Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day 2019

Whether you’re in for the pub crawls or the Irish dancing, the Twin Cities have got the holiday covered
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Bright yellow and green balloons on a city street event in summer. Close up shot

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Feel the luck of the Irish (or rather, the fun of the Irish) with the plethora of St. Patrick’s Day events in the Twin Cities. As always, this is not an exhaustive list, but we hope it’s a starting point for one of the most merry holidays of the year. *Brownie points if you learn what the holiday stands for and how they celebrate it in Ireland.

LuckyPalooza on West 7th

The annual St. Patrick’s Day block party is happening a week early on March 9 with live music, food from some of our favorites (including Burger Moe’s, Cosetta, and Patrick McGovern’s), drinks, mechanical bull rides, extreme sports events courtesy Ride MN, and more. Party until 11 p.m. in the streets, later in the tents, and then move on to the surrounding 10 bars and restaurants until bar close. To add to the fun this year, the Minnesota State High School League Boys’ Hockey Tournament is also happening at the Xcel Energy Center, so watch a game (in person or at the jumbotron outside Tom Reid’s) before heading over to the party. March 9 from 2 to 11 p.m. @ West Seventh St., St. Paul, visitsaintpaul.com.

The 53rd Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade in St. Paul

A staple of the holiday, the St. Paul St. Patrick’s Day is full of family groups and jubilee. Catch their Miss Shamrock 2019 Coronation on March 12 at 6:30 p.m. at the Crooked Pint Ale House & Event Center in Maplewood or the Worst Irish Tenor on March 13 at 7 p.m. at Mancini’s Char House in St. Paul to get in the spirit. And, on the day of the parade, make sure to bring a nonperishable food donation at the Finnegan’s Reverse Food Truck on Market Street as you find your spectator spot along the route. March 16 at noon @ Fifth and Wacouta streets to Fourth and Market streets, St. Paul, stpatsmn.org.

The 51st Annual Minneapolis St. Patrick’s Day Parade

This parade is short and sweet along Nicollet in downtown Minneapolis and includes a Miss Blarney contest. One hundred percent of the proceeds go to the American Diabetes Association, and additional fundraising goes to Camp Needlepoint, a summer camp for youth with diabetes. Afterward, party at the Blarney Blast Afterparty at Westminister Presbyterian Church Event Center, a block away from the parade end. March 16 at 6:30 p.m. @ Nicollet, Minneapolis, mplsstpats.org.

St. Patrick’s Day Irish Celebration & Day of Irish Dance

Enjoy a glimpse of the Emerald Isle with two days of Irish culture, music, seminars, and a lot of dance at the Landmark Center. Listen to traditional Irish music while enjoying Irish fare in the tea room, or bring the kids for some interactive storytelling at the Childrens Stage. If you’re planning a trip to Ireland (or starting to dream about one), make sure to catch the Irish for Tourists seminar. After all, you might find yourself more interested than ever after spending time here.

Oh, and if you don’t think that’s going to be enough dance for you (or you want to start celebrating early), check out Kickin’ It Irish, which features all styles of Irish dancing and, among many other dancers, Cormac O Sé, one of the original Riverdance performers. Irish Celebration & Day of Irish Dance, March 16 & 17 @ Landmark Center, St. Paul, irishmusicanddanceassociation.org; Kickin’ It Irish, March 8 to 17 @ Celtic Junction Arts Center, St. Paul, celticjunction.org.

The Food and Drink

Last year, downtown Minneapolis’ Finnegans Brew Co. opened up for St. Patrick’s Day, and this year they’re throwing a three-day party to celebrate the luck of the Irish and their one-year anniversary. Enjoy live music like progressive folk rock band the Wailing Loons or the Brian Boru Irish Pipe Band, and walk up (somewhat early) at 10 a.m. on the real St. Patrick’s Day for some “kegs and eggs” with the Current’s morning show and the Belfast Cowboys. Each day of the party will feature new brew releases (we’re particularly excited about the blueberry George lager) and food.

If you’re not around the Twin Cities but still want to celebrate with Finnegans, meet them up in St. Cloud or Walker for their pub crawls on March 9—all stops on each pub crawl will feature $3 Finnegans Taps and you’ll be led by either the Brian Boru Bagpipers (Walker) or the Minnesota Police Pipe Band (St. Cloud). March 15 through 17 @ Finnegans, Minneapolis; March 9 @ St. Cloud or Walker, finnegans.org.

For other St. Patrick’s Day with food, drink, and most likely some good music, check out:

Obviously, this doesn’t even include favorites like Halftime Rec, Claddagh Irish Pub, Emmett’s Public House, O’Malley’s, and more.

The Outdoors

There are a slew of people wanting to take in the real green of St. Patrick’s Day—the outdoors, when it’s not under a foot of ice and snow—and for those people, we have many runs (see below) and Leprechaun Secrets by the Kroening Interpretive Center in Minneapolis. While the description is a bit vague, possibly because of our unknown, inclement weather, the long and short of it is that it’s a two-hour naturalist program to “learn the way of the woods by following leprechaun clues.” This could involve learning how animals adapt to live in the wild and how to identify different plants. Maybe you’ll even find a four-leaf clover. Leprechauns are magical, after all. March 17 from 1 to 3 p.m. @ North Mississippi Regional Park, Minneapolis, apm.activecommunities.com (or minneapolisparks.org).

And for some of the running options of the holiday (as far as holiday runs go, at least you’re not running after Thanksgiving feast this time):

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