Courtesy MGM Resorts
The Las Vegas Emerald Society Pipe Band kicks off the 2022 version of Celtic Feis at New York-New York on the Las Vegas Strip.
Monday, March 11, 2024 | 2 a.m.
Las Vegas may not celebrate St. Patrick’s Day on the scale of New York City, which hosts the largest parade in the country, and unfortunately there’s no river running through downtown Las Vegas that could be dyed green as it’s done in Chicago. But there are dozens of St. Patrick’s Day parties scattered throughout the Las Vegas Valley and the Strip’s most prominent event might be the 21st annual Celtic Feis at the New York-New York Hotel and Casino.
This year’s celebration begins at 10 a.m. on Friday, March 17 and runs until midnight, coinciding with a Vegas Golden Knights hockey game next door at T-Mobile Arena at 12:30 p.m. Celtic Feis admission starts at $22 in advance at newyorknewyork.com/celticfeis, and paying “at the door” will bump the price up to $30.
The event began inside the Big Apple-themed casino at the popular Nine Fine Irishmen restaurant and pub, and grew to the point that is 2013, it was moved outdoors to the replica Brooklyn Bridge that runs parallel to Las Vegas Boulevard, just north of the resort’s Statue of Liberty at Tropicana Avenue. Now it’s an indoor-outdoor celebration including live music from Celtic Chaos, the Las Vegas Emerald Society Pipe Band, Sin E Ri Ra, the Celtic Rockers and the Sticky Wicket Duo, plus a vast selection of Irish fare such as corned beef cabbage spring rolls, Irish whiskey-braised beef short rib and more.
“You’ve never seen so many pints of Guinness come out of one place,” said Joe Farruggio, director of food and beverage at New York-New York. “Last year we did 98,000 pints. But it’s really just a celebration where everyone feels united together and wants to have a good time, and it’s great that we can host it. Every year we make a few tweaks, we collaborate with some new partners and we take some opportunities from the previous year to make it unique.”
This year, he said, the main tweak is to move the music stage on the Brooklyn Bridge a little farther north, opening up the entertainment area a bit “where things get a little cramped” and bringing better flow to an area where food and drink vendors will be set up. There will be a beer garden-styled space there, and more room for roving entertainment like stilt walkers and Irish dancers, as well as casual games, face-painting and more.
“The indoor-outdoor atmosphere on Las Vegas Boulevard is really something unique on this property,” he said. “People can go out and enjoy the people-watching and all the attention to detail at New York-New York, hearing the roller coaster go by and looking at the façade. There’s a wow factor.”
For those looking for a big party away from the Strip, the Fremont Street Experience is bringing back its annual Shamrock Bash, running March 14-17 and featuring 22 live bands on three stages along the classic downtown Vegas drag. The Arcana Kings, The Black Donnelly’s and Craic in The Stone are among the scheduled acts, and the firefighters parade also returns. For more info on that St. Patrick’s Day experience, visit vegasexperience.com.
