On St. Patrick’s Day, it is time to celebrate the luck of the Irish as people all over the country dress in green and shout, “Erin Go Bragh!” The fun and excitement of the holiday isn’t lost on Arizona as residents show their Irish appreciation through music, parades, events or even just wearing green. Check out these opportunities for a good time on the weekend of March 17.

Run for Luck

The third annual Luck of the Irish 5k will be going on all through March. This is a virtual race that benefits the National Hemophilia Foundation which is an organization dedicated to finding better treatments and cures for inheritable bleeding disorders. Because this is a virtual race, you can complete it from anywhere. Create your own track through town or complete it on a treadmill from the comfort of your own home or at your gym. Once you’re done and your miles are tracked, you can have your medal sent straight to your home.

When: March

Where: Anywhere

Cost: $20 (15 percent goes to charity)

24 Karat Music

Have you considered celebrating music while celebrating the Irish? Pot of Gold Music Festival will be going on all weekend. The festival will be quite the spectacle this year as they celebrate the 5th anniversary of the event with the biggest line-up of artists they’ve ever had. Post Malone, Lil Wayne and Cardi B will all be on the stage to name a few. There will also be other amenities including art galleries, food, and shopping. Plus, for the first year ever, there will be amusement park rides. This is a fun, interactive event available for all ages.

When: March 15 – 17

Where: Phoenix Steele Indian School Park

Cost: Tickets start at $109

Shamrocks & Shenanigans

For those who will be avoiding the crowded pubs this St. Patrick’s Day, the Scottsdale Wine Trail has another option: Shamrocks & Shenanigans Wine Scavenger Hunt. Starting and ending at Carlson Creek Vineyard, wine lovers can work individually or as a team to solve riddles, visit each of the wineries and win prizes!  Registration ($30/person) includes a 3-wine tasting at each of the four wineries and a special Scottsdale Wine Trail wine glass. The fastest and most accurate teams are entered to win prizes once the scavenger hunt ends.

When: Sunday, March 17 from 12 – 5 p.m.

Where: Carlson Creek Vineyard, 4142 N. Marshall Way, Scottsdale, AZ 85251

Tickets: Here 

Cost: $30/person  

Play Ball

America’s favorite pastime is always a great way to spend the weekend. There will be Spring Training games going on all weekend, so come out to the field and watch your favorite teams from around the country practice before the 2019 baseball season takes off. The 2018 World Series Champion Boston Red Sox will be playing the Tampa Bay Rays at home at JetBlue Park on St. Patrick’s Day weekend, but this is definitely not the only game happening. There will be games available at all of the stadiums in the Cactus League. Go to cactusleague.com to see the full Spring Training schedule or visit the individual teams’ website for ticket information.

When: March 15-17

Where: Varies

Cost: Varies

St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Faire

There’s no better way to celebrate any holiday than with family fun. The St. Patrick’s Day Parade will go down 3rd street in Downtown Phoenix at 10 a.m. There will be green floats everywhere with all kinds of entertainment from Irish dancers to bagpipe players. After the parade, head over to Hance Park for the faire festivities until 5 p.m. There will be three stages for Irish music, food, merchandise, a children’s area, and much more.

When: March 16

Where: Downtown Phoenix

Cost: Parade: Free

Faire: $10 – $12

Irish for Dinner

At the Downtown Phoenix restaurant and cafe, Paz Cantina, there’s no need to be green with jealousy because the luck of the Irish will be smiling down on everyone. Diners will be given new options just to celebrate the holiday. The restaurant will be offering green beer, Guinness, Irish coffee, and $3 corned beef tacos. Plus, as an added bonus, if you come wearing green, you will get 10 percent off food and drink.

When: March 17

Where: Paz Cantina

Cost: Varies

Poker Face and a Lucky Hand

Why celebrate just on Sunday, when you could celebrate all weekend? ACCELerate for Special Needs is putting on a Poker Run on Saturday. The proceeds go to the Arizona Centers for Comprehensive Education and Life Skills, ACCEL, which is a private nonprofit benefiting children and adults with developmental disorders. Participants will travel to four St. Patrick’s Day venues ending with a party at the Desert Wind Harley Davidson where there will be food, drinks, activities and a live band.

When: March 16

Where: Starts and ends at Desert Wind Harley Davidson

Cost: $10 – $25

Take a Bite out of St. Patrick’s Day

St. Patrick’s Day means a whole new menu option for diners at the Thirsty Lion Gastropub and Grill. All three Valley locations will be offering an Irish themed menu that consists of eight new entreé dishes, a dessert, two cocktails and a whiskey flight. Plus $2 of every one of the new cocktails or whiskey flights will be donated to St. Baldrick’s, a charity funding research to find cures for childhood cancer. If that’s not enough of a reason to head down to one of the three locations, on St. Patrick’s Day weekend, the gastropub will be throwing a party with live music and décor.

When: Through March 17

Where: Thirsty Lion Gastropub and Grill

Cost: Varies