How to Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in NYC This Year

Don your finest green threads and gear up for St. Patrick’s Day, because there are dozens of ways to celebrate in NYC this year.

The holiday’s flagship event is the grand in-person return of The New York City Saint Patrick’s Day Parade. Considered to be the world's oldest and largest parade, this year’s event marks the 261st anniversary after a pandemic-fueled virtual event last year.

On Thursday, March 17, beginning at 11 am, the parade route will travel up Fifth Avenue—beginning on East 44th and ending on East 79th—with upwards of 150,000 people marching and drawing about 2 million spectators. Since its conception in 1762, the event has been volunteer-run and continues to honor Irish and Irish-American pride through revelry and tradition, like the playing of bagpipes and singing of centuries-old tunes. If you’re unable to snag a prime spot along the route, watch a livestream of the event online via WNBC.com.

In addition to the parade, there are dozens of holiday happenings around the city to take advantage of from live music performances to a post-parade bar crawl and events at local Irish pubs. Here’s the ultimate guide to how to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day this year in NYC.

Thursday, March 17, 3 pm–11 pm
Pier 15
Not only can you score a personal mini-keg of Irish beer, but you can do so while in the toasty comfort of your own cabin at Pier 15’s outdoor bar, Watermark. Here, spread out across a 10,000-square-foot space in rows of string light-adorned glasshouses that are available for walk-ins or VIP reserved seating. Starting at 3 pm, drink offerings include an array of draft beers and mini-kegs of pilsner or kölsch, along with Irish Margaritas (Jameson, triple sec, lime). On the food menu, choose from bites like corned beef and cabbage sliders with Guinness mustard; bangers and mash; and Guinness Pot Pie with lamb and beef.
Cost: Free admission, VIP reserved seating from $30

Thursday, March 17, 10 am–2 am
Lower Manhattan
Water Street’s Irish bar and taproom Dead Rabbit is flaunting a full lineup of live music performances, traditional dishes, draft brews, and Irish whiskey-based cocktails to get you in the holiday spirit. The tri-level spot will open its doors bright and early at 10 am on St. Patrick’s Day, with traditional Irish music performances called seisiuns going from 1 pm-5 pm and 7 pm-11 pm. Upon arrival, guests will get bowls of complimentary lamb stew and can order from a menu of small plates like Corned Beef Sliders and Cumberland Sausage Rolls. Guinness and Irish coffees will be flowing all day in addition to specialty drinks like the Spell Spoke (hibiscus, lime leaf, ginger, citrus bitters).
Cost: Free entry

Thursday, March 17, 6 pm–11 pm
Various locations
With 14 participating bars from the East Village to Kips Bay, the Kiss Me I’m Irish: NYC St. Patrick’s Day Bar Crawl is a marathon not a sprint. Starting at 6 pm, after the parade wraps up, head to registration (with your pre-purchased ticket confirmation) at East Village’s DROM music venue. Once you have your wristband and map, hit the town to enjoy no-cover entry and drink specials like $3 whiskey shots, $4 beers, and $5 mixed drinks until 11 pm. Tickets are available online via the event page.
Cost: Tickets from $15

Thursday, March 17
Various locations
On March 17, the 10th Annual Irish Arts Center Book Day will be celebrated across across all five boroughs. To honor the impact of Irish literature over time, cultural inclusivity, and the importance of literacy, the Irish Arts Center partnered with Literature Ireland, the New York City Council, the New York State Assembly, and ADL New York/New Jersey to hand out thousands of free books to attendees. Event location sites can be found on the website, and if you want to support the IAC, donations can be made online.
Cost: Free

Thursday, March 17, 10 pm–4 am
Bushwick
Head to Bushwick at 10 pm for the Get Lucky-themed Dirty Thursday night party at House of Yes. Don your flashiest of fits for a night of aerialists, live DJ sets, dance performances, and high-energy ambiance for this all-night holiday affair. Dressing head-to-toe in green will score you drink tickets at the door, but make sure to secure your spot online before showing up.
Cost: Free for RSVP, $10 at door

Thursday, March 17, 7 pm–9 pm
Pier 36
Take the party to the water for this year’s St. Patrick’s Day Cruise by Event Cruises. Starting at 7 pm, the boat ride will swoop around Manhattan’s waterways offering panoramic skyline views, festive party favors, green beer, specialty cocktails, and Irish-inspired dishes like beef stew and green velvet cupcakes. With the purchase of a premium ticket, an open bar consisting of wine and beer is made available.
Cost: Standard admission from $59

Thursday, March 17
Lower East Side
With two heated outdoor spaces, holiday decor, and week-long St. Patrick’s Day specials, Loreley Beer Garden is an ideal backdrop for celebrating the luckiest day of the year. Specials include green beer and Guinness pints for $9, Irish Coffees, and green frozen margaritas. In addition, there’s an expansive menu of locally sourced beers as well as shareable bites like a grilled sausage platter and pretzels with beer cheese to munch on in between brews.
Cost: Varies

Thursday, March 17, 3 pm–9 pm
Long Island City
Spend the day enjoying Irish music and dance performances at The New York Irish Center’s 40 Shades of Green event. The all-day event will feature the talents of more than 20 performers and groups like McManus School of Irish Dance, techno DJ Fiona Walsh, and soprano singer Mary Deady. Be sure to check the website for additional performance announcements, and don’t forget, the center also offers Irish language classes, fiddle lessons, and film screenings so you can continue exploring Irish traditions beyond March 17.
Cost: Tickets at $20

Thursday, March 17, 8 pm
Chelsea
For just five days, the world-renowned Trinity Irish Dance Company is setting down in NYC for a series of performances at Joyce Theater. The Chicago- and Milwaukee-based, mostly-women group melds traditional Irish step dancing with American tap to create theatrical storylines that are accompanied by an on-stage band, percussion section, and fiddle playing. The program will feature founding artistic director Mark Howard’s Soles, Push, and Johnny, which focus on rhythmic footwork and energetic beats.
Cost: Tickets from $26

Thursday, March 17
Tribeca
Known for epic stacks of pancakes, hearty slices of pie, and other food classics, Bubby’s in Tribeca will be cooking up some green-hued dishes to celebrate the holiday. For brunch, the restaurant will offer green eggs and house-smoked ham. Later in the day, Irish fare like lamb shepherd's pie and corned beef with cabbage will make a special appearance on the dinner menu.
Cost: Varies

Thursday, March 17
Various locations
As any dessert aficionado knows, there are plenty of limited-edition treats released for each passing holiday—and the luckiest day of the year is no exception. Breads Bakery is offering matcha-flavored Hamantaschen by the dozen and loaves of Irish Soda Bread. At Doughnut Plant's Grand Central location, you can snag four-leaf clover shaped Shamrock Doughnuts and Bailey’s Irish Cream cake doughnuts. At Black Tap’s Midtown location, go for the very adult Boozy Irish Coffee Classic Shake (Jameson, vanilla ice cream, coffee). Or opt for a plant-forward option with a Mint Matcha Shake (soy ice cream, chocolate chips, green tea matcha, peppermint) from HipCityVeg.

Thursday, March 17
Lower East Side
For your holiday feast, legendary stalwart Katz’s Deli is offering an easy solution for pre- or post-parade bites. Customers can order hand-carved corned beef by the pound or purchase the St. Patrick’s Day Special Reuben Package, which comes with two full pounds of corned beef or pastrami, Swiss cheese, tangy sauerkraut, and house-made dressing.
Cost: Corned beef by the pound is $36, Special Reuben Package is $120

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