St. Patrick's Day for NYC Kids: Parades, Celebrations and Irish Culture

Everyone feels at least a wee bit Irish around St. Patrick’s Day, especially here in NYC, where we have a large population of Irish folk. If your days of celebrating till you're green around the gills are a distant memory, don’t worry: There are plenty of truly kid-friendly ways to mark St. Patrick's Day throughout the month.

This year, St. Patrick's Day falls on Sunday, March 17 but the festivities begin this coming weekend with processions and parties that tend to be mellower and more family oriented than Manhattan's big parade. In addition to St. Patrick's Day parades in all five boroughs (Queens and Brooklyn actually have two each!), there are more subdued ways for families to celebrate, like step-dancing and bagpipe performances, Gaelic workshops, film festivals and a leprechaun hunt.

Here are our favorite ways to celebrate Irish culture and St. Patrick’s Day with kids in New York City. Sláinte!

St. Patrick's Day Parades

Queens County St. Patrick's Day Parade – Rockaway
Begins at Beach 130th Street and Newport Avenue and ends at Shore Front Parkway and the Irish Circle Tavern
Saturday, March 2 at 1pm
FREE
Following a mass for peace and justice in Ireland at the St. Francis De Salle's RC Church, this 38th annual parade struts down Rockaway Beach Boulevard, connecting the Irish enclaves of Belle Harbor and Rockaway Beach with plenty of pageantry. We expect this edition to be particularly emotional, since both communities survived the wrath of Hurricane Sandy.

St. Patrick's For All Parade – Sunnyside
Begins at Skillman Avenue and 47th Street and ends at Woodside Avenue and 58th Street
Sunday, March 3 at 2pm
FREE
As the name implies, this Queens parade is completely inclusive, allowing everyone in the diverse neighborhood to feel Irish in honor of the holiday. The result is a spirited multi-culti affair that features Bolivian dance troupes and Caribbean performers alongside Celtic drummers and other traditional Irish entertainment.

Throggs Neck St. Patrick’s Day Parade – the Bronx
Begins at East Tremont Avenue at Lafayette Avenue and ends at Harding Avenue at East Tremont Avenue
Sunday, March 10 at noon
FREE
The 15 annual Throggs Neck Benevolent Association's celebration starts with mass at St. Benedict's Church followed by a complimentary breakfast in the church's hall and finally a parade around the Bronx neighborhood.

NYC St. Patrick's Day Parade – Manhattan
Begins at Fifth Avenue and 44th Street and ends at 86th Street
Saturday, March 16 at 11am
FREE
Manhattan's procession is the biggest and oldest St. Patrick’s Day Parade anywhere, full of pomp, pageantry, blaring bagpipes and millions of spectators. A Mommy Poppins writer who frequents this parade reports that it isn't nearly as wild as its reputation, but there are still huge crowds, drunk adults and not that many kids. So you should use your best judgment before you head out. Watching at the northern end is usually a little less intense.

Brooklyn St. Patrick's Day Parade – Park Slope
Begins and ends at Prospect Park West and 15th Street
Sunday, March 17 at 1pm
FREE
Smaller and more family-friendly than its Manhattan counterpart, this Brooklyn parade has bagpipes and lots of local Irish charm. The procession makes a loop: It kicks off at Prospect Park West and 15th Street, heads to Seventh Avenue where it goes to Garfield Place, then returns to Prospect Park West and marches up to 15th Street.

Staten Island's St. Patrick's Day Parade – Staten Island
Begins at Hart Boulevard and Forest Avenue and ends near Jewett Avenue
Sunday, March 17 at noon
FREE
Head to the isle for a procession that travels through the West Brighton neighborhood on Forest Avenue with viewing stands at the Blessed Sacrament R.C. Church.

Bay Ridge St. Patrick's Day Parade – Bay Ridge
Sunday, March 24 at 1pm
Begins in front of St. Patrick R.C. Church on Fourth Avenue and 96th Street and ends 68th Street
FREE
The Bay Ridge Parade is taking a new route this year. Instead of marching on Fifth Avenue toward Sunset Park, the intimate procession will go down Third Avenue. As in years past, the parade will still be preceded by a mass at St. Patrick's R.C. Church.
 

Other St. Patrick's Day Celebrations

Craic Fest: Kids Film Fleadh – Midtown West
Irish Arts Center, 553 West 51 Street between Tenth and Eleventh Avenues
Saturday, March 9 at 11am
$10 for adults, $5 for children
Celebrate all things Irish at the Craic Fest's annual family day featuring award-winning short films, Irish step-dancing and storytelling, and complimentary Irish treats and goody bags.

Irish Dance Party – Hudson Square
Children's Museum of the Arts, 103 Charlton Street between Hudson and Greenwich Streets
Saturday, March 9 at 3pm
Free with admission: $11
Wee ones can learn some new moves at this interactive Irish dance performance led by the Niall O’Leary School of Irish Dance. Also throughout the day, visitors can make pots of gold at the claybar, tell Irish folk tales in the sound booth and other holiday-related creative projects.

Irish New York Walking Tour – Financial District
Meet in front of St. Paul's Chapel, Broadway between Fulton and Vesey Streets
Saturday, March 16 at 11am
$20 for adults, $15 for students
Best for tweens and up, this special holiday tour takes families on a two-hour journey through the former "Little Ireland" on the Lower East Side, which was once home to more Irish folk than Dublin. You'll learn why St. Patrick's Day is more popular in NYC than in Ireland, and other Irish lore while touring historical sites.

Black 47 St. Patrick's Day Show – Midtown West
B.B. Kings Blues Club and Grill, 237 West 42nd Street between Seventh and Eighth Avenues
Saturday, March 16 doors open at 5pm, show starts at 7pm
In advance: $25; at the door: $30
Celebrate with NYC Irish rock band Black 47, as the group welcomes amazing Irish dancers and other special guests. Although Black 47 is an adult band, don’t worry about mosh pits tonight: This is an all-ages show and if you arrive early enough, you can even grab a table and have dinner at the lounge. My husband and I go every year with our elementary-schooler in tow. One tip: Bring earplugs for your little leprechaun. Black 47 rocks hard and loud!

St. Patrick's Day Open House – Midtown West
Irish Arts Center, 553 West 51 Street between Tenth and Eleventh Avenues
Sunday, March 17 noon-5pm
FREE
A super-kid-friendly event where families can enjoy authentic Irish music and dance performances, storytelling, arts and crafts, face painting and a slew of Irish culture workshops. The full schedule has yet to be determined but in the past offerings have included tin whistle, Gaelic and Irish step-dancing sessions.

Leprechaun Hike – Staten Island
Greenbelt Nature Center, 700 Rockland Avenue near Brielle Avenue
Sunday, March 17 at 1pm
FREE
Naturalists lead families on a one-mile hike in search of elusive leprechauns in honor of St. Patrick’s Day.

Irish Step Dancing with Darrah Carr Dance – Upper West Side
Children's Museum of Manhattan, 212 West 83rd Street between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue
Sunday, March 17 at 2 and 3pm
Free with admission: $11
More Irish step-dancing. Students from Darrach Carr Dance show off their skills and invite little ones to get up and tap, too.

Find out about other great NYC cultural events in our Event Calendar.