St Patrick's Day activities in twin cities

St. Patrick’s Day has a way of sneaking up on you. Suddenly, it’s March 17, and the best you can do is toss on a green hoodie on your way out the door. But frankly, there’s a lot of fun to be had in the Twin Cities both on the holiday itself and on the surrounding weekends. We want to run down a couple of options for your celebrations!

Note: This list skews heavily towards St. Paul. That’s because St. Paul is the beating heart of the Irish community in Minnesota. Minneapolis has a lot to offer, but if you can find your way over to St. Paul for a part of the day, you won’t regret it.

A brick building. There are reflective windows and clover decorations. The sign on the building says "Morrissey's Irish Pub"

Morrisey’s Irish Pub (Tiffany Bui | City Cast Twin Cities)

6 - Music and Comedy at Morrissey’s Irish Pub

Morrissey’s Pub is in the heart of Uptown, and although they bring the Irish flavor year-round, they lay the cabbage on thick for St. Paddy’s. They’ll have Celtic-inspired airbrush tattoos, glitter, and more throughout the day. In the evening, the string trio of Jones, Blake, and Schwarze holds court with their blend of Celtic and Americana influences. And just when you’re about to go home, since it’s a Tuesday after all, you’ll want to stick around for the “Craic Up” open mic night. An open mic on St. Patrick’s Day … what could go wrong? But this place has such a good neighborhood feel that I’d trust the hot mic to be well-controlled and dutifully distributed throughout the event.

A pedestrian view of a street. A sign reads "Kieran's Irish Pub"

Kieran's Irish Pub (Sean McPherson | City Cast Twin Cities)

5 - Kieran’s Irish Pub

The spirit of the Irish is strong at Kieran’s in downtown Minneapolis. On St. Patrick’s Day, the live music gets started at 5 p.m. with We Lucky Few. They’ll also be burning the midnight oil with music going all the way until 11:30 p.m. with Rattle and Hum – a U2 tribute band. Plus, the Wolves are playing the Suns right next door. Maybe they’ll even pull Belfast’s own CJ Fulton out of the G League for the game?

A faded brick building. A neon sign reads "Sham Rocks Grill & Pub" There is a clover between "Sham" and "Rocks"

The outside of Shamrocks. (Sean McPherson | City Cast Twin Cities)

4 - Shamrocks

Shamrocks is a classic St. Paul institution that I frequent year-round. But like so many Irish spots, they don’t announce their Irish heritage that loudly until St. Paddy’s, when they ooze Irish pride. The St. Paddy’s day tents at Shamrocks are full of life and merriment in a time of year when that can be in short supply. Shamrocks also staffs appropriately for the event. Sure, there’s a bajillion people there, but you should be able to get your green beer in a reasonable amount of time. Pro-tip: the amazing Brian Boru Irish Pipe Band makes many stops around the Twin Cities on St. Paddy’s, but my favorite spot to catch Minnesota’s only Irish Pipe Band is at Shamrocks. This year their sets are at 10:45 a.m., 3:15 p.m., and the nightcap at 10:15 p.m.

3 - The 60th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade

This is bucket list stuff right here. St. Paul is the heart of the Irish community in the Twin Cities, and we show out for this parade. It kicks off at Mears Park and then slowly and joyously jigs over to Rice Park. When the weather is right, this is a quintessential Twin Cities must. And hell, I actually think it’s a little better when it’s cold and snowy out, as it makes the energy that much more tangible. Grab the bus to downtown St. Paul, enjoy the parade, and then see where the day takes you. You’re going to love it.

A large building with three arches for an entrance

Front view of Landmark Center (Irish Arts Minnesota)

2 - Landmark Center

My personal St. Patrick’s Day itinerary always starts at the Landmark Center. They kick things off early at 9:00 a.m., and right out of the gate, you’ve got amazing dance, music, and camaraderie. If you’re looking for well-researched seminars, they have you covered. If you want to get lost in the magic of Irish dance, you are also definitely in the right place. I feel like it’s a little too easy to purely take St. Patrick’s Day as an excuse to drink, but it’s a great holiday and a great culture to celebrate. Take in some amazing displays of Irish culture and then grab a pint if that’s your speed.

A brick building with a large light up sign that says "Dubliner"

The Dubliner Pub. (Sean McPherson | City Cast Twin Cities)

1 - The Dubliner Pub

The Dubliner Pub is ground zero for St. Patrick’s Day in the Twin Cities. Many a year it has been my last stop, and it never disappoints. Is it packed to the gills? Absolutely. Is the music really loud? Yup. Does the Powers just taste better at the Dubliner? It sure does. Make sure your holiday itinerary involves a stop at the Dubliner, and everything is gonna work out right.