March 10, 2023
St. Patrick’s Day, or what’s commonly known as “St. Paddy’s Day,” has become one of the most awaited days in Metro Detroit because of its history, festivities, and cultural moments. It’s so big that for 65 years, Motor City has celebrated with many events, including an annual parade in Corktown that attracts between 80,000 to 100,000 people dressed in green ready to celebrate Irish culture.
As you can probably allude from the location of the annual parade, Corktown, Detroit’s oldest surviving neighborhood, is known for its Irish heritage. According to the Detroit Historical Society, the name was given by the Irish from County Cork, Ireland, who were the largest ethnic group of newcomers to Detroit.
Since their arrival, the area has thrived with Irish culture, whether pubs and restaurants or cultural events and activities. Two of the largest ways to celebrate the holiday occur every Sunday before the actual holiday, including:
Lace-up your gym shoes and get ready to race during one of the largest 5K races in Michigan. The race will occur before the annual St. Patrick’s Parade, starting with a kid’s run at 10:30 a.m., the Emerald Mile at 10:40 a.m., and the Corktown 5K Race at 11 a.m. The race will also feature a costume contest with prizes for originality, creativity, teamed themes, and execution from 10-10:30 a.m. at the Vendor Tent Stage. Learn more and register online by March 10 at 6 p.m.
Enjoy Detroit’s fun St. Patrick’s Day tradition – dating back to 1909 – on Sunday, March 12 at 1 p.m. The 65th Irish pride parade will start near Sixth Street and Michigan Avenue and last for nearly two hours, providing attendees entertainment from pipe and drum bands, color guard units, floats, clowns, novelty groups, and marching units. A Family Fun Zone will also be available from 12:30-3:30 p.m., offering live Irish entertainment, inflatable amusements, food service, and private restrooms. Family Fun Zone tickets cost $12 per person or $60 for six tickets. Learn more.
If you cannot attend either of those, there are plenty of other ways to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, many revolving around drinking (21+), eating Irish food (bacon, cabbage, corned beef, and Sheppard’s pie), and dancing!
Here is a list of Irish taverns and pubs in the Metro Detroit area that often holds parties or special deals for St. Patrick’s Day:
The streets of Greektown near Greektown Casino and Hotel are also often blocked for street parties and bar crawls on the holiday.
Written by Korzell Coe
