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Saint Patrick's Day in San Francisco: Best Ways to Celebrate St. Paddy's Day in 2025
By: Jill Loeffler • Updated: March 5, 2025 • Published: December 9, 2012
San Francisco is full of fun things to do on Saint Patrick's Day, including the annual parade, pub crawls, and live performances. The city is also home to more than a dozen Irish bars and restaurants.
This year, the holiday is on Monday, March 17 and most festivities will take place the weekend before.
Read on to find a list of ways you can celebrate, places with the best Irish dishes, top Irish bars, and other activities planned for the official celebration weekend.
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Saint Patrick's Day Parade & Festival
This is one of my pictures from the Saint Patrick's Day Parade in San Francisco that I took a couple of years ago.Every year, the United Irish Societies of San Francisco hosts a large Saint Patrick's Day Parade. The 2025 celebration is set for Saturday, March 15.
The Saint Patrick's Day parade begins at 11:30 am. The parade route begins at 2nd and Market streets and heads straight down Market Street all the way to Civic Center Plaza near San Francisco City Hall.
This parade is one of my favorites and I try to attend every year. What I love most about this parade is the music, the energy, and the amount of diversity in the parade.
I love to watch the parade from Market Street where it turns onto McAlister toward Civic Center Plaza. This is where I took the picture above. The parade walks straight toward me here and then makes the turn, so it's a unique viewpoint.
Learn More: Parade pictures and more details on this year's event
Saint Patrick's Day Parties, Events & Activities
Every year, many of the Irish pubs in SF also celebrate the holiday. Here are a few of the top events scheduled this year.
The Irish Bank
Every year, the Irish Bank celebrates with two fun block parties.
Saturday, 3/15: Saint Patrick's Day Parade Block Party #1
- Doors open at 11 am and party starts at 1:30 pm
- Lasts until 11:30 pm, 21 and older only
Monday, 3/17: Saint Patrick's Day Parade Block Party #2
- Doors open at 11 am and party starts at 1:30 pm
- 21 and older only, runs until 11:30 pm
The Irish Bank is located at 10 Mark Lane in the Financial District.
St. Paddy's Day Party at Schroeder's
Head over to Schroeder's in downtown SF (240 Front Street) for a St. Patrick's Day Party. All festivities will be on March 17, 2025. They will start at 2 pm and the party lasts until around 10 pm.
The party includes green beer, cheers, live music, and fun!
Pub Crawls
You will find a few pub crawls this year for Saint Patrick's Day in San Francisco.
3/14, 3/15, & 3/17: The LepraCon Pub Crawl
- Friday, 3/14: Runs from 6 pm to 11 pm, check in at Mayes Oyster House between 6 pm and 9 pm
- Saturday, 3/15: Runs from 2 pm to 10 pm, check in at Mayes Oyster House or Del Mar from 2 pm to 8 pm
- Monday, 3/17: Runs from 6 pm to 11 pm, check in at Mayes Oyster House or Del Mar from 6 pm to 9 pm
3/15: The Official Lucky's St. Patrick's Day Bar Crawl, starts at 4 pm at Emperor Norton's Boozeland at 510 Larkin Street
- Check in is between 4 pm and 6 pm
- Find drinks special until 10 pm with an after party from 11 pm to 11:50 pm
- Specials as 4+ venues
- 50% off exclusive drinks
- Pick up your tickets today
Concerts on Saint Patrick's Day Weekend in San Francisco
You will find several concerts this holiday in SF. Here are just a few of the top shows on Saint Patrick's Day Weekend.
- 3/14: Sullivan King at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
- 3/15: Anberlin at The Regency Ballroom
- 3/15: Etienne Charles at the SFJAZZ Center
- 3/15 & 3/16: Saint Motel at The Fillmore
- 3/15: Bishop Briggs at The Great American Music Hall
- 3/15: Dyertribe at the SFJAZZ Center
- 3/16: House of Waters at the SFJAZZ Center
- 3/16: Kard at The Regency Ballroom
- 3/16: Pigeons Playing Ping Pong at August Hall
- 3/16: Senses - Band at Brick & Mortar Music Hall
- 3/17: Pom Pom Squad at the Rickshaw Stop
- 3/17: Lady Blackbird at Cafe du Nord
>> Find additional concerts in March
Buena Vista Cafe
Get in the Irish spirit on Saint Patrick's Day at the Buena Vista Cafe. All day long, they will be serving up corned beef and cabbage, Irish soda bread, and other Buena Vista favorites.
And...of course, make sure to enjoy at least one of their Irish Coffees during your visit!
They are open all day on Monday, March 17.
Details: More information on what it's like at the Buena Vista Cafe
More Fun Irish Pubs & Restaurants
I love checking out the local Irish Pubs and Restaurants. In addition to the Buena Visit, here are just a few additional places I love that offer traditional food and drinks for this fun, lively holiday.
Learn More: Top Irish Pubs & Restaurants
More Fun Things to Do on Saint Patrick's Day Weekend in San Francisco
During your visit, I highly recommend you check out some of our fun tour and activities to learn more about SF. Here are a few of my favorites.
Bay Cruise
Tour Length: 60 minutes
Tickets: Find tickets in advance
I love heading out on the water on this 60-minute Bay Cruise. My favorite part of this cruise is when it heads under the Golden Gate Bridge and I get the chance to see this amazing structure from below.
I also love both the commentary and the views as it rides around Alcatraz Island. This fun cruise starts and ends in Fisherman's Wharf.
This one leaves several times a day, so you will have plenty of options to choose from when you arrive.
Early Bird GoCar Tour
Tour Length: Standard tour is 2 hours, but the early bird tour sometimes offer an extra hour
Tickets: Find tickets and more details for this tour
Before the celebrations begin, I think you will love cruising around San Francisco on a GoCar Tour.
These tours are in a GoCar which offers just two seats. I love exploring in these as they offer me the chance to cruise around at my own pace. They also include pre-recorded driving directions, so you make sure you visit all the top spots on the tour.
If you are in a group, you can rent two or more cars to fit your entire group.
These open air cars are a fun way to enjoy SF!
These tours also start and end in Fisherman's Wharf.
Twilight Cruise on the SF Bay
Tour Length: 90-minutes
Tickets: Find more details and advanced tickets
Another one of my favorites for Saint Patrick's Day Weekend in San Francisco is the Twilight Cruise on the Bay. This 90-minute cruise offers views of the SF Skyline. It's a fun way to relax and soak in the views on this fun annual holiday.
What I love most about this one is being on the bay at twilight. It also cruises under the Golden Gate Bridge, which I love. This one also has commentary about the history of SF and the places you will ride by including Alcatraz, Sausalito, Fort Point National Historic Site, and many others.
This one leaves at 7 pm every night this weekend. Both indoor and outdoor seating is available.
Other Saint Patrick's Day & Weekend Activities for 2025
If you're not into the party scene, or are looking for something to do before heading out to the pubs, here are some additional activities planned for Saint Patrick's Day and the weekend.
San Francisco Theater
You will find a variety of performance on stage this Saint Patrick's Day in San Francisco.
They range from Broadway hits to off Broadway and local creations at smaller theaters all around town.
This weekend's biggest show is Nobody Loves You at the American Conservatory Theater.
This musical is the story about a very popular reality dating show.
It follows the story of Jeff, who makes his way onto the show to win back his ex, when, instead, he falls for the shows producer. Will their relationship last in the age of cameras and selfies?
>> Find additional theater shows this March
Get Loads of Laughs
Head over to one of our top comedy clubs to see some of the top talent live on stage. You can be sure that St. Patrick's Day in San Francisco is a perfect day to see the best here.
Here are just a few of the ones I recommend.
- 3/14 - 3/15: Jiaying Summers at Cobb's Comedy Club
- 3/16: Captivate Through Comedy 201 Graduation Show
- 3/16: SF Comedy Showcase at Punch Line Comedy Club
>> Full schedule of upcoming performances
Top Hotels for Saint Patrick's Day Weekend
There are several great places in San Francisco to stay on St. Patrick's Day. Since most of the action is in and around the downtown and Union Square areas, I recommend looking for a hotel near one of these districts.
Both of these neighborhoods offer a variety of public transportation options, so you can easily get to the rest of the city from here. Take a look at these recommendations based on budget, amenities, and location.
You can also look for discounts on TripAdvisor or Booking.com before you book your hotel. They offer several discounts on room rates, parking, wifi, and more. Click the links below for details.
Booking: Find great deals all around San Francisco for your upcoming stay!
TripAdvisor: What's the #1 hotel in San Francisco? Read reviews & find hotel deals on TripAdvisor!
VRBO: Besides hotels, you'll also find some great places to stay locally through VRBO. Book an apartment or a room and feel more like a local. Find some great places to stay on VRBO here.
Where to Watch the NCAA Tournament Team Selection Show
St. Patrick's Day always coincides with the NCAA basketball tournament. This year, the NCAA team selection show is on Saint Patrick's Day. Here are some of the places in San Francisco where you can see which teams will make the cut in 2025.
1. Johnny Foley's Irish House: This is a great place to watch the games. I recommend heading toward the back of the bar where there are several TVs. From here, you can watch the game from either the tables or from selected seats right at the bar.
2. Kezar Pub: This small but popular Irish bar is also a great place to watch the basketball tournament. You'll also get to mingle with locals and sample the pub's amazing "bangers & mash." The bar usually opens around 11:30am and is located in the Haight-Ashbury District just steps from Golden Gate Park at 770 Stanyan Street.
3. Nickie's: If you prefer to focus on the basketball tournament rather than the Irish celebrations, then Nickie's is the place for you. This sports bar in the Lower Haight neighborhood offers pub food all day as well as a great selection of beers. They normally open around noon and you will find them at 466 Haight St.
4. Greens Sports Bar: Another place to watch basketball is Greens Sports Bar in the Russian Hill neighborhood. This place is usually really crowded, so plan on standing for a while until a seat opens up. It's a bar only, no food, but a great place to watch the games. Here you'll mainly find locals from the surrounding neighborhood. Greens normally opens around 10 am and is at 2239 Polk St.
More Top Holidays in San Francisco
Hi, I'm Jill!
Dreaming of a San Francisco vacation? As a proud local, I'm here to share my insider tips and personal experiences to help you make the most of this iconic city!
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