After two years of pandemic postponements, the Greenville Avenue St. Patrick’s Day Parade returns this weekend. The annual event, which started as a neighborhood festival in 1979, has evolved into one of the biggest celebrations of any type in Dallas. This year, Dirk Nowitzki will serve as the grand marshal.
On March 12, the free parade will begin at Blackwell Street at 11 a.m. and ends at 2 p.m. on SMU Blvd. For 21+ Dallasites, the day’s celebration starts with an official concert in a parking lot at Energy Square, located at 4925 Greenville Ave. The pre-parade event opens at 10 a.m. and will feature local DJs, food trucks, bars, and music by the Toadies, 40 Acre Mule, and Jake Quillin. Tickets for the event range between $19 and $60, and are available to purchase.
In commemoration of the unofficial Dallas holiday, several bars and restaurants in Dallas will have St. Patrick’s Day specials. Here are the best ones we found. Make sure to wear green and drink lots of water.
Whiskey Hatchet
Mar. 12 & 17 | All Day
Venture over to Deep Ellum to throw some axe. The axe-throwing, whiskey-slinging bar will have $5 Irish car bombs, $5 shots of Jameson, and $5 green beer for purchase on March 12 and March 17.
JAXON Texas Kitchen & Beer Garden and The Second Floor at The Exchange
Mar. 12, 12 p.m. | AT&T Discovery District
If you’re skipping the parade, head downtown to the AT&T Discovery District. The Texas-inspired kitchen and beer garden turns Irish for a day with an assortment of food and drink specials. The event begins with a performance by local Irish folk dancers at 12 p.m., traditional bagpipes at 2:30 p.m., and concerts by Matt and Kim, Rich Girls, Surf Mesa, and DJ Blake Ward. Between performances, order a round of leprechaun water, frozen Irish coffee, Jameson cocktails, and a pint or two of Guinness for the table. Irish stew, a corned beef sandwich, bangers and mash, and a number of other food specials will be on the menu.
Legacy Hall
Mar. 12, 12:30 p.m. | Legacy Hall
The suburban food hall transforms into an Irish pub, filled to the brim with Tullamore Dew Irish whiskey specials. Green beer will be available for purchase at the hall’s five bars. Attendees can purchase a fish and chips taco (or two) from Velvet Taco to soak up the green-dyed booze. Plunk Murray, a Celtic hard folk rock band, will start the day’s music at 12:30 p.m. The event is free to the public and ends at 6:30 p.m. Buy tickets.
Happiest Hour
Mar. 12, 11 a.m. | Happiest Hour
If whiskey is not your idea of a fun day out, stop by Happiest Hour for a $10 green frozé. The Harwood District bar will start the all-day party at 11 a.m. with drink specials like a $25 green beer tower.
Harwood Arms
Mar. 17, All Day | Harwood Arms
The British-inspired gastropub kicks off its second annual pub party at 11 a.m. Split a plate of Reuben fries or an order of fish and chips in between sips of imported and local beers. The food and drink specials last until the early morning. If you’re hungry, order the chicken tikka masala.
The Adolphus
Mar. 12, All Day | The Adolphus
Non-alcoholic drinkers can join in on the fun with a Lucky Charm Latte. If you enjoy a splash of whiskey in your coffee, visit City Hall Bistro or the Rodeo Bar for a frozen Irish coffee or Hell’s Kitchen Sour.
The Whippersnapper and High Fives
Mar. 12, 2 p.m. | The Whippersnapper
Relive the glory days of undergrad with rounds of jello shots. The Henderson Ave. bars will host an unofficial afterparty for 21+ paradegoers. The event begins at 2 p.m. and will include cash prize competitions and roaming leprechauns.
Son of a Butcher
Mar. 12, 11 a.m. | Son of a Butcher
Keep the parade spirit going at the nostalgic slider and milkshake bar. For one day only, guests will be able to munch on Irishman sliders, sip on shamrock shakes, and take shots of tipsy leprechauns at the open-air bar and grill. Regular menu items will also be available for purchase.
The Statler
Mar. 17, 8 p.m. | The Statler
It’s not a Dallas party without Emerald City. The city’s most popular cover band will be the featured entertainment for The Statler’s Boozin’ Bingo party. Before the kickoff at 7 p.m., grab a frozen green margarita, a pint of green beer, or a shot of Jameson Irish Whiskey. Get tickets.
TK’s Comedy
Mar. 17, All day | 14854 Montfort Dr., Addison
Sport your finest green ‘fit and head to this Addison comedy house and beer garden for a day of themed drinks ($2 Jameson Jell-O shots, green beer for $4, and $5 Irish car bombs—are we still calling them this?), music, and, later, comedy of course. If you’re hungry, loaded potato skins, fish and chips, and corned beer sliders will be at the ready.
Bishop Arts
Mar. 17, 6–8 p.m. | Magnolia Plaza, 380 Bishop Ave.
Every third Thursday of the month, the Bishop Arts District throws a little block party of sorts. The pink patio on Bishop Avenue and Melba Street, otherwise known as Magnolia Plaza, hosts fun activities, and this year for St. Patrick’s Day the space will have a face painter, balloon artist, and a giant rainbow photo opp. Tejas will prop up a street-side bar and dole out margs and, at Botanist, DJ Elkin Pautt will spin tunes.
Velvet Taco
Through Mar. 22 | All Velvet Taco locations
This is less of “where to celebrate” and more “where to eat a radical spin on corned beef and cabbage.” Velvet Taco, the master of taco riffs, has made its Weekly Taco Feature a Reuben with grilled corned beef, swiss cheese, Velvet sauce, house-made sauerkraut, and house-brined pickles on a flour tortilla.
Stirr, Vidorra
Mar. 17 | Locations in Deep Ellum and Addison
Green frozen whiskey-ritas for six bucks, shots of Guinness, also $6, and more drink deals to get you into the St. Patrick’s Day festivities down in Deep Ellum.
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