<div id="c3be0912bb716eee4ca644c1dfc4ecde4"></div>St. Patrick’s Day is Sunday, March 17, and there are tons of great events going on around Tampa Bay to celebrate the luck of the Irish. Paddy Fest celebrated its inaugural year last year and is set to take place once again at Williams Park in St. Pete for two days of Irish festivities on Saturday, March 16 and Sunday, March 17 from 12 pm- 9pm.
The event will include everything from games to live entertainment and of course, Irish cuisine, Guiness, and green beer. The event is also going towards a good cause – a portion of the proceeds will go toward Ocean Aid 360, a St. Pete-based non-profit that focuses on marine habitat restoration.
Keep reading to learn more about this event and what to know before you go.
What can you expect at Paddy Fest?
Live Entertainment
An Irish celebration wouldn’t be complete without some true Irish entertainment. This year, there will be two stage setups for entertainment – the Mainstage Williams Park and Mary Margaret’s Inside Stage at Mary Margaret’s Olde Irish Tavern. The entertainment lineup includes Dunedin Pipe Band, The Gilleoghan Irish Dancers, Stormbringer, Drunken Shrubbery, Chad McDonald, Cage, and more. You can view the full two-day schedule here.
Vendors
There will be over 40 vendors at Paddy Fest selling everything from food to apparel, to home goods. Some of the confirmed vendors that you can peruse while you’re there are:
- 1771 Designs
- Autism Acceptance Allstars
- Central Cigars
- Folksy Love
- Gaelic Football
- Glittered and Glazed
- Irish Trinkets
- Kouture Finds
- Mystical Unicorn Munchies
- Ocean Aid 360
- Suncoast Irish and Gaelic Heritage
- Vintage Celt
- White Claw
In addition to local vendors, you can also purchase Paddy’s Fest official merchandise while you’re there. You can check out a full list of vendors and official merchandise on Paddy Fest’s site.
Irish Eats and Food Trucks
Festival goers can pop into Mary Margaret’s Old Irish Tavern. Mary Margaret’s is St. Pete’s authentic Irish Tavern and will be serving their traditional Irish food and whiskeys along with proper pints. The restaurant is located at the end of the park at 29 3rd. Street South.
There will also be several food trucks on-site such as La Strada Mobile Kitchen, Lucky’s Italian Ice, Slammer Shop, Galvin’s Goodies, Pamz Pizza Cones, Mini Mouthful Donuts, and Wich Press Food Truck.
And of course, what would a St. Paddy’s Day celebration be without Irish beer and whiskey? There will be multiple bars spread throughout, along with the return of last year’s inflatable pub.
Kids’ Zone
If you’ll have kids in tow, there will be plenty of activities to keep them occupied while you sip on green beer. The newly expanded Kids’ Zone features several bounce houses, giant slides, lawn games, a 90-foot obstacle course, face painting, and more.
The Tampa Bay Rays’ mascot, Raymond, and Tampa Bay Rowdies mascot, Pete the Pelican, will also be there to join in on the fun with meet and greets and photo ops.
Paddy Fest details and location
Where:
Williams Park
350 2nd Ave. N, St. Petersburg, FL
When?
Saturday, March 16 and Sunday, March 17 from 12 pm-9 pm
How much is admission?
General admission is free!
A VIP package is available for $100 per person and includes two days of lunch and snacks provided by Fresh Factory, complimentary beverages, Irish whiskey tasting, VIP tented lounge, private restroom trailer, covered seating, and more.
Admission to the Kids’ Zone will be $10 per child and includes unlimited access all weekend to bounce houses, slide, games, face painters and photo ops with both mascots.
Website: paddyfeststpete.com
All images courtesy of Paddy Fest St. Pete