Float in the Dublin St Patrick's Day Parade (courtesy of Visit Dublin Ohio)
Travel

4 Ways to Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in Dublin, Ohio

Our state’s own city of Dublin gets serious about St. Patrick’s Day, hosting a range of activities for revelers of all ages. 

The city of Dublin, Ohio, has St. Patrick’s Day spirit year-round, with an Irish festival each August, and the local high schools’ sports teams boasting names like such as the Irish, Celtics and "Rocks" (short for Shamrocks.) Downtown Dublin is a perfect place to embrace St. Paddy’s Day festivities with its lineup of events and experiences that begin the weekend before the big day. Here are four ways to embrace the Emerald Isle and celebrate the holiday in this suburban Columbus community. 

Bagpipers in Dublin St. Patrick's Day Parade (courtesy of Visit Dublin Ohio)
Watch the St. Patrick’s Day parade: No parade-goer should have to line up along the route on an empty stomach. Start your morning on March 15 at Sells Middle School on Bridge Street, where fluffy pancakes await in a delicious breakfast that will set off the celebration right. The breakfast begins at 7 a.m., and concludes at 11 a.m., the same time the parade steps off. At that time, marching bands, bagpipers, giant balloons, leprechauns and more take over the streets in a celebration of St. Patrick’s Day spirit. The parade begins at the corner of Metro Place North and Frantz Road and turns onto State Route 161 (along which there is a wheelchair accessible seating area) before ending on South High Street. 

Beef Stew at Fado Pub & Kitchen (courtesy of Visit Dublin Ohio)
Grab a pint at a local pub: Several restaurants between historic Dublin and Bridge Park are part of the St. Paddy’s Pub Crawl. Participants can pick up a passport day-of or download it online at visitdublinohio.com, and make their way to participating locations such as Fado Pub & Kitchen, Urban Meyer’s Pint House, Local Cantina and The Roosevelt Room. These are just a handful of the 16 locations participating in the crawl on March 15, which includes themed cocktails and drink specials, and those who get stamps from five of the stops on the passport can enter to win the Pot ‘O Gold grand prize. 

Start your Celtic Cocktail Trail journey: The 21-and-over crowd will not want to miss trying the inventive craft cocktails created by area restaurants and bars. The Celtic Cocktail Trail has kicked off for 2025, and participants can stop by local favorites like Cafe Istanbul, Market Bar, VASO Rooftop Lounge and others. After signing up for the free digital pass, participants have until March 1, 2026, to work their way toward prizes like a T-shirt or bottle opener. Plus, several of the featured restaurants are offering deals and discounts on food while you sip one of their cocktail creations. 

Fairy Door Trail (courtesy of Visit Dublin Ohio)
Explore the Fairy Door Trail: No pixie dust here, just a free scavenger hunt through the city of Dublin in search of adorably decorated fairy doors. The Irish Fairy Door Trail is updated yearly, and participants this year will visit 11 different businesses as part of the hunt. Though the trail is an all-year activity, it is recommended to visit destinations Wednesday through Saturday between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. to avoid businesses being closed upon arrival. Participants will visit stores in both Historic Dublin and Bridge Park, and those who complete their passport will receive a free fairy door trail shirt as a prize.

For more information about Dublin St. Patrick’s Day festivities, go to visitdublinohio.com

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