Best St. Patrick's Day Celebrations in San Diego

The 43rd Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade & Festival is set to kick-off starting at 9:00am on Saturday, March 15th in Balboa Park with the famed parade starting at 10:30am near Fifth Avenue and Laurel Street.

The food and drink stalls at the festival are a yearly highlight for me but the live Irish music sets the atmosphere as well. There are games and rides for the kids and a lot of chances to learn about Irish culture making the event one I would recommend for families.

The parade and festival lasts until 6:00pm. The full day event, part of our Complete Guide to All the Holidays in San Diego, wouldn’t be complete for me without a pint of Guinness, plus you’ll find dancers and stalls selling Irish items like Celtic jewelry and other handmade goods.

The Irish 4 a Day celebration presented by the San Diego Tourism Authority is a 21+ event set for Friday and Saturday night in the Gaslamp Quarter.

With more than 30 bars and clubs participating, attendees will get a club pass, drink tickets, drink specials, a goodie bag and a bar map. You’ll want to pick up your gifts and drink coupons from American Junkie between 6:00pm and 8:30pm on the day of the event. There is also an exclusive opening party at American Junkie with special entertainment.

The massive bar crawl style event will include $12 overnight parking if you want to drive in, but taking a rideshare or the FRED electric shuttle into the area would be great options as well.

Tickets for the event range from $27 for the ‘virgin pass’ with no drinks included to $40 which included 12 drink tickets at 30 venues. Use the discount code ‘SDTA25’ to save 10% at checkout.

The annual San Diego Leprechaun Run 5K will kick off at 9:00am in Pacific Beach on Saturday, March 15th and I’m pretty excited!

Making our list as one of the 10 Best Races in San Diego of 2025 and the first event of the 3 race ‘PB Run Challenge’ for 2025, Todd and his wife plus a group of friends all dressed in green will all be there ready to start the morning off right.

Along with the Pacific Beach Half Marathon and 5K set for October and the Santa Run set for early December which make up the other races for the PB Run Challenge, these races will surely attract thousands of runners and spectators to Todd’s neighborhood, to race, but also to just be part of the festive atmosphere. Racers will get a t-shirt and finisher’s medal plus a complimentary drink in celebration of a job well done!

The Kid’s 1 Mile run starts at 10:30am and is another way to make sure everyone in your family, no matter how small, can be part of the event!

As an event that literally runs through Todd’s front yard, we decided to feature it on our Complete Guide to All the Holidays in San Diego for 2025 as well!

The 29th Annual St. Paddy's Day Music + Beer Festival kicks off Saturday, March 15th at 2:00pm in the Gaslamp Quarter with the entrance at 5th & F St. Open to attendees of all ages, you can expect Irish rock, tribute bands and DJ’s on three stages plus Irish dancers between performances.

There will also be ShamROCK games which if like past years will be hilarious events perfect for the entire family. I’m expecting a dance contest, strong man and limbo competitions, unicorn races and local leprechauns playing last man standing with chairs being removed with each passing round.

ShamROCK After Dark kicks off at 8:00pm with DJ’s, giveaways, and drink specials. Of course you can expect Irish faire and lots of green beer and drinks with a Southern California twist.

And if you want to stay right in the center of the action, the Andaz San Diego Hotel, a Hyatt hotel, is offering specials for the weekend and guaranteed late checkout. The Moxy San Diego Downtown / Gaslamp Quarter by Marriott is another perfectly located hotel offering group rates and a welcome drink upon arrival.

I also think it’s really cool that the event benefits a good cause as 100% of the proceeds benefit the Gaslamp Quarter Historical Foundation. As one of the older parts of San Diego with attractions like the The Gaslamp Museum at the Davis-Horton House, I’m a big fan of preserving the storied history of San Diego.

Tickets range from $35 for kids 5-17 for general admission and $55 for adults general admission up to $130 for the Lucky Leprechaun VIP pass with prices going up on the day of the event.

Point Loma is hosting their 5th Annual 3-Day St. Patrick’s Day celebration and in 2025, the event is totally free to attend!

They set the stage as an old fashioned bar and patio party complete with green beer and cocktails, tasty Irish food, games and live music plus ongoing entertainment.

Kicking off with Major Rager at 1:00pm on Saturday, Savage Touch will take the party all the way until 1:00am. Sunday you can expect music from 1:00pm until 7:30pm. Monday, March 17th, St. Patrick’s Day itself will kick-off at 10:00am and last until 10:00pm for a full day of fun.

For me this event is about getting together dressed in green with friends and family for a quality Irish meal, a few green drinks and some festive live music!

We’ve got one more St. Patrick’s Day event for the 2025 season that will surely be filled with leprechauns dressed in their finest green!

The Leprechauns & Live Music at Seaport Village is a family-friendly event taking place Sunday afternoon, March 16th from 12:00pm until 3:00pm. Located along the picturesque San Diego Bay in Downtown San Diego, going for a stroll, grabbing an ice cream or doing a little shopping at Seaport Village in the Embarcadero is one of my favorite ways to spend a weekend afternoon in the springtime.

While surely a very energized crowd, I’m expecting this event to be a good fit for families with younger kids. If the weather is good, which usually is incredible this time of year, you can grab lunch from one of the eateries on the west courtyard as you enjoy Irish music and head to the pond for a picture in the shamrock light tunnel.

I’ve been told there just might be a leprechaun hiding in the Lighthouse District, but you’ll have to attend to check it out for yourself!