6 Ways to Celebrate St Patrick’s Day in Melbourne

You gotta love the Irish. They introduced to the world such amazing things as: Yeats, boycotts, Halloween and Liam Neeson (memes). They also represent a fair chunk of Australia's population. It’s estimated over two million people identified as having some sort of Irish ancestry. So, when it comes to St Patrick’s Day, it’s your right, nay, your duty, to celebrate your Celtic ancestry.

It doesn’t have to be green Guinness, leprechaun hats and being merry...even though a sprinkling of tradition never goes astray.

There’s a myriad of ways you can pay your respects to the Emerald Isle.

Meat up with mates: With the days growing slowly shorter, Melbournians should make the most of the sunshine while they can. The Common Man are celebrating St Patrick's Day this year by hosting a barbecue on the Common Man Lawn. Sausages and smoked meats are aplenty, kick back with some meaty snacks and a couple of pints of Guinness in the sunshine. Irish pubs in Melbourne are always a great idea to celebrate St Patrick's festival.

 

Breakfast pints are the most important meal of the day: Celebrate St Patrick's Day in style. PJ O’Brien's are going all out – hosting a St Patrick's weekend. Start the day right with their traditional Irish breakfast. It comes with black pudding, fried stuff...and the all-important pint of Guinness. It's serving a full Irish breakfast with a side of Guinness. Guinness is a hearty concoction of water, barley, roasted malt extract, hops, and brewer's yeast. So it’s basically bread, which is a totally normal thing to have for brekky. This Irish club will have festive activities and live music from 9 am until late.

 

Hid your face amid a crowd of...books: Fun fact - whiskey is Irish, whisky is Scottish. Just think of the ‘e’ in whiskey standing for ‘emerald’. At Buck Mulligan’s in Northcote, you can sample a number of Irish whiskeys as you’re surrounded by some of history’s greatest writers and poets. Celebrate some of Ireland’s most sophisticated exports by reading Yeats whilst sipping on some whiskey.

 

A beautiful day: The Dan O’Connell Hotel has a huge lineup of live entertainment this year. There are a heap of acts due to take the stage, as well as Irish dancers and entertainment. Rock up for lunch, grab a pint or six, and then jig away to the lyrical stylings of The Drunken Poachers. Entry is free until 5 pm.

 

For fun times, make it The Irish Times: The venue, not the paper. If you want to go full-traditional on St Patrick’s Day, head off to the Irish Times to witness, and after a few pints partake in, some intense Irish dancing. When you’re feeling good and peckish, load up on some chips with curry sauce. Beannachtaí na féile pádraig oraibh! The Irish Times Pub is hosting a St Patrick’s Day party complete with beer, live music and plenty of shenanigans. Get in early to grab a seat as it’s sure to be packed.

 

Green gold: open your shovels, friends. It’s time to tap into some green gold. Head over to Hophaus for some European-style beer garden vibes and a few pints of Guinness. Hophaus Bar is rated as top tier in serving local and international beers in their great European beer halls.

Share a birthday with St Paddy himself? Click here to find a venue to celebrate all things you!

Other venues worth checking out for a fun-filled Patrick's Day in Melbourne include: Bridie O'Reilly's (which claimed to be Melbourne's original Irish pub), The Quiet Man Irish Pub, The Celtic Club

 

St Patrick's Day party ideas

Celebrating St Paddy's Day doesn’t have to be limited to a pub crawl. If you’re looking for alternative ways to mark the day, here are some ideas. Get out there and make some jolly good memories!

ill-seekers can try out the St Patrick's Day bungee jump at Sky High.

- Attend a themed Irish dance class.

- Make it a family affair and turn your home into an Irish pub with decorations, food and drinks inspired by the Emerald Isle.

- Host a potluck dinner where everyone brings an Irish dish to share.

- Round up some friends for a movie night featuring classic films about Ireland, like The Quiet Man or Waking Ned Devine.

- Have a karaoke party singing traditional Irish music and pop songs with an Irish twist!

- Put your green garb to good use and dance the day away at an Irish-themed dance party.

- Explore some of Melbourne’s best pubs with a bar crawl, making sure you have at least one Guinness in each establishment!

- Have an authentic Irish feast in your own home by cooking up traditional dishes including colcannon, coddle, and boxty.

- Make it creative – try your hand at painting or drawing a shamrock in honour of Saint Patrick's Day.

- Throw an Irish-themed party – decorate with shamrocks and green decorations; play traditional Irish music; bake Irish dishes.

St Patrick’s Day in Melbourne is a great way to celebrate Irish culture and heritage. Whether you choose to join the crowds at a pub or restaurant, host an Irish-themed party, or simply spend some time alone reflecting on your ancestral ties, you'll find plenty of ways to experience St Patrick's Day in Melbourne. So don’t wait - start planning now – Sláinte! Cheers! Happy Saint Patrick's Day everyone!