San Antonio’s official St. Patrick’s Day celebration will feature not one but three parades. Credit: Courtesy of Visit San Antonio

Another holiday in San Antonio, another excuse for a parade and festival along the River Walk.

The Harp & Shamrock Society of Texas’s Alamo City-style St. Patrick’s Day celebration kicks off at 1 p.m. Thursday by dyeing of the San Antonio River green — with eco-friendly coloring, of course.

The festival itself takes place Friday and Saturday with live music, food trucks, games and family-friendly entertainment. The annual River Walk parade runs 4-5 p.m. Saturday, so get there in time to snag a spot anywhere along the parade route for a view of 12 Irish-themed floats, each carrying entertainers — yes, that includes bagpipers.

This year, the River Walk parade will be followed by a new Luck of the Irish River Parade, which will take place along the Museum Reach starting at 6 p.m.

If you’re able to save stomach space Friday, head to the Passport to Ireland booth as soon as the festival opens to get one of the 10 slots for the 3rd annual tater tot eating contest. The challenge? Two pounds of tater tots in under three minutes.

And if you’re not paraded out by that point, there’s another option on Saturday. The Lucky Dog Parade at La Villita will take festively attired pooches on a quarter-mile route where one will be crowned winner. Line-up starts at 1 p.m. for the 2 p.m. pup parade.

The party will continue late into Saturday night during Howl at the Moon’s After Party Street Fest, which will feature a performance by an ’80s cover band as well as a Silent Disco with more than 30 DJs rotating on eight turntables.

Whichever of the events end up on your schedule, make sure you’re wearing green!

Free, 1-8 p.m. Friday, March 18 and Saturday, March 19, River Parade 4-5 p.m. Saturday, San Antonio River Walk, thesanantonioriverwalk.com.

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This article appears in Mar 9-22, 2022.