The annual 2025 St. Charles St. Patrick's Parade is right around the corner - taking place in downtown St. Charles on Saturday, March 15th. Anyone who has been before knows that this is even more exciting than stumbling upon a pot of gold, as it's the perfect chance to throw on your very best green outfit and celebrate the day with the community. This event will be filled with Irish-festivities, music, and of course, what everyone is waiting for: The St. Patrick's Day Parade!
The Opening Ceremony
1st Street Plaza (29 S. 1st Street)
11:00 AM
Photos Courtesy of C + E Photography
To kick-off the festivities of the day, make sure to join us between Gia Mia and McNally's Irish Pub & Kitchen on the 1st Street Plaza for the Opening Ceremony! There's no better way to get into the Irish-spirit, as the Chicago Highlanders will be playing their bagpipes to ring in the celebration that will fill the whole town with the festive sounds. Attendees at the Opening Ceremony will also get to enjoy some very talented Irish-dancers perform from the Rachael McCarthy School of Dance. The best part is, you're luck has just started because this is just the start of a jam-packed day of activities fit for a leprechaun.
Lucky Photo Stations
1st Street Plaza & on Riverside Ave
All Day (Through St. Patrick's Day)
Photos Courtesy of C + E Photography
While you're in downtown St. Charles relishing in all the Irish-festivities, it's easy to capture your amazing time thanks to the lucky photo opportunities! On the 1st Street Plaza will be the fan-favorite "slainte" station, that attendees have looked forward to stopping by at for years. Plus, McNally's Heating & Cooling will be on site with giveaways and to take your photo! If you find yourself on the other side of the river on Riverside Avenue, you can stop across the street from Pollyanna Brewing & Distilling and Flagship on the Fox to visit our "leprechaun" photo station, as well as a brand new "lucky" opportunity, as well! Smile Haven Dental Studio will be over here, with crafts, giveaways, and even raffle drawings. By the end of the day, you should have all the content you need to show off your amazing time to your friends and family.
Enjoy Lunch
Throughout St. Charles
Before the St. Patrick's Parade
Photo 1 Courtesy of McNally's Irish Pub & Kitchen. Photo 2 Courtesy of The Hive Tavern & Eatery
Since you're going to be spending the whole day in St. Charles, you're going to need to grab a bite to eat to keep your fuel level high in order to keep your celebration strong. It goes without saying that for traditional Irish-fare, look no further than McNally's Irish Pub & Kitchen. We can't think of a more fitting spot to celebrate this occasion, with their delicious food, and thirst-quenching Guinness to go with it. There are also plenty of amazing spots in the downtown area (and throughout all of St. Charles for that matter), including popular establishments like The Hive Tavern & Eatery, The Office Dining & Spirits, and Alter Brewing + Kitchen to just name a few. Looking for more dining options in St. Charles? Click the button below to start exploring.
Shamrock Hunt
Throughout Downtown
All Day
Photos Courtesy of C + E Photography
Alright - now that the Opening Ceremony has wrapped up and you've captured all the photos your heart desires out the Lucky Photo Stations, you'll have a bit of time on your hands before the parade kicks-off. There's no need to worry, as we will be hosting a fun, interactive Shamrock Hunt again this year! Around downtown, there will be 10 shamrocks who have went into hiding, and we need your help to find them! Once you find one, snap a photo of yourself in front of it and submit it on the from found HERE (available only on March 15th). Then, on March 18th, three lucky winners will be selected to win a pot of gold filled with awesome prizes! The more shamrocks you find, the more entries you get! Happy hunting!
St. Patrick's Parade
Main Street (6th Street to 4th Avenue)
2:00 PM
Photos Courtesy of C + E Photography
This day filled with festive events will all culminate at 2pm, when the St. Patrick's Day Parade steps off onto Main Street from 6th Street. With 80+ entries celebrating in style, all decked out with tons of green and Irish-spirit, you are not going to want to miss one second of the action. Along with the wonderful businesses and non-profits that you can witness traveling down Main Street, there will also plenty of bagpipers and bands to admire that will fill the air with that beloved Irish sound.
Looking for some amazing past-entries in the St. Charles St. Patrick's Parade? Click above to view the winners from last year!
Sales & Specials
Throughout St. Charles
All Day
Photos Courtesy of C + E Photography
In honor of this community-wide Irish celebration, many local businesses are having sales, specials, and events in honor of the occasion. From green beer to exciting events and everything in between. You do not want to miss out on experiencing all that the local St. Charles businesses have to offer. To find more happenings taking place during the St. Charles St. Patrick's Parade, please click the button below.
Now that spring is finally in full swing, you're sure to be looking for activities to get outdoors, soak up some sunlight, and explore the city. On April 12th and April 13th, you'll have the perfect opportunity to do just that at the STC Spring Shop Crawl! Take advantage of amazing deals from local stores, enter for the chance to win a fantastic prize, and shop till you drop! Click above to learn more.