St. Patrick’s Day Events in San Diego

St. Patrick’s Day is almost here! You don’t have to be in Ireland (or even Irish) to take part in this lively holiday. San Diego has over a week’s worth of fun-filled St. Patrick’s Day events, including parades, festivals, parties, and even cruises. Whether you’re looking for a night out on the town or a family-friendly event, there are plenty of great ways to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day and Irish culture. Just don’t forget to wear green!

 

St. Patrick’s Day 10K Run

Get your heart pumping at the St. Patrick’s Day 10K Run, happening Saturday March 11th in Mission Bay. Choose from a 2-mile, 4-mile, or 10K route for a nice walk or jog down by the water. At the end, you’ll be rewarded with pizza and beer!

 

St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Irish Festival

Head to Balboa Park on March 11th for the Irish Congress of Southern California’s 37th annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Irish Festival. The parade kicks off at 10:30 am, but the festival will be going strong all day. Enjoy a beer garden, live Irish music, and authentic Irish cuisine. The festival has great activities for kids, including rides, face painting, and an art contest.

 

North County St. Patrick’s Festival

Vista’s North County St. Patrick’s Festival, March 12th from 12 – 6 pm, has unique activities that are great for the whole family. Go on their Taste of Ireland Food Crawl, take part in an archery challenge, listen to bagpipes, check out the petting zoo, and try your hand at lawn bowling. Don’t forget to see the Irish Pooch Crawl, a parade of dressed-up pets!

 

St. Patrick’s Day Science

The Fleet Science Center’s Saturday Science Club for Girls holds monthly events featuring hands-on science in engineering, biology, chemistry, physics, robotics, and more for girls in 5th through 8th grades. Their March 11th event has fun St. Patrick’s Day-themed science experiments like color-changing cabbage juice.

 

House of Ireland

Learn about Irish culture at the House of Ireland, part of Balboa Park’s International Cottages. They’re hosting a lawn program on March 12th. Stop by for traditional Irish food like bangers (sausage) and colcannon (a potato dish), as well as non-alcoholic Irish coffee and desserts. There will also be Irish-themed crafts, potted shamrocks, and Irish dancing. The house of Ireland also offers free Irish music, dance, and language lessons throughout the year.

 

shamROCK

shamROCK, one of San Diego’s most popular St. Patrick’s Day events, turns the Gaslamp Quarter into a giant block party with plenty of entertainment and green beer. Three stages will showcase Irish bands, Irish dance, and DJs. Your shamROCK tickets will also get you into celebrations at 25 bars and restaurants in the area, where you can enjoy food and drink specials. This event is 21 and up, so leave the little leprechauns at home.

 

Campland on the Bay’s St. Patrick’s Day Festival

This is the first year for Campland on the Bay’s St. Patrick’s Day Festival, a two-day event down by the bay. On Friday the 17th, snack on corned beef tacos and attend the best-dressed leprechaun contest. On Saturday the 18th, they’ll have green tie-dyeing, a scavenger hunt, and a potato toss.

 

Bahia Belle’s St. Patrick’s Day Cruise

The best St. Patrick’s Day parties aren’t all on land! The Bahia Belle is having a special St. Patrick’s Day cruise on Saturday, March 18th. From 9:30 pm to 1:30 am, set sail across Mission Bay. The party will be held on three floors of the beautiful Mississippi-style boat. Dance all night on the lighted dance floor, plus live music and drink specials.

 

Whatever you decide to do, we hope you enjoy a fun and safe St. Patrick’s Day! Keep up with other events and activities around the city with Scripps Affiliated Medical Groups articles on San Diego.