St Patrick Day Activities:  Easy to Use Ideas for a Memorable Irish Occasion!

The 17th of March brings with it St Patrick Day activities and celebrations around the world. This is a joyous day in Ireland, and in many other countries with lots of people who like to express their Irish side!

This special day recognizes Ireland’s well-loved patron saint - St Patrick - known for bringing the Christian faith to the Emerald Isle.

Here we'll share some kids stuff and some adult stuff ... to make the party fun.  And while you are enjoying the shenanigans - don't forget to reflect on the 'real' St Patrick.  This is an important Irish holiday - in addition to being a global party!

As always, if you find yourself wanting to know more about Irish customs and traditions like these, please pay a visit to our Irish Trivia and Traditions page here...

Meanwhile, let's have a look at some of our favorite St Patricks Day activities!

St. Patrick Day Activities:  Let the Kids' Games Begin!

St Patrick Day activities are for the kids and the kids-at-heart, so these games are great to get the party started.

Treasure Coin

At the end of the rainbow is a pot of gold coins guarded by a leprechaun, so goes folklore. One fun St Patrick Day activity is to let the kids and adults follow the clues to find the pot of gold hidden somewhere in the house – or perhaps, a pot of chocolate goodies will suffice.

Hot Potato

Let the participants gather in a circle. Play Irish music while they pass a potato around. The person who gets the potato when the music stops is out and the game goes on until only one person if left standing.

St Patrick Day Activities:  More on the Adult Side

Here at Irish Expressions.com you can find fun and exciting Irish games, including phrase matching and trivia contests. 

Visit our Irish games segment for more details.

For the aspiring poets among us, consider an limerick-writing contest.  This fun idea is described our hilarious article on How to Write a Limerick.  Enjoy!

St Patrick Day Activities:  Best Costume!

Take your party to the next level by having a costume contest. Indeed, why settle for your guests wearing anything green when everybody can dress up in their finest green costumes?

Let the guests have a parade around the house while in their costumes while the audience applauds. The best in costume will win a prize, say, a pot of chocolate treats.

Think of costumes like leprechauns, pot of gold, fairies, Lady Luck, shamrocks, and Iris step dancer.

St Patrick Day Activities:  Let's Go On a Parade!

And speaking of a parade, you can also organize this particular St Patrick Day activity in your neighborhood. It may only be a block or two around the neighborhood but it will get everybody into the spirit of things.

It may not even be necessary to get a permit for as long as you inform the local authorities of your intentions and you keep the parade relatively small.

During the parade, the participants should be dressed in their best green-hued costumes.

You can even have the pre-judging during this event for the costume contest but always remember that the parade is supposed to be fun so enjoy every step around the neighborhood.

If possible, you may even add balloons, homemade streamers, and confetti for the parade. These will add to the festive atmosphere while also generating good vibes between your neighbors.

Just make sure to assign a group to clean up afterwards!

St Patrick Day Activities:  Let's Eat the Irish Way!

And where would our St Patrick Day activities be without the food and drinks for which the Irish are known?

We like to hold cooking contests.  Simply challenge your guests to bring the 'best' Irish dish to the party, then vote on the winner (preferably after substantial drinking and merriment).

The cooking contest can be the best in corned beef and cabbage, in scones, in Irish brown bread and in Irish coffee, among other things.

Be sure to have a panel of judges to taste the dishes and a set of prizes for the winners. Good food must be rewarded, indeed.

And if you care for a bit of an unfair advantage, you will find many delicious Irish food recipes here.  (You didn't hear it from us!)

Don’t forget to just enjoy the company of your family and friends. One of the best St Patrick Day activities is simply to sing and dance to Irish music. Eat beloved Irish food and drink Irish drink. Laugh aloud at Irish jokes.

Make a toast to St. Patrick, too, for giving us this day of merriment.

Want More Irish Traditions?

It is probably obvious - at Irish Expressions, we love Irish traditions!  Expressing ourselves through Irish-themed activities gives us a deeper sense of connection with Ireland, wherever in the world we happen to be!

Over the years, we have created many free, downloadable Irish games, puzzles, recipes, songbooks, travel guides, party plans, and much, much more.

These are immediately available to you - completely free of charge.

Just scroll to the bottom of the page and share your email address to get instant access!

What's Next?

At Irish Expressions, our our goal is simple: to provide you with a unique Irish experience, on demand, wherever you are in the world.

If you have enjoyed our section on fun Irish trivia and customs, you have probably been exposed to many of the most exciting traditions that Ireland has to offer!

Will that entice you to visit Ireland - or to return if you have already been? 

We hope so!  

But even if that is not possible, you can still enjoy the magic of Ireland in these pages.  Check out the links at the top of the page for simple instructions on how to explore Irish landmarks, sing Irish songs, enjoy Irish food, and much more!

Your Most Personal Irish Expression

One way to share your love of Ireland is by displaying your family coat of arms (family crest).  A very personal symbol of the stories and accomplishments of your ancestors can adorn clothing, kitchenware, wall art, personal accessories and so much more. 

Want to have a look?  Our friends at House of Names can help! 

Tap the button below and see your family crest for free!

A Note from Bruce

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