Parades, pubs, & parties: How to Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in Charlotte

Any Charlottean will tell you that the Queen City is a transplant city, with a large percentage of new residents coming in from New England, New York, and other locations with large Irish populations. 

That said, as the city gets bigger, so does the excitement for St. Patrick’s Day. With this year’s holiday landing on a weekend, there will be thousands of folks in the city looking to extend their green-garbed good time to the Friday and Saturday leading up to Sunday Funday, March 17. 

We’ve compiled a list of 10 locations and/or events around the city that are planning to throw down in an authentic way on St. Paddy’s weekend, beginning with three celebrations that we think deserve a little extra consideration. Then, we’ve broken up the remaining celebrations into food-centered observances, live music performances, and one righteous bar crawl. 

Read More: The best locally-owned bars for watching March Madness in Charlotte

Tyber Creek Pub’s 25-Day Celebration 

Regulars at longtime South End staple Tyber Creek Pub have been awaiting the closure of the original location, which opened in 1995, since the property was slated for redevelopment in 2021. The beloved pub announced on its Instagram account on Friday that they will host one last celebration for St. Patrick’s Day before closing their doors in March.

Tyber Creek is expected to return as part of a new mixed-use development planned for the property, which will include 300 apartment units and a 4,500-square-foot space for the pub, but the construction could take up to three years to be completed.

In nearly three decades at the corner of South Boulevard and Tremont Avenue, the pub has become home to a number of local organizations, including monthly Irish jam sessions hosted by ClannDarragh. 

As expected, Tyber Creek is going out with a bang. In February, they began their 25-Day Celebration, holding events every single day in the lead-up to one last blowout St. Patrick’s celebration before closing its door for good on March 18. You’ll want to be there for the end of an era.  

Photo courtesy of Tyber Creek Pub via Facebook.

St. Patrick’s Day Parade & Festival

On Feb. 1, the Charlotte St. Patrick’s Day Committee announced that it had found its grand marshal for this year’s parade and festival in Uptown: Michael Federal. 

If you know this history of Charlotte’s music scene, the Federal name is familiar, but just in case you don’t, that’s why we’re here. 

With roots in County Clare and a strong Irish heritage nurtured by his parents, Mary Virginia and Keegan, Michael developed his musical talents over many years. He arrived in Charlotte after working in the prolific theatre scenes of Chicago and New York City in the 1960s and ’70s.

Since 1979, with his brother Lenny and The Federal Bureau of Rock & Roll, and later, The Part-Time Blues Band, Michael has been playing music in the Charlotte area. Michael and Lenny will be performing on stage with The Federal Clan Kings at the festival after the parade. 

The parade is scheduled to take place from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. on March 16, with the festival taking place all day from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.  

The Federal family has a long history of not only performing music in the Queen City but supporting the Saint Patrick’s Day Parade and Festival specifically. It began more than 20 years ago, when Michael’s younger brother Mark suggested a family reunion as part of the festivities and The Federal Clan has been meeting in Charlotte ever since.

Shamrock the Block 2024

As Lower South End’s newest destination for authentic cuisine from Latin America, New Orleans, and the Lowcountry, one wouldn’t think of State of Confusion as a go-to spot for St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. Guess again. 

In early March, State of Confusion announced it would join its neighboring establishments at Loso Villag on Dewitt Lane to host Shamrock the Block from noon to 8 p.m. on March 16. Attendees will experience an energetic and interactive block party featuring live music, delectable bites, refreshing pints, tailgate games, and more. Participating establishments include State of Confusion, SupperClub South End, Gilde Brewery, Red Clay Ciderworks, Phat Burrito, and Yama Asian Fusion.

Each participating restaurant will provide exclusive specials and promotions for guests. State of Confusion, for example, will feature a festive Green Irish Mule with Jameson whiskey complemented by specials such as ceviche verde, turkey Rachel (a close cousin to the Reuben), and more. Take the light rail to the Scaleybark Station and enjoy a full afternoon of block partying. Word on the street is there will even be a mechanical bull. 

Food & Drink

The Workman’s Friend

March 17, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

This Irish pub in Plaza Midwood serves amazing authentic Irish food year-round, and on March 17 they’re inviting folks to grab their best Irish garb and join for a St. Paddy’s Day brunch. The Irish breakfast is a can’t-miss meal, but if you’re looking for something a little lighter, the Irish American grilled cheese with tomato bisque to dip is a perfect option. 

Rí Rá

March 10-17

 

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One of Charlotte’s best and most authentic Irish pubs since opening in 1997, Rí Rá was at risk of closing after a devastating fire in 2009. The pub has been carefully restored from old Irish pubs and related salvaged artifacts from the Emerald Isle, including an original shop bar and a 19th-century Victorian bar. The pub will hold different festivities every day between March 10-17, including the launch of its official Irish food menu on March 11. 

Happenings throughout the week include Irish dancers, bagpipe and drum players, live 6 Nations Rugby matches on the telly, Guinness giveaways, and live music including a full day of traditional Irish music on St. Patrick’s Day itself.

St. Patricks Day High Tea at The Ballantyne

March 16 & 17, 1-4 p.m.

For a more upscale, elegant observation of St. Patrick’s Day, head to The Ballantyne, where they’re offering up themed tea sandwiches, scones, and pastries to enjoy sipping tea in a festively decorated environment. Adult tea will include a choice of either champagne or an Irish-themed cocktail. Offerings also include a St. Patrick’s Day Special “Irish Breakfast” tea blend, with loose-leaf tea provided by the Rare Tea Company.

Live Music

St. Patrick’s Day Celebration with One Irish Rover

March 17, 6 p.m. & 8:45 p.m.

Pat Garvey, who pays tribute to Van Morrison as One Irish Rover, says he has always been taken by the spiritual intent of the Irish singer-songwriter’s writings and combinations of rhythmic creativity, creating a signature style all his own. 

“Take a ride with me through Van’s collection of blues, soul and rock ballads all blended in a Celtic stew of uplifting beats, heartfelt searching for understanding, soul-touching melodies, and jazzy compilations that deliver you back to a rustic Irish pub somewhere in the countryside of Ireland where the beer, Irish whiskey and music flow warmly together until the ‘wee hours of the mornin’,” Garvey says. 

We don’t mind if we do.  

Archaic Agenda at Tommy’s Pub

March 17, “4 p.m. to whenever” 

This acoustic, Celtic-flavored, new-folk indie band out of Charlotte has a few shows booked around town in the lead-up to St. Patrick’s Day, but we recommend seeing them on St. Paddy’s Day proper at Tommy’s Pub, where the music is always free and the whiskey is always free-flowing. 

Derek Warfield & the Young Wolfe Tones at Connolly’s on 5th

March 14, 8 p.m.

Get a jump on St. Patrick’s weekend with this Thursday night show at Connolly’s in Uptown. According to the band’s website, a special group of Irish men and women have been responsible for the preservation of the tradition of Irish ballad singing over the past 50 years, with Derek Warfield serving as a distinguished name among them. 

“Derek Warfield and The Young Wolfe Tones are bringing that musical tradition forward with a reverence for Ireland’s past and the energy and optimism of a new generation of Irish musicians,” the site reads.

Derek Warfield’s 50 years of experience coupled with the talent and energy of The Young Wolfe Tones brings the old tradition of Irish balladry into a new age. You should catch them while they’re in town. 

Just Party

Rich & Bennett’s St. Patrick’s Day Pub Crawl

March 16, noon-until…

There are no names more associated with bar crawling in Charlotte than Rich & Bennett, and despite the tragic passing of co-founder Jeff Bennett in 2020, the rest of the team carries on in his honor. 

Since this pub crawl’s inception in 2001, it has continuously grown in popularity over more than two decades, and if you’re in the Uptown area on St. Patrick’s Day, you are more than likely to run into the sea of green. This year’s event will hit at least 15 bars, with your new T-shirt serving as your ticket to all participating establishments. Participants also receive an event koozie, drink specials, swag at check-in, raffle entry, a pub crawl discount card, and long-lasting memories (as long as you drink responsibly).

Photo courtesy of Rich N. Bennett via Facebook.

This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.