Where to celebrate St. Patrick's Day in New York City

New York is home to some of the biggest St Patrick’s Day celebrations in the world. So where do you begin? Read on for our best picks of how to celebrate this great Irish and Catholic holiday.

Float down to a parade

The Manhattan St Patrick’s Day Parade is one of the oldest and largest in the parade calendar. A strictly no-float event, the lineup of marching bands, bagpipes and Irish dancers begins at 11 a.m. on Saturday, running from 44th St. up 5th Ave. But for a better chance at seeing the revelry, we recommend Brooklyn’s version on Sunday in Park Slope. The Brooklyn St Patrick's Day Parade kicks off at 1 p.m. and runs from Prospect Park West and 15th St. down to 7th Ave. and Garfield Place, then back over to Prospect Park West.

Get some heritage

The Irish Arts Center in Hell’s Kitchen is running their annual St Patrick’s Open Day again this year. Enjoy authentic Irish music, dancing and workshops and try your hand at learning some Irish words and dance moves. Or why not take a walking tour of “Little Ireland” on the Lower East Side, a hidden hub of Irish immigrant history? Learn about the contribution that the Irish have made to Manhattan at the Big Onion Irish Walking Tour for just $25 per person.

Get literary

The Irish Arts Center is holding its ninth annual Book Day on Friday, with free books by Irish writers being given away in 12 free pop-ups across the five boroughs. The stands go live at 8 a.m. and stay open until the books run out (usually by 1 p.m.). More details will be released on the day of, but in Brooklyn, you’ll find your station at 4th Ave. between 68th and Bay Ridge Ave.

Crawl yourself Irish

It’s no secret that the Irish like to drink, and there is no shortage of pub crawls in Manhattan and Brooklyn on St Patrick’s Day. From just $11, the St Paddy’s Day Weekend Pub Crawl gives you access to 50 participating bars across the city, with drink specials galore. Running from 5 p.m. Friday through 7 p.m. Sunday, this cheesy extravaganza means wearing green and getting fully involved in the festivities.

If you’d like a quieter crawl, try the 2-day Kiss Me, I’m Irish crawl in Lower Manhattan, or the Saturday-night-only St. Paddy’s Pubcrawl in Astoria.

And if you'd rather stay in one place, the Columbia Wine Co.’s St. Patrick's Day Festival will have a range of Irish Whiskey, liquor and other treats on offer, with up to 15 bottles open for you to try on Saturday from 5 p.m.-8 p.m. Get your tickets here.

Or why not embrace the coming warmth of spring on the St. Patrick’s Day Party Cruise? Enjoy onboard DJs, food and music on the Jewel Yacht for an epic party night on the East River, running until 11 p.m., when you can head straight to the included after party at Doha Nightclub in Long Island City.

A cheaper on-land alternative is the St. Patrick’s Day party on historic Stone Street. This free street festival runs from noon Saturday and is your chance to bar hop along the various stalls, trying Jameson, Guiness, Gummy Bear shots and Corned Beef.

Try a low-key bar

If you’re looking for a simple night, Bushwick’s Brooklyn Cider House is the place for you. They’re running an all-day brunch from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Sunday for St. Paddy’s, including an array of Irish themed dishes and drinks like green eggs and ham, corned beef and cabbage, irish coffee and green cider.

Or head over to The Bell House on Sunday for a night of punk-infused Celtic soul. The lineup includes Too-Rye-Aye, an 11-person group led by Ted Leo, who will be playing hits like “Come On Eileen” from 6 p.m. until late with a cover charge of just $15.

Pre-game with Outpost

If you’re looking for something closer to home, come to Outpost’s St Patrick’s Day Pre-Game on Saturday night (BYOB). We’ll be playing Irish games and wearing green before heading out to Bootleg Bar to enjoy the rest of the night.