St. Patrick's Day events in SWFL: Where to party in Naples, Bonita Springs, Fort Myers

It's your lucky day this Sunday in Southwest Florida. And all weekend, too.

St. Patrick’s Day is almost here, and there are many ways to celebrate the holiday in Southwest Florida.

From a huge parade to concerts and pub parties, there's a lot happening in Naples, Bonita Springs, Fort Myers and elsewhere. Here are our picks for the best things to do for St. Patrick’s Day 2024.

This isn’t a complete list, though ― just our top picks. Many other local bars and venues have their own, smaller St. Patrick’s Day events. So check the websites and Facebook pages for your favorite local haunts.

NAPLES ST. PATRICK'S DAY EVENTS

Naples St. Patrick’s Day Parade

The annual parade starts Saturday at the intersection of Third Street South and 10th Avenue South. Then it travels along Third Street South, Fifth Avenue South and Eighth Street South to Naples City Hall. The parade usually runs about 2 to 2½ hours. Former Pittsburgh Steelers running back and U.S. Army veteran Rocky Bleier will be the grand marshal. The 13th Army Band will perform in the parade. 11 a.m. Saturday, March 16. There also will be a 9:30 a.m. flag raising in Crayton Cove. Free. Downtown Naples. naplesparade.com

The Pub Naples block party

Celebrate with Irish food, drink specials and live music all day Saturday and Sunday, March 16-17. The musical lineup includes The Rowdy Bards (6-9 p.m. Saturday), Matty Jollie (1-4 p.m. Sunday) and the Harp & Thistle Bagpipers (starting at 8:15 p.m. Sunday). Plus DJ 007 from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. Saturday and all day Sunday. Free. The Pub Naples at The Mercato, 9118 Strada Place, North Naples. 594-2748 or experiencethepub.com

Shamrock Social at Mercato with The Rowdy Bards

Irish band The Rowdy Bards headlines the St. Patrick’s Day block party Sunday at the North Naples shopping center. Plus Irish dancers, bagpipers, aerial performers, a stilt walker, balloon animals, St. Patrick's Day beads and free face painting. The Rowdy Bards perform 3-6 p.m. Other entertainment includes the Naples Irish Dancers (2 p.m.) and Harp & Thistle Bagpipe Band (2:30 p.m.). 1-6 p.m. Sunday, March 17. Free. Takes place on the street between Bar Tulia and Dunkin's Diamonds at the Mercato, 9118 Strada Place, North Naples. 254-1080 or mercatoshops.com

Whiskey Park St. Patrick's Day Blowout

An all-day party Sunday with live music from West of Galway (noon), Donnacha Tierney (3 p.m.) and Big Cypress Band (6 p.m.); Irish food (including a 9 a.m. Irish breakfast); green beer; Jameson whiskey on tap; and giveaways. Starts at 9 a.m. Sunday, March 17, and continues until 1 a.m. Sunday. Free. First 50 customers get a free T-shirt. First 200 get a free pin. Whiskey Park, 3380 Mercantile Ave., Naples. 263-6777 or facebook.com/WhiskeyPark.Naples

The Kitchen and The Mini Bar

Organizers are calling this an "epic St. Patrick's Day outdoor bash" with two deejays spinning music all day (DJ Memphis and DJ Brandi Perl), a green-eggs-and-ham brunch, a corned-beef dinner, green beads, raffles and drink specials. 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday, March 17. Free admission. The Kitchen & The Mini Bar, 1200 Central Ave., Unit 106, Naples. 428-3101 or kitchenandminibar.com

BONITA SPRINGS ST. PATRICK'S DAY EVENTS

Artichoke and Co.

A St. Patrick’s Day party with ax throwing, Irish food and beer, games, a  deejay, face painting and balloons. Noon to 7 p.m. Sunday, March 17. $5. Artichoke and Co., 11920 Sandrienne Lane, Bonita Springs. 263-6979 or facebook.com/artichokeandcompany

Lansdowne Street Pub block party

The Bonita Springs pub hosts this 17th-annual, all-day block party Sunday. Includes live bands, green beer, Kobe corn beef and more. Musical lineup unavailable. All day Sunday, March 17. Free. Lansdowne Street Pub, 24851 S. Tamiami Trail, Bonita Springs. 495-3800 or facebook.com/lansdownestreet

Bonita Springs Concert Band

The concert band and guest singer Carolann VanderMeer perform a mix of Irish and non-Irish tunes Sunday for this St. Patrick's Day show. The program includes "Danny Boy," "Ye Banks and Braes O'Bonnie Doon," "The Star-Spangled Banner," Victor Lopez's "Fuerza Furiosa," John Philip Sousa's "The Thunderer" and Karl King's "March of the Tartars." Audience members are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs and wear green. 2 p.m. Sunday, March 17. Free. Riverside Park, 10451 Old 41 Road, Bonita Springs. bonitaspringsconcertband.org

FORT MYERS ST. PATRICK'S DAY EVENTS

Fort Myers Brewing Co.

The popular Fort Myers brewery celebrates the holiday with three days of food trucks, live music and specialty beer releases, including an Irish Red Ale, a festive green seltzer and a dry Irish stout called Turn The Lights Stout. The musical lineup features Chasing Denver (7 p.m. Friday), Jacob's Ladder (7 p.m. Saturday) and Gator Nate (2 p.m. Sunday).  Food trucks include Don’t Give Up, Island Vibez Grill, MAD Brunch, Mambo, Tia’s Kitchen and Wicked Streatery. Noon to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, noon to 8 p.m. Sunday, March 15-17. Free admission. Seats fill up quickly, so guests are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs. Fort Myers Brewing Co., 12811 Commerce Lakes Drive, Suite 28, Fort Myers. 313-6576 or FMBrew.com

St. Patrick’s Bar Crawl in downtown Fort Myers

Top Shelf Crawls hosts this annual bar crawl that includes a souvenir beer koozie and beads, admission to participating bars, exclusive drink specials and more. 4 p.m. to midnight Saturday, March 16. $16-$25 (plus taxes and fees). Registration party from 4-6 p.m. at The Hideaway Bar. Downtown Fort Myers. topshelfcrawls.com

McGregor's Public House

The Bell Tower restaurant/bar hosts its first St. Patrick's Day event Saturday and Sunday, March 16-17, with five bands, beer, foot races, Irish dancers and food and drink specials. Saturday starts at 8 a.m. with two races: The 5K McGregor’s Kilts & Kilometers Run and the one-mile Irish Mile. Sign up is $30-$35 at runsignup.com/Race/FL/FortMyers/McGregorsKilts5K. The day continues with live music from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. with Celtic Stew, Chris Bepko and Donnacha Tierney, plus 20 outside beer taps and a free Guinness toast at midnight for the official start of St. Patrick's Day. Then the place reopens at 10 a.m. Sunday for a day that includes specialty brews and live music and entertainment all day: Kellyn Celtic Arts (noon and 6:30 p.m.), Briz & Lady (1 p.m.), Guns & Hoses Pipes & Drums of SWFL (7 p.m.) and The Rowdy Bards (8 p.m.). Free admission. McGregor's Public House at The Bell Tower Shops, 13499 S. Cleveland Ave., south Fort Myers. mcgregorspublichouse.com

Downtown Fort Myers St. Patrick’s Day Block Party

The annual downtown Fort Myers block party features beer, Irish-themed food specials at downtown restaurants, Celtic dancers, a petting zoo with llamas (noon to 4 p.m.) and live bands. The musical lineup includes Deb & The Dynamics, Neil Zirconia, The Patina Turners, DJ Billy Lydon, Celtic Stew, The Notables, Cool Vibes and more. Hosted by the River District Alliance. Noon to 8 p.m. Sunday, March 17. Free. Downtown Fort Myers. myriverdistrict.com

Trop-rocker Don Middlebrook at Nauti Parrot Oasis

Popular trop-rocker Don Middlebrook brings his U.S. tour to Fort Myers for the Nauti Parrot's St. Patrick's Day party. He plays 1-4 p.m. Sunday, followed by Minnesota band The Z's from 5-8 p.m. Plus Guinness beer, Jameson whiskey, shepherd’s pie and corned beef and cabbage. 1-8 p.m. Sunday, March 17. Free. Nauti Parrot Oasis, 17200 S. Tamiami Trail, south Fort Myers. 208-2349 or facebook.com/NautiParrotOasis

CAPE CORAL ST. PATRICK'S DAY EVENTS

BackStreets Sports Bar

The Cape Coral bar offers corned-beef dinners for $10 (while they last), drink specials (including Thin Mint shots and Guinness drafts), wings and live music all day Sunday on two stages (inside and the patio). The musical lineup includes Shaun Miller (2:30-5:30 p.m.), Guns n Hoses Pipes and Drums band (4 p.m.) Martina Russa (6-9 p.m.) and Red Hannah (9:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.). All day Sunday, March 17. Free admission. BackStreets Sports Bar, 915 S.E. 47th Terrace, downtown Cape Coral. 945-7555 or facebook.com/BackStreetsSportsBar

The Dek

Live music all day Sunday at the Cape Coral bar, plus green beer, cocktails and corned beef and colcannon (starting at noon until it’s gone). The musical lineup features Aimee Linn Burns (10 a.m.), Tequila Tom (2 p.m.) and The Crank Ups (7 p.m.). All day Sunday, March 17. Free. The Dek Bar, 4704 S.E. 15th Ave., Cape Coral. 542-3745 or facebook.com/thedekbar

Hooked Island Grill

The brand-new south Cape Coral restaurant marks the occasion with green beer, all-day food and drink specials, bagpipers (around 2 or 3 p.m.), and a St. Patrick's Day menu (including corned beef, cabbage and red potatoes; and egg rolls filled with shredded corned beef, sauerkraut and Swiss cheese). Opens at 9 a.m. Sunday, March 17, for brunch. Free admission. Hooked Island Grill, 4721 S.E. 10th Place, Cape Coral. facebook.com/hookedislandgrillcc

FORT MYERS BEACH ST. PATRICK'S DAY EVENTS

Shamrockin' in Margaritaville

The new Fort Myers Beach resort celebrates its first St. Patrick's Day with Wasted Away green beer, a scavenger hunt, crafts, face painting, giveaways, a photo booth and a deejay. 9 a.m. til one hour past sunset Sunday, March 17. Included with $75 day pass. Free for resort guests. Fins Up! Beach Club at Margaritaville Beach Resort, 251 Crescent St., Fort Myers Beach. 899-4001 or shorturl.at/frsv5

St. Paddy's Day Rock The Dock Bash at Nervous Nellies

Nerdy Wisconsin party band The Dweebs headline the annual St. Patrick's Day party. Plus more live music from Sir Royalty and The Wayward Souls, giveaways, corned-beef and cabbage, Irish egg rolls and more. 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday, March 17. Free. The Dweebs perform 6-9:30 p.m. Nervous Nellie’s, 1131 First St., Fort Myers Beach. 999-8077 or facebook.com/NervousNelliesFMB

NORTH FORT MYERS ST. PATRICK'S DAY EVENTS

The Shell Factory St. Patrick's Day Bash

This free annual event includes live Irish music by Chuck Peterson, Irish food, green beer, dance group The Calendar Girls, bagpipers and more. 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, March 17. Free. The Shell Factory & Nature Park, 2787 N. Tamiami Trail, North Fort Myers. 995-2141 or shellfactory.com

PUNTA GORDA ST. PATRICK'S DAY EVENTS

Fishermen’s Village St. Patrick’s Day Celebration

Family-friendly holiday celebration Sunday with live musical acts performing Irish music all day, including The Black Velvet Band, The Punta Gorda Bag Pipers and Jeff Walton. Plus face painting and an appearance by The Leprechaun. Noon to 8 p.m. Sunday, March 17.  Free. Fishermen’s Village, 1200 W. Retta Esplanade, Punta Gorda. 941-639-8721 or fishville.com

The Celtic Ray block party

The Irish pub celebrates Sunday with Irish food, beer and live music from Shannonside (10 a.m. to noon), Clover’s Revenge (noon to 2 p.m.), Paul Duffy (2-5 p.m.) and Victims of Circumstance (6-9 p.m.). As always, there won’t be any green beer (The Celtic Ray doesn’t do it), but there will be food and beer trucks and lots of Irish food, including fish and chips, Guinness stew and corned beef and cabbage. 10 a.m. to past midnight Sunday, March 17. Free. Nesbit Street will be closed off for the block party. The Celtic Ray Public House, 145 E. Marion Ave., Punta Gorda. 941-916-9115 or celticray.net

Charles Runnells is an arts and entertainment reporter for The News-Press and the Naples Daily News. To reach him, call 239-335-0368 (for tickets to shows, call the venue) or email him atcrunnells@gannett.com. Follow or message him on social media: Facebook (facebook.com/charles.runnells.7), X (formerly Twitter) (@charlesrunnells), Threads (@crunnells1) and Instagram (@crunnells1).