Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day NYC 2026: Parade & Pints

St. Patrick’s Day in NYC is a two‑part experience: the Fifth Avenue parade by day and neighborhood bar‑hopping by night—and the Upper West Side is one of the best places to land once the last pipe band passes. The 2026 parade is set for Tuesday, March 17, stepping off late morning and marching up Fifth Avenue past St. Patrick’s Cathedral and into the 70s, so it’s easy to watch for a few hours, then slip across the park and trade crowds for cozy UWS pubs.

If you position yourself uptown along the route—anywhere in the low 60s to high 70s—you’re perfectly placed for a quick crosstown hop. Once the bagpipes, step dancers, and marching bands have rolled by, cut through Central Park at 72nd, 79th, or 86th Street and you’ll emerge into some of the neighborhood’s best bar corridors. That’s where the vibe shifts from parade‑spectator to relaxed reveler: still festive and green, but with more locals, easier seating, and far less of the all‑day frat‑party energy found in Midtown and downtown Irish hubs.

After the parade, make your way to the Upper West Side’s Irish‑leaning standouts. Dublin House on West 79th Street is the must‑hit anchor, a Prohibition‑era Irish bar marked by its glowing neon harp sign and classic wood‑paneled interior, long known for a properly poured Guinness and a neighborhood crowd that returns year after year on March 17. It’s frequently highlighted in UWS Irish bar roundups as a top St. Patrick’s Day choice thanks to its history, atmosphere, and steady flow of regulars.

You can easily build a low‑key bar crawl around Dublin House by pairing it with other nearby spots that get shout‑outs for St. Patrick’s Day or Irish pub vibes. Bars like The Dead Poet—known for its Irish‑pub feel and whiskey‑friendly cocktails—and long‑time UWS fixtures such as Malachy’s Irish Pub give you additional options within a quick walk along Broadway and Amsterdam, all offering solid pours, sports on TV, and a friendly, unpretentious crowd. Westland Roe adds a slightly more polished neighborhood‑bar feel without losing that easygoing UWS energy, while George Keeley brings a proper beer‑lover’s lineup and a lively, pubby atmosphere that fits the day without tipping into chaos.

The beauty of finishing your day on the Upper West Side is the balance: you get the full parade spectacle on Fifth Avenue, then retreat to a walkable neighborhood where you can grab a table, linger over Guinness or Irish whiskey, and actually hear your friends. With Dublin House as your post‑parade home base and a handful of nearby bars in the 70s and 80s to explore, the UWS delivers exactly what you want after hours on the curb—pints, warmth, and that lived‑in New York feel that makes the holiday memorable without being exhausting.