For most of us, March pretty much means one thing: St. Patrick’s Day. It’s time to dig out anything green from your wardrobe and get ready to celebrate Ireland’s patron saint.
Not sure where the party’s at in Manchester this year? Don’t worry—we’ve done the legwork and found the best spots in the city to get stuck into the festivities. Now, the only real question is: who’s getting the first round of Guinness?
St Patrick’s Day 2026 Cheat Sheet
If you’re out and about in Manchester this week, here’s what you need to know:
- The Big One: The main St. Patrick’s Day Parade is happening this Sunday, March 15th. It kicks off at 12 pm from the Irish World Heritage Centre and heads straight for Deansgate.
- The Hub: The Irish Festival Village in St Ann’s Square is already open and running right through until Tuesday (the 17th).
- The Pints: If you want a proper pour, Mulligans or O’Sheas are usually the safest bets for a decent head on your Guinness.
Watch the St. Patrick’s Day Parade 2026
The city’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade sets off at 12pm on March 15 with over 30 floats. One of the biggest highlights of St Patrick’s Day in Manchester, the Grand Parade departs Irish World Heritage Centre in Cheetham Hill on Sunday, March 15, 2026 at 12:00pm, featuring over 30 floats, marching bands and dance troupes before finishing near King Street by the Festival Village.
Selfie Guinness & live music at O’Malleys
From 11th-17th March, Portland Street Irish bar O’Malleys will be hosting a lively line-up of live music, bringing a taste of Ireland to Manchester. Traditional Irish dancers will also be taking to the floor on Saturday 14th March and again on St Patrick’s Day itself, from 6pm.
Entry is free on St Paddy’s Day and throughout the week, with both upstairs and downstairs bars open for guests keen to soak up the atmosphere. For those looking to add a personal touch to their pint, the Stoutie machine will be in action for a limited time. Simply upload a selfie and watch your face appear on the creamy head of a Guinness.
£4.50 Guinness & St Paddy’s Pie Special at The Black Friar
To mark St. Patrick’s Day, historic Salford pub The Black Friar is serving a proper Guinness and Beef Pie – slowly braised beef in a rich guinness gravy, wrapped in a golden pastry – paired with a pint of Guinness for just £17, available all day. They will also be running an all-day happy hour, with Guinness at £4.50, £5 cocktails, £15 bottles of wine and £5 beers.
The St Patrick’s Day offer follows the venue’s hugely popular Pie Festival, which returned for its fourth consecutive year in 2026, the team know a thing or two about proper, hearty food. Now, they’re leaning into the best of Irish comfort food, done the right way.
Irish treats & whiskey flights at Pip
On Tuesday 17th March, Pip will be serving up special St. Patrick’s Day snacks alongside the usual à la carte menu. The specials include Carlingford oyster garnished with whiskey and nasturtium, Potato farls served with Killeen cheese fondue, and Smoked trout with mustard cream and soda bread.
The restaurant will also offer an Irish Whiskey flight for those looking to elevate their dining experience. The evening will be completed with a live performance from trad trio Louie’s Lost Limb – good times ahead!
St. Patrick’s Day bash at Albert’s Schloss
This March, Albert’s Schloss is painting the town green, cueing the fiddles and throwing a month-long St Patrick’s Day bash packed with flowing Guinness, Jameson cocktails, Irish feasting and a whole lot of Schloss-style mischief. For one month only, perfectly poured pints of Guinness will flow from the taps – and once it’s gone, it’s gone for the rest of the year.
The bar is also partnering with Jameson to serve up special cocktails including a smooth Irish Velvet and a zingy Jameson, Ginger and Lime. Over in the Cook Haus, the chefs are serving up Celtic comfort with a Schloss-sized flourish, with three limited-edition specials:
- Cow and Guinness Pie – braised shin of beef, parsley and bone marrow stuffing, double cream mash, hispi cabbage
- Smoked Salmon Irish Boxty – Irish potato pancake, baby spinach, sour cream, pickled red onions and dill
- Sticky Toffee Pudding – with Jameson toffee sauce and vanilla ice cream
Guests can also roll the dice with Schloss’s ‘Push For Luck’ game, for a chance to win prizes including baby Guinness shots, drinks and cocktail tokens, indulgent puddings, Paddy’s Day merch or even £100 off the bill (running on Friday 13th March, Saturday 14th and Tuesday 17th).
The celebrations don’t stop there. Signature Schloss showtime will bring the venue to life across the month, with folk and Irish bands, plus the unmissable St Patrick’s Kunst Kabarat for a mix of music, spectacle and shamrock-fuelled shenanigans.
Irish comfort food & £5 Guinness at Black Cat Club
This St Patrick’s Day, Black Cat Club is turning Manchester green with an epic three-day celebration running from Saturday 14th March through to Tuesday 17th March. The bar will be pouring the good stuff all weekend long with £5 pints of Guinness, £2.50 shots of Baby Guinness and a nostalgic ‘Frozen Fat Frog’ cocktail, an alcohol slushy with Blue WKD, Smirnoff Ice and Orange Bacardi Breezer – a play on some old school favourites.
For three days only, guests can also enjoy Guinness Glazed Wings, rich and sticky and packed with flavour, or an iconic Spice Bag, Ireland’s favourite takeaway classic featuring salt and pepper chips, crispy chicken and chip shop curry sauce. With live DJs, football on the big screens, plenty of darts and shuffleboard, the venue will be transformed into the ultimate St Patrick’s playground.
Guinness Pain Suisse & pies at O’Connell’s
This March celebrate St Patrick’s Day with O’Connells, as the team are going all out after last year’s celebrations fell just two weeks after their opening. Located in Manchester’s historic “Little Ireland” neighbourhood, the pub is the perfect place to party for St Pat!
Expect a jam-packed line up of musicians taking to the stage over the weekend of the 14th and 15th, followed by a traditional Irish folk session happening on Monday 16th and a proper St Pat’s celebration taking place on the 17th.
In celebration of everything Irish, the Guinness will be flowing and there’s a few surprises planned too! O’Connell’s will be bringing back their recent collaboration with V.Goode’s Pies – the Beef & Guinness Pie PLUS they’ve teamed up with Half Dozen Other to bring the Guinness Pain Suisse to hungry pub goers throughout St Patrick’s weekend.
Guinness noodles & spice bags at Hello Oriental
Guinness Noodles and Spice Bags are landing in Manchester for St Patrick’s Day.
St Patrick’s Day is getting a slightly chaotic East Asian twist this year as Hello
Oriental in Circle Square Manchester launches two limited-edition dishes inspired by Irish takeaway culture. It’s only for this weekend – so get down and try before stocks run out!
Manchester’s ‘biggest Irish celebration’ at Dirty O’Sullivans
Dirty O’Sullivans has announced plans for an unforgettable St Patrick’s Day celebration packed with live entertainment, traditional performances, and the very best of Irish food and drink. From 11am through to the early hours, the venue will host live bands all day long, with performances kicking off from 12pm and continuing until close.
Guests can expect Irish classics, crowd favourites and a proper Irish party atmosphere. Adding to the Irish spirit, guests will also be treated to live Irish dancing inside the venue, bringing the tradition of Ireland right to the heart of Manchester.
Behind the bar, the drinks will be flowing all day. Guinness will be served from open to close, alongside a wide selection of premium Irish whiskeys, giving guests the perfect way to toast Ireland’s national day.
Salmon of Knowledge Irish festival
Celebrate Irish culture with a week of live music and performance in the heart of Stevenson Square, with an Irish festival at The Salmon of Knowledge NQ. With free entry, live music every night from 7pm (10.30pm on Saturday), plus Irish dancers and free Irish coffee on St. Patrick’s Day, The Salmon is where you want to be.
The line-up so far includes: Green Hot Clover, Honey I Shrunk the Band, Louie’s Lost Limb, Sonas Irish Dancers, and many more to come.
Pay a visit to the oldest Irish pub in Manchester
There are plenty of drinking holes that go way back in Manchester, including the oldest Irish pub in the North West, Mulligans. Part of the city’s drinking culture for over 170 years, Mulligans offers an authentic Irish pub experience in Manchester’s city centre, with a warm welcome, live music every day, plenty of character and is renowned for its top Guinness-pouring game.
Mulligans comes into its own around St. Patrick’s Day, doing what it does best: great drinks, great music and great craic. Make sure you get down early, though, because even on a good day, it can get pretty packed and lively!
Traditional Irish bash at O’Sheas
As part of Manchester Irish Festival, the iconic O’Sheas is putting on its annual St. Patrick’s Day bash, full of traditional music and amazing craic. Famed for it’s incredible variety of live music, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a more authentic party this St. Paddy’s, but you’ll have to get a ticket quick!
