Dallas knows how to show the Irish love on St. Paddy's Day. To shoot it straight: It's hard to find a sober person on Greenville Avenue regardless of what day the holiday falls on.
This year St. Patrick's Day falls on a Monday, but we choose to look at the glass of whiskey half full, because you can start your partying on Saturday — most notably at the parade along Greenville Avenue — and take it straight through. If you are super sentimental about the holiday, you may be one of the lucky (bastards) who can take the day off to enjoy some beer, corned beef and live music.
Here's a roundup of this weekend's St. Patrick's Day events around Dallas.
Saturday, March 15
Dallas St. Patrick's Parade and Festival
Join in on the largest St. Patrick's Day parade in the South starting at 11 am at Greenville Avenue and Blackwell Street and ending at SMU Boulevard at 75. Get there early if you want to see anything.
Dash Down Greenville 5K
There are always those who like to celebrate holidays by running or doing other healthy things. We can support it, especially because it benefits the North Texas Food Bank. Registration is $35 now and $40 on race day.
St. Patrick's Day Concert featuring Ludacris
Ludacris headlines the post-parade concert at the northwest corner of Greenville Avenue and University Boulevard, with gates opening at noon. VIP is sold out, but general admission can still be had for $15 before or $20 at the gate. Bring your green hat rain or shine because this concert starts at noon regardless of weather.
Barley House St. Paddy's Day Bar Crawl
Barley House claims to host the "official" bar crawl for St. Patrick's Day. Whether or not that's true is still up for debate, but at least we know they are serious about their day drinking, which is really what is important this weekend. Get more details here.
The DramandCandleroom
These two are throwing a parking lot party with DJ Goody and DJ Marvel from noon until 6 pm. Shuttles take you from there to the Greenville Avenue Parade, and they’re running between 8 am and 5 pm. Cost is $5 a head.
Boxwood Tap+Grill
Boxwood may not be on Greenville Avenue, but it still has Irish spirit, thanks to Irish Julep pitchers for $22, Irish Mules for $8 and Car Bombs for $8.
Quarter Bar
The Quarter Bar is celebrating all weekend with $3 Guinness and Jameson, two for $10 Irish Car Bombs and $2 green Jell-o shots. And by all weekend we mean through Monday, because this is, after all, a three-day weekend for most people.
Sundown at Granada
Enjoy the after-parade parking lot party at Sundown if you are into live music. Ten acts perform throughout the day, including Sing Kumba, David Willingham Project, Gravity Feed and Burn Lucky.
GranadaTheater
Another rocking after-parade party with performances by Jonathan Tyler and the Northern Lights, plus Dead Flowers and Oil Boom.
Trinity Hall
Feeling sporty? Check out six rugby matches from 7 am until 2 pm. Music starts at 2 pm, featuring the Irish Rogues, followed by Jeff Phillips and Seamus Stout.
The Londoner
The British pub is hosting a Greenville Avenue rooftop patio party featuring DJ Paradise, VIP burger bar, promos from Stoli and Tullamore Dew, and complimentary beads and party favors.
Old Monk
Brunch is served starting at 10 am, featuring corned beef and cabbage, if you choose to partake.
Gin Mill
A full lineup of activities includes traditional Irish breakfast and brunch options, Irish specials all night, and Irish dancing. At 5 pm, Shoot Low Sheriff performs; at 10 pm, DJ Adam Pickrell takes over.
The Dubliner
It's a parade-day block party featuring The Mumbles, a New Wave Punk cover band, who take the stage at 8 pm.
Capitol Pub
Irish breakfast and brunch options until 3 pm. Live music from 5-9 pm, featuring the punk rock trio Ten Can Riot. The party continues with DJ Tyrone Smiley from 10 pm till close.
Blackfriar Pub
Enjoy brunch and drink specials from 11 am-2 pm. Yes, that's right: Blackfriar is opening up early and hoping for a porch party. Cheers!
Idle Rich Pub
Opens up early for brunch, serving corned beef and cabbage. From 11 am to 2 pm, enjoy Irish cuisine and some damn good drink specials.
Renfields Corner
Start drinking $5 frozen beeritas on the patio at noon and go strong until 2 am. DJ Spins does his thing starting at 10 pm.
Sunday, March 16
Trinity Hall
Trinity Hall hosts a family-friendly shindig with Irish music and dance, capped off with a pub quiz. Minors are welcome before 3 pm.
Gin Mill
A full Irish breakfast is available; corned beef and cabbage, Guinness beef stew, and fish and chips are available all day. Plus 20 percent off on bottles of wine and big ass beers.
Capitol Pub
The pub serves up an Irish breakfast and brunch until 3 pm.
Monday, March 17
Trinity Hall
The pub hosts a live music party unlike any other. From 10 am-1:30 pm, Jigshaw takes the stage, followed by the Irish Rogues from 2-6 pm, Jeff Phillips from 6-8 pm, and Seamus Stout from 9:30 pm to midnight.
Old Monk
Celebrate at the Old Monk with live music from Homespun Remedies at 5 pm, followed by The O's at 9 pm. Traditional corned beef and cabbage, Reubens and shepherd's pie are served all day.
Gin Mill
Bar opens at 3 pm to get the party started. At 5 pm, enjoy an Irish dancing display followed by a performance by Behan. Corned beef and cabbage, Guinness beef stew, and fish and chips are served all day.
The Dubliner
The bar opens at 11 am, and it serves traditional Irish food from 2-6 pm. The real action comes in the form of live music, with Behan (1-4 pm), Seamus Stout (5-8 pm) and the Irish Rogues (9-midnight).
Capitol Pub
The St. Patrick's Day party starts at 11 am. Seamus Stout performs traditional Celtic music, followed by Fingerless Ghost and DJ Kwasar. Partake in a full menu plus corned beef and cabbage, fish and chips, Guinness beef stew, and shepherd's pie.
Blackfriar Pub
From 2 pm-2 am, enjoy live music and lots of Irish food, including corned beef and fish and chips. Petty Theft, the Tom Petty cover band, takes the stage at 8 pm.
Idle Rich Pub
Live music with The O's starting at 4 pm, followed by The Killdares at 7 pm. Also check out the Irish dancing display at 5:30 pm, accompanied by a bagpiper. Traditional Irish corned beef and cabbage, fish and chips, and Reubens are served all day. The pub opens early for lunch, starting at 11 am.
Renfields Corner
The patio opens at 2 pm, and corned beef hoagies are served all day.
Olenjack’s Grille
Olenjack's offers $4 Guinness, Harps and Smithwick’s Irish Red. The restaurant is also doing a three-course meal, including Irish potato soup, house-made corned beef, and a choice of Guinness pretzel truffles or Guinness milkshake for dessert.
Flying Saucer
Flying Saucer in Addison hosts its first St. Patrick’s Day block party. The event starts at 7 pm and features an outdoor bar, food and music by DJ Russ. You can also meet Seamus O’Hara, owner of O’Hara’s Brewery based in Ireland.
British Beverage Co.
Empire 6 performs live on stage accompanied by DJ Gruve. Plus there is plenty of green beer and corned beef to go around.
Warwick Melrose Hotel
To round out this list, the Warwick Melrose Hotel is serving Tipsy Leprechauns, Mint Chocolate Shamrocktinis, Shenanigans and Sweet Lucks until the end of March, so you can keep the party going all month long.
Day drinking on Greenville Avenue is a St. Patrick's Day tradition in Dallas.
TAY-Gates will let you get up close and personal to a lifelike Taylor Swift cardboard cut-out.Courtesy photo