Plan your St. Patrick’s Day festivities with this guide
When it comes to our Irish heritage, the Kansas City area has plenty to take pride in, and with St. Patrick’s Day on the horizon, now is when that becomes most obvious.
Last year, Niche.com ranked Kansas City seventh among its “Best Cities to Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day,” ahead of Chicago and St. Louis. The article cited our bars, parades and St. Patrick’s Day Facebook hype.
The Kansas City St. Patrick’s Day Parade will, of course, be the centerpiece of our celebration. It enters its 45th year and annually attracts an estimated 200,000 along its midtown course. But there are plenty of other people and things we call our own that will be on display this wearin’-of-the-green season:
▪ Pat O’Neill, chronicler of local Irish history, will talk Thursday, March 2, at the Kansas City Central Library.
▪ The Kansas City Irish Center, a mecca for genealogists, will be the site of a concert by Dublin folk group the High Kings on Wednesday, March 8.
▪ Kansas City-based world-class Irish rock band the Elders will present their annual Hoolie on Saturday, March 11, at Knuckleheads Saloon.
▪ Kelly’s Westport Inn, the ultimate Irish saloon, will draw throngs to its St. Patrick’s Day celebration beginning at 10 a.m. and running nonstop through 3 a.m.
The following is a guide to the St. Patrick’s Day season in Kansas City:
Parades and festivals
Emerald Isle Parade
Details: Noon, March 11. Irish breakfast, 8-11 a.m.; Pot O’ Gold Coin Hunt, 11 a.m.
Info: Third and Douglas, Lee’s Summit; downtownls.org, 816-246-6598
Brookside St. Patrick’s Day Warm Up Parade
Details: 2 p.m. March 11. More than 100 organizations; theme will be “Shamrockin’ It.”
Info: 65th and Wornall; brooksidekc.org/st-patricks-parade
Mardi Gras Irish Festival
Details: 2 p.m. March 11. Beer garden, parade and children’s activities.
Info: Downtown Excelsior Springs; visitexcelsior.com/mardigras.html
Belton St. Patrick’s Day Parade
Details: 4 p.m. March 11. Most of route down Main Street.
Info: Memorial Park, Belton; belton.org, 816-331-5038
Snake Saturday Parade and Festival
Details: March 11. Parade, 11 a.m.; festival, 10 a.m. (also evening of March 10).
Info: Downtown North Kansas City; snakesaturday.com, 816-548-3113
Irishpalooza
Details: March 12. Whiskey Run 5K, 8:30 a.m.; Best Dressed Dog Contest, 11:30 a.m.; Prince and Princess Contest, 12:30 p.m.; parade, 2 p.m.
Info: 135th and Oak, Martin City; irishpalooza.com
Shawnee St. Patrick’s Parade
Details: 1 p.m. March 12. Irish American Club of Johnson County.
Info: Johnson Drive and Monrovia, Shawnee; cityofshawnee.org
Blue Springs “Shortest and Smallest” St. Patrick’s Day Parade
Details: 9 a.m. March 17. Begins at 1112 W. Main and goes across street.
Info: Main, Blue Springs; bluespringschamber.com
Kansas City St. Patrick’s Day Parade
Details: 11 a.m. March 17. Begins at Linwood and Broadway and goes south along Broadway to 43rd Street.
Info: Midtown; kcirishparade.com
Leavenworth St. Patrick’s Day Parade
Details: Noon, March 17. Parade is 34th annual.
Info: Fourth and Walnut, Leavenworth; lvirish.com, 913-682-4113
Lawrence St. Patrick’s Day Parade
Details: 1 p.m. March 17. Route goes through downtown business district.
Info: 11th and Massachusetts, Lawrence; lawrencestpatricksdayparade.com
Other events
Kansas City Central Library
Details: Pat O’Neill will appear for his book “From the Bottom Up: The Story of the Irish in Kansas City.” 6:30 p.m. March 2. Also, exhibit “A Photo Album of Ireland” on display through March 17. Free.
Info: 14 W. 10th; kclibrary.org, 816-701-3400
Shamrock Shake-Up Indoor Triathlon
Details: 7 a.m.-noon March 4; Gladstone Community Center. $30-$35
Info: 6901 N. Holmes, Gladstone; gladstonecommunitycenter.com, 816-423-4200
St. Pat’s Scavenger Crawl
Details: 1-5 p.m. March 4. Martini Corner.
Info: 401 E. 31st; kc-crew.com, 816-812-1829
St. Patrick’s Day 4 Mile Run
Details: 10 a.m. March 11; $31-$40 (Little Shamrock Kids Run $12-$15). Post-race Irish breakfast buffet, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at Gambal’s ($13).
Info: Westport Road and Pennsylvania Avenue; stpatricksday4milerun.com
St. Pat’s Bar Crawl
Details: 2-8 p.m. March 18. $20-$30.
Info: Check in at the Well, 7421 Broadway; eventbrite.com/event/22740513488
Music
Kansas City Irish Center
Details: The High Kings. 7 p.m. March 8; $30-$50.
Info: Drexel Hall, 3301 Baltimore; irishcenterkc.org, 816-474-3848
Knuckleheads
Details: The Elders Hoolie with O’Riada-Manning Irish Dancers and the Country Duo. 8 p.m. March 11; $25-$40.
Info: 2715 Rochester; knuckleheadshonkytonk.com, 816-483-1456
Liberty Hall
Details: Songs from Ireland with Ashley Davis, Carswell & Hope and others. 7:30 p.m. March 16; $15-$20.
Info: 644 Massachusetts, Lawrence. libertyhall.net, 785-749-1972
Kanza Hall
Details: Bon Ton Soul Accordion Band. 6 p.m. March 17; $10.
Info: 7300 W. 119th, Overland Park. oneblocksouthkc.com, 913-451-0444
Power & Light District
Details: Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness with Atlas Genius and Night Riots for St. Patrick’s Day concert. 6 p.m. March 17; free.
Info: 14th and Walnut; powerandlightdistrict.com
Acoustic Alcove
Details: Connie Dover and Kelly Werts. 6:30 p.m. March 18; $15.
Info: Unity Village, 1901 N.W. Blue Parkway. eventbrite.com/event/30826551044
Other things to do
The Spott
Details: Naughty St. Patrick’s Green Night, 8:30 p.m. March 11; $15-$60.
Info: 2111 Television Place; thespottkc.com
Paddy O’Quigley’s
Details: St. Paddy’s Day Hoolie with breakfast and Shamrockin’ Celebration. 9 a.m. March 17.
Info: 5317 W. 151st, Leawood; paddyoquigleys.com, 913-601-3511
Uptown Arts Bar
Details: Continental breakfast ($5) and Jameson on special; 9 a.m. March 17. St. Paddy’s Soiree with live music; 8 p.m. March 17; $5.
Info: 3611 Broadway; uptownartsbar.com, 816-808-1252
Californos
Details: Irish buffet, drink specials and live music. 10 a.m. March 17.
Info: 4124 Pennsylvania; californos.com, 816-531-7878
Kelly’s Westport Inn
Details: Opens at 10 a.m. March 17; $10 donation.
Info: 500 Westport; kellyswestportinn.com, 816-561-5800
Howl at the Moon
Details: St. Paddy’s Day Party with drink specials. 6 p.m. March 17.
Info: Kansas City Power & Light District, 1334 Grand; howlatthemoon.com/kansas-city, 816-471-4695
Weston Wine Co.
Details: Delectable Irish Cream Cupcake Release & Green Wine, 11 a.m. March 17-19; $1.99.
Info: 519 Main, Weston. westonwinecompany.com, 816-386-2345
Other places to go
Browne’s Irish Marketplace
Info: 3300 Pennsylvania; brownesmarket.com, 816-561-0030
Celtic Ranch
Info: 404 Main, Weston; celticranch.com, 816-640-2881
Conroy’s Public House
Info: 5285 W. 95th, Overland Park; conroysop.com, 913-648-2244
The Dubliner
Info: Kansas City Power & Light District, 170 E. 14th; thedublinerkc.com, 816-268-4700
The Irish Pub House
Info: 6332 Raytown Road, Raytown; 816-353-5700
Llywelyn’s
Info: 6995 W. 151st, Overland Park, and 301 S.E. Douglas, Lee’s Summit; llywelynspub.com/op and llywelynspub.com/lees-summit, 913-402-0333
McCoy’s Public House
Info: 4057 Pennsylvania; mccoyskc.com, 816-960-0866
O’Dowd’s Little Dublin
Info: 4742 Pennsylvania; odowdslittledublin.com, 816-561-2700
O’Malley’s
Info: 500 Welt, Weston; westonirish.com/omalleys.html, 816-640-5235
O’Neill’s
Info: 9417 Mission, Leawood; kconeills.com, 913-648-4900
Paddy O’Quigley’s
Info: 5317 W. 151st, Leawood; paddyoquigleys.com, 913-601-3511
Sheehan’s Irish Imports
Info: 410 E Gregory; sheehansirish.com, 816-561-4480
This story was originally published March 1, 2017 at 8:00 AM with the headline "Plan your St. Patrick’s Day festivities with this guide."