St. Patrick’s Day - College Edition  

🗓️ March 6, 2026

✍🏾 Faith Haynes 

Don’t get pinched - wear green! Read to find out what St. Patrick's Day truly means and how it turned into an Americanized national holiday. With so many pubs around D.C., beat the leprechaun and have some fun.  

The History of St. Patrick’s Day 

St. Patrick’s Day is always celebrated on March 17th, in honor of Ireland’s patron saint. The origin of this holiday is religious, as over 1,000 years ago people would celebrate in the church. Fast forward to the 17th century, the holiday is now centered around parades and festivities, which originated in America, not Ireland. St. Patrick was a slave and later began to spread Christianity. There are theories that the shamrock was a visual representation of how St. Patrick explained the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The leprechaun, “small-bodied fellow,” stems from Celtic folktales.  

Wear Green  

Although many people wear green today to celebrate Irish pride, the color also became popular historically as a symbol of Irish nationalism. We Americans wear green to avoid getting pinched, but the Irish don’t. It is rumored that wearing green will prevent you from getting pinched by a leprechaun, as you become invisible. To the Irish, wearing green was not necessarily important or required until they arrived in the United States, where green became the color to wear. 

Celebrate With Friends  

There are many ways to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in Washington, D.C. Here is a list of nine options right from the nation’s capital.  

• Duffy’s Irish Pub is in Dupont Circle, specializing in their vast selection of beers and signature Bloody Marys. 

• James Hoban, architect of the White House, is an Irishman. Hoban’s design created a monumental building, and in honor of St. Patrick’s Day the fountains are dyed green like the Chicago River. 

• St. Patrick Catholic Church was a staple while the White House and the U.S. Capitol were being built, and Irish immigrants resided here. The second church was also designed by James Hoban.  

• The Dubliner sits on Capitol Hill serving a special Irish whiskey, Irish beef stew, and fish ‘n’ chips.  

• The Embassy Row Tour, located on Massachusetts Avenue, is a walking tour. This tour is perfect for the festivities, as the Embassy of Ireland recently moved here as well.  

• Robert Emmet Memorial is also located on Embassy Row, which was a gift to celebrate Irish independence.  

• Kelly’s Irish Times has it all, from pints to jukeboxes, the place to be if you want loads of fun. 

• Kirwan’s is located on The Wharf with its authentic bar created by Irish carpenters, furnishings imported straight from the homeland. 

• The Wharf turns into a mini-Ireland with tons of beer and live Irish music and dancing. 

Festive Food & Drinks  

Bacon and Cabbage are the traditional foods of St. Patrick's Day, which is now called corned beef and cabbage. Another traditional dish is Irish whiskey, with steak and pan-fried beef. A classic is shortbread cookies, apple potato bread, and the most important, “Irish potatoes,” filled with coconut cream and rolled in cinnamon; there are no potatoes in them. And cheese is a staple as well. In terms of drinks, Guinness is the most sold alcohol. Irish coffee, which is a coffee with a shot of Irish whiskey and thick cream, is also popular.