Get this St. Patrick's Day Party Started!

One of the perks of living in Dogtown is that the St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Irish Festival happens right in your backyard (or your front yard, if you live on Tamm). But why not share the convenience and excitement of the day with friends and family by hosting a St. Patrick’s Day Pre/Post-Party? We are just about three weeks away, so it’s the perfect time to start planning!

1. Send Invitations

3 WEEKS BEFORE MARCH 17

First and foremost, let’s get this party started by inviting some guests. As you’re putting together your guest list, be sure to invite only your most fun, most respectful friends…because we expect visitors to treat Dogtown as if it were their own neighborhood!

We have created an invite template that you can open and update in Word. Find the link and instructions below:

  1. To download the invite template, click here and save the Word document to your computer.

  2. Open the Word document and click in the text boxes to backspace and type in your party information:

    • Time

    • Address Line 1

    • Address Line 2

    • RSVP (or other)

  3. Don’t worry if the background looks washed out! It’s setup as a watermark in the background. When you export, it will be bright and colorful.

  4. When the invite is updated, click File and then Save as Adobe PDF. If that is not an option, click Save As, then under the file name click the field that currently says Word Document (*.docx). From the dropdown list of file types, select PDF (*.pdf).

  5. Now, there are three ways you can send this invite.

    • Via Email as a PDF: Invite will not appear directly in the body of the email, but as a file attachment that must be opened to view. Attach this PDF directly to an email and send to your guests.

    • Via Text as a PDF: Invite will not appear directly in text message, but as a file that must be opened to view. Attach this PDF directly to an email and send to yourself. Open the email on your phone and click gently on the image to open it full screen. In the bottom corner, click the save icon and then select the Messages icon to send the file. Note:

    • Via Text as an Image: Invite will appear directly in text message, like a photo. Attach this PDF directly to an email and send to yourself. Open the email on your phone and click gently on the image to open it full screen. Tap on it again and wait a moment for the page number to disappear, then take a screenshot and crop the edges to remove any background.

2. Schedule Catering

2 WEEKS BEFORE MARCH 17

There are so many great places in Dogtown that can help you create a truly local St. Patrick’s Day spread at your party this year. BUT be sure to make arrangements early so they have plenty of time to accomodate! Try any of these spots with advance ordering options online:

3. Decorate

1 WEEK BEFORE MARCH 17

Well, we already know you’re working on your outside house decorations for our House Decorating Contest, (don’t forget to submit according to contest rules by March 12!) but have you made a plan for inside decorations as well? Here is a quick checklist to make sure you’re on track:

  • Wreath

  • Pennant Banner

  • Garland

  • Centerpiece

  • Photos and/or Slideshow

  • Tableware

Don’t worry! We’ve got a Pinterest board to get your creative juices flowing!

4. Plan activities

1 WEEK BEFORE MARCH 17

Of course, your party will be so fun you won’t NEED any activities, but just in case you do, these 23 Fun St. Patrick’s Day Activities for Families from Play Party Plan are perfect for kids and adults. This list has everything! Bingo, trivia, charades, games and a scavenger hunt for kids.

Of course, we couldn’t help ourselves…we had to create a DOGTOWN St. Patrick’s Day Scavenger Hunt, too. Click here for a print-ready version you can play when you and your guests leave the party and head into the heart of Dogtown for the parade and Irish festival.

For Adults - Print | For Adults - Digital | For Kids - Print | For Kids - Digital

5. Go Grocery Shopping

3-4 DAYS BEFORE MARCH 17

In addition to your catering order, you probably still need to pickup a few groceries for your party. Great news: if you do your shopping at Fields Foods, you can round-up at the register and the proceeds will go directly to St. Patrick’s Day in Dogtown!

Here’s a little shopping list to get you started:

  • Irish beer

  • Bailey’s

  • Champagne

  • Orange juice

  • Green food coloring

  • Ice (if you have a place to store it)

  • Fresh flowers (for your centerpiece)

  • Green and orange veggies

    • Bell pepper

    • Broccoli

    • Celery

    • Cucumber

    • Snow peas

    • Carrots

    • Baby tomatoes (ONLY orange ones)

  • Veggie dip

6. Clean and setup

1 to 2 DAYS BEFORE MARCH 17

A couple days before St. Patrick’s Day, do a final tidy and clean to make sure your house is guest-ready. If you aren’t worried about your kids messing with decorations, go ahead and put up any decorations you can in advance. Speaking of advance, go ahead and prep any food your planning to prepare and have it ready to go in the refrigerator.

This is also a great time to give your guests a quick reminder of any street closures or parking restrictions around your house. You can direct them to our FAQ page for more information.

7. Party!

MARCH 17

On the day of the party, get up early and pour yourself a big, hot cup of coffee with plenty of Bailey’s. As your kids get up and around, assign them the very important task of testing all the activities.

Setup your phone to the speakers and start blaring your favorite Irish/St. Patrick’s Day playlist. Here are some recommendations if you need them: .

If you haven’t already, put out the rest of your decorations and start up that photo slideshow, if you’re planning on having one. Prepare any final food items and set them out for snacking. Now that everything is ready, and you are 1+ cups of coffee in, it’s time to transition to your first green drink of the day.

Sláinte!