PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Oregon’s largest St. Patrick’s Day celebration has teamed up with the Shamrock Run for a multi-day festival of fitness, fighting, fun and food.
After a lull in festivities due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Kells Irish Pub & Brewery and Shamrock Run Portland announced that they’re planning to create a “bigger and better Irish Festival in 2023.” Kells owner Gerard McAleese said he hopes the event will be the “biggest, greenest celebration yet.”
“At Kells, we’ve long been fans of the Shamrock Run and the race’s impact on downtown Portland,” McAleese said. “With our annual Irish Festival overlapping during the week of St. Patrick’s Day, it just made sense to figure out a way to partner and create a bigger impact for the city and for charity.”
Portland’s Irish Festival will begin at McCall Waterfront Park on March 10, where Kells will host its annual “Ireland vs. USA” boxing event. The festival will continue at the waterfront on March 11, where there will be live music, bagpipers, Irish dancing and traditional Irish food and drinks. Event spokesperson Allison McGillivray told KOIN 6 that there’s hope that a beer garden will also be set up in the park for the event, which has traditionally been held in the parking lot behind the Kells Downtown location.
The first weekend of the event will be capped with the Shamrock Run, which will be held on March 12. The marathon’s 45th anniversary is expected to attract more than 20,000 runners and community members to the Portland area.
The Irish Festival will resume the following St. Patrick’s Day weekend at both of Kells Irish Pub & Brewery’s Portland locations. The event will feature more live music, Irish dancers, bagpipers, food and drink specials.