St. Patrick’s Day is fast approaching, and residents of Western Pennsylvania are getting ready to commemorate the occasion with local parades, festivals, and bar-hopping.
With Irish dancing, old Irish folk songs and classic Irish dishes and drinks like Guinness and whiskey, Pittsburgh, Erie, and Johnson provide a glimpse of Ireland’s spirit right here in Western Pennsylvania. Whether you’re a local or a visitor, gearing up in green and enjoying a pint in tribute to Ireland’s patron saint, this guide has compiled a selection of the best celebrations in the region for an unforgettable St. Patrick’s Day experience.
Celebrate St. Paddy’s Like Nowhere Else in the Steel City
Pittsburgh’s annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade will begin at 10:00am on Saturday, March 16. The festivities will feature community organization, veterans, members of the military, local marching bands, Irish dances, and more over three and ½ hours. Pittsburgh’s parade is a tradition dating back more than 150 years and today it’s one of the largest St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in the country.
Visit the South Side’s Legendary Irish Pub Before it’s Gone!
McArdle’s Pub has been a staple of South Side nightlife for nearly a century, but after 85 years the bar will finally be closing its doors. “We have loved serving the community, making memories, and being a place where ‘everybody knows your name,’” the restaurant wrote on Facebook last week. “If you are from Pittsburgh- more than likely you have come across our pub and left with a memory.” The owners invited everyone to attend a “last hoorah” on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, which will be the pub’s last day in operation. “We hope you stop down, have one last Flaming Dr. Pepper, and send us off with a smile.”
Parade on the Lake
The St. Patrick’s Day Parade in downtown Erie commences on Saturday, March 16 at 2:00pm. The Downtown Erie Partnership is organizing the festivities and events and marketing manager Dave Tamulonis told Go Erie the nonprofit anticipates this year will be “A strong comeback from when it was canceled by COVID. The parade will follow the 2023 route, beginning on 10th and State Streets and will follow Fourth Street to conclude on the Holland Street side of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church.
The Beer is Flowing in Flood City
Johnstown-based nonprofit You in Flood City is teaming up with the Ancient Order of Hibernians to hold the first Paddy’s Day Pub Crawl on Saturday, March 16. Registration kicks off at 7:00pm, and participants who buy the $10 ticket will receive special perks at local haunts like The Haven, Stadium Pub & Grille, and Wooly’s Celtic Pub. A host of Johnstown restaurants and bars are also participating and will offer Irish-themed specials and – at one bar – a bagpiper.
Image of Parade watchers hold a sign while celebrating at the 2023 St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Pittsburgh. (Shane Dunlap/Tribune-Review).
