With the annual Chicago St. Patrick’s Day parade being canceled for the second year in a row and celebrations being curtailed around the city, hosting your own bash is even more appealing. Here are a few St. Patrick’s Day Celebration ideas to make this St. Patrick’s Day one to remember, in-person or virtual, even if it doesn’t involve river dyeing and shenanigans.
In-Person Parties
If you chose to host an in-person party, there are definitely ways to minimize the risk.
Pinch-Proof Drinks
If you don’t want to get caught in a pinch, you’ll need something green! And this is a great way to start. Instead of passing a pitcher of green beer around the party, purchase green cans of beer. I found Weed Cellars (No CBD and no THC, just a fun name that says “drink me”.)
Weed Golden Ale is an easy-to-drink beer that pairs well with St. Patty’s Day favorites like Corned Beef and Cabbage. It’s got lively carbonation with a medium body and citrusy accents- crisp, refreshing brew. It retails for around $8.99 for a six-pack and $14.99 for a 12 pack. Ask for it by name at your local stores!
Custom Cups
If you want to pour something different- like a boozy Shamrock Shake- order custom Tervis insulated cups with lids! You can create a custom logo for your party, or just select a fun shamrock or funny phrase. They have a variety of sizes and thousands of designs, so you are sure to find something to fit your needs.
Individual Apps
Setting out a charcuterie platter or a tray of sandwiches is a thing of the party past. These days, individually packaged appetizers and munchies are the way to go! Grab Chinese takeout-style containers and decorate them with your theme. Shamrock stickers, ribbon around the handle and pen an Irish blessing on the box. Use these to house corned beef and cabbage sliders, mashed potatoes, you name it! Order food from a local restaurant (easier for you, support our struggling service industry) and divide it into separate containers. This is one of the St. Patrick’s Day Celebration ideas that can help others and make your life easier. No one has to know you didn’t work all day in the kitchen 😉
Charcuterie Cups
Wisconsin, The State of Cheese has the highest quality and most awarded cheeses in the world. Whether you’re craving sweet or savory, Wisconsin is a World of Cheese in Just One State and has you covered with over 600 artisanal cheeses to choose from. Visit WisconsinCheese.com for recipe inspirations, expert pairings, and more! Although traditional cheese boards/charcuterie boards aren’t COVID-friendly, you can make individual charcuterie cups for your guests. Pair Wisconsin Cheese (my favorite is the Black Truffle Cheddar Gruyere or a Bella Vitano) with olives, grilled vegetables, cured meats and nuts, and place in takeout soup containers with lids. Serve with a small bag of crackers or flatbread- you can use clear treat bags tied with twist ties to portion these out.
Dishy Dessert
I am a member of the Black Dog Gelato Pint Club, a local Chicago business, and this month I received Mint Cookie in my delivery- perfect to craft a St. Patty’s Day Ice Cream Sundae!
Make these in individual containers with tops- you can even pre-scoop the gelato and have it ready to go. St. Patrick’s Day celebration ideas are endless, but this is probably my favorite way to celebrate!
Add toppings like:
Lucky Charms Marshmallows
Guinness Chocolate Sauce
Irish Cream Whipped Cream
Nutter Butter Leprechauns
Black Dog Gelato was started by Jessica Oloroso (former Pastry Chef for one of Stephanie Izard’s restaurants). Mint Cookie is one of the flavors in their March Pint Club Box and was designed by a local Girl Scout Troop.
They are expanding the Pint Club home delivery beyond the city borders to the North shore beginning NOW! The Pint Club is a monthly gelato subscription service that includes 3 pints of artisanal gelato in 3 Flavor Pack Collections — Featured, Signature, & Dairy-Free — in addition to other membership perks such as early access to Special Menus, monthly samples or gifts, discounts for add-on purchases, members-only products and events, and more!
You can also grab an adorable Box with 8 Half Pints of the Cookie-Inspired Gelato Flavors submitted by local Girl Scout Troops that made it to the “I’ll-Eat 8” Round in their March Cookie Madness Contest!
All pints are made in small batches and hand-packed each month in Chicago. Pint Club Membership is $35 per month, with a $15 fee for home delivery to the suburbs. (North Shore has a pick-up location with No Delivery fee- Get $10 off your first PINT CLUB box (Monthly Membership only) plus Free Delivery for March orders! March ordering deadline is March 11th- use code: gelatoALL.
Party from a Distance
Yes, we’ve all had Zoom parties, but how can you make it a shared experience from a distance? By sending all attendees something personalized to use TOGETHER!
Man Crates offers curated gear, flavors, and activities friends love, then they add unique packaging and free personalization. Send a few friends a personalized Man Crate like the Personalized Bloody Mary Crate for a St. Patty’s Day Brunch or a Personalized Barware Crate for the ultimate paired party experience.
Send invites and host a virtual cocktail class, beer sampling and pairing, or trivia contest!
Apparel and Accessories
Looking for something to spice up your St. Patty’s Day look? How about an affordable graphic t-shirt that shows your personality! Tees2UrDoor is a family-owned business offering fashionable graphic t-shirts starting at $13. Best part? You don’t have to leave the house- just head to their website, pick out a shirt that is already designed (or design your own!), and ship it directly to your home. Their St. Patrick’s Day shirts start at $11 and ship fast.
If you want to just add a little flair to the outfit you already have try Youzey! Youzey is a brand-new e-commerce store, launched in November 2020, that empowers self-expression, inclusivity, diversity, and creativity through style and fashion while also supporting the arts through Americans for the Arts with 10% of all sales going directly to them.
Cheers to however you decide to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day- whether it is in-person with shamrock-patterned masks or virtually matching mates sip for sip.
Disclosure: I was sent product for review purposes- all opinions are honest and my own, as always.
