Ireland may have beautiful, rolling green hills and a ton of craic (slang for “fun”), but you don’t have to cross the Atlantic to enjoy St. Patrick’s Day right here in the Capital Region. In fact, there are loads of fun events (and feasts!) happening in the area this weekend to toast St. Paddy’s Day (which officially occurs next Tuesday the 17th). So, saratoga living made you a list of all the best events, so you won’t need to ask your friends, “Where’s the craic?” Looks like you’ve struck a pot of gold, lad!
To get things started off the green way, we suggest marching in Albany’s 70th annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade, starting at 2pm on Saturday, March 14 at the corner of Quail St. and Central Ave. Or you can join the LepreCon St. Patrick’s Crawl in Albany, with barhopping from around 2pm on Saturday until 2am on Sunday, March 15 (make sure to enter the costume contest). Craving some beloved Irish dishes? Prime at Saratoga National is hosting a St. Patrick’s Day brunch on Sunday from 10am to 2pm (check out their menu here).
Other St. Patrick’s Day-themed events for our Saratogians include a party at 2 West Bar & Grille from 12pm – 5pm on Saturday and Sunday (featuring an Irish cookout, live music, dancing, dinner specials and more) and the 14th annual Kegz n’ Eggz bash at The Saratoga City Tavern starting at 8am. You can also get into the Irish spirit and possibly score up to $500 in prizes at the Adirondack Winery Lake George Tasting Room any day from Friday through Tuesday at their St. Patrick’s Day Weekend! Have you ever had a Shamrock Sangria?
There’s also a St. Patrick’s Day Parade with a lineup of 100 groups in the Hudson Valley, starting at the Kingston Plaza at 11:30am on Sunday. The annual Shamrock Run, held by the Irish Cultural Center, will take place at 12:50pm (sharp) at the Academy Green Park in Kingston just a little over an hour later to squeeze in even more fun.
Of course, if you’re simply bringing the kids to McDonald’s to grab a green milkshake—or teetotal like the best of them—make sure to enjoy some of these other great events happening throughout the week.
Note: Due to the coronavirus outbreak, all of the above and below events are subject to change.
Monday, March 9
National Book Award winner James McBride will discuss his new book at the Northshire Bookstore in Saratoga from 7pm – 8pm
Center yourself on this expert-led hike on the evening of a full moon at Moreau Lake State Park
Tuesday, March 10
Celebrate International Women’s Day at the Poughkeepsie Grand Hotel, hosted by the Women’s Professional Network Hudson Valley
Watch Blues Hall of Famer Robert Cray, with his five-time Grammy Award-winning Robert Cray Band, perform at Troy Savings Bank Music Hall
Wednesday, March 11
Think you know enough to ace trivia about your favorite ’90s shows, like The PowerPuff Girls, Hey Arnold, Rugrats and more? Head on over to Artisanal Brew Works to test your trivia skills at 7pm
Thursday, March 12
Kick off the St. Paddy’s Day festivities by watching local Irish trad music band Toss the Feathers perform at Hudson Valley Community College, as they recollect with stories and songs from Irish people who settled in the Upper Hudson Valley
Friday, March 13
In the mood for some improv? See a double feature take place at The Mopco Improv Theatre in Schenectady
Immerse yourself in the opening day of the Adirondack Artists Guild’s “Annual Juried Show,” continuing through April, in Saranac Lake
Go ahead, make plans to watch Beetlejuice at Proctor’s in Schenectady at 7pm
Saturday, March 14
Spend the day practicing your wizardry at this Harry Potter-themed event at miSci
Grate news for cheese lovers! The 11th annual Mac-n-Cheese Bowl, held at Siena College, will feature tasting stations and samples from regional restaurants and breweries
Attend this free “Women of Science” program at the New York State Museum, filled with hands-on activities and lectures joined by over a dozen women scientists, starting at 11am
Grammy Award-winning composer Joan Tower joins Albany Symphony’s production of “Beethoven Eight” at the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall
You’ve heard of Cirque du Soleil. Well, prepare to witness the magic of a new generation of these shows at Cirque D’Or at The Egg, with sold out shows worldwide, at 8pm
Release your inner teenage dirtbag angst at The Emo Night Tour at Skyloft in Crossgates
Sunday, March 15
Attend the 9th annual “Challenge Your Colon” Chili Festival at Villa Borghese in Wappingers Falls
Entertain yourself with MasterChef Junior Live! at the Palace Theatre in Albany
The New York Theatre Ballet awakens The Egg with their production of Sleeping Beauty at 3pm
Join Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Capital Region at Spare Time in Clifton Park for their 2020 family carnival-themed “Bowl for Kids’ Sake”
See Adam Sandler perform at the Turning Stone Resort Casino Event Center in Verona at 7pm