Top 5 Picks for St Patrick’s Day

Join in the celebrations this St Patrick’s Day (Saturday 17^th March) with food, fun and music in some of Belfast’s best bars and venues.

From BBQs in Babel, trad music in The National and The Dirty Onion, a whiskey infused menu in The Cloth Ear, and the all-important Six Nations live final, there’s a jam-packed programme of events happening throughout the city.

Be sure to make the most of your St Patrick’s Day weekend and plan ahead with this what’s on guide;

1. Babel

Spend St Patrick’s Day weekend drinking in the views of the city from Belfast’s coolest new rooftop bar, Babel. Kick off the festivities with live music from Drum & Bates on Friday 16^th March from 6pm and DJ Bobby Analog in the bar until late. On Saturday (1-9pm) and Sunday (4pm onwards), grab a gourmet kebab at the rooftop garden BBQ, listen to live music and DJ sets and sip a St Patrick’s themed Tipperary Cocktail or Slane Sour overlooking the city. 

2. Bullitt

Belfast Ukulele Jam will be taking over the Bullitt courtyard from 1pm on St Patrick’s Day, playing your favourite tunes and getting the good vibes flowing, followed by Bullitt DJs who will be playing an eclectic mix of disco, soul and electronics until late. Watch the rugby from the comfort of the cosy Baltic bar from 1pm onwards and enjoy a pint of Guinness and a hearty bowl of wagyu beef stew for £10. 

3. The Cloth Ear

The Cloth Ear is starting the celebrations early this year with an Irish whiskey infused menu, available from Monday 12^th – Sunday 18^th March. The festivities continue with Irish music from Acoustic Soul on Thursday 15^th (6-9pm) and Six Nations Super Saturday on St Patrick’s Day, where rugby will be screened live throughout the day (12.30pm-7pm). On Sunday, unwind with a sharing roast and live music from 8pm to 11pm. 

4. The National & Sixty6

One venue, six bars – there’s plenty to do this St Patrick’s Day in The National and Sixty6. Expect twelve hours of live traditional music in The National’s beer garden (12pm -12am), followed by DJ sets throughout Sixty6’s cocktail bar, lounge and nightclub. Don’t worry about missing the Six Nations final, it will be played live on the big screen in The National’s Café bar from 1pm.

5. The Dirty Onion

The Dirty Onion will host five live music performances in its legendary beer garden throughout St Patrick’s Day (12pm-1am) and will serve up food from the grill at an all-day BBQ from 12pm. Doing what it does best, the bar will also host a mammoth 10-hour traditional music session from 1pm – 11pm.