by Looking for St. Patrick’s Day event ideas? Thanks to the Irish diaspora, everyone is now Irish on St. Patrick’s Day.
Patrick himself was a British shepherd who found God and then went to Ireland to fight the local druids.
He’s known for driving out the snakes from Ireland, even though there were never any snakes there.
Easy job.
We thought we would make your job as an event organiser a little easier as well.
We’ve put together a list of various Cèilidhs you can put on to make the festive day a bit more so.
This article includes suggestions like…
- Craft classes
- Poetry readings
- Cooking classes
- Baking classes
- Film screenings
- Live music
- Dance classes
- Green causes
- Irish Coffees
- Whiskey tastings
- And of course pub crawls
Dig out your best green outfit and go chase that pot of gold!
1. St. Patrick’s Day craft class
A good craft session works for almost any occasion. Host a craft class with a St. Patrick’s Day theme. Your attendees can make leprechaun hats and green wreaths. If pottery is their thing, then challenge them to make a plate shaped like a Shamrock.
St. Patrick’s Day is not a holiday where people usually send each other cards, but why not break traditions? Offer a card-making class with a St. Patrick’s Day theme.
Need some more inspiration? Look at St. Patrick’s Day Crafts by Activity Village.
2. Irish poetry reading
Ireland is home to a range of famous poets like Samuel Beckett, Seamus Heaney, and of course W.B. Yeats. The limerick style of poetry is even named after an Irish town.
If you’re already hosting a regular poetry evening, why not create an Irish theme for St. Patrick’s Day? Guests can recite their favourite Irish poems and down some Guinness.
Need some more inspiration? Look at The Irish Shuffle by The National Poetry Library.
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3. Irish cooking class
Potatoes are a staple in Irish cuisine, as well as in many jokes about the Irish. Your St. Patrick’s Day–themed cooking class doesn’t have to include the jokes, but definitely the potatoes.
Here are some of the dishes your students can learn to cook:
Need some more inspiration? Look at The Food and Cooking of Ireland by The Spruce Eats.
4. Green cake baking class
Green is the colour of St. Patrick’s Day (and leprechauns), so why not make it a theme for a baking class? Invite your students to learn about Irish cakes and bakery.
Here are some traditional examples to get you started:
Need some more inspiration? Look at the Traditional Irish Baking Class by Wee Buns Cookery School.
5. St. Patrick’s Day film screening
People are probably sick of watching Love, Actually every Christmas. Ditto The Notebook every Valentine’s Day.
But what about St. Patrick’s Day? How come there’s no tradition for watching films for that day?
It’s up to you to start it. Arrange a film screening of some relevant St. Patrick’s Day films like these:
Need some more inspiration? Look at the “15 Best Movies to Watch for St. Patrick’s Day” by Screen Rant.
6. Live Irish music event
Irish music is legendary, and the fiddle has migrated far and wide. Nothing beats hearing it live, however.
St. Patrick’s Day is a great opportunity to put on some Shamrock’N’Roll acts. It doesn’t have to be purely traditional, of course.
There are plenty of acts that mix together the new with the old. Contemporary Irish with American folk music? Why not?
Need some more inspiration? Look at this St. Patrick’s Day Concert: Four Men and a Dog.
7. Irish dance classes
The Irish dancing tradition has a lot more to offer than just Riverdance. Awaken your inner travelling dance master and invite guests along for an educational and fun experience.
Here are some of the dances you can teach:
Need some more inspiration? Look at “The History of Irish Dance” by Irelandseye.com.
8. Support a green cause
Although the Irish can’t lay claim to the concept of charity, this special day is a good opportunity to support green causes.
Seeing as the theme is already green, you can kill two birds with one stone. Or feed two birds with one scone, as PETA likes to say.
Find the environmentally friendly cause of your choice and host an event in support of it.
Need some more inspiration? Look at these 12 environmental and green charities.
9. Roll out the Irish Coffees
St. Patrick’s Day is a good opportunity to serve some Irish Coffees. Stock up on Jameson’s whiskey and brown sugar, and add a bit of flavour to the black brew. It doesn’t matter what establishment you’re running, this treat will go down nicely no matter the context.
Need some more inspiration? Look at “Irish coffee for St Patrick’s Day” by Jamie Oliver.
10. St. Patrick’s Day whiskey tasting
Speaking of whiskey…the Irish know they stuff when it comes to the golden drops. In fact, the word “whiskey” comes from a Gaelic phrase which means “water of life”.
Make things lively by hosting a whiskey tasting event and lift the spirits (literally).
Need some more inspiration? Look at the “10 Best Irish Whiskies” by The Independent.
11. St Patricks Day Pub Crawl In London
We had to include this option. St. Patrick’s Day is famous (and notorious) for the pub crawls it inspires.
If you don’t have a venue of your own, why not arrange a tour around the local bars?
Invite your guests along and see how many different Irish drinks you can find on the way. Just remember to keep tabs…
Need some more inspiration? Look at the “Essential St. Patrick’s Day Bar Crawl Survival Tips” by Red7.
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Feeling lucky?
Hopefully, our list has helped inspire you to get creative on St. Patrick’s Day this year. There’s more to Irish tradition than Guinness and Jameson’s, but it doesn’t hurt to include both.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!