St Patrick's Day Parades, Events, and Activities for NYC Kids 2010

St. Patrick's Day often conjures up images of empty red cups and "Kiss Me I'm Irish" pins, but there are some family-friendly events for all to participate in, and it is still a great way to celebrate the culture. Since everyone is Irish on St. Patrick's Day, why not discover a bit about what the day signifies, how to make soda bread, go on a Leprechaun hike, or learn some line-stepping?

Here are some kid-friendly events and parades for all the members of your family to enjoy on this green holiday:   

Events & Activities
St. Patrick's Day Open House at the Irish Arts Center
The Irish Arts Center
Sunday, March 14 at Noon-5pm
FREE
Spend the afternoon with authentic Irish music, song, dance, and language workshops. There's Keltic Kids Music for preschoolers, all the way to musical performances, and you can either sit back and enjoy or participate in the workshops, too.

St. Patrick's Day Crafts
Chess & Checkers House, Central Park
Thursday, March 11 at 2pm-4pm
FREE
Probably best for younger kids, children will make holiday decorations and color St. Patrick's Day-themed pictures.

Leprechaun Hike
Blood Root Valley Greenbelt
Sunday, March 14 at 1pm-2:30pm
FREE
This is a really cute activity for the kids: Greenbelt educators search for elusive leprechauns and their pots of gold at this pre-St. Paddy's hike. The hike is approximately 1mi, and best for kids 7 and up. Call ahead to register (718-351-3450).

Irish New York Walking Tour
Meets in front of St. Paul's Chapel (Broadway between FUlton and Vesey Sts)
Saturday, March 13 at 11am
$15
This special holiday tour takes you on a journey through the former "Little Ireland" district of the LES, which once had more Irish residents than Dublin. Best for tweens and teens.

St. Patrick's Day Fun at the Staten Island Children's Museum
Various Dates & Times throughout the next two weeks
$6/person/event
The Staten Island Children's Museum has some really cool events for St. Patrick's Day all the way till March 26. There's three Kidz Cook events, Irish Tea & Bread, Irish Stew, and Irish Champ (potatoes and onions); two Celtic Craft Design workshops where you design your own personal charm; an event where you create things from green clay; and an Irish drumming and guitar playing event. Check their calendar for dates, times and more information.

Parades
NYC 249th St. Patrick's Day Parade
Fifth Avenue at 44th St (starting point) to 86th St
Wednesday, March 17 at 11am
FREE
I went to the parade a few years ago, and it wasn't nearly as wild as I had thought it would be. That being said, there are still huge crowds, drunk folks, and less kids than at other NYC parades. If you are going to brave it all for the bagpipes and the beauty of the parade, it might be better to go when the children are a bit older.

Brooklyn St. Patrick's Day Parade
Park Slope--Prospect Park West at 14th St (Parade Assembly Point)
Sunday, March 21 at Noon
FREE
The Brooklyn Parade in Park Slope is smaller, and much more family-friendly than its big brother on 5th Ave. It still has bagpipes and that St. Patrick's Day charm, plus it has a more local feel. Bay Ridge also has a smaller, more local parade, on Sunday, March 28.

Tip: Though the parades in Queens were last weekend, you can still catch dance, Tin Whistle, and fiddle lessons at the New York Irish Center in Long Island City.