Don your green and discover dozens of kid-friendly ways to celebrate St. Patrick's Day in our round-up of St. Paddy's Day recipes, San Diego events, Irish traditions, leprechaun traps and other festive family fun!
ST. PATRICK'S DAY CRAFTS & LEPRECHAUN TRAPS
Create cute Lucky Leprechauns the kids can give to their friends.
Shamrock Shenanigans
ST. PATRICK'S DAY RECIPES
Indulge in an Irish feast or festive treats!
Apple Smoothie Bowls -- They're not Irish, but they make a healthy green lunch!
An Irish Feast from the Kids' Kitchen, including Irish Stew, Soda Bread and Apple Crisp
Strawberry Rhubarb Cookie Bars
TRADITIONS
Celebrate wearin' o' the green this St. Patrick's Day with these traditions and activities:
10 Ways to Celebrate St. Patrick's Day
A Fun Look at Some Irish Legends
5 St. Patrick's Day Traditions to start with your kids
Visit our St. Patrick's Day Pinterest board for more ways to celebrate St. Patrick's Day!
ST. PATRICK'S DAY EVENTS 2025
thursday | 13
St. Patrick’s Day Teas. A green-themed version of the four course Cottage Classic Tea. 11:30 am, 1 & 2:30 pm. Through Mar. 17. $14.95–$39.95. Julian Tea & Cottage Arts, 2124 Third St. Reservations required: www.juliantea.com
saturday | 15
FREE St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Festival. Theme “Celebrating Irish Business.” 9 am–6 pm; parade 10:30 am. Fifth Ave. & Laurel St. www.stpatsparade.org
Leprechaun Run 5K & Kids 1K. Run through the streets of Pacific Beach. 5K: 9 am; Kids 1K: 10:30 am. $29–$55. Register: www.sandiegorunningco.com/sdrc_events/san-diego-leprechaun-run
Junior Science Club: St. Patrick’s Day Science. Experiment with color-changing cabbage juice and harness the power of a potato. 9–10:30 am & 11 am–12:30 pm. $18. Fleet Science Center, Balboa Park. www.fleetscience.org
St. Patrick’s Day Celebration at Sesame Place. Follow the rainbow to Sesame Place and celebrate St. Patrick's Day with your favorite Sesame Street friends. Today & tomorrow. 2052 Entertainment Cir., Chula Vista. www.sesameplace.com
Shamrock Social. Laser tag, inflatable games, obstacle courses and more. 6–9 pm. For ages 10–14. $15. Pine Avenue Community Center & Park, 3209 Harding St., Carlsbad. www.carlsbadca.gov
ShamROCK St. Paddy’s Day Music + Beer Festival. Irish dance lessons, music and fun for lads, lasses and lil’ tikes. 2–10 pm. Gaslamp Quarter. www.sandiegoshamrock.com
FREE Leprechaun Hunt. Start at the Potrero Park ranger station to receive a Leprechaun Hunt map. Then search the park for the sneaky leprechauns hiding with their treasure. Find all ten leprechauns and bring your completed map back to the office for a prize! All ages welcome. Weather permitting. 9 am-4 pm. Potrero County Park, 24800 Potrero Park Dr., Potrero. www.sdparks.org/content/sdparks/en/participate/calendar-tockify.html
FREE Leprechaun Hunt. Hunt for 3-D printed leprechauns and clovers hiding in Stelzer Park's picnic area, playgrounds, behind trees, in the grass, in the rocks, along the trails and anywhere a person can easily walk. Return your captured leprechauns to the new ranger office in exchange for a bounty of "gold." Parking fee: $5. Inclement weather may cancel. Louis A. Stelzer County Park, 11470 Wildcat Canyon Rd., Lakeside. 9:30 am-5:30 pm. www.sdparks.org/content/sdparks/en/participate/calendar-tockify.html
sunday | 16
FREE House of Ireland Lawn Program. Celebrate Irish culture with live music, dancing, food and other Irish traditions. 11 am–5 pm. Balboa Park. www.houseofireland.org
St. Patrick’s Day Celebration at Sesame Place. Follow the rainbow to Sesame Place and celebrate St. Patrick's Day with your favorite Sesame Street friends. 2052 Entertainment Cir., Chula Vista. www.sesameplace.com
FREE Leprechauns & Live Music. Snap a selfie in the shamrock light tunnels, look for a leprechaun and more. 12–3 pm. Seaport Village, 849 W. Harbor Dr. www.seaportvillage.com
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Find more activities and events in the March issue and our online calendar.
Updated: February 2025
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