It’s no secret that Irish roots are sprinkled throughout Wisconsin, and what better way to celebrate Irish tradition than with St. Patrick’s Day? Destinations across Wisconsin celebrate with parades, bar crawls, and festivals. Keep reading for the best places to celebrate this year.
Milwaukee St. Patrick’s Day Parade
Undoubtedly one of the best ways to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day is at the Shamrock Club of Wisconsin’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Milwaukee. Celebrating its 57th year, this parade lines the streets of Milwaukee and features Irish dancers, live music, floats, and even a post-parade party at the ICHC with tickets available for purchase! Presented by Miller Lite, this is one of the most popular celebrations in the state and will take place on March 15th, 2025. If you’re looking for another great place to watch the parade, get to Mo’s Irish Pub at 8:00 am for their Kegs & Eggs event!
New Dublin St. Patrick’s Day Grand Parade and Irish Fest
This is arguably one of the most traditional festivals for St. Patrick’s Day, so grab your bagpipes—you’re not going to want to miss this one! New London is known for having the largest St. Patrick’s Day Parade in the state of Wisconsin; they even change the name of their town to ‘New Dublin’ for it since it is their sister city! This town does a week-long celebration, including food events, a parade, and even an Irish Fest. The festivities will take place from March 17th up until March 22nd.
Paddy Coughlin’s Pub
Not up for the parades or big crowds? You’re in luck—check out this hidden gem in Fort Atkinson! Paddy Coughlin’s is a small Irish Pub right off of their downtown. Speaking from personal experience, this place is authentic when it comes to Irish cuisine and a perfectly poured Guinness. Open year-round, Paddy Coughlin’s also offers take-out, so if you want to celebrate at home, be sure to put in your order!
Thirsty Shamrock Pub Crawl
Last but not least is the Thirsty Shamrock Pub Crawl—you can’t celebrate accordingly without a green drink! Taking place in the Wisconsin Dells, this crawl takes place on March 8th, 2025, from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm. If you’re up for some fun ahead of time, sign up for the Thirsty Shamrock 5K at 10:30 am! Be sure to get your tickets ahead of time to avoid a price increase for day-of sales! Some of the drink deals include $1 green beers, $2 Irish drink specials, and more from each bar participating.
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Megan Christian hosts the nation’s longest-running tourism TV show, Discover Wisconsin. Watch the show online at DiscoverWisconsin.com. Follow Discover Wisconsin on Facebook (facebook.com/discoverwisconsin), Instagram (instagram.com/discoverwisconsin), and TikTok (tiktok.com/discoverwisconsin).