Whether you’re Irish, leprechaun, or just like to have a good time, St. Patrick’s Day is the perfect opportunity to throw a party! With March 17th just around the corner, it’s time to start planning your green-filled celebration.
If you’re looking for ways to party in style while still contributing to your savings account this month, these St. Patrick’s Day party ideas have got you covered.
25 Ideas for the Ultimate St. Patrick’s Day Celebration
From cocktails to snacks to holiday-themed activities, these ideas are sure to liven up your St. Patrick’s Day festivities without busting your budget.
St. Patrick’s Day Drinks
1. Irish Coffee
Irish Coffee is a tasty tradition perfect for any St. Patrick’s Day celebration. This cocktail consists of hot coffee, Irish whiskey, brown sugar, and freshly whipped cream. It’s the perfect beverage for a cold March day!
2. Shamrock Sour
A twist on the well-known whiskey sour, this green drink is destined to be a party favorite. Combine lemon and lime juice with Irish whiskey for a tart cocktail your guests will love!
3. Irish Flag
This simple shooter requires only three simple ingredients. Layer each in a shot glass for a festive drink that will impress your guests.
4. Lucky Charm Cereal Milkshakes
This cereal-inspired milkshake is sure to be a people pleaser at any gathering. Make a few sans alcohol for a kid-friendly St. Patrick’s Day treat!
5. Green Tea Latte
For a healthier option, try this Vegan Matcha Latte. With only four ingredients, this drink is simple to make and packed with antioxidants. Perfect as an after-party pick-me-up.
St. Patrick’s Day Food
6. Irish Nachos
Unlike traditional nachos, this hearty dish uses freshly baked potatoes. Add some bacon, cheese, and any of your other favorite toppings to make this one your own!
7. Pretzel Beer Cheese Dip
This may not be a traditional Irish dish, but the cheesy, doughy goodness is perfect for any party, especially one where alcohol is involved!
8. Corned Beef and Cabbage Sliders
These sliders are more along the lines of semi-traditional St. Patrick’s Day food. Pair this slow-cooked treat with some green beer for the ultimate party food combo!
9. Colcannon
Colcannon is a traditional side dish that uses some of the staples of Irish cooking — potatoes and cabbage. With just a few simple ingredients, this recipe can serve a small function or easily scale to feed an entire party.
10. Lucky Charm Cookies
Another cereal-based recipe, these cookies are charmingly tasty and easy to make. You’ll need a food processor or a good blender to get the most out of this one.
11. Shamrock Cupcakes
There’s never a wrong occasion for cupcakes! Bake some regular vanilla cupcakes, then add your favorite flavor icing. Either mix your icing with food coloring before topping or dip them in green sanding sugar for a sparkly chic look. Use a mini heart-shaped baking pan to create tiny hearts. Then arrange three together with a pretzel as a stem for the perfect shamrock shape!
12. Rainbow Popcorn
Rainbow popcorn is a cute, colorful display that makes a great snack for kids and adults alike. You’ll need popcorn, candy melts, and salt. In addition to the rainbow, you can add clouds, sheep, a pot of gold, or shamrocks for a creative twist!
St. Patrick’s Day Decorations
13. Balloon Shamrock Backdrop
This Irish-themed DIY project is the perfect addition to any St. Patrick’s Day celebration. You’ll need cardboard, tape, glue, and plenty of festive balloons to bring this one to life. Use it as a backdrop for guests to take photos or just to liven up your party space.
14. Rainbow Garland
Add a pop of color amidst all the green with some hand-crafted rainbow garland. This multi-purpose decoration can also be used for kids’ rooms, birthday parties, or to brighten up a dull space.
15. Lots of Houseplants
Any green plants will add to a St. Patrick’s Day-themed party. But if you want to go the more traditional route, pick up some potted clover. The best thing about this decoration is that it will add color and life to your home all-year round.
16. Luck Mason Jars
Distressed mason jars add luck and charm to any celebration. Bright blossoms create a colorful springtime look you can keep around all season long!
17. Gold Shamrock Flower Pots and Bows
Small flower pots make a great addition to food tables or a mantel. Fill them with greenery or candy for a flavorful twist. You can also stuff them with goodies and hand them out to guests as fun party favors.
18. DIY Shamrock Balloons
You know what they say – it isn’t a party without balloons! And these decorative shamrock ones couldn’t be easier to make. All you need is clear balloons, foam shamrock stickers, and some metallic shred for an extra pop! Tie them to tables or weigh them down with a bag of chocolate gold coins.
19. Lucky Cocktail Napkins
Festive napkins are a simple but elegant touch to any holiday party. It’s also a great time saver if you don’t have the bandwidth to DIY all of your party decorations.
20. Hanging Mossy Shamrock
This mossy green shamrock hangs perfectly on a front door to signify your St. Patrick’s Day celebration. It can also go over a mantel or mirror as a decorative indoor piece.
21. Pot of Gold
Mini pots of gold make the cutest edible decoration. Use them to spice up a table and give your guests something sweet to snack on. You can even send home your extra pots with guests as party favors! You’ll need some mini terracotta pots, black paint, gold glitter, and a shamrock cutout. And of course your favorite candy to fill your pots with gold!
22. Leprechaun Footprints
Tiny leprechaun footprint decals are a low-effort decoration your guests are sure to notice — and love! Use them as a trail to direct guests to the bathroom or stick them to offbeat places such as mirrors, walls, and doors. Just peel and stick them to any hard surface. Keep the packaging handy to wrap them up and use them again next year!
St. Patrick’s Day Activities
23. St. Patty’s Day Scavenger Hunt
A scavenger hunt is a great addition to any party. This one, in particular, is already set up, so all you have to do is get some white paper bags and print out the activity cards in the tutorial. There are eight clues, each with its own challenge the teams must complete before moving on. Be sure to leave a treat at the end of the challenge to reward your guests for their hard work. The DIY pots of gold above would make a perfect treasure!
24. Cabbage Crawl
In this hilariously fun game, each team gets one head of cabbage. When the time starts, each player will get on their hands and knees and push their head of cabbage to the finish line using only their head. Depending on how many guests you have, you can split players into teams to make this a relay.
All you need is tape or something else to mark the finish line and a head of cabbage per person – or per team for relays.
25. Potato Bowl
This flexible game can be adapted to fit almost any St. Patrick’s Day party. You’ll need some potatoes, water bottles, and space to roll. Set this game up indoors or outdoors depending on how much room you have in your house and how wild you expect your party guests to be. Line your water bottles up bowling-pin style and use your potatoes to knock them down.
Increase the difficulty by lengthening the distance between pins and bowlers or filling your bottles with water. You can also set a time limit or number of rolls for each player to see how many pins they can knock down before the timer goes off or they run out of rolls.
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