Irish pub in Salt Lake City celebrates 20 years of St. Patrick’s Day festivities

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — For one local Irish pub, 2024 marks 20 years of its St. Patrick’s Day celebrations — and they say March 17 is one of the biggest days of the year for business.

“It’s our Super Bowl of the year for Piper Down,” David Morris, a partner of Piper Down Pub told ABC4.com.

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Piper Down’s St. Patrick’s Day festivities for 2024 kicked off on Friday, March 15, and were scheduled to continue all day on Sunday.

“Every year, we start at 10 a.m. and we don’t stop till 1 a.m.,” Morris said. “Music goes all day — bagpipes, Irish music, Irish food. It’s like Mardi Gras.”

Morris said that, around 3 p.m. on St. Patrick’s Day, the staff typically takes the tables out of the bar because of how crowded the interior gets.

“For a lot of people, it’s just one day a year,” Morris said. “For us at Piper, it’s 365 days a year. But this is when the spotlight is on us, and on this culture.”

On the pub’s website, there is a countdown to St. Patrick’s day, and patrons online say there is a countdown inside the bar as well.

“This is literally one of my favorite holidays,” Piper Down patron Robin Lawrence said. “Celebrating, cheering, getting to know new people.”

One patron told ABC4.com that this was his first time at Piper Down to celebrate the holiday, despite being in Utah for 11 years, but he plans to come back because of the camaraderie.

“Listen to music and enjoy that camaraderie of everyone else celebrating the same thing you’re celebrating,” Morris said.

Morris reminded patrons to drink responsibly and have their orders prepared when they go up to the bar. He also reminded patrons to be kind and tip bartenders.

“St. Patrick’s Day is just a really good excuse to celebrate your roots,” Morris said.

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