Gearing up to pop on a shamrock and enjoy a well-earned day off work? Rest assured, St Patricks Day is on the way! The annual Irish holiday, lovingly coined ‘Paddy’s Day’, has become a global phenomenon known for being a day of parades, green outfits, drinking, and dancing, what’s not to like?
Simply carry on reading to find out not only when all the Irish action gets underway, but also why this holiday is celebrated (in both Ireland and across the world!), and how you can make the most of these unmissable St Paddy’s Day events.
No stranger to a good knees-up, The Bierkeller team can make your St Patricks Day far more memorable this year! Book a bench at one of our lively UK locations (you’ll find us in Manchester, Birmingham, Nottingham, and Liverpool) and experience Paddy’s Day in all its green glory!
When is Paddy’s Day?
So, what date is Paddy’s Day exactly? Well, all the patriotic celebrations kick off on March 17th! Landing on a Monday in 2025, revellers will be able to make the most of St Patricks Day events with this gloriously long weekend.
No doubt, pubs, bars, restaurants, and clubs across Ireland and the UK will be hosting events all weekend to keep the festivities going. To avoid disappointment, we recommend getting your pals together and booking a table today!
What does St Paddy’s Day celebrate?
If you’re keen to learn more about the background of St. Paddy’s Day before embracing this beloved public holiday, we can help – so, what is St Patrick’s Day all about?
This day was made a public holiday to commemorate Saint Patrick, a patron saint of Ireland, who is credited with bringing Christianity into the country. Saint Patrick was the first bishop of Armagh and Primate of Ireland, so these celebrations originally centred around religious feasts and events.
Nowadays, while the day still holds religious value for many, it’s also widely viewed as a secular celebration of Irish culture, particularly outside of Ireland in countries that received mass Irish immigrants, such as the United States.
Looking for more fun facts about St Patrick’s Day? Legend says that not only did the patron saint bring Christianity to the island, but he also made the shamrock fashionable (which is now the national plant of Ireland), and banished all snakes from Ireland.
Is Paddy’s Day always on the 17th?
Yes, despite only being made an official public holiday in Ireland in 1903, St Patrick’s Day has been celebrated every year on March 17th for over 1500 years – and this year is no exception! This means the public holiday can fall on any day of the week (be it a sought-after Monday or Friday!), as long as it’s the 17th of March.
Now we’ve answered the all-important question, ‘when is it St Patrick’s Day’, let’s explain why March 17th is so special. It’s widely believed that St Paddy’s Day is celebrated on March 17th every year because this was the date of the saint’s death – he reportedly died on March 17th in 461 after reaching the age of 76!
Why does the UK celebrate St Patrick’s Day?
Part of the United Kingdom, plenty of people living in Northern Ireland will of course be celebrating this Irish public holiday! However, as one of the UK’s closest neighbours and, not one to turn down a festival, England occupants are no strangers to partaking in some St Patrick’s Day events either.
Many Irish bars have also made England their home, supporting St Paddy’s Day frivolities with lots of live music, pints upon pints of Guinness (what else!?), and endless green decorations. Plus, this means that England-based individuals with Irish ancestry needn’t make the trip to Ireland to take part in the fun.
Why is St Patrick’s Day so big?
England isn’t the only country gate-crashing the Irish party either! From the United States to Spain, Argentina, and even down under in Australia, there’s plenty of nationalities that want in on the Irish action, but why?
While this popular Irish feast day originated in Ireland, it quickly spread across the world with the emigration of the Irish. St Paddy’s Day has therefore become another way that Irish emigrants can stay connected to their cultural roots and identity.
Naturally, each country has their own take on the traditional St Patrick’s Day activities, making Paddy’s Day celebrations unique depending on where you choose to spend it.
How is St Patrick’s Day celebrated?
As touched on above, not every country celebrates St Patrick’s Day in the same way, but what’s the most traditional way to pay homage to the incredible Irish culture and heritage?
Generally, St Paddy’s Day celebrations involve public parades and festivals, céilithe (a type of traditional Irish social gathering), as well as the donning of green attire and shamrocks. The evolution of this traditional affair into a cultural holiday, however, has brought with it a different way of celebrating.
This includes everything from the dishing up of special foods (corned beef and cabbage is always a crowd pleaser!), live music shows, dancing, and, in many cases, an awful lot of drinking! Cue, The Bierkeller.
How does The Bierkeller celebrate St Patrick’s Day?
At The Bierkeller, we never shy away from a celebration – and St Paddy’s Day is no exception! No matter whether you’re starting St Patrick’s Day festivities early on Friday 15th March or hoping to make the most of Monday, why not let our friendly team help?
While it’s true that we specialise in all things Bavarian, one thing that we can pull off is a party! With four UK venues to visit, you’re just a short trip away from an unforgettable St Paddy’s Day.
How to celebrate Paddy’s Day in Liverpool
Wondering what there is to do in Liverpool for St Paddy’s Day? One attraction that’s hard to miss – especially during this religious holiday – is Liverpool Cathedral. Whether you want to worship or simply enjoy some quiet reflection, this awe-inspiring landmark is actually Britain’s biggest cathedral.
Looking for something a little livelier? From the bustling city centre to the more peaceful suburbs, Liverpool is home to countless great Irish bars that are simply itching to serve up pints of glorious Guinness come St Patrick’s Day.
Alternatively, if bar crawling isn’t your idea of a fun night out, the city also has a global reputation for its music scene – offering you the perfect opportunity to dance and sing the night away in one of their numerous karaoke bars or clubs!
Luckily, our Liverpool venue combines the best of both worlds. Known for our rip-roaring Oompah games and songs that get everyone up on their feet, you can dance, sing, and drink to your heart’s content all in one convenient place.
Plus, to satisfy your cravings after you’ve danced up an appetite, you’ll find a generous menu of irresistible plates to dig your teeth into – we’re talking crispy chicken wings, loaded waffle fries, juicy bratwursts, sourdough pizzas, and so much more.
Reserve your space at Liverpool Bierkeller for St Patrick’s Day
How to celebrate Paddy’s Day in Manchester
With a rich cultural history, Manchester offers St Patrick’s Day revelers an entertaining parade that celebrates the city’s Irish inhabitants. In fact, last year, Manchester held its 35th annual St Patrick’s Day parade and is set to continue this tradition on March 16th in 2025.
The parade traditionally departs from the Irish World Heritage Centre in Manchester, so why not head to over to Smedley and get involved in the action? Once the parade is over, you can always meet up with some mates in a nearby bar to keep the party going!
Whether you live in Manchester or are simply passing through, this vibrant city is filled with no end of Irish bars and clubs to explore on St Paddy’s Day. From Mulligan’s to O’Sheas, Manchester is buzzing with patriotic Irish energy!
Included in this tempting selection is our Manchester Bierkeller bar! On top of our all-singing and all-dancing entertainment that only adds to the party atmosphere, our friendly team offers visitors a range of drinks and Bavarian-inspired dishes to explore.
You can snack on buttermilk fried boneless wings, try one of our super-sized pretzels, or fill up on a plant-based sausage – whichever tickles your fancy. To wash down this banquet of food fit for an Irish feast, try a stein of your preferred on-tap German or international beer (Guinness included!).
Book a bench at Manchester Bierkeller for St Patrick’s Day
How to celebrate Paddy’s Day in Nottingham
For any St Patricks Day celebrators in the Midlands, we recommend paying Nottingham a visit. To pay homage to the region’s Irish community and descendants, the city holds a free (yes, free!) annual St Paddy’s Day event every year in the city centre.
Simply head to Old Market Square to enjoy speeches from notable Irish figures, Irish-inspired live music, and dance performances. Nottingham even puts on an annual dedicated St Patrick’s Day Festival and Parade – a tradition they’ve stuck to since 2000!
Despite its smaller size than the likes of Liverpool and Manchester, the city is well-known for its fantastic nightlife, which makes finding a Nottingham bar to continue the celebrations from the day all too easy.
Naturally, our Nottingham venue is sure to be a popular spot for St Patrick’s Day partygoers thanks to its wide variety of drinks (Carling, Guinness, Erdinger, ABK Hells, Corona, and Madri, to name a few!) and long list of tasty food menu items.
It might not be corned beef and cabbage, but a cheesy vegan pizza or delicious sharing platter of BBQ hog sliders, mini chicken schnitzels, and pigs-in-blankets is sure to go down a treat after a long day of St Paddy’s Day excitement.
Reserve your seat at Nottingham Bierkeller for St Patrick’s Day
How to celebrate Paddy’s Day in Birmingham
One of the best places in the UK to celebrate St Paddy’s Day has got to be Birmingham. Kicking off the fun with a St Patrick’s parade that dates back to 1952 (making it the very first in Britain!), attendees are covered in confetti and treated to a celebration of the city’s multiculturalism.
As well as putting on unmissable performances from Irish dancers, there’s also guest appearances from other Birmingham communities, including Caribbean dancers, Welsh dragons, and Chinese dragons – something that’s will undoubtedly get the crowd moving!
Birmingham clubs, pubs, and restaurants, of which there’s no shortage, will then be on hand to refresh you and your friends after a long day of enjoying the friendly and lively city atmosphere.
So, if you’re searching for the perfect St Patrick’s Day spot in Birmingham to take your pals, look no further. Our Birmingham Bierkeller bar is guaranteed to impress! With sharing showstoppers like beer towers, cocktail trees buckets, boots filled to the brim, and 5-litre table top keggies on offer, need we say more?
Plus, if you’re worried about a lack-lustre menu not doing justice for St Paddy’s Day, you can wave goodbye to those concerns. Bratwursts finished with sauerkraut and crispy onions, soft sourdough pizzas from Doughboys, and hefty sharing platters offer plenty of delicious options for all.
Book your spot at Birmingham Bierkeller for St Patrick’s Day
Celebrate St Paddy’s Day at The Bierkeller!
Unfortunately, The Bierkeller isn’t an Irish bar, but this doesn’t mean that we can’t still make your St Paddy’s Day celebrations more memorable! In fact, all the city’s top Irish bars are likely to be jam-packed come March 17th, so why not reserve a comfortable spot at your nearest Bierkeller bar?
Bringing all the best vibes, endless steins of dark and creamy Guinness, and even shots of baby Guinness (that tasty combo of Bailey’s and Kahlua), who’d have thought that a Bavarian bar could pull off such a successful St Paddy’s Day bash?