Denver is a great place to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. The city has the largest St. Patrick’s Day Parade west of the Mississippi with over 300,000 of our closest friends coming out to see it. This year is an extra-long green party. The parade will be held on Saturday, March 14, and the holiday itself falls on Tuesday, March 17. That means four days of partying. The parade will start at 19th and Wynkoop (behind Denver Chophouse), then heads west to 17th Street and turns south to Blake Street, where it will head east on Blake all the way to 27th before ending at Coors Field Parking Lot B. Take note that the parade will start a half hour earlier this year, 9:30 AM. Here is a list of where to wear green for the parade and for St. Patrick’s Day in Denver.

Argyll Whisky Beer
Celebrate Ireland’s patron saint all month long with whisky flights and Argyll’s version of the Tipperary cocktail made with green Chartreuse and Irish whiskey. In addition to the restaurant’s already Celtic-themed menu, enjoy Corned Beef and Cabbage with Irish soda bread on parade day and St. Paddy’s Day. (1035 17th St.; 303-847-0850)

Cook Street Culinary School
Try something different for St. Paddy’s Day. The school’s Bites N Brews class is going Irish for the holiday. Learn to make a multi-course Irish-influenced meal that includes cooking with beer and beer pairing tips. Make Guinness ice cream and Barmbrack Irish Whiskey Caramel for dessert. Eat the meal you make and wash it down with paired brews for $89 per person. Class is from 6 to 9:30 PM on St. Patrick’s Day. Sign up online. (1937 Market St.; 303-308-9300)

Cherry Cricket
This favorite Cherry Creek pub will trade its famous burgers for corned beef and cabbage. Patrons can also enjoy Irish Mushroom Soup on Saturday, March 14, and Irish Beef Stew made with Guinness on Tuesday, March 17. There will be live Irish music from different bands all day long Saturday and starting at 4 PM on St. Paddy’s Day. (2641 E 2nd Ave.; 303-322-7666)

Fado Irish Pub
Fado’s will be ground zero for St. Patrick’s Day events this year. The corner of 19th and Wynkoop, where the bar is located, is the beginning of the parade route. Attend the Fado Parade Party starting at 7 AM. Tickets are $15 online, $20 at the door. Then on Tuesday, the party starts at 2 PM. Tickets for Tuesday are $10 online. Double the fun with a single-ticket Party Pack for the parade that includes two Big Beers and free entry on Tuesday for $30 ($48 value) or a 2-ticket Party Pack with four Big Beers and free entry for Tuesday for $50 ($96 value). (1735 19th St.; 303-297-0066)

Hard Rock Cafe
All day on Tuesday enjoy a special SPD dinner and drink from the Hard Rock. Enjoy the Corned Beef and Cabbage dinner or Irish Ruben sandwich. Pair these with the Irish Mule featuring Jameson Whiskey, ginger beer and lime. (500 16th St.; 303-623-3191)

Irish Snug
The Snug party begins Friday, March 13, with live music and continues at noon on Saturday. Then on Tuesday comes the big bash. The Capitol Hill Hooley begins at 1:30 PM and goes deep into the night with live music, Irish stepdancers and traditional food and drink. Bring the kids for face painting, magic shows and balloon animals. (1201 E. Colfax Ave.; 303-839-1394)

Kate Mullen’s Irish Restaurant & Pub
This year will feature live music direct from Ireland. Nightly from March 13 through 17, enjoy Pinch of Snuff from Carrick on Shannon, County Leitrim. (1550 Court Pl.; 303-573-0336)

Nallen’s Irish Pub
Party under the tent at Nallen’s with live music, bagpipes and food and Guinness specials both parade day and St. Patrick’s Day. The party starts early both days. 8 AM early. (1429 Market St.; 303-572-0667)

Punch Bowl Social
Enjoy $5 Guinness, Car Bombs and Jameson or $2 Bud Lights. Holiday food specials include the Dublin Cobble Stew with Irish bacon and Yukon potatoes or Irish Porridge with steel cut oats, apples, brown sugar and peach cobbler. (65 Broadway; 303-765-2695)

Randolph's Restaurant and Bar
Celebrate St. Paddy's day on the eastside of town all weekend with Rahndolph's Irish Brunch. From 9 AM to 1 PM both Saturday and Sunday, Randolph's Irish Brunch will be $35 per person and feature bottomless Green Mimosas or bottomless Irish Coffee. 

Spruce Tap House
Because Spruce is located along the parade, the bar will opening extra early (7 AM) on March 14. The bar will feature $5 Jamo, $6 PB&Js, $7 Tully’s, $8 Car Bombs and $9 Redbreast Irish Whiskey and will offer food specials all day long. (2401 Blake St., #2; 303-297-2727)

Stout Street Social
On St. Patrick’s Day, Stout Street is offering a dozen Irish Point Oysters and pint of Guinness for $20, and Guinness will have giveaways all day long. (1400 Stout St.; 720-214-9100)

Thirsty Lion Gastropub
The party begins on Friday, March 13, and goes through Tuesday at this old world sports bar near Union Station and near the parade route. There will be special beer flights along with Irish food and cocktails all weekend. On Saturday, March 14, from 2 to 4 PM, is the St. Baldrick’s Foundation fundraising event to benefit Childhood Cancer Research. Join the fun and shave your head for a good cause. (1605 Wynkoop St.; 303-623-0316)

ViewHouse Downtown & ViewHouse Centennial
Both locations will start the party early, Thursday, March 12. Enjoy live bands, DJs and giveaways along with traditional bagpipes and Irish dancers. The Centennial location will also feature a real Leprechaun and pot o’ gold raffle. At both locations, enjoy Guinness Irish Cheddar Potato with Bacon Soup, Lamb Shepherd’s Pie and house-cured corned beef and cabbage. (Downtown, 2015 Market St.; Centennial, 7101 S. Clinton St.)

Photo via Flickr and Irish Breakfast by Marci Prester