Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in Washington, DC

March has brought with it some milder temperatures so it’s time to get out and enjoy!  St. Patrick’s Day is right around the corner and DC has some fun events planned to help celebrate.  Here’s a few options to help you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in Washington, DC.  

Clover Fest

Get the party started early this Saturday right in your own backyard!  Drink the District is holding the second annual Clover Fest, a beer festival celebrating local and craft brewing, right here in The Yards Park.  A $39 admission fee gets you access to unlimited beer tastings, lawn games (two words: giant jenga) and a dueling pianos show.  Local breweries participating include 3 Stars Brewing Company and Atlas Brew Works.  Some of your favorite food trucks will be on hand to keep you on your feet through those unlimited tastings!  Any other info you need can be found here.

Four Courts Four Miler

If you’re looking for a little more balance in your day, you can head over to Arlington and kick-off the festivities with a four mile race.  Beginning and ending at Ireland’s Four Courts Pub, the course begins downhill then finishes uphill.  Knowing there is a post-race celebration with festive food, adult beverages and Irish music and dance should help give you that extra push in the home stretch.  You can register here to participate for $40.

St. Patrick’s Day Parade

This is one of those holidays that calls for a full blown celebration in the form of a parade!  The season just doesn’t feel complete without it.  This year, the 44th annual parade will take place Sunday March 15th at 12:00 noon.  The parade route is along Constitution Avenue, starting at 7th Street NW and ending at 17th Street NW.  If you want the VIP treatment, you can buy grandstand tickets online for $15 each and you can even reserve guaranteed parking in advance.  The full parade program is available online as well.

Luck of the Irish Pub Crawl

Beer drinking on St. Patrick’s Day is kind of like barbecue on the Fourth of July: if you aren’t indulging then you aren’t doing it right!  This good old fashioned pub crawl spans multiple locations across DC and features some great drink specials with a kick-off in Dupont Circle.  To get in on the action you can sign up for one day of crawling or really get after it with a 3 day all access pass.  May the luck of the Irish be with you.

Shamrockfest

If St. Patrick’s Day has come and gone and you still have enough party spirit in you, the Shamrockfest takes over RFK Stadium on Saturday March 21st!  Touted as “America’s largest St. Paddy’s Day celebration”, Shamrockfest will feature 30+ live bands performing across 5 stages with an emphasis on Celtic and Alternative Rock.  Attendees can also enjoy a variety of food and beer options, shop for Irish goods and St. Paddy’s day gear, play games and participate in contests.