Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in Butte, Montana

St. Patrick’s Day in Southwest Montana is kind of a big deal. According to an article published in the Los Angeles Times, Butte, Montana, is America’s most Irish city, at least per capita. Arguably, and yes, we are a little biased, that makes Butte the perfect place to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day!

For most people, St. Patrick’s Day falls into that quirky in-between category. You probably don’t have the day off from work or school, and you likely don’t have family coming into town. But in Butte, it’s different. Here, St. Paddy’s day is one of the most beloved and anticipated celebrations of the entire year, deeply rooted in the city’s Irish heritage and celebrated with a level of community pride you won’t find anywhere else. If you are ready to take your St. Patrick’s Day celebration to the next level, it might be time to start planning a trip to Butte!

Butte in March — Butte, Montana in March | Photo by Tempest Technologies

The Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Uptown Butte

The St. Patrick’s Day Parade is the kick-off to the day’s festivities. The parade starts at noon, heading west from the corner of Granite Street and Arizona, south on Montana Street, and east on Park Street, to the dispersal area at Park and Arizona. In addition to floats, firetrucks, and classic cars, the parade features Irish Dancing and Bagpipes! Make sure to arrive early to mark out the perfect viewing spot for the parade!

A vintage red fire truck decorated with green and silver fringe and shamrock balloons rolls through Uptown Butte during the annual St. Patrick's Day Parade in Butte, Montana, with spectators lining the street in front of The Montana Standard building. Photo by Tempest Technologies — St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Uptown Butte | Photo by Tempest Technologies

Places to Eat

As we sat along Granite Street, we struck up a conversation with a couple of locals who were happy to recommend a few places to grab a bite. We assumed we would be pointed in the direction of traditional Irish fare, maybe a little corned beef and cabbage with a hearty side of potatoes, but their recommendations weren’t quite what we had anticipated. Here are a few suggestions, and this list is by no means exhaustive:

Terminal Meat Market
Shawn O’Donnell’s American Grill & Irish Pub
Pekin Noodle Parlor
Pork Chop Johns
Christina’s Cocina
The Uptown Cafe

There are quite a few bars in Uptown Butte, but we set our sights on a green beer, and for that, there was no better place than Quarry Brewing in Uptown Butte. If you want the quintessential St. Patrick’s Day photo, it better be with a green beer in hand.

Two women laugh and give a thumbs up while celebrating St. Patrick's Day in Uptown Butte, Montana, holding a green beer from Quarry Brewing and a hot dog from Terminal Meat Market, with an Irish flag flying in the background along the historic Uptown Butte streetscape. Photo by Tempest Technologies — Green Beer from Quarry Brewing and Lunch from Terminal Meats | Photo by Tempest Technologies

As you continue to explore Uptown Butte throughout the day, here are a couple of the bars you may find yourself wandering through:

M&M Bar and Cafe
Maloney’s Bar
Metals Sports Bar and Grill
The Dublin
Slainte Butte American Pub

As we perused the local offerings, a sign caught our eyes. It was in the window of a number of establishments, and we finally took a minute to read it. Turns out nearly every bar in Butte is Irish on St. Patrick’s Day!

A green shamrock-covered Miller Lite flag reading "Temporarily an Irish Bar" hangs in the window of a bar along the St. Patrick's Day parade route in Uptown Butte, Montana — a nod to the city's Irish heritage and one of the most celebrated St. Patrick's Day destinations in the United States. Photo by Tempest Technologies. — Photo by Tempest Technologies

A Shoutout to the Historic M&M Bar

Few places in Uptown Butte carry as much history as the M&M Bar and Cafe. It was founded in 1890 by Sam Martin and William F. Mosby, whose initials gave the bar its name. The M&M has long been a gathering place for miners, locals, and visitors alike. And it’s always been known as a favorite watering hole on St. Patrick’s Day in Butte. The bar ran 24 hours a day to serve shift workers coming down the hill at 6 am. During prohibition, the bar turned to selling cigars. Which of course was a front for the speakeasy in the backroom where alcohol continued to flow.

On May 7, 2021, a devastating fire burned the original, world-famous building to the ground. But the Butte community is unlike any other, and when they come together, there is nothing that cannot be accomplished. With an outpouring of community support, owner Selina Pankovich rebuilt the M&M next door at 17 N. Main Street, and it has been going strong since February 2023, with its iconic neon light and all.

Situated right on Main Street between Granite and Park, the M&M remains the perfect St. Patrick’s headquarters. So stop in, raise a glass, and be part of a tradition that’s been going since 1890!

Family-Friendly Fun

While Butte is known for getting a little wild on St. Paddy’s day, there is plenty going on in the community! After taking in the parade and maybe grabbing a bite to eat in Uptown, check out the color run, take a ride on the carousel, or head to Handing Down the Heritage, an event held at the Butte Civic Center in the evening!

Butte Cares hosts a color run at Stodden Park, starting at 4:00 pm, with participants choosing between a 5k and a 1-mile race. Make sure to register ahead of time online, or on-site until 3:30 on St. Patrick’s Day!

Kids and adults laugh and toss red color powder during the Butte Cares St. Patrick's Day Color Run, with snow-covered mountains visible in the background. Family friendly St. Patrick's Day activity in Uptown Butte, Montana. Photo by Sarah Bolt, Tempest Technologies. — Butte Cares Color Run in Stodden Park | Photo by Sarah Bolt, Tempest Technologies

Also at Stodden Park, the Spirit of Columbia Gardens Carousel definitely gets into the St. Paddy’s Day spirit. The carousel is decked out in green, concessions sell green popcorn, and of course, it plays a variety of Irish music! Stodden Park is a perfect place for a picnic, with plenty of room for kids to run and play! The Columbia Gardens were a centerpiece of the Butte community until they closed in 1973. The carousel opened in 2018 to “reclaim, restore, and preserve an important part of Butte’s history.”

To round out the day, head to the Butte Civic Center for Handing Down the Heritage in the evening. It’s a family-friendly event featuring the Edmonton Police Service Pipes and Drums, Tiernan Irish Dancers, and the Dublin Gulch! Concessions are available, and it’s a really relaxing, low-stress environment for families, especially after a high-energy day. Plus, it’s indoors, which in March in Montana is definitely a win!

Where to Find More Information:

While the locals love St. Patrick’s Day, the event draws tens of thousands to Butte each year. If you are from out of town or even out of state, you may be wondering where to find a list of all the local festivities. Each year, a group updates this Facebook page with upcoming activities, such as restaurant specials, parade information, and events throughout the community.

Butte is known far and wide for the celebration, and even the Montana Department of Transportation gets in the spirit, changing their highway signs near Butte to read: Shamrocked? Find a sober ride home. But in all seriousness, please enjoy the holiday and your time in Butte, and make sure to drink responsibly and have a sober ride.

We’ll see you in Butte for the annual St. Paddy’s Day Celebrations!