Florida hosts numerous St. Patrick’s Day celebrations throughout March 2026, ranging from massive street parades to multi-day festivals and authentic pub parties.
- Naples Saint Patrick’s Day Parade (14 March, 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM): A milestone 50th-anniversary celebration in downtown Naples along 3rd Street S. and 5th Avenue S., featuring marching bands, floats, Irish dancers, and bagpipers filling the streets with vibrant community energy.
- Fort Lauderdale Saint Patrick’s Parade & Festival (14 March, parade at noon): The parade starts at Huizenga Park and proceeds east along Las Olas Boulevard, followed by a festival at Tunnel Top Plaza from 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM, complete with live music from the Mudmen, Irish dancers, and festive activities.
- Saint Augustine Celtic Music & Heritage Festival (14–15 March, at Francis Field): This multi-day event includes the world’s oldest Saint Patrick’s Day parade starting Saturday at 10:00 AM, Highland games, internationally acclaimed Celtic bands, whiskey tastings, and cultural displays celebrating ancient traditions.
- Paddy Fest St. Pete (13–15 March, at Williams Park): A three-day extravaganza with live performances including Derek Warfield & The Young Wolfe Tones, authentic Irish cuisine, vendors, family activities, and lively entertainment in downtown Saint Petersburg.
- Delray Beach Saint Patrick’s Day Parade (14 March): The 56th annual parade and accompanying festival serve as a beloved local cornerstone, bringing together marchers, music, and community spirit in a colourful procession.
- River O’Green Festival (14 March, downtown Tampa): An iconic event known for dyeing the Hillsborough River bright green, held at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park with live entertainment, food trucks, family fun, and the Tampa Rough Riders’ Saint Patrick’s Parade.
Orlando & Central Florida Events
- Mighty Saint Patrick’s Festival at Raglan Road (13–17 March, at Disney Springs, Lake Buena Vista): A multi-day celebration with bands flown in from Ireland, outdoor bars, traditional fare, and lively atmosphere; on 17 March it opens at 11:00 AM with a cover charge for adults.
- Winter Park Saint Patrick’s Day Parade (7 March, 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM): A charming procession along Park Avenue, featuring community participants, bands, and festive Irish-themed displays.
- Oviedo Saint Patrick’s Day Festival (14 March, 4:00 PM to 9:00 PM, at Oviedo Amphitheatre & Cultural Center): An evening of music, food, and entertainment in a family-friendly setting with local flair.
- Saint Patrick’s Day at SeaWorld Orlando (17 March, 12:30 PM to 6:00 PM): A special holiday observance at the park with themed activities, shows, and celebratory elements amid the attractions.
Additional Local Celebrations
- PSL Irish Festival (Port St. Lucie, 14 March, 3:00 PM–9:00 PM): Features a parade at 3:00 PM followed by live Irish balladeers and festive gatherings.
- Hollywood Saint Pats Fest (Hollywood, 15 March, noon): A parade combined with music and entertainment at Mickey Byrne’s pub.
- Saint Patrick’s Block Party (Palm Coast, 17 March, 1:00 PM): DJ-led festivities and community enjoyment at European Village.
- Celtic Ray Public House (Punta Gorda, 17 March, 9:00 AM): One of Florida’s premier pub celebrations with traditional Irish hospitality and cheer.
- Downtown Bar Crawl (Orlando, 14 March, 4:00 PM): A pub-hopping adventure starting at Underground Public House, filled with green attire and social merriment.
- Fishermen’s Village (Punta Gorda, 17 March, noon): A waterfront celebration featuring bagpipers, scenic views, and lively Irish-themed activities.
The first Saint Patrick’s Day parade
Until recently historians believed the first St Patrick’s Day parade took place in Boston in 1737. A few years ago historian Michael Francis discovered evidence of an earlier celebration in St Augustine Florida in 1601. Francis found references to San Patricio in gunpowder expenditure records from Spain’s Archivo General de Indias while studying documents from 1597 to 1602.
In 1601 residents of the Spanish colony processed through streets carried images of the saint and the fort fired cannons to honour St Patrick who protected the city’s maize fields. The procession included a diverse group of Spaniards Africans Native Americans Portuguese a French surgeon a German fifer and at least two Irishmen including priest Ricardo Artur who likely promoted the saint’s veneration.
Michael Francis shared “The first recorded St Patrick’s Day celebrations in the United States did not occur in Boston or New York. Rather those who first gathered to venerate St Patrick and process through city streets included a blend of Spaniards Africans Native Americans Portuguese a French surgeon a German fifer and at least two Irishmen who marched together in honor of the Irish saint.”
“In March of 1601 St Augustine’s residents gathered together and processed through the city’s streets in honor of an Irish saint who appears to have assumed a privileged place in the Spanish garrison town. Indeed during these same years St Patrick was identified as the official ‘protector’ of the city’s maize fields.”
“It is likely that Richard Arthur was responsible for the Irish saint’s short-lived prominence in St Augustine. When Arthur disappears from the historical records so too do the references to the Irish saint and soon thereafter the memory of the St Patrick’s Day celebrations and processions began to fade from public memory.”
Tourism Ireland reaches out toe the Irish Diaspora
Saint Patrick’s Day county by county
Antrim – Armagh – Carlow – Cavan – Clare – Cork – Derry – Donegal – Down – Dublin – Fermanagh – Galway – Kerry – Kildare – Kilkenny – Laois – Leitrim – Limerick – Longford – Louth – Mayo – Meath – Monaghan – Offaly – Roscommon – Sligo – Tipperary – Tyrone – Waterford – Westmeath – Wexford – Wicklow
Saint Patrick’s Day state by state in the USA
Alabama – Alaska – Arizona – Arkansas – California – Colorado – Connecticut – Delaware – Florida – Georgia – Hawaii – Idaho – Illinois –Indiana – Iowa – Kansas – Kentucky – Louisiana – Maine – Maryland – Massachusetts – Michigan – Minnesota – Mississippi – Missouri – Montana – Nebraska – Nevada – New Hampshire – New Jersey – New Mexico – New York – North Carolina – North Dakota – Ohio – Oklahoma – Oregon – Pennsylvania – Rhode Island – South Carolina – South Dakota – Tennessee – Texas – Utah – Vermont – Virginia – Washington DC – Washington State – West Virginia – Wisconsin – Wyoming –
Saint Patrick’s Day province by province in Canada
Alberta – British Columbia – Manitoba – New Brunswick – Newfoundland and Labrador – Nova Scotia – Ontario – Prince Edward Island – Quebec – Saskatchewan
Saint Patrick’s Day state by state in Australia
New South Wales – Northern Territory – Queensland – Tasmania – Victoria – Western Australia
