In a pinch for planning some St. Patrick’s Day fun for your kids? We’ve picked seven of our favorite family-friendly events and festivals throughout the month, several with kids play areas and performances featuring talented Irish step dancers worthy of the limelight. These picks stretch around Dallas-Fort Worth, so for more events closer to your side of the rainbow or for the 21-and-up crowd, search our full calendar here.
North Texas Irish Festival
Where: Fair Park, Dallas
When: Friday–Sunday, March 3–5
What to know: Expect a full roster of music groups, including a music stage on Urchin Street, plus plenty of kid-friendly fun, like sheep herding by highly-trained border collies, crafts and performances by students from local Irish step dancing academies.
Cost: Admission starts at $15; free admission for kids under 6. They also offer free admission to everyone between 6pm and 7pm on Friday, March 3; free for kids ages 6–11 between 11am and noon on Sunday, March 5; and for anyone fully committed to the outfit, free for those dressed up as a leprechaun with a pot of gold. Learn more
Trinity Irish Dance Company
Where: Moody Performance Hall, Dallas
When: Friday, March 3 at 8pm and Saturday, March 4, 8pm
What to know: Can’t hardly wait for Riverdance this summer? Take a look at this Chicago-based dance company, now touring nationally, and staging a progressive style of Irish step dancing.
Cost: Tickets from $26. Get tickets
Dallas Mavs St. Patrick’s Parade
Where: Lower Greenville Avenue, Dallas
When: Saturday, March 11, 11am
What to know: Be prepared for a massive crowd at this 42nd parade stepping off through the Lower Greenville neighborhood after the St. Paddy’s Day Dash earlier in the morning. Check back for more updates about the 2023 parade as they’re announced. In past years, the Mavs’ royalty Dirk Nowitzki and Mark Cuban have ridden atop floats as grand marshal.
Cost: Free admission Learn more
St. Patrick’s Day Bash
Where: The HUB, Allen
When: Friday, March 17, 5–9:30pm
What to know: This new food hall/entertainment venue in Allen hosts its first-ever St. Patrick’s Day party. Come to see the Irish dancing, get a face painting and let the kids run around on the grass or lounge on the bean bags on the outdoor lawn.
Cost: Free admission Show me
World’s Only St. Paddy’s Pickle Parade & Palooza
Where: Downtown Mansfield
When: Friday–Saturday, March 17–18
What to know: The Pickle Capital of Texas (and where Best Maid pickle company first started) pulls out the stops for its annual festival and parade on St. Patrick’s Day weekend featuring—most darling of all—the Baby Parade for “Baby Dills” between 6 and 48 months old. Don’t miss out on the spectacle of the Pickle Queens on the Main Stage.
Cost: Free admission and free children’s activities. $11 to enter Baby Parade. Sign up
Cowtown Goes Green
Where: Fort Worth Stockyards National Historic District
When: Saturday, March 18, 10am–8pm
What to know: The Stockyards celebrates Western heritage and Irish heritage simultaneously in this all-day, family-friendly festival. Expect armadillo races, pony rides and performers from clogging and dance troops. Don’t miss the Cowtown Kids matinee rodeo at 1:30pm inside the rodeo arena and the Irish-Western parade along Exchange Avenue at 4pm.
Cost: Free admission Learn more
St. Paddy’s Texas Style
Where: Wayne Ferguson Plaza in Old Town Lewisville
When: Saturday, March 18, noon–7pm
What to know: This festival blends St. Patrick’s Day fun with a commemoration of Texas’ Independence Day. Here you’ll enjoy Irish dancing performances and live Texas country music on two stages, but here’s what your kids will really love: the inflatables, oversized games and face painting.
Cost: Free admission; most activities are free. See the full schedule
Top photo courtesy of Pickled Mansfield Society
