St Patrick's Day Events in Boston

Where to celebrate Boston's Irish heritage

St Patrick's Day events in Boston include the famous St. Patrick's Day Parade in South Boston (locally known as "Southie"). 

But that's only the beginning of Boston's St Patrick's Day festivities.

In addition to watching the big parade, you can also celebrate all things Irish at other St Patrick's Day events in Boston. 

Go hear the Dropkick Murphys annual House of Blues concert, explore Boston's Irish heritage along the Irish Heritage Trail, and stop by one of Boston's many Irish pubs for some cheer. 

For even more contact with the Green Isle, check out what's on offer at the Irish Film Festival.

Although over half a million visitors reportedly come to Boston from across the U.S., Ireland, and other parts of the world to experience the St. Patrick's Day celebrations, the festivities are basically local expressions of Boston's Irish heritage rather than events staged for tourists. 

If you visit during this period and come to any of these events, you'll be experiencing a bit of "real" Boston culture.

Use this guide to find out where and when Boston's St Patricks Day events are scheduled.

St Patrick's Day Parade

2012 marks the 112th anniversary for the huge St. Patrick's Day Parade in South Boston, where Irish immigrants first settled in the early 1800s and a large Irish-American community still resides.  The parade has been a big Boston event every year since 1901 - except for 1993, when it had to be canceled after a blizzard closed down the city.

Without a doubt, the St Patrick's Day Parade is the best known of Boston's St Patrick's Day events, as well as the city's biggest parade of the year.  At least a hundred groups and many thousands of marchers participate.  Occasional controversy about which groups get to march creates an extra layer of excitement.

As many as 1 million people line up to watch the colorful floats, Irish and American pipe and drum bands, and marchers representing a wide range of Irish-American groups.  Needless to say, among the crowd - if not actually marching - will be most Boston-Irish politicians.  In 2010, even Northern Ireland's Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams joined the parade.

The route for the St. Patrick's Day Parade, usually held on the Sunday closest to the actual holiday (check the March Boston Event Calendar for the exact date) begins at the Broadway T stop (Red Line), continues along Broadway all the way down to P Street, turns back up E. 4th Street, turns left at G Street, moves over to E. 5th Street at K Street, and circles around Dorchester Heights on Telegraph Street to Dorchester Street and heads west to Andrew Square (Red Line/Andrew T stop), where it ends.

Photos courtesy of Melinda, Adam Pieniazek, Justin Brockie, and John and Carolina Wilbanks

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Dropkick Murphys concert at House of Blues Boston

Boston's most famous Celtic punk rock group, the Dropkick Murphys, spends most of their time touring since becoming so popular, but they always return home to Boston to perform several concerts on, before, and after St Patrick's Day at House of Blues, near Fenway Park. 

Needless to say, the Dropkick Murphys' rollicking performances sell out quickly, but if you're a fan, you'll want to catch one of these concerts.  Get your tickets now! 

$25 DISCOUNT on your TicketLiquidator order of $250 or more At checkout, enter Gift Card ID:  bostix

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Irish music in Boston's Irish pubs

Boston has the best Irish pubs in the world, outside of Ireland - and almost as many to choose from.  Thanks to the large number of Boston residents who hail from the Emerald Isle, you'll hear plenty of Irish accents on both sides of the bar in many of these pubs. 

Needless to say, St. Patrick's Day is a huge event at Boston's Irish pubs . . . expect Irish music, dancing, green beer, and week-long celebrations.

Almost every Boston neighborhood has several or more Irish pubs - the Italian North End and Chinatown are the only 2 exceptions that come to mind. 

Although many of these pubs feature live Irish music at least some of the time, almost all of them bring in terrific musicians around St. Patrick's Day. 

Use our guide to Boston Irish pubs to find a spot to celebrate St. Patrick's Day - and be sure to wear green!

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Celtic Woman Performs Irish Music

Celtic Woman fans won't want to miss this popular Irish group's return to Boston for a rousing concert of Irish traditional and contemporary music at the Wang Theatre on March 9 at 8pm - perfect way to celebrate St. Patrick's Day in Boston.  Their shows always sell out here - so don't wait to get your tickets!

Tickets:  Find best discount tickets now

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Stay in an Irish hotel in Boston . . .

You'll almost believe you're in Dublin or Cork when you stay at an Irish hotel in Boston. 

We have only one Irish hotel in Boston - The Back Bay Hotel (formerly Jury's), part of the Doyles Collection hotel family. 

Located, not surprisingly considering its name, in Boston's Back Bay neighborhood, this attractive hotel is an excellent place to get a flavor of warm Irish hospitality at any point during the year, and especially on St Patrick's Day.  To find an Irish bar nearby, you need go no farther than Cuffs, Back Bay Hotel's in-hotel Irish pub, shown in the photo at the left.

Find best rates / reviews for The Back Bay Hotel

. . . or stay in a Boston hotel near an Irish pub

Seriously, if you're celebrating St Patrick's Day at one or more of our fine Boston Irish pubs, a reservation at a nearby hotel means you'll have no worries about getting home or finding a non-celebrating designated driver. 

Best strategy:  Think about where you'll be at Last Call, and make a hotel reservation nearby.  Here are a few suggestions for hotels in several Boston neighborhoods rich with Irish pubs where you might find yourself at the end of the evening:

Hotels convenient to Irish pubs near Faneuil Marketplace / Downtown 

• Millennium Bostonian Hotel - Very nice hotel with many luxurious amenities across from the Green Dragon and Faneuil Marketplace pubs
• Harborside Inn - Cozy boutique hotel offering great value near the waterfront and close to The Black Rose and Kitty O'Shea's
• Ames Hotel - Close to Downtown Irish pubs - very cool boutique hotel with its own popular pub

Hotels close to Irish pubs around TD Garden

• Holiday Inn - Excellent mid-range hotel close to The Kinsale
• Onyx Hotel - Popular Kimpton Hotel with great decor very close to TD Garden Irish pubs, such as The Grand Canal and McGann's
• Bullfinch Hotel - Another convenient hotel close to TD Garden pubs; not far from The Kinsale

Hotels close to Back Bay pubs

• Hotel 140 - One of Boston's best bargain hotels near Cuffs
• Hilton Boston Back Bay - Excellent high-end business hotel close to McGreevy's and Lir
• The Eliot - Wonderful luxury hotel where you can stay in style in a suite - close to McGreevy's and Lir

Hotels near Irish pubs in Fenway Park

• Buckminster Hotel - Terrific budget hotel near Fenway Park pubs
• Hotel Commonwealth - Luxury hotel near Fenway Park pubs
• Howard Johnson Fenway Park - Excellent mid-range choice next to Fenway Park

Cambridge hotels near Irish pubs in and around Harvard Square 

• The Inn at Harvard - Very nice hotel near Grafton Street Pub and Toad, and not far from the Plough and Stars
• Le Meridien Cambridge - Cool Kendall Square (MIT area) hotel near the Aasgard

Harpoon St Patrick's Festival

Enjoy corned beef and cabbage plus other delicious food, dance a jig to live music by Boston-area Irish and rock bands, and sample Harpoon and UFO brews featuring Celtic Ale.

This fun event takes place in the South Boston Waterfront at Harpoon Brewery, the biggest brewery in Boston. Wander among the huge tanks inside, or enjoy Boston Harbor breezes outside under the big circus tents.

More information: Boston Events for March

Explore the Irish Heritage Trail

Boston is the most Irish of all American cities, with almost a quarter of all Boston residents claiming at least some Irish ancestry in the 2000 U.S. Census. 

Boston's Irish Heritage Trail celebrates the contributions of the Irish immigrants and their descendents to the city and the nation over the course of 3+ centuries.  The Trail starts at the beautiful Rose Kennedy Rose Garden in the North End, stretches across more than 3 miles of Downtown Boston and Back Bay, and ends at Fenway Park.

Visitors enjoy the Rose Kennedy Memorial Rose Garden, Irish Heritage Trail site in the North End

Walking along the self-guided Irish Heritage Trail is a popular St Patrick's Day activity.  If you decide to do this too, you'll visit statues, monuments, and buildings ranging from multiple statues of Irish politician James Michael Curley to the moving Boston Irish Famine Memorial to the Massachusetts State House. 

The Irish Heritage Trail also takes you past many of Boston's other famous sites and attractions, so it doubles as a way to tour a large swath of the city.  More about the Irish Heritage Trail

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Irish Film Festival

For a more global immersion in all things Irish, hop onto the T's Red Line and head to over to Cambridge and Somerville for the Boston Irish Film Festival, featuring Irish films, films about Ireland, and films that explore what it means to be Irish in the 21st century.

Afterwards, of course, you can stop by one of our Boston Irish pubs for some great music, a great meal, and perhaps a Guinness.

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Boston Celtics Games

Of course a Boston Celtics game is not just a St. Patrick's Day event - but what better way to show your Celtic spirit than dressing in green and cheering for the home team at a game in TD Garden?

Check the Celtics' home game schedule for March.

And remember to wear green!