Locals celebrate St. Patty’s downtown in a former year. Photo courtesy of Downtown Sacramento

SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) - St. Patrick’s Day is back and better than ever at the Old Sacramento Waterfront. Downtown Sacramento Partnership is excited to welcome back these interactive and family-friendly activities – a Leprechaun Hunt (now through March 18) and the region’s only St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Festival (March 16 from noon to 5 p.m.). Visitors will enjoy a Taste of Ireland (now through March 31) at Old Sacramento Waterfront coffee shops, restaurants and bars that are offering Irish-inspired food and beverages. The community is invited to bring the entire family to the 26th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade & Festival to witness beautiful floats, learn Celtic history and traditions, and shop local vendors.

Leprechaun Hunt at the Old Sacramento Waterfront – now thru 3/18

To go in search of hidden Leprechauns, guests can pick up activity pages at the Sacramento Visitor’s Center (1000 Second Street) or download in advance to begin the quest for seven Leprechauns hidden throughout the historic district. The activity book is filled with riddles that lead participants to a Leprechaun with a corresponding secret word to help guests move onto the next hidden Leprechaun and the secret message at the end. Once complete, participants email the secret message to [email protected] by March 18 to be entered into a random drawing for a chance to win four tickets to City Cruises or gift cards to Rio City Café.

 The Leprechaun Hunt is a family favorite activity on St. Patty’s. Photo courtesy of Downtown Sacramento

To add to the fun and share the experience with others, hunt participants and visitors are encouraged to capture images, post them on social media and tag @OldSac. To download the activity pages or find our more detailed information about the St. Patrick’s Day Hunt, click here.

26th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade & Festival – 3/16 from Noon to 5 p.m.

Families, friends, kids, and the young-at-heart are invited to join hundreds of colorful marchers along with Irish and Highland dancers, pipe and drum bands, and a variety of cultural organizations at the Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Festival stepping off at 1 p.m. from Neasham and Front Streets. Emceed by iHeart Media’s KISS 107.9 DJ Strawberry, the parade includes more than 40 organizations and groups, and visitors are also encouraged to line the boardwalks of L, Front, J, and 2nd Streets for the best views of the spirited spectacle.

There will be multiple demo stages with various performances throughout the day, including:

The main Shamrockin’ Stage will feature a band playing all day.

The State Parks Stage will focus on entertaining and educating children about Celtic culture.

The Embarcadero Stage will have a Sac Dance Labs taught class, music, and an entertaining magician.

Plus, a Vendor Village will be set-up at K and Front Streets from noon to 5 p.m.

 Don your green, grab a pint, and enjoy the day. Photo courtesy of Downtown Sacramento

Taste of Ireland – now thru 3/31

Eleven Old Sacramento Waterfront coffee shops, restaurants and bars are offering a Taste of Ireland (now through March 31) with Irish-inspired foods and beverages, an array of corned beef offerings, Guinness drinks, and Sean Finnegan’s Irish Pub will serve “Sacramento’s Best Irish Coffee.”

Revelers wanting to get a head start on the fun are encouraged to purchase advance tickets to the St. Patrick’s Day Bar Crawl (March 15) here.  Spirited community members can arrive early to the Old Sacramento Waterfront on March 16 as music and entertainment starts at noon with performers dancing throughout the district alongside a lineup of local vendors and shops offering “lucky” specials.

The 26th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Festival is proudly produced by Downtown Sacramento Partnership and made possible by the generous support of Brass Ring Amusement, Sean Finnegan’s Irish Pub, and XFINITY.

For more information about the Old Sacramento Waterfront please visit www.OldSacramento.com and for more about the Downtown Sacramento Partnership, visit www.DowntownSac.org.