Millions of people know Ireland's patron saint, but do you know the real legend of the shamrock? Check out these seven facts about St. Patrick's Day.
* St. Patrick's Day is celebrated annually on March 17.
* The city's annual St. Patrick's Day parade and canal greening ceremony have already passed.
* Remaining festivities in Indianapolis include the Shamrock Run & Walk and various parties at local bars.
It is officially the weekend before St. Patrick's Day, which means the green beer will be flowing along with the Guinness. Here's what we know about the holiday and the remaining festivities happening around Indianapolis.
When is St. Patrick's Day 2026?
Saint Patrick's Day is celebrated annually on March 17, which falls on a Tuesday this year.
Local celebrations commenced the weekend before the holiday with the greening of the canal on March 12 and the parade on March 13.
Why do we celebrate Saint Patrick's Day?
St. Patrick is hailed as the patron saint of Ireland, where he spread Christianity throughout the Emerald Isle. Ironically, he wasn't Irish. Saint Patrick was born in Britain in 386 A.D. and later kidnapped by pirates who brought him to Ireland as a slave. He eventually escaped, only to return later as a bishop. He is celebrated on March 17, the day historians believe Saint Patrick died.
As the Irish population swelled in the United States, parades and festivities celebrating Irish heritage grew in popularity.
Like many large cities, Indianapolis dyes its canal green
Indianapolis dyes its canal green for Saint Patrick's Day. An official greening of the canal ceremony happened on Thursday, March 12 at the Ohio Street canal basin (Ohio and N. West Street), in downtown Indy.
When is the 2026 Indianapolis Saint Patrick's Day parade?
Unfortunately, if you were hoping to catch the parade this year, you have already missed it. The Indianapolis St. Patrick's Day parade took place from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday, March 13.
But there's still more ways you can celebrate this weekend.
Indianapolis Shamrock Run & Walk
The 33rd annual Shamrock Run & Walk will take place on Saturday, March 14.
Registration opens at 9:30 a.m. where the race begins at the Indianapolis Fire Department Union Hall, located at 748 Mass. Ave. The race will begin at 11 a.m. and end at 906 Carrolton Ave. in the Bottleworks District.
For more information visit indystpats.com/events/shamrock-run-walk.
St. Patrick's Day parties and bar crawls around Indianapolis
If running isn't your vibe, don't worry there's other ways to celebrate that primarily involve partaking in festive (probably green) drinks at local bars.
McGinley's Golden Ace Inn: From Friday, Saturday and Tuesday, McGinleys' Golden Ace Inn, established in 1934 and the oldest Irish pub in Indianapolis, will host a three-day celebration of Saint Patrick's Day featuring live Irish music and numerous beers on tap. You must be 21 or older to attend. Address: 2533 E. Washington Street. Visit goldenaceinn.com for more details.
The Hangar: From 12 - 4 p.m. Saturday, March 14, The Hangar, 501 S. Madison Street, will host an all-you-can-eat and drink Irish themed party. Tickets are $45 each, which must be purchased in advance. Visit hangarindy.com for more details.
Howl at the Moon: On Friday and Saturday, Howl at the Moon, 20 E. Georgia St, will host an event with live music, green beer and other festive beverages. For more information visit the website: HowlAtTheMoon.com/st-patricks-day.
For other events, go online to VisitIndy.com.
Katie Wiseman covers trending news for IndyStar and Midwest Connect. Contact her at klwiseman@usatodayco.com. Follow her on Bluesky, Twitter and Instagram.
John Tufts covers trending news for IndyStar and Midwest Connect. Send him a news tip at JTufts@Gannett.com. Find him on BlueSky at JohnWritesStuff.
