19 things to do for St. Patrick's Day weekend in the Wilmington area

For the most part, St. Patrick's Day in Wilmington, and probably nationwide, will be celebrated on Saturday this year. See the list below for many, many ways to celebrate.

If you're a purist who likes to celebrate things on the day they happen, well, St. Patrick's Day is technically on a Sunday this year. If you asked me for my top three Wilmington spots to check out on St. Pat's?

I'd start with The Harp at Third and Greenfield streets, which has long been ground zero for St. Patrick's Day in Wilmington. In the heart of downtown, I'd have to go with Slainte, which will be open extra early on Sunday to help you get the day started right (or continue the party from Saturday, if that's where you're at).

And, while it's tough to keep it to three, let's round it out with Paddy's Hollow in the Cotton Exchange, which not only is one of downtown's oldest bar/restaurant establishments, dating as it does back to the 1980s, but it's named (kind of) after the patron saint of this holiday.

Check below for a loaded list of weekend activities. Éirinn go Brách!

Going green: 17 Wilmington-area places you can drink a pint (or 2) for St. Patrick's Day

ALL WEEKEND

Dana Gould

March 15-16 at Dead Crow Comedy Room: Gould's got some impeccable comedy bona fides. He's been on "Seinfeld" (as "Fragile" Frankie Merman) and "Family Guy" (as himself), has written for "The Simpsons," "The Ben Stiller Show" and run the gauntlet of late-night show appearances. Now he's bringing his stand-up act to Wilmington for the first time since 2019. 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. March 15-16, tickets are $25 and $35.

Comedy Gould: The writer, actor and comedian Dana Gould

FRIDAY

Fortune Feimster

March 15 at CFCC Wilson Center: Her early show is almost entirely sold out, but there are still good seats left to see this popular comic's late show at the Wilson Center. Feimster, who last performed in Wilmington at the old Dead Crow Comedy Room, when it was on Front Street, has had two Netflix specials ("Sweet & Salty" and "Good Fortune") and appeared on such shows as "The L Word," "The Simpsons" and "The Mindy Project," as well as in the movie "Soul." 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. March 15, tickets start at $30. 910-362-7999.

Port City Poetry Jam

March 15 at UNCW's Kenan Auditorium: Presented by the University of North Carolina Wilmington in association with Wilmington's Black Arts Alliance, this evening of spoken word will be headlined by Dasan Ahanu, North Carolina’s 2023 Piedmont Poet Laureate. Local and regional poets will perform as well. 7:30 p.m. March 15, tickets are $25. 910-962-3500.

Holy Heat

March 15 at Bourgie Nights: EP release show for the trio fronted by Wilmington singer and songwriter Carlos Rising. Titled "Too Dramatic," the tunes have more of a rock vibe than Rising's folk/R&B-flavored solo stuff. Opening act is singer Kate Consentino. 8 p.m. doors, 9 p.m. show, March 15. Tickets are $10 in advance, at $15 at the door.

Carlos Rising: A year after shining on 'The Voice,' Wilmington singer looks to enter a new 'Phase'

Time Sawyer

March 15 at Live at Ted's: Elkin folk rock band has played such name festivals as MerleFest and FloydFest, and their style is a blend of traditional and contemporary sounds. Should be a good fit for this Castle Street listening room. 8 p.m. March 15, tickets are $15.

SATURDAY

Wilmington St. Patrick's Day Parade

March 16 in downtown Wilmington: The 23rd annual Wilmington St. Patrick's Day Parade returns to the streets of downtown for what will be a spirited and green-hued celebration. Marching in the parade will be the 2nd Marine Division Band, Wilmington Police Pipes and Drums, the Shriners' drum and bugle corps, the Port City Rollerz roller skating club, local politicians and dignitaries, and more. Longtime parade organizers and fundraisers Meg and Joe Newcomb will serve as grand marshals. 11 a.m. March 16, free.

St. Patrick's Day Kegs & Eggs

March 16 at the Eagle's Dare: Start your St. Patrick's celebration with a nice, filling breakfast, and a few beers, of course. The On Thyme food truck will be serving up breakfast food from their new spot, Brunch Thyme, with Matt Smith spinning Irish tunes from noon-3 p.m. followed by live Irish music with the Blarney Brougues. 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m. March 16.

St. Patrick's Day at Fermental

March 16 at Fermental: Celebrate St. Patrick's Day on a Saturday at this Cargo District spot. Features a Green Ale from Carolina Brewery, Fermental's Shamrock Slush (mint-infused prosecco slushee) and Irish music from (who else?) the Blarney Brouges at 7 p.m. 11 a.m. March 16, free.

St. Patrick's at Rooster & The Crow

March 16 at Rooster & The Crow: If you've not been to beer garden at Rooster & The Crow in Chandler's Wharf, it's a great spot to hang. For this St. Patrick's Party there will be live music all day, starting with traditional Celtic and Scottish tunes from the John Duncan and Carter Giegerich Duo at 1 p.m.; the Marshall Brown Bluegrass Band at 3 p.m.; and Celtic punk from the Tan & Sober Gentlemen at 7 p.m. 1-10 p.m. March 16, free.

Beehive Blondes

March 16 at Prost: The interactive Wilmington DJ and dance duo brings their Get Lucky-A-Go-Go dance party to this German spot on Front Street for an Irish celebration. (We're all Irish on St. Patrick's, even the Germans.) The party, which will be heavy on the Irish artists and be held on Prost's super-sweet back patio, brings the Blondes back to to their old stomping grounds. They used to perform at Tails Piano Bar, which was where Prost is now. 9:30 p.m.-midnight March 16.

Step Afrika!

March 16 at CFCC Wilson Center: Billing itself as "the first dance company in the world dedicated to stepping," this troupe's show is highly percussive, rhythmic, energetic and athletic as it charts the roots of step dancing from historically Black colleges and universities back to Africa, where it originated. 7:30 p.m. March 16, tickets start at $28. 910-362-7999.

Community Day at CAM

March 16 at the Cameron Art Museum: This free day at Wilmington's premiere art museum is focused on family and resilience. Activities for families will hold sway from 10 a.m. to noon, with art stations, musical instrument sharing, games, a mini-music class, even a little basketball. Documentary film "The Right to Read," about the fight to makes kids readers at an early, screens at 1 p.m., followed by a discussion.

In between activities, or before or after the film, check out the museum's current exhibits: "Stay in the Light," works by South Carolina artist Charles Edward Williams; "3 Artists," featuring work by Wilmington artists Elizabeth Darrow, Gayle Tustin and Karen Paden Crouch; "The Work of Their Hands: American Quiltmaking," and the multi-artist show "Monument," inspired by the CAM's "Boundless" sculpture of U.S. Colored Troops from the Civil War. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. March 16, free.

Jazz is Led

March 16 at Bourgie Nights: It is what it sounds like — the music of rock gods Led Zeppelin re-interpreted into a jazz style. The group was founded by Charlotte drummer and jazz composer Curtis Wingfield. 9 p.m. doors, 10 p.m. show, March 16. Tickets are $15 in advance, $18 day of show.

Flytrap Family Day

March 16 at Carolina Beach State Park: Celebration of the Venus' flytrap, which only grows naturally within a 100-mile radius of Wilmington. This event includes crafts, games and guided hikes to see carnivorous plants. 1-4 p.m. March 16, free.

The Obsessed

March 16 at Reggie's 42nd Street Tavern: Longtime Maryland metal act has been around, off and on, since 1980, combing elements of doom, stoner rock, punk and more. Opening acts are Howling Giant and Gozu. 7 p.m. March 16, $16.

Get Lucky Festival

March 16 at Waterline Brewing: The Port City Experiment presents this third annual festival of Wilmington music. Ten bands and multiple DJs will perform, including Hyperloops, Cancel, GTD and the singer Madisinn. 1-11 p.m. March 16, tickets are $11.20, $21.20 for those age 18-20.

SUNDAY

St. Patrick's Day at Bowstring

March 17 at Bowstring Burgers & Brewyard: A trio of fun bands will be on hand for your partying pleasure at this Princess Street spot in the Soda Pop District. Wilmington act Cool Jerk plays a driving brand of indie pop (new single "Your House" is a catchy blast), while local band Ditch Kitty performs a range of diverse pop and rock covers, from Depeche Mode's "Policy of Truth" and Loverboy's "Working for the Weekend" to David Bowie's "Queen Bitch." Raleigh rock cover band The Doink rounds out the bill. 1 p.m. March 17, free.

Smoking Popes

March 17 at Reggie's 42nd Street Tavern: Longtime Chicago pop-punk act has a great, jangly sound and driving yet sensitive songs about love, loss and everything in between. Opening acts are Rodeoboys and Latewaves. 7 p.m. March 17, tickets are $20.

Beckwith Recital Series

March 17 at UNCW's Beckwith Recital Hall: University of North Carolina Wilmington music professors Gabriel Sánchez-Porras (saxophone), a native of Costa Rica, and Elizabeth Loparits (piano), a native of Hungary, will play a program of classical music by female composers for women's history month. Featured composers include Fernande Decruck, Krisztina Megyeri, Wenxin Li, Maricel Mendez, and Wilmington native Meira Warshauer. 7:30 p.m. March 17, tickets are $14. 910-962-3500.

Keys to life: Pianist Elizabeth Loparits' path led from Hungary to UNCW

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Things to do for St. Patrick's Day weekend in Wilmington, NC, 2024