The short answer
St. Patrick's Day falls on March 17, and Los Angeles stretches the party across the whole weekend. Kick off with the Hermosa Beach parade or a themed 5K, then work through the city's Irish pubs, Tom Bergin's, Molly Malone's, Casey's and Sonny McLean's among them, with film screenings, bagpipes and Celtic-punk shows filling the gaps.
St. Patrick's Day always lands on March 17, but in a city this spread out, one day is never enough. Los Angeles treats it as a weekend-long excuse: parades in the beach cities, corned beef in MacArthur Park, and Irish pubs from Fairfax to Santa Monica pouring Guinness before noon.
This is our evergreen playbook. The traditions that come back every year, whatever the calendar does. We've grouped it loosely by parades and runs, then the pubs, then the events, so you can build a crawl that fits your neighborhood. Dates, hours and ticket prices shift year to year, so treat those as prompts to double-check, not gospel.
01Hermosa Beach St. Patrick's Day Parade
Hermosa Beach · South Bay
ParadeSouth BayFreeFamily-friendly
The South Bay's signature St. Patrick's tradition: a beachside parade rolling down Pier Avenue and Valley Drive, organized by the Hermosa Beach Chamber of Commerce. Expect pipe bands, classic cars, dance schools and a decidedly local, family-friendly crowd.
Good to knowFree to watch, and it typically steps off around midday on the Saturday of St. Patrick's weekend. Confirm the year's date and route with the Chamber before you go.
02St. Paddy's Day Lucky Run 5K/10K/13.1
Los Angeles · route varies
Run5K/10K/HalfCostumes
A themed 5K, 10K and half-marathon in the national St. Paddy's Day Lucky Run series, held in LA each March alongside sister races in cities like San Francisco, Phoenix and Houston. Green tutus, finisher medals and a very forgiving pace.
Good to knowRegistration is per-distance and tends to fill early. Check RunSignup for the current year's date and start line. Both can move.
03Tom Bergin's
Fairfax District
PubFairfaxHistoric
The 1936 tavern that helped make the Irish coffee an LA thing, with a horseshoe bar and paper shamrocks bearing decades of regulars' names stuck to the walls and ceiling. If you make one historic stop, make it this one.
Good to knowIt's a designated LA Historic-Cultural Monument, and St. Patrick's Day draws a line out the door, arrive early. Check the pub directly for the day's opening plans.
04Molly Malone's Irish Pub
Fairfax District
PubFairfaxLive music
A Fairfax Avenue institution since the 1960s, with live music most nights and one of the most loyal crowds in the city. A fire scorched the facade and forced a months-long closure, but the pub reopened in time for St. Patrick's Day and the tradition carries on.
Good to knowOne of the busiest St. Patrick's pubs in LA, expect a queue and, on the 17th itself, a cover charge. Get there ahead of the crowd.
05Casey's Irish Pub
Downtown LA
PubDowntownHistoric
Downtown's historic Irish pub near Pershing Square, a longtime favorite of the office crowd that goes all-in for St. Patrick's Day with all-day programming and an outdoor setup.
Good to knowSt. Patrick's Day here often means an early open and a ticketed block-party format. Check ahead, and don't assume it's a walk-in on the 17th.
06Sonny McLean's Irish Pub
Santa Monica
PubSanta MonicaSports
The Westside's Boston-leaning Irish sports bar on Wilshire, a Santa Monica staple for pints and game-day roars that turns fully green come March. Cozy, unpretentious and genuinely Irish in spirit.
Good to knowIt's a small room with a big reputation, so it packs out fast on St. Patrick's Day. Expect a wait and a sports crowd.
07The Auld Fella
Culver City (also Brentwood/Westside)
PubCulver CityIrish food
A newer-generation Irish pub and restaurant doing a proper full Irish breakfast, hearty mains and careful Guinness pours, now with more than one Westside address. A good pick if you want a sit-down meal with your holiday.
Good to knowIt reads more restaurant than dive, so reservations help around St. Patrick's weekend. Confirm which locations are open and taking bookings.
08Barney's Beanery
West Hollywood (and other locations)
PubWest HollywoodSports bar
The sprawling WeHo roadhouse isn't Irish, but its deep beer list, wall of TVs and easy party energy make it a reliable St. Patrick's overflow spot when the Irish pubs hit capacity.
Good to knowMultiple LA-area locations, so pick the one near your crawl. No cover needed to wander in for a green beer and a game.
09Langer's Delicatessen
Westlake · MacArthur Park
DeliMacArthur ParkCorned beef
For the non-drinking contingent: this 1947 MacArthur Park deli, famous the world over for its #19 pastrami, also turns out a serious corned beef. A daytime, sober way to mark the holiday with proper deli craft.
Good to knowIt's a lunch move, not a late-night one, and lines are normal. Treat it as the daytime anchor before an evening crawl.
10Scum & Villainy Cantina: "St. Patrick Stewart Day"
Hollywood
EventHollywoodThemed bar
The Star Wars-themed Hollywood cantina has been known to lean into the pun with a "St. Patrick Stewart Day" riff, a knowing sci-fi nod to Sir Patrick Stewart, pairing green drinks with full nerd-culture cosplay. A genuinely LA alternative to the standard pub crawl.
Good to knowThemed nights here are typically ticketed and 21+, and whether the St. Patrick Stewart bit returns varies year to year. Check the venue's calendar before planning around it.
11Irish Film Festival Los Angeles
Santa Monica
EventSanta MonicaFilm
Run by CIACLA (the Contemporary Irish Arts Center Los Angeles), this annual festival brings new Irish features, shorts and filmmaker talks to the Westside each March, a cultured, low-key counterpoint to the pub scene.
Good to knowHeld over a weekend around St. Patrick's Day; passes and single tickets go through CIACLA. Verify the year's dates and venue, which have moved between editions.
12City of Angels Pipe Band
Various venues (e.g., Ovation Hollywood)
EventLive musicBagpipes
LA's own competition pipe band turns up around St. Patrick's Day with bagpipe-and-drum sets at spots like Ovation Hollywood. It's the sound that makes the holiday feel official, and a great free thing to catch between pints.
Good to knowPerformances are usually free and pop up at multiple locations across the season. Check the band's own schedule for where and when they'll play this year.
13Flogging Molly
Los Angeles · venue varies
ConcertCeltic punkMarch
The LA-born Celtic-punk band built its legend on raucous St. Patrick's-season shows and has toured nearly every March for two decades. Their hometown holiday gig became a Southern California rite, though in recent years the band has also anchored a traveling "Shamrock Rebellion" festival, so the LA date isn't a lock.
Good to knowWhether they play LA on or near March 17 changes year to year. Check their current tour schedule before you build the night around it.
14St. Patrick's Day bar crawls
Downtown, Hollywood & the beach cities
EventBar crawl21+
Every March, promoters run multi-bar St. Patrick's crawls across LA neighborhoods, wristbands, drink deals, DJs and optional VIP add-ons. Organizers, routes and included venues change from year to year, so there's no single fixed crawl to bookmark.
Good to knowBuy wristbands in advance and read the fine print, "VIP" packages and included bars vary by promoter and aren't always as advertised. We can't verify pricing here, so confirm exactly what's covered at checkout.
Frequently asked
What's the best Irish pub in LA for St. Patrick's Day?
It depends on your neighborhood and your vibe. Tom Bergin's (Fairfax) is the historic, Irish-coffee pick; Molly Malone's (Fairfax) is the live-music institution; Casey's is downtown's big-party option; and Sonny McLean's is the Santa Monica sports-bar favorite. All four go hard on the 17th, so pick by location and get there early.
Where is the St. Patrick's Day parade in Los Angeles?
The biggest local parade is in Hermosa Beach, down Pier Avenue and Valley Drive, organized each year by the Hermosa Beach Chamber of Commerce. It's free to watch and typically runs on the Saturday of St. Patrick's weekend, confirm the exact date with the Chamber.
What are the best things to do for St. Patrick's Day in LA?
Build a weekend: the Hermosa Beach parade or a St. Paddy's Day Lucky Run in the morning, corned beef at Langer's, an Irish-pub crawl through Fairfax or downtown, and something cultural like the Irish Film Festival Los Angeles or a City of Angels Pipe Band set. If you want a curveball, Scum & Villainy Cantina's sci-fi 'St. Patrick Stewart Day' is very LA.
Is there a St. Patrick's Day run or 5K in LA?
Yes, the St. Paddy's Day Lucky Run offers a 5K, 10K and half-marathon in LA each March, part of a national series. Costumes are encouraged and registration is per-distance; check RunSignup for the current year's date and start line.
Does Flogging Molly play LA on St. Patrick's Day?
The band is from LA and has made St. Patrick's-season shows a signature for years, so a Southern California date is common, but it's not guaranteed every year, and they've recently anchored a traveling 'Shamrock Rebellion' festival too. Check their tour schedule for the current March run before counting on a hometown gig.
Where can I get corned beef for St. Patrick's Day in LA?
Langer's Delicatessen in MacArthur Park is the classic call. The 1947 deli is world-famous for pastrami but also does a serious corned beef. It's a daytime, lunch-oriented move, and lines are normal, so plan it before an evening crawl.
