Where to Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in Des Moines

Your guide to St. Patrick’s Day 2025 activities in the Des Moines area! Check out this list of lucky events in the Des Moines area.

While St. Patrick’s Day has deep roots in Ireland (where it’s a national holiday), it truly came to life in America, thanks to Irish immigrants who turned March 17th into a full-blown celebration. Whether you’re toasting to the man, the myth, the legend, your Irish heritage, or just looking for a reason to party, Des Moines has plenty of ways to join the fun!

St. Patrick’s Day Pop Up

• Wednesday, March 12 through Saturday, March 16
• Fenders Brewing, 212 W Van Dorn St, Polk City, IA 50226

St. Patrick’s Shenanigans at Fender’s Brewing! Join for a week of good beer, great company, and fun. Festive drinks will be on the menu, such as Leprechaun Shakedown beer, Lucky Charms Seltzer, and a non-alcoholic Leprechaun lemonade and a Shamrock Selfie Station will be set up to capture your best St. Patrick’s Day garb.

St. Patrick’s Day Drink Specials

• Friday, March 14th through Monday, March 17th
• New Northwestern, 321 E Walnut St, Des Moines, IA 50309

For a more chill way to celebrate the holiday, head to the New Northwestern for weekend drink specials including $5 Jameson Shots and $6 Espresso Martinis.

East Village St. Patrick’s Day Bar Crawl

• Saturday, March 15, 2:00-10:00 pm 
• Check-in at Bellhop starting at 1:30 pm, 440 E Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA 50309

The second annual East Village bar crawl returns, which means a day of walkable fun in one of our favorite neighborhoods. Tickets are $15 and include $5 Titos and Jameson, a swag bag, and no cover at any participating bars. 

Lucky’s St. Patrick’s Day Bar Crawl

• Saturday, March 15, 4:00 pm until midnight 
• Check-in at Hessen House, 101 SW 4th St, Des Moines, IA 50309

Get ready to SHAMROCK ‘N ROLL at The Official Lucky’s St. Patrick’s Day Bar Crawl in Downtown Des Moines! Tickets start at $20 for group tickets and includes 2-3 drinks or shots, food and drink specials, and waived cover at all participating locations. 

Kegs and Eggs at Confluence

• Sunday, March 16, 9:00-11:00 am
• Confluence Brewing, 1235 Thomas Beck Rd., Des Moines, 50315

Confluence is bringing back its popular Kegs n Eggs event. Tickets are $30 and includes a full brunch buffet and 2 Irish beers. Full brunch includes eggs, hashbrowns, sausage, bacon, fruit, and assorted pastries. Guests are encouraged to wear green! Tickets must be bought in advance.

Leprechaun Brunch Bingo

• Sunday, March 16, 11:00 am to 1:00 p.m.
• Smash Park, 6625 Coach Light Dr., West Des Moines, IA 50266

Kick-off St. Patrick’s Day with a themed Leprechaun Brunch Bingo! Enjoy a delicious brunch menu, $3 Breakfast Cocktails, and a chance to win great prizes. No luck needed – just green apparel and good vibes!

St. Patty’s Day PAW-ty

• Sunday, March 16, 1:00-7 pm
• Paws and Pints, 6218 Willowmere Dr, Des Moines, IA 50321

A party for you and your pup! Enjoy green beer, party favors, yard games, a photo booth and more. Any dog wearing green gets a FREE day pass starting at 4 PM! Get your pup dressed in green and head to Paws & Pints for a St. Patrick’s Day celebration just for the dogs!

St. Patrick’s Day Drag Bruch 

• Sunday, March 16, 11:00 am
• The River Center, 322 SW 3rd St, Des Moines, IA 50309

Get ready to sashay into St. Patrick’s Day with a drag brunch that’s as lucky as a four-leaf clover and as fierce as a pot of gold! Join for a shamrockin’ good time with high-energy performances, delicious brunch bites, and drinks that’ll have you feeling extra lucky.

St. Patrick’s Day Party

• Monday, March 17, 7:00 am until midnight
• Mickey’s Irish Pub, 50 SE Laurel St, Waukee, 50263

The biggest party on the Westside! This one continues throughout the day, starting with breakfast from 7:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. Followed by entertainment, including a Bagpipe and Drum Band at 10:30, a DJ from 1:00-4:00, and a band starting at 5:00 pm. All ages until 2:00 pm and 21 and older after.

St. Patrick’s Day at Exile

---

St. Patrick’s Day Parade

• Monday, March 17, 12:00-5:00 pm
• Downtown Des Moines (Grand Ave from Robert D. Ray Drive to 8th St)

Get ready to paint the town green and celebrate Irish culture at the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Des Moines, presented by the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick of Central Iowa! This family-friendly event is filled with fun, music, and excitement for all ages. Highlights of the event include: spectacular parade floats showcasing Irish heritage and traditions, live performances by traditional Irish dancers and musicians, and more. Bring your friends and family, and wear your best green attire to join in the festivities! 

---

Annie’s St. Patrick’s Day Block Party

• Monday, March 17
• Annie’s Irish Pub, 206 3rd St, Des Moines, IA 50309

If you haven’t attended Annie’s famous block party, now’s your chance! The band Snacks kicks things off at 1 pm, followed by Velvet Trio bringing smooth vibes from 4-7. Enjoy your St. Paddy’s celebration with great music and plenty of festive fun.

St. Patrick’s Day at Lamp

• Monday, March 17, 11:00 am
• Lamp, 418 E 5th St, Des Moines, IA 50309

We were sad to see the original Gas Lamp go, but a new iteration is back in the East Village. Their  St. Patrick’s Day celebration will include a free keg of green beer starting at 11 am, hot dogs all day, and DJ’s Coach G, Richie Daggers, and Taylor Gonzalez will be on the decks from noon until close.

UPCOMING PITCH A FRIEND: March 13

Who’s better to pitch a single friend than your bestie!? In this fun, new take on a singles dating event, we’ll hang out at Teehee’s Comedy Club where presenters can pitch their single friend to the crowd. 6 men and 6 women will be pitched!  Each presenter has 3 minutes to share why YOU should date their friend and you must apply to be in the lineup! After the pitches take place, we’ll mix and mingle with everyone in the crowd. Check out all the details. Applications are open and tickets are live now!