Best Parades / Celebrations On St. Patrick's Day In Metro Detroit

Date: March 15, 2015

2015 marks the 57th annual Detroit parade for St. Patrick's Day, and 2014's was a great success. It starts on Michigan Ave. and 6th street and continues west on Michigan Ave., finally finishing at 14th St. about two hours later. The parade includes pipe/drum bands, color guards, floats, clowns, and marching units, and is sponsored by the United Irish Societies (UIS). Jim Dewan is this year's Grand Marshal, and the annual Corktown Races will also take place on March 15th.

Date: March 14, 2015

The American Polish Century Club hosts its Patrick/Joseph Party every year, and this year's will be Saturday, March 14th at 6 p.m. The event is $25 per person, and has food, wine and a domestic beer/cash bar. There is also Polish and Irish music and dancing. APCC was founded in 1961 and later named the American Polish Century Club Inc.; it held a "Polish Kitchen" downtown during the 1960s and early 70s, and began "Seafood Dinners" in 1968. The present building that the club is housed in was built in 1993.

Related: Best Family-Friendly Activities in Detroit for St. Patrick's Day 2014

Date: March 14, 2015

The Norman O'Brien Division of the AOH (Ancient Order of Hibernians) will again host Royal Oak's St. Patrick's Day parade this year. The parade's mission is to honor/celebrate traditions of Irish families, as well as showing Irish pride and heritage. The parade starts at 11:30 a.m. from Royal Oak Middle School, and will include floats, dancers, bagpipers, community groups, and clans. The parade then continues south on Washington to Seventh St.

Last year, the Old Shillelagh did a St. Patrick's Day weekend, and this year promises more debauchery. Check its website for specifics; at the time of this writing, they had not yet been released, but usually there are activities Friday through Sunday of St. Patrick's Day weekend. Last year, Friday included an Irish lunch (corned beef, fish and chips, reuben sandwiches, etc.) and live entertainment. On Saturday, the restaurant had a heated tent at night with beer and liquor booths. Sunday is also the day of the Detroit St. Patrick's Day parade (see above) and The Old Shillelagh will have shuttles going to/from the parade, as well as live entertainment, a DJ and dancing on its heated rooftop deck. On the actual St. Patrick's Day, the restaurant's heated tent will again be open, and there will be live entertainment all day, as well.

Related: Best Ways for Kids to Celebrate St. Patrick's Day 2013 in Detroit