One month until Auckland celebrates St Patricks!

You don’t have to be Irish to enjoy St Patrick’s Day, but to be sure it helps to be one of the 200,000 people in Auckland who lay claim to some Irish ancestry.

Still, in Auckland on St Patrick’s Day, March 17, heritage never seems to matter.

Auckland will turn green for the fifteenth annual St Patrick's Festival March 11 - 17 as Aucklanders of all nationalities celebrate St Patrick’s Day, Ireland’s national day.

The Festival is a celebration of all-things Irish, including music, dance and of course, convivial hospitality and the organisers say there’s something for all age groups.
Festival Highlights include:

The free Guinness Travelling Hooley on Friday 13th March transports revellers between ten festival pubs for a night of great Irish entertainment and craic.

The Hugh Green Group Parade up Queen Street at noon on Saturday 14th March will be a celebration of Irish Pride as lovers of all things Irish take to the streets.

The celebrations continue at the Hugh Green Group ‘Fleadh’ on Queen Street between 12 noon and 3pm. Join the Parade, musicians and dancers for an Irish jam session on Queen Street, between Wakefield Street and Mayoral Drive.

The prestigious 2009 Melview Developments St Patrick’s Banquet at the
The Langham Hotel Auckland on Saturday 14th will be attended by local and visiting dignitaries.

Irish Society Field and Fun Day on Sunday 15th will include Funfair rides, farm experience, face painting, entertainers, market stalls, fortune tellers, Irish dance and music, competitions and games, assortment of food and beverages, Gaelic football coaching, Hurling, and featuring the annual St Patrick’s Gaelic Sevens with teams from around the country and abroad.

A celebration of Irish wit and humour with “Och But I Dunno” Show at The Thirsty Dog Tavern and Café Sunday 15th and Monday 16th.

Tuesday 17th March is the great day itself. The official Irish Festival pubs will feature all day entertainment and hospitality, with dancing, music and more.

See www.stpatrick.co.nz for more comprehensive details of the St Patrick’s Festival events.

Aucklanders looking to celebrate Ireland’s National Day will find more than activities and attractions, to be sure, to be sure …