St. Patrick’s Day is almost here! St. Patrick’s Day is one of our favorite days of the year in Portland because there are so many locations that love to go hard for the holiday, offering great deals and special Irish menus – everyone is Irish on St. Paddy’s Day.
This year St. Patrick’s Day falls on a Sunday, which is just an excuse to party all weekend, but if you’re not willing to wait until the 17th, we’re highlighting a few options kicking off this week, so you can get your Irish on a little early.
So grab your best green outfit, choose between Guinness or green beer (why not both?), and get out there!
P.S. Keep checking back, more to be added leading up to St. Patrick’s Day!
Did we miss one? Let us know on Instagram: @portlandolport, or by email: [email protected].
Featured Festivities
ALTO Terrace Bar + Kitchen: Wake up and brunch this St. Patrick’s Day! ALTO Terrace Bar + Kitchen will be running a SPD brunch that includes Corned Beef and Hash, Irish Benedict (Corned Beef, Poached Eggs, English Muffin, Hollandaise), and an Irish Breakfast with Bacon, Sausage, Two Eggs Your Way, Breakfast Potatoes, Beans, Sliced Tomato, and Sautéed Mushrooms.
Bonfire Country Bar: Bonfire will be opening at 10am on St. Patrick’s Day, and offering drink specials – you’ll be able to get a Guinness for just $8. They will also have $2 green beers to get you in the holiday spirit. Wander down Wharf this St. Paddy’s day, grab a pint, and celebrate at Bonfire!
Dock Fore: Opening at 11am before the Irish parade, and serving up specials all day. Specials include; a corned beef (gray brisket) and cabbage sandwich, corned beef and cabbage pizza (yellow mustard replacing the red sauce on fresh dough, pizza cheese blend, corned beef and topped with cabbage after cooking.) Frozen or traditional Irish coffee, and of course, Guinness on tap. Their kitchen will be open until 6pm and bar until 9pm.
Gritty McDuff’s: Opening the doors bright and early at 6am for a St. Patrick’s Day brunch available until 11am. Includes Hash & Eggs, a Bailey’s French Toast, an Irish Benedict and more. Enjoy Irish-inspired specials available all day – Lamb Stew, Scotch Eggs, Fried Corned Beef Ravioli and more.
Word on the street is that Portland will see the return of Gritty’s famous Special Oatmeal Stout beer, and they’ll have the Kora Highlanders Bagpipe & Drum Band live in the pub at 3pm.
If you need more reason to stop in, Gritty’s will be a stop on afternoon long St. Patrick’s Day Bar Crawl, happening Saturday, from 4pm – 10pm. They will have $5 Scottish ales, $5 well vodka drinks, and $4 green tea shots. They’ll also be host to the Bar Crawl Afterparty from 10pm – midnight.
Henry’s Public House: A nod to the legendary John Ford! The Ghost of John Ford festivities kick off early at 6 am and continue until 10pm. An all-day extravaganza of live music and drink specials as Henry’s honors John Ford, a native son of Portland, Maine, and a cinematic icon of Irish descent.
One Longfellow Square: Immerse yourself in the vibrant sounds of traditional Irish music at Tunes from Portland – Local Artists Celebrating Traditional Irish Music Thursday, March 15th. Rooted in the lively Irish-American musical landscape of the 1920s and 30s, Will Woodson and Caitlin Finley bring a modern twist to timeless classics. Drawing inspiration from the rich traditions of Boston, New York City, and Philadelphia, Woodson and Finley infuse their music with the spirit of dance halls, vaudeville theaters, and intimate house sessions. The show celebrates the legacy of Irish music and the talented artists keeping it alive in Portland.
Rigby Yard: From 12pm – 9pm, feast on Rigby Yard’s house-made Corned Beef and Cabbage + enjoy $5 Guinness pints and $7 Jameson all day, and the Rigby Espresso Martini for $10.
Shays Grill Pub: Starting early! Shays Grill Pub will be open Sunday, March 17th 9am – 3pm to bring you brunch and corned beef specials including corned beef egg rolls, corned beef dinners and the return of the corned beef burger.
Three Dollar Deweys: You can’t drink all day if you don’t start in the morning! Deweys’ doors will be opening at 8am on St. Patrick’s Day with a special St. Paddy’s Day brunch and live music by Andi Fawcett. All day specials include Corned Beef & Cabbage as well as Bangers & Mash (vegan and gluten free). Starting at noon, they’ll also have a new Grab & Go station with $5 hot dog, soft pretzels, French fries, or house-made Guinness cheddar beer bread.
Pick Your St. Paddy's Party
Photo: The Irish American Club of Maine
The Irish American Club of Maine: The annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade is a can’t miss event! Kicking off at noon at the intersection of Commercial Street and Center Street, and parade continues down Commercial to Bell Buoy Park. The parade is the largest celebration of Irish and Irish-American culture north of Boston is always a highlight for St. Paddy’s festivities in Portland, including two bagpipe and drum bands, Irish dancers, local sports mascots and more.
Maine Irish Heritage Center: Join MIHC at 8:30am on the front steps of the Maine Irish Heritage Center (corner of Gray & State Streets) and walk through Portland’s old Irish neighborhood for the raising of the Irish flag at Harbor View Park. Coffee, tea, and Irish soda bread will be served at the MIHC afterward (and pre-parade) from 9am – 10am.
This year, the parade along Commercial Street will be followed by an open house at the MIHC for tours, music and family fun, beginning at 1pm. They’ll have food trucks and beverages on hand, as well as a few more surprises!
Congress Squared: C2 will be serving up St. Patrick’s Day specials all weekend long, from Friday – Sunday. Some of their specials include Irish classics like Guinness Stout, and corned beef & cabbage. But that’s not all, there will be plenty more specials to get you in the Irish spirit!
Dropkick Murphys at Cross Insurance Arena
Cross Insurance Arena: Dropkick Murphys, Boston’s beloved rockers, are shipping up to Portland, bringing the Irish cheer early! Taking center stage at the Cross Insurance Arena Tuesday, March 12th, with their signature blend of punk rock energy and Celtic folk spirit, the Dropkick Murphys have a storied career spanning over two decades, becoming synonymous with anthemic tunes that resonate from local pubs to packed stadiums. An electrifying performance that promises to keep the St. Paddy’s Day spirit alive and kicking in Portland all week long.
Definitive Brewing Co.: Join for a Kegs n Eggs St. Paddy’s Day Brunch with Fat Kid Culinary Productions and a special Irish menu. Vagabond Coffee will be onsite with their mobile coffee bar ensuring that the energy stays high! Specials deals on Defitinive’s Elegance Irish Stout and Gaze Red Ale (voted best red ale at the Maine Irish Craft Beer Fest!) Last but not least, Irish tunes and Frozen Irish Slushees.
Free Street Portland: Stop by Free Street on St. Paddy’s Day for “Tip Me, I’m Irish with Drunken Karaoke”, a wild holiday celebration with THEM Burlesque, featuring burlesque (of course), drag, tipsy singing and Irish shenanigans!
The fun kicks off at 8PM, with a $20 cover for the show, $10 cover for the karaoke, or $25 for both! Don’t forget to wear green to avoid any pinches, and for $2 off your cover.
Maiz Colombian Street Food: Lucky Charms Tres Leches from Sugarcane Atelier available at their Forest Street location on a limited basis. Treats are also gluten free.
Maiz Colombian Street Food Lucky Charms Tres Leches
Portland Bike Party: Ride into St. Patrick’s Day with the “hottest club in Portland”, as March’s ride falls on St. Paddy’s Day. Kicking off at 1pm (location TBD), Portland Bike Party is a monthly group slow ride complete with music, lights, candy, good cheer, and good folks that meets the 3rd every month. Come dress to impress, St. Patrick’s Day attire encouraged!
Portland Beer Hub: Celebrate the gluten-free way with Portland Beer Hub! They will be serving up their very own gluten-free beer, as well as a wide selection of GF beverages and snacks.
Don’t miss out on the fun – try an Irish Red + Stout from Lucky Pigeon, and GF donuts from The Holy Donut! Stop by on Sunday 9am-4pm.
The Portland Elks: Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in style at The 6th Annual Great Portland St. Patrick’s Day Party and Fundraiser – it’s gonna be epic! Join The Portland Elks at the Portland Elks Lodge, Ballroom for a night of fun and fundraising to benefit the Maine Irish American Club St. Patrick’s Day Parade Fund. Get ready to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in style with live Irish music, bag pipes, Irish dancing, delicious food, snacks, and a cash bar.
Rí Rá Portland: If you’re looking to party for St. Paddy’s Day, Rí Rá has got you covered. As is tradition, Rí Rá kicks off St. Patrick’s Day early with a 5:30AM plunge into East End Beach to benefit the Portland Firefighters Children’s Burn Foundation.
Back at the pub, doors will open at 6am and reservations upstairs will begin at 8am for their Paddy’s Day menu. They’ll have live music all day—traditional Irish music early morning, an auction + raffle to support the Portland Firefighters Children’s Burn Foundation, Stillson School of Irish dancers, Two Minutes Out in the afternoon and The Jameson Four and The Kilcollins Band into the evening.
Rosie’s Restaurant & Pub: Blending the charm of Rosie’s with the luck of the Irish, this beloved pub will be celebrating the big day with Green Mimosas, Bloody Mary’s and Green Tea shots only $4 all day! Guinness and Jameson specials and fun giveaways all day as well.
Thompson’s Point: Thompson’s Point is planning a wild “hair of the dog” weekend. On Saturday, March 16th, head to the Point from noon to 5pm for a SPD Beer Hall with local craft brews, live music, green beer, food trucks and games, all with no cost to get in!
Make it an all weekend rally on Sunday, March 17th 10am – 3pm with the Thompson’s Point SPD Maker’s Market, serving up “the best Bloody Marys east of the Mississippi,” along with the finest artisans, makers, artists, craftspeople, movers and shakers in the state with no fee for entry. Green drink specials and local bites available as well.
Two Fat Cats Bakery: Get ready to sham-rock your taste buds! St. Paddy’s Day preorders are available now through March 14th, for pickup on St. Paddy’s Day, on special items like Banoffee Pie, Irish Soda Bread, Irish Coffee Whoopie Pie and more.
