30 St. Patrick's Day Party Ideas to Make Your Celebration Shine Like Gold
Leprechauns big and small will enjoy these festive ideas! ☘️
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The Irish are known for many things, like whiskey, leprechauns, Irish coffee, emerald landscapes...and partying of course! So what better way to embrace the spirit of the Irish this March than by hosting an unforgettable St. Patrick's Day celebration? Give your gathering the luck of the Irish with St. Patrick's Day drinks, games, decor options, and activities that even the littlest leprechauns can partake in!
Whether you're planning an intimate dinner party with friends or a lively bash for a larger crowd, these St. Patrick's Day party ideas will ensure a memorable and joyous occasion for all. When planning, party food is a must whether you're preparing traditional Irish foods or green-colored foods to match the theme. Ree Drummond loves to go all out when she's hosting folks at The Lodge. "If I'm throwing a party, I like to use my prettiest glasses and plates," Ree says. "They help elevate everything, even if you're having frozen appetizers!"
Some ideas? Place a gold table runner under green dinnerware and set up a cake decorating station. Crafting St. Patrick's Day decorations is an activity that kids and adults can both enjoy! Try some silly new St. Patrick's Day games and end the day with cute party favors. And finally, don't forget the dress code: green, gold, or rainbow! 🌈
You can also celebrate the holiday with these ideas:
Set Up a Festive Photo Booth
Is it really a party without fun photos? Set up a photo booth using green streamers, banners, and other décor for people to use throughout your shindig. Just don't forget props like leprechaun hats and four-leaf clover crowns!
Have a Traditional Irish Feast
Line the table with traditional Irish foods, then dig in! To really feel festive on the holiday, you can make things like cabbage, potatoes, beef stew, soda bread, and more.
Get the Cabbage and Sausage recipe.
Learn an Irish Dance
Learning the basics of Irish dancing can make for an exciting group activity and really connect you to the Emerald Isle. Throw on a YouTube video for everyone to learn from. Soon, you'll all have some new moves!
Search for Four Leaf Clovers
Here's a way to keep your celebration both lively and lucky! Move the party outside and invite everyone (especially the kiddos) to hunt for four-leaf clovers. They'll have so much fun while finding them.
Serve Green Drinks
Yes, you can bedeck your beverages in green, too! It may not be traditional, but a pint of good ol' green beer (or any green drink) is a festive and fun way to toast to St. Patrick's Day.
Get the Green Beer recipe.
Play Irish Trivia
Test your knowledge about the Irish holiday with a fun game of trivia! Both kids and adults will enjoy quizzing each other on questions that range from easy, like "What colors are on the Irish flag?" to hard, like "What does the shamrock symbolize?"
Hand Out Lucky Paper Award Ribbons
Although everyone's a winner on a day as fun as St. Paddy's Day, you might be looking for a tangible way to reward the winners of the games you play at your party. These homemade ribbons are enjoyable and perfectly suited to the green, gold, and rainbow theme.
Get the tutorial at Persia Lou.
Plan an Ice Cream Party
Everyone loves a good Shamrock shake, so why not host a party around it? The blogger presents seven essentials for hosting a St. Patrick's Day-themed ice cream party, ensuring a cohesive color scheme throughout.
Get the tutorial at Proper.
Wrap Utensils in Cute Napkin Wraps
With all the hard work you're going to put into making festive green snacks, you don't want boring utensils to be the thing that kills the St. Paddy's vibe! Wrap them in these adorable green shamrock and gingham hand-folded napkin holders.
Get the tutorial at The Craft Patch.
Make Blarney Stones
Even if you can't make it to Ireland for the holiday, you can bring a piece of it home with this easy Blarney stone craft. The pint-sized Blarney Stones are based on a famed piece of limestone at Blarney Castle outside Cork, Ireland. Legend has it that kissing the stone is good luck!
Get the tutorial at Somewhat Simple.
Send Out Invitations
There's nothing more charming than customized party invitations. These templates make it easy to add personal touches, and they'll make your friends feel truly lucky to receive one.
Get the templates at Greetings Island.
Have a Green and Gold Dress Code
What is a St. Patrick's Day celebration without a few costumes? Make sure to mention the dress code in your invitations, and have a few green and gold accessories on hand for those who forget. Themes make for the best St. Patrick's Day Instagram captions.
Decorate the Entryway with a Pot o' Gold
Make your entryway festive—and tasty!—with a themed terrarium. Fill a large glass bowl or jar with green M&Ms and chocolates so your friends can munch while they take off their shoes.
Get the tutorial at Design Improved.
Slurp on Shamrock Shakes
Shakes are a classic dessert drink. These delicious minty milkshakes get their leprechaun color from a blend of vanilla bean ice cream and mint extract!
Get the Shamrock Shakes recipe.
Craft Paper Strip Clovers
Keep the kids entertained by crafting cute clovers they can take home! Their adorable creations will make for great decorations year after year.
Get the tutorial at One Little Project.
Read Irish Blessings Aloud
Make your guests feel extra lucky by reading out some beautiful Irish blessings. This will start the party off right and set the tone for the shenanigans to follow!
Decorate Your Home in Green
Don't let the design potential of your mantelpiece go to waste! Fireplace décor ideas can include green glassware, plants, or your own homemade decorations.
Set a Green Tablescape
If you want your decorations to have a natural vibe, it's easy to design a green tablescape. Plants are a beautiful touch to any meal and look great all year round.
Get the tutorial at Home Made by Marcona.
Lay Down a Gold Foil Brushed Table Runner
Table runners are a great way to spruce up any meal. Use gold foil to brush your table runner with little leprechaun feet, or sweet personalized messages.
Get the tutorial at Lovely Indeed.
Serve a Feast of Green Foods
A St. Patrick's Day party means two things: Food and lots of green! Pair them together with a spread of green foods and you're really going for gold.
Micaela Bahn is a freelance editorial assistant and recent graduate from Carleton College, where she majored in English literature. She loves running, photography, and cooking the best new recipes.
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