How to Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in Albany

Feb 15, 2017

10509596373_016781b4d1_b Every year, Albany celebrates its Irish citizens with parades and celebrations that take place all across the city. Here are just a few:

The Parade

On the Saturday before St. Patrick’s Day, the city of Albany holds a parade and a family festival. It begins with a mass at 9 a.m., and then the parade begins at 2 p.m. The festival is a new addition, and it takes place from noon to 4 p.m. in Academy Park, just across from City Hall.

Pub Crawls

On both the Saturday before and the big day itself, Albany organizes a pair of pub crawls that cross the city. You can start the crawl at any of the bars and pubs participating, at least as long as you register first and get your armband and map, but you do need to be 21 to take part. The crawls both begin at 5 p.m., and they continue up until closing time.

Collar City Kilt Fest

Over in Troy, the Saturday after St. Patrick’s Day is the day of the Collar City Kilt Fest. The festival includes a 5k run (kilt optional), a costume contest, and a pub crawl on a chartered bus. To get the full experience, make sure you buy a City Pass for access to the Kilt Crawl, discounts, and beer tastings.

St. Patrick’s Day is a great time to celebrate whether you’re Irish or not. And while it helps to be 21 or older, even kids can have fun when the time comes to honor the Irish saint.

Image via Flickr by marco monetti