Bring Ireland right to your doorstep with St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in San Diego. Join the crowd of revelers at the parade and for the festival at Balboa Park and have fun at pubs dishing out authentic Irish beer and foods. Party all night to the tunes of Celtic music at the ShamROCK festival and other venues with live concerts on outdoor stages. Here are some events to check out for a blast on St. Patty’s Day.
What: The Annual San Diego ShamROCK
When: Saturday, March 15, 2014, 4 pm – 12 am
Where: Gaslamp Quarter
Description: The 19th year of the Annual ShamROCK will feature city streets converted into a beautiful urban version of the rolling vibrant green hills of Ireland with more than 80,000 square feet of Astroturf. Celebrate St. Patty’s Day with the largest outdoor party on the West Coast featuring Irish rock music and DJ sets. The ShamROCK will set the street on fire with a 150-feet Irish pub catering to the wild and thirsty crowd serving good, old Irish beer and other drinks. Enjoy with more than 20,000 people the extravagant festivity of St. Patrick’s Day in San Diego. The Field Irish stage will blast with Celtic tunes along with live bands showing their talents in Irish Rock, Irish Punk rock and other favorites.
Cost: $45
What: St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Festival
When: Saturday, March 15, 2014, 9 am – 6 pm
Where: Balboa Park, San Diego
Description: The 33rd St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Festival is proud to be the biggest St. Patrick’s Day parade in San Diego. The parade starts at 9 am and on its journey through the streets, it dazzles the cheering crowd with all its pomp and splendor. Glitzy floats, colorful clowns, bagpipes, and plenty of entertainment makes the day one of the most crowd-pulling events of the year. Thousands of people turn up at the event with friends and family, some take part in the parade others cheer them on. The Irish Festival includes well-known folk singers and groups belting out heart-warming Irish tunes, while the food booths and craft centers open from the start of the parade. There will also be two beer gardens doling out beer, wine and other beverages. Check out the authentic Celtic Village and Kids Zone with cool rides. Anyone can be a part of the event.
Cost: Free
What: Shamrock Shaker
When: Friday, March 14, 2014, 5:30 pm
Where: Santa Fe street, San Diego
Description: Take your kids to celebrate and have an adventurous St. Patrick’s Day with leprechaun games, crafts and frolic for all members of the family. Featured games include Pot O’Gold Toss, Leprechaun Leap, Shamrock Shimmy Dance Off, guest appearances by local stars and spicy, tasty food available for a scrumptious dinner. Buy your tickets now!
Cost: Variable.
What: Saint Paddy’s Pub Crawl
When: Saturday, March 15, 12-10 pm and March 17, 2014, 2-10 pm
Where: Gaslamp District, San Diego
Description: A two-day event, which will satisfy the thirst of everyone with great and cheap beer and other spirits. You can get beers at $2, $3 well drinks and $4 whiskey shots. Get ready for some delicious concoctions of drinks and head out to the urban Gaslamp district for some real fun and shenanigans.
Cost: One day- $10, two days- $15
What: Irish 4 a Day
When: Saturday, March 15, 2 pm – 2 am
Where: McFadden and Stingaree, San Diego
Description: Clean up nice and have a blast at this non-stop party and know how to be Irish for one day. Get yourself a ticket worth 10 welcome shots, which also covers 18 clubs and bars and an exclusive access to loads of drink specials. You also get $3 off your parking. The party start swinging at 2 pm at McFadden’s then shifts to Stingaree for closing. You can choose where to go and when or you can opt to follow the provided guide along with your fellow partiers. Dance and listen to good Irish beats and dance all night long.
Cost: $50 per person.
What: The Fooks
When: Tuesday, March 18, 8:30 pm
Where: Gaslamp Quarter, San Diego
Description: Feast on authentic dishes of the Emerald Isle at the gorgeous restaurant, The Field. Make reservations for a classic Irish experience with friends, family or a date and savor sumptuous food like Guinness beef stew, fish and chips and Shepherd’s Pie. Share the evening with your loved ones over the throaty and soulful music by the Irish band, The Fooks.
Cost: Variable.
What: Harrah’s Rincon
When: March 14, 15 and 16, 2014
Where: Harrah’s Rincon Dive Day Club and Ultra Pool
Description: Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day the whole weekend at the Harrah’s Rincon Dive Day Club and Ultra Pool. The party starts rolling at 9 pm on March 14 when the Club provides live music and special beverages by expert bartenders. March 15 will showcase flash mob of Irish dancers spreading luck and cheer along the casino floor. Rock to the tunes of The Fighting Jamesons on March 16 at the spectacular event center. Have the best weekend of your life, enjoy the club and lounge by the pool. Pick up the concert tickets at Ticketmaster or get them at the Harrah’s Rincon box office.
Cost: Concert tickets- $19 plus other services.
What: Two-Day Festival
When: March 15 and March 17, 2014
Where: Gallagher’s Irish Pub, Ocean Beach
Description: Gallagher’s Irish Pub presents a two-day fun event that puts together all the factors for an awesome St. Patrick’s Day- food, alcohol and wild entertainment. March 15 brings to the people a pre-paddy party featuring popular live bands and DJs. March 17 sees the party continuing with performances by The Barmen, The Fooks and Lexington Field from 12 pm. The loud music and the spicy food combined with Guinness, green beer and restaurant’s homemade corned beef dishes brings in huge crowds for the event.
Cost: Variable.
What: St. Patrick’s Day 10k Run
When: Saturday, March 15, 2014
Where: Mission Bay Park, San Diego
Description: We know you can drink, but can you run? Test your physical prowess at this year’s St. Patrick’s Dat run. Later replenish all the lost calories and water with pizza and beer, provided you cross that finish line. All the proceeds from the event go to Rady Children’s Hospital. There is a costume contest at the run so don your best and creative Irish apparel and take a shot at winning.
Cost: Free.
What: 35th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Open Reading of Irish Poetry and Prose
When: Monday, March 17, 2014, 7 pm onwards
Where: D.G. Wills Books, Girard Avenue, La Jolla
Description: If you love books of poems and stories, this is the event for you. Celebrate Irish literature and authors at this traditional event with pints of Guinness and Harp. Meet new people and bask in Irish literature. Read excerpt from your favorite books written by outstanding authors like James Joyce, William Butler Yeats, George Bernard Shaw, Samuel Beckett, Edmund Burke, Sean O’Casey and other Irish writers.
Cost: Free.
