Come to Newport, RI this March for Newport Irish Heritage Month 2018! Newport’s annual, month-long celebration includes a host of events and activities including the 62nd annual Newport St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
Newport’s Saint Patrick’s Day Parade may be Rhode Island’s oldest – but it is just one of many of the events jam packed into Newport Irish Heritage Month!
Every March, Newport goes green with love and appreciation for its Irish heritage. Newport’s substantial Irish population was Rhode Island’s first, peaking in the 1820’s when Irish workers came to construct Fort Adams. Irish influences can be found all around Newport to this day, and so we take the month of March to recognize and celebrate them!
2018 Newport Irish Heritage Month Highlights
March 4th
Dancing at the Forty Steps – 3pm
Forty Steps on the Cliff Walk
Dancing at the Forty Steps is the official opening event of the Newport Irish Heritage Month. The event includes live traditional music, a demonstration of traditional Irish set dancing, and the Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH) Men Singers.
March 10
Trolley Tours of Irish Newport – 10am and 1:30pm
Hibernian Hall, 2 Wellington Ave. Newport
Enjoy narrated 2-hour tours of Irish sites of interest around Newport, RI, including The Forty Steps, Ochre Court, and the Barney Street Cemetery. Admission is free, but donations are accepted. Only two tours are available, advance reservations required – (401) 855-5097.
Newport – Kinsale Chefs Exchange Kickoff
The Newport – Kinsale Chefs Exchange brings several chefs from Kinsale, Ireland to combine their talents with some of Newport’s best local chefs. The event, which is held around Newport at participating restaurants, March 2nd to 9th, kicks off at this event. Learn more at newportkinsalechefexchange.com.
March 16th
3rd Annual St. Patrick’s Day Celebration – 4pm to 8pm
Midtown Oyster Bar, 345 Thames Street, Newport
Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with the AOH Pipes & Drums, as well as the AOH Men Singers.
Big Daddy Award and Pre-Parade Party – 6pm
Hibernian Hall – 2 Wellington Avenue
Entertainment will include Irish musicians Fishing with Finnegan, Mystic Highland bagpipe band, and a DJ. This is a free event with Hors d’oeuvres and a Cash Bar.
March 17th
62nd Newport St. Patrick’s Day Parade – 11am to 1pm
Starts at Newport City Hall, 43 Broadway, Newport, RI 02840
The parade will last approximately 2 hours. Expect traditional Saint Patty’s Day fun in the form of Pipe Bands, Fife & Drum Corps, Clowns, floats, reenactments, and much, much more! www.newportirish.com
March 18th
Mass in Honor of St. Patrick – 11am
St. Mary’s Church, 12 William St, Newport, RI 02840
Come celebrate an Irish Mass in a church built by Irish-American Architect Patrick Keeley in 1848 – 1852. Mass held in memory of deceased AOH members and victims of the great Famine. www.stmarynewport.org
Newport Irish Heritage Month 2018
The above list is just a sampling of all the events, activities, and entertainments one can enjoy during Newport Irish Heritage Month. Go to www.newportirish.com for a more comprehensive list.
Slainte!
Newport Irish Heritage Month Lodging
Coming to Newport for Irish Heritage Month? This time, book your stay at one of the many quality, Newport County Inns and Bed & Breakfasts! Newport’s B&B’s offer premium amenities, delicious breakfasts, and and insider’s knowledge about what to do and where to go in Newport County. You’ll enjoy real comfort, value, and service when you stay at a Newport County Inns and Bed & Breakfast.