Home Culture in Vancouver St. Patrick’s Day Celebrations in Vancouver in 2026

St. Patrick’s Day Celebrations in Vancouver in 2026

March 10, 2024

St. Patrick’s Day is on March 17th and all week there are Irish celebrations including Vancouver’s CelticFest, parties at pubs and other Irish events.

For a list of great places to enjoy a pint of Guinness or green beer, click Irish Bars & Pubs in Vancouver. To learn about other events taking place at other times this month, see our Vancouver March Calendar. To learn about St. Patrick’s Day-themed concerts and other celebrations in the Lower Mainland, continue reading.

Saint Patrick’s Day Week

In 2026 St. Patrick’s Day is on the Tuesday of the first week of Spring Break, with the rest of the school holidays running until the 27th.

Taking place around the same time as the start of school Spring Break, CelticFest is an Irish Festival in Vancouver. Continue reading below to learn more about the festival and other ways to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day each year.

CelticFest Vancouver

CelticFest Vancouver runs from March 13th to 15th in 2026. Events taking place during this year’s festival are below.

Friday, March 13th, 2026 – Ceilidh takes place at night with singing and dancing at the Hellenic Community Centre.
Saturday, March 14th, 2026 – This afternoon features a concert with the Vancouver Welsh Men’s Choir at Christ Church Cathedral. At night there’s more live music at the Hollywood Theatre, as well as comedy and burlesque for adults at the Rio Theatre.
Sunday, March 15th, 2026 – Family Day at the Art Gallery takes place outdoors in the north plaza today. There are live performances, face painting, market vendors and more between noon and 5:00 pm.

For more information about the festival, check out CelticFest Vancouver.

Other St. Patrick’s Events

The following events also happen in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day.

St. Patrick’s Day Festival – a one-day celebration at The Blarney Stone Pub that starts at 9:00 am on March 17th. Brunch is available and families with kids are welcome inside until 5:00 pm. Live music and other entertainment continue until well after midnight.
Shamrock’n Race – 5 km, 7-mile and half marathon runs around Burnaby Lake Regional Park on the Sunday before St. Patrick’s Day. In 2026 the event takes place on March 15th.
Celtic Fest in Surrey – a free event with Celtic music and family-friendly activities at the Museum of Surrey. Family-friendly activities happen between 1:00 and 4:00 pm on March 7th in 2026, so about a week before St. Patrick’s Day.
Vancouver St. Patrick’s Day Boat Party – hosted by Vancouver Boat Parties, there is an Irish-themed nightclub event on a boat in False Creek and English Bay on March 21st in 2026.
Shamrock the Block – a free street party-style festival in Gastown that featured live entertainment, beer gardens, drink specials and more on March 17th last year. Its status for 2026 is TBC.
Eagles St. Patrick’s Party – the Eagles Club in North Vancouver hosts two St. Patrick’s Day celebrations this year. The first is a party with the band Persons of Interest, the JP Fell Pipe Band, and O’Connor Irish Dancers on March 14th. Then on March 17th, they have another party with guitarist and singer Mike Kelly.

Shamrock 'n Race — The Shamrock’n Race in Burnaby

ST. PATRICK’S IN VICTORIA

If you plan to be on Vancouver Island in March then be sure to check out Victoria’s St. Patrick’s Day Festival. In 2026 the event takes place on Sunday, March 15th.

Click St. Patrick’s Day Festival in Victoria to learn more.

Irish Pubs Around Vancouver

Looking for an Irish pub to celebrate the St. Patrick’s season at? Then click Vancouver Irish Pubs for some Celtic suds and fun. Local Irish-themed bars include places like the Blarney Stone and Mahony’s Tavern in downtown Vancouver. There are also Kelly O’Bryan’s restaurants in both New Westminster and Kitsilano.

Other Information

Click Spring Break in Metro Vancouver for ideas on things to do during the school break with your family, or North Shore Family Activities for adventure ideas and things to do in North and West Vancouver.

For lists of other events in the Lower Mainland click March Calendar or Festivals & Events.

Other articles that might be of interest include the following:

There used to be a St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Vancouver up until 2016. However, that no longer happens.

For a list of places to celebrate March 17th up at BC’s largest ski resort, see the website WhatToDoInWhistler.ca. To learn about St. Patrick’s Day events in the province’s capital, see the website Victoriasbestplaces.com.

Other websites you might also find of interest are VancouverForKids.ca and VancouverFoodFestivals.ca.