All over the country, St. Patrick’s Day is a celebration of Irish culture, green beer and festive community events. But Fort Collins doesn’t just celebrate St. Patrick’s Day; it turns the traditional affair into an all-day community party! In FoCo fashion, it’s complete with a pre-party run, a parade, live music, craft beer in Old Town Square and plenty of places to grab a delicious meal!
Get your green costumes ready and follow our parade day guide to make the most of your St. Patrick’s Day celebrations!
Sharin’ O’ the Green 5K Run/Walk
Photo courtesy of Partners Mentoring Youth and PHOCO, Patrick Edmiston
When: March 11, 7 a.m.
Where: Library Park
Make sure your green costume is ready bright and early! You’ll need it to run in the 18th Annual Sharin’ O’ the Green 5K! The course is fast, flat, USATF certified and a BolderBoulder qualifier! But if you’re just there to celebrate the holiday and run through Fort Collins with your friends, that’s okay too!
With adult registration, you’ll get a timed bib, a free event t-shirt and a local Odell beer after the race! Kids 17 and under can also register and anyone under 12 years can run for free in the Shamrock Scurry!
All proceeds benefit Partners Mentoring Youth which serves to benefit the community by creating mentoring relationships between local adults and children. Register online today to help Northern Colorado and have an extra fun parade day!
Lucky Joe’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade
Photo courtesy of Downtown Fort Collins
When: March 11, 10 a.m.
Where: Old Town
It’s the can’t-miss St. Patrick’s Day event of the entire region — Old Town’s annual parade. Over two decades, the city has increased its Irish spirit, local participation and entertainment. This year, you can expect all the revelry, excitement and green costumes from past years and even more!
Grab a spot anywhere along the parade route to watch and participate. The procession will start along Walnut Street and turn left onto College. They’ll travel all the way down to Magnolia before they circle back around on Remington St.
Hosted by Lucky Joe’s, the procession begins and ends nearly at their door. Check out a few more Fort Collins hotspots along the parade route so you can sip green beer and celebrate parade day at the same time!
Bars on the parade route:
Lucky Joe’s
The lively host of the St. Patrick’s Day parade is a must on Saturday! As the parade winds down and the Old Town party winds up, the live music begins inside. Marty Martingale will kick it off, then you can dance along with the Stone Turners and Highwater until midnight! Their year-round Irish menu will be perfect to fuel your celebrations. And, if you’re missing the festivities after St. Paddy’s Day, come back every Wednesday for Celtic Jam!
Mainline Ale House
Every item at Mainline is crafted in Colorado style — with fresh ingredients and surprising twists. Grab one of the best burgers in town and one of the best cocktails and watch the parade from the upstairs catwalk!
The Crown Pub
This American Pub is the ideal setting for FoCo Irish celebrations. From their College Ave. patio you can show off your green costume and sip a green beer. But with Guinness on draft, you may not even want to go green! Pair it with Fish and Chips or Guinness Beef Stew for the most authentic (and delicious) experience.
Tony’s Bar & Rooftop
Tony’s is one of the oldest bars in Fort Collins and it’s one of the area’s most popular nightlife destinations for a reason. In past years, their parade day celebrations have been packed with beer and plenty of live music. Stop by on Saturday to take part and watch the parade from the patio!
Equinox Brewing
Equinox Brewing is near the end of the parade route so you’ll get to see everyone as they gear up for the Old Town party! Skip the Guinness and taste a local craft beer in the outdoor beer garden. Their very own O’rion Irish Red pairs well with bagpipes!
Old Town Irish Party
Photo courtesy of Downtown Fort Collins
When: March 11, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Where: Old Town Square
Wilbur’s Total Beverage is hosting the Old Town Irish Party beginning at 10 a.m. which means you can skip the parade and begin the party right away or join in the fun with all the paraders! You won’t want to miss live music, dancing in the square and the green beer garden. Bring the whole family down to celebrate St. Paddy’s Day the only way Fort Collins knows how — with another free, all-day community party!
Great Plates
When: March 1 – 14
Where: Various Fort Collins restaurants
Fort Collins’ charitable restaurant week wraps up during parade weekend. After you’re done celebrating, stop by one of the participating restaurants for dinner and donate to Food Bank of Larimer County at the same time! For more details, check out our Great Plates Guide.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Have fun and stay safe on parade day!
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