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Hooley is Irish slang for a lively party, usually with music and this upcoming weekend has a whole lot of St. Patrick’s Day hooleys to choose from.

Though Ireland has observed the holiday for centuries, the St. Patrick’s Day parties we know today — complete with parades and green beverages galore — evolved 

What started as a way for Irish immigrants to publicly celebrate their heritage has since evolved into festivities for everyone to enjoy on March 17. 

St. Paul’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade 

In the great Twin Cities competition, St. Paul can claim 

 Irish lineage than Minneapolis and has the parade to prove it. Starting at noon, a wave of decked-out floats, Irish dancers and bagpipers will stroll from Rice Park to Mears Park as part of Minnesota’s largest St. Pat’s parade. Post-parade, the merriment continues at the 

, which starts at 1 p.m. within CHS Field, and features festive food and drink options. 

: The Minneapolis St. Patrick’s Day Association will put on its own parade at 6 p.m. in 

, which claims to host the world’s shortest St. Patrick’s Day parade.

Within the large castle-like Landmark Center in downtown St. Paul, you’ll find a full day of family-friendly festivities and cultural learning. Traditional Irish musicians, dancers and vendors are all on the lineup at the cultural center, conveniently located right next to the starting point of the St. Paul parade.

Sundays at Landmark: An Irish Day of Dance

The Celtic Arts Center — home to resources like a public Irish library, Irish language classes and regular concerts — is celebrating the holiday with a run of performances of 

. The show features 20 world-renowned dancers moving their feet to the tune of a six-piece live band, that includes Dublin’s Cormac O’Sé on the accordion as well as Todd Menton from Boiled in Lead, the local Celtic-punk-folk band founded in the 1980s. 

St. Patrick’s Day at Finnegans Brew Co. 

Finnegans pulls out all the stops for St. Patrick’s Day with Irish dance and live music performances scheduled every hour from noon to close. The brewery will host three food trucks to choose from, along with some Irish fare battered with Finnegans’ own brew. The party continues through the weekend, wrapping up around 9 p.m. on Sunday, March 19.

Paddy’s Day Celebration at O’Shaughnessy Distillery

Basketball fans can find March Madness games playing all day at O’Shaughnessy Distillery. Whiskey fans, photo booth fans, and corned beef slider fans will find their fix here as well. Irish dancers take the stage from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., in between live music sets from Loreweavers and Summerbabies. 

Green Cider Launch Party at Sociable Cider Werks  

For a chance to be the lucky winner of the “meat and shenanigans raffle,” swing by Sociable Cider Werks. Sociable is bringing back its Green Matcha cider (a collaboration with 

) as well as live music from three different bands, starting at 6:30 p.m. May the luck of the Irish be with you as you try to win that corned beef. The following day, return for drag brunch, DIY Floral Arrangements and more live music. 

Complete with a picture of JFK hanging on the wall and Irish dance lessons every Wednesday night, The Dubliner is a long-standing Irish institution. St. Patrick’s Day here starts off with a four-hour Irish trad session, which means a bunch of musicians sitting in a booth and jamming together. Live music continues until close, with sets from Jim McGowan and Release the Craicen, and picks back up again the next day at 3 p.m.

Though wholly unrelated to St. Pat’s, you can repurpose your green apparel this Friday at 

Throughout the weekend, you can also find a good time — or 

 — at your nearest Irish pub. Twin Cities options include: 

If pubs aren’t your scene, you can support the Twin Cities’ only Irish coffee shops, 

Take some time in the days ahead to prepare a soundtrack for your weekend shenanigans, complete with Irish tunes from classic bands like The Cranberries and Thin Lizzy, as well as up and coming musicians such as Fontaines D.C., Lankum, Anna Mieke, Just Mustard, The Mary Wallopers, Ezra Williams, and Aoife Nessa Frances. 

Find daily live music roundups, IRL and online, on

Hooley is Irish slang for a lively party, usually with music and this upcoming weekend has a whole lot of St. Patrick’s Day hooleys to choose from.


St. Patrick’s Day 2023: Celebrations in Minneapolis and St. Paul

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