RIVER O’ GREEN FEST RETURNS ON MARCH 16TH WITH A PARADE

Experience the vibrant return of Tampa’s Downtown River O’ Green on March 16th from 11 am to 6 pm! This annual free event marks the start of the St. Patrick’s Day festivities, with the Hillsborough River turning a vivid green.

Enjoy food vendors, a diverse selection of beers, a pet costume contest, and an array of entertaining activities at this family-friendly festival. Don’t miss the Rough Riders’ St. Patrick’s Parade, starting at 5:00 p.m. Staging for the parade begins at 2:00 p.m.

ENTERTAINMENT SCHEDULE

Main Stage (Near Ashley Drive)

11:15AM-12:45PM – Paddy O’Furniture Band Performance

1:15PM-2:45PM – Irish Buskers Band Performance

3:30PM – Pet Costume Contest sponsored by the Barrymore Hotel

4:00PM-5:00PM – Phoenix Five Band Performance

Terrace Stage (Near Gasparilla Plaza)

11:30AM – TBD

1:00PM – Finnegan Irish Dance Academy Performance

2:30PM – TBD

3:00PM – Finnegan Irish Dance Academy Performance

TRANSFORMING THE RIVER

• At 11:00 a.m., Tampa Mayor Jane Castor will sound the horn to start the process of dyeing the Hillsborough River green.• The dye is non-toxic, safe for the environment, biodegradable, and certified to meet National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) Standard 60 for use in and around drinking water.

• The Hillsborough County Environmental Protection Commission (HCEPC) examined the dye and approved it for use as part of the River O’ Green event.

PARKING

• Please be advised the closest parking option to the event, William F. Poe Garage (800 N. Ashley Dr.), will fill quickly. Fort Brooke Garage (107 N. Franklin St.) and parking in Ybor City are great alternatives as attendees can walk the beautiful Tampa Riverwalk to the event or take the free TECO Line streetcar. DASH Tampa will also be running throughout the event with the nearest hub pickup and drop off location right in front of The Barrymore Hotel Tampa Riverwalk (111 W. Fortune St.). HART’s new streamlined bus network, bike path routes, complete sidewalk network, water taxi, taxi, e-scooter, and/or rideshare (Uber/Lyft) are also all great options.

• With the addition of the Rough Riders’ St. Patrick’s parade moving Downtown, City of Tampa road closures will go into effect around 2 p.m. and should be considered when deciding where to park. You can find the official parade route here.