 Filbert Street.
Red Hot Chilli Pipers, Scottish rock band with three bagpipers and no Anthony Kiedis, March 16th, 8 p.m., $35-$55, Keswick Theatre, 291 North Keswick Avenue, Glenside.
Best in Show with Liam Paris and Shane O’Connor, a comedy show by Philly guys with Irish-seeming names who might think it’s funny to see their names in this list (plus Dan Licata, who wrote for Joe Pera), March 16th, 8 p.m., $10, Underground Arts, 200 Callowhill Street.
St. Paddy’s Gay, Balena Canto presents a “queer twist on a classic holiday” with live music, drag, Irish Potato Eating contest and more, $15-$30, March 17th, 7-11 p.m., Love City Brewing 1023 Hamilton Street.
Barleyjuice’s St. Patrick’s Day Party, Kyf Brewer and co. play roots, bluegrass, authentic jigs and more on accordion, bagpipes, mandolin, etc., March 17th, 8 p.m., $25, Sellersville Theater, 24 West Temple Avenue, Sellersville.
Cannstatter Volksfest Verein St. Patrick’s Day Party, live music by Blu Dogz, $4 beers, $13.50 pitchers, $10 admission, March 17th, 6 p.m.-midnight, 9130 Academy Road.
St. Patrick’s Day at Gaul & Co. Malt House, the Port Richmond gastropub hosts a breakfast benefit for Catholic school scholarships, 9 a.m.-noon, with live entertainment by Joe Mullin; plus live music by CJ, Mike Shackelton & Jimmy V at 8 p.m. March 17th, pay-as-you-go, Gaul & Co. Malt House, 2619 East Indiana Avenue.
Shamrocks & Shenanigans, live music, silent disco, karaoke, bull riding, green beer, prizes, etc., March 17th, free until you buy something, Xfinity Live, 1100 Pattison Avenue.
St. Patrick’s Day Trap Rock Festival, West Philly rapper D4M $loan and DJ Nico Oso perform that traditional Irish trap rock sound, March 17th, 9 p.m.-2 a.m., cover TBA, Roar Nightclub, 939 North Delaware Avenue.
St. Patrick’s Day at Fadó, live music, a DJ and Big Beers which is probably what it sounds like, March 17th, free till 5 p.m., then $15, Fadó Irish Pub, 1500 Locust Street.
Cormorant’s Fancy, multi-generational family band specializing in “the music of Ireland, Scotland and the Celtic nations,” March 17th, 7:30 p.m., Uptown! Knauer Performing Arts Center, 226 North High Street, West Chester.
Celebrate the Green, special menus, a leprechaun hunt for the kids and live entertainment by the Watson Highlanders Bagpipe Entertainment Ensemble, Rince Ri School of Irish Dance and more, March 17th-19th, pay as you go, Peddler’s Village, 2400 Street Road, New Hope.
Bastard Bearded Irishmen, hairy and spirited Celtic band from Pittsburgh, March 18th, 7:30 p.m., $15-$20, City Winery, 990 Filbert Street.
Sheridan Rúitín, a feckin’ pub band from suburban New York that specializing in three-part harmonies of original and traditional Irish songs, March 18th, 7-10 p.m., $12, The Fire 412 West Girard Avenue.
Leprechaun, the 1993 horror classic starring Warwick Davis and Jennifer Aniston, March 20th, 8 p.m., $5, Underground Arts, 200 Callowhill Street.
The Irish Tenors, a trio of Irish tenors, March 22nd, 8 p.m., $45-$130, Keswick Theatre, 291 North Keswick Avenue, Glenside.
Michael McDermott, classic rock and folk played by a guy in authentic flat cap, March 23rd, 7:30 p.m., $22, City Winery, 990 Filbert Street.
* This year the parade’s official web site includes this helpful reminder: “Sunday, March 12 is daylight savings time! Please set your clocks ahead one hour! Please update your Parade applications asap.” So there are parade apps!?
** I can make these jokes because I’m half-Irish.
***not real gold, obvs.
