The Billings community celebrates Saint Patrick’s day with a large parade, Celtic Fair, and Street party: March 16th.

You don’t have to be of Irish descent to enjoy yourself at the annual Billings St. Patrick’s Day Celebration in downtown Billings on Saturday, March 16, 2024. The festivities are free and open to the public from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm.

The celebration includes a Celtic Fair, Street Party, and Billings’ 41st St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

the parade – 11am

This year’s parade includes over fifty entries making it the largest St. Patrick’s Parade participation we have seen in recent years. Our organization has seen a notable growth in both attendance and participation numbers for all our Signature Events over the last two years. Just this last November we coordinated the largest Holiday Parade the community had seen in over a decade and now the community gets to enjoy the largest St. Patrick’s Day parade they have seen in seven years (click to view the 2024 parade lineup).

Each entry is created by individual local businesses, organizations, and community groups wanting to be part of the festive event. The Eugene Sara Detachment, United States Marine Corp League will once again set the pace at the very front of the parade as honor guard.

Judging the parade floats from Skypoint this year will be team members from our St. Patrick’s Day Event sponsors: TDS Fiber, MariMint, Valley Credit Union, My Classic Hits 105.9, Planet 106.7, 98.1 KBEAR, 94.1 KSKY, ESPN 910, and The Zone 96.3. The 2023 Best Entry Overall award went to Tiny’s Tavern for their handmade float that used over 30,000 napkins to create a giant schooner glass of their popular Orange Crush drink to celebrate their 40th Anniversary. 

Tiny’s Tavern handmade float that used over 30,000 napkins to create two giant schooner glasses depicting their popular Orange Crush drink to celebrate their 40th Anniversary. 

We would like to remind the public that this a free community event is coordinated by Downtown Billings. Downtown Billings houses multiple non-profits who each advocates to make the downtown Billings district into a vibrant and thriving place; through community events like this parade, clean and safe programs, and economic development projects. Public safety is our number one priority. Parade entries are not permitted to pass out candy or any sort of handout from the parade route in compliance with the our parade safety policy.

Celtic Fair & street party – 10am to 3pm

The Celtic Fair begins at 10:00 am and consists of various craft vendors, face painting, festive green swag sales, balloon art, food trucks, live entertainment, and more. View the digital Celtic Fair and Street party map/vendor list here. Once the 11:00 am parade concludes, the Celtic Fair and Street Party festivities ramp-up on the streets below Skypoint. The Street Party on N. Broadway will come alive at noon as local cover band, Repeat Offenders, start their concert on Hooligan’s Street Party stage.

Event goers can enjoy additional live entertainment at the Celtic Fair stage, on 2nd Avenue N. just East of Skypoint.

The Celtic Fair stage entertainment includes

  • 12:15 pm – 1:00 pm: Irish dancers from the Claddagh Irish Dance Academy
  • 1:15 pm – 3:00 pm: Celtic musicians from the Slainte Traditional Irish Music Session

There are a number of post-parade vendors and activities for all ages that will pop-up into the Celtic Fair street closure once the parade passes through.

Post-parade activities

Post-parade activities are free for all ages to enjoy from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm.