☘️ Your South Philly St. Patrick's Day weekend event calendar

It’s St. Paddy’s Day in South Philadelphia this weekend and we’re going all-in with a big event calendar to help you get the most out of your holiday.

Plus, we’re keeping tabs on the redevelopment of a neighborhood rec center, some notable restaurant openings, and a ton of non-St. Patrick’s events to help guide your weekend.

If you like what we’re doing here, please forward this email on to a friend — and if you’ve just found us for the first time, please hit subscribe! It’s totally free and we’ll pop up in your inbox every Thursday morning with the latest in South Philly news and events.

Let’s get into it.

🇮🇪 Your St. Paddy’s weekend calendar

Scroll down below for our usual weekly events calendar full of non-holiday related festivities.

☘️ The big St. Patrick’s Day parade on Sunday is not in South Philly. The Ben Franklin Parkway gets all the fun there. But there are plenty of after parties in our neck of the woods, starting with a big one hosted by a bunch of South Street businesses at Headhouse Square starting at 2 p.m.

🚗 Expect traffic delays all around after the parade on Sunday afternoon. Marchers generally just keep on marching down to 2nd Street or Headhouse Square, causing a bit of a mess. It’s a good day to leave the car parked and just join the party!

🥪 Famous 4th Street Deli has a take-out Reuben Kit available for $120. It’s designed to serve four and includes everything you need to build a reuben at home — 2.5 pounds of corned beef or pastrami, Swiss cheese, bread, sauerkraut, Russian dressing, pickles and a large potato pancake.

🍺 The Avalon String Band hosts their post-parade party down at 2nd and Tasker. You can find details on their Facebook page — it’s no cover, but for $15 you can get a meal, a Lucky Leprechaun Punch, and other goodies. The fun starts at 2 p.m. on Sunday.

🚌 Paddy Whacks, Woolly Mammoth, Milkboy South Street and Fat Tuesday are all part of the annual Erin Express, which mostly hits bars in Center City. It’s always … an adventure, to say the least. Tickets are $20 and the event is from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. on either Saturday or Sunday — or both?

🌈 Saturday at 8 p.m., head down to Xfinity Live for their St. Patrick’s Day party. There’s a Wings game in the afternoon and a Flyers game in the evening, so it should be busy down there — this party is free to enter and will feature live music, karaoke, the Goodman Fiske band, and more.

🍺 McKenna’s Pub at 2nd and Snyder has Irish specials all day on parade day, starting at 9 a.m. on Sunday.

🇮🇪 🎶 Brewery ARS on West Passyunk will have live Irish music from 4 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, March 13.

💇‍♀️ From Tuesday, March 18 through Saturday, March 22, Headhunters salon on East Passyunk Avenue is featuring 17 percent off haircuts, blowouts, and curls in honor of St. Patrick’s Day.

🇮🇪 The Tyrone Society of Philadelphia hosts their annual St. Patrick’s Day party at the Mummers Museum, 2nd and Washington, also at 2 p.m. on Sunday after the parade. $60 includes an open bar and food.

🍔 P’unk Burger on East Passyunk Avenue will feature a Guinness Corned Beef Burger (!) and a Lucky Charms Shake on their menu this weekend.

🕺 Society Hill Dance Academy — which is not in Society Hill, it’s on East Passyunk — will have their St. Paddy’s Day Party next weekend on Friday, March 21. It begins at 7:45 p.m. and is $20 for non-members. There will be dancing, and it’s BYOB.

🧁 These Irish Potato Cupcakes at Batter & Crumbs Bakery (Reed Street, just off Broad) look incredible and are on sale now until supplies last.

🍨 More scoop …

🌳 Rec Center renovations: A redesign is coming to the outdoor park at the East Passyunk Rec Center, on the corner of 13th and Mifflin Streets. Two bigger play areas for kids will be added, more trees will be added, and the existing sprayground will remain. The “sun dial” art piece will be relocated to Cape May, but the existing mural will remain. A new entrance at the corner of the park should help the park feel less like a “fortress,” as one community member put it.

🦠 Measles finds its way to South Philly: The Department of Public Health warned this week of a potential measles exposure at the South Philadelphia Health & Literacy Center, at the corner of Broad and Morris. The reported exposure occurred on Friday, March 7 and Saturday, March 8. Most Philadelphians are vaccinated, but those with babies or a weakened immune system should take precautions, the health department says. [phila.gov]

🥩 Holy cow! Philly police stopped thieves from stealing hundreds of cases of beef near the Sysco warehouse in the Sports Complex on Tuesday morning. A group of four men fled in an SUV into Northern Liberties and got away, but the would-be stolen meat was left behind at the scene.

🗓️ This week’s (non-St. Patrick’s Day) South Philly events calendar

We can’t possibly find all of the cool events in South Philly on our own. Please send your submissions each week to [email protected] or DM us on IG at @south.philly.scoop.

Thursday, March 13

Coffee With A 3rd District Cop 👮☕️
A chance to ask questions of officers in the community.
⏱️ 10 a.m. until noon
🎟️ Free
📍 Anthony’s Italian Coffee House, 9th and Christian

Women Mean Business 2025 👩‍💼
An annual highlight of female entrepreneurs and business owners from around the East Passyunk BID.
⏱️ 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
🎟️ $17.84
📍 Society Hill Dance Academy, 1919 East Passyunk

Community Budget Hearing with State Rep. Jordan Harris 💰
Learn about the Pennsylvania state budget with your reps in the assembly.
⏱️ 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
🎟️ Free
📍 Grand Yesha Ballroom, 23rd and Snyder

Flower Power Quizzo 🌸
Inspired by the Philadelphia Flower Show.
⏱️ 7 p.m.
🎟️ No cover
📍 Dock Street South, 22nd and Washington

Bad Advice: Improvised Standup Comedy 🎤
“Bad Advice is an improvised standup comedy show where comedians answer your questions to give you all the wrong answers.”
⏱️ 8 p.m.
🎟️ Free, donations suggested
📍 Ray’s Happy Birthday Bar, Passyunk and Federal

Greater Philly Yarn Crawl 🧶
Support local yarn shops on this four-day crawl around area business. Starts Thursday and ends Sunday, with neighborhood participants South Philly Yard and Craft and Weaver House participating.
⏱️ 🎟️ 📍 See website for further details.

Flyers vs. Tampa Bay Lightning 🏒
⏱️ 7 p.m. 📍Wells Fargo Center

Friday, March 14

Pie-Way To Hell 🥧
A three-day celebration of all things pie, running Friday through Sunday but only after 4 p.m. each day.
⏱️ 4 p.m., Friday-Sunday
🎟️ We are unsure how much the pies cost
📍 Royal Tavern, 937 East Passyunk

Jay Pharoah: Grown Ass Kid Tour 🎤
The SNL cast member brings his comedy show to South Philly.
⏱️ Doors at 7, show at 8
🎟️ $24.99
📍 Live! Casino, 10th and Packer

INFEKT: Veggie Games Tour 🎶
⏱️ 8 p.m.
🎟️ Starts at $16.50
📍 TLA, 334 South Street

Sixers vs. Indiana Pacers 🏀
⏱️ 7 p.m. 📍Wells Fargo Center

Saturday, March 15

Liberty Flea Vintage & Artisan Market 🛍️
⏱️ 10 a.m. til 5 p.m.
🎟️ $5 in advance, $7 day of
📍 Bok Building, enter at 821 Dudley

Tour of Isaiah Zagar’s Watkins Street Studio 🎨
After creating Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens, artist Isaiah Zagar began work on his next art environment, the Watkins Street Studio. Get a tour.
⏱️ 10 a.m.
🎟️ $25
📍 1002 Watkins Street

Indoor lacrosse: Wings vs. Colorado Mammoth 🥍
⏱️ 1 p.m. 📍Wells Fargo Center

Flight School: The Art Of Handstand 🧘
“Whether you're working on your first handstand or refining your balance, this workshop will give you the tools to build strength, stability, and confidence upside down.”
⏱️ 2 p.m.
🎟️ Appears to be free, requires registration
📍 Palo Santo Yoga Boutique, 1707 East Passyunk

All Ages Ceramic Tile Workshop 🧑‍🎨
“In this workshop, participants will choose and decorate two ceramic forms (choose from a variety of tiles and ornaments) and glaze a doily tile inspired by Isaiah Zagar of the Magic Gardens.”
⏱️ 2 p.m.
🎟️ Appears to be free, requires registration
📍 Palo Santo Yoga Boutique, 1707 East Passyunk

Flyers vs. Carolina Hurricanes 🏒
⏱️ 7 p.m. 📍Wells Fargo Center

Camp Crush Comedy 🎤
⏱️ Doors at 7, show at 8
🎟️ $15, via Eventbrite
📍 At My House, 760 South 4th

Camp Cookie 2025: Philly Grit 🎭
“A Speakeasy cabaret curated by Cookie Diorio filled with music, sparkles, and of course Cookies.”
⏱️ 7 p.m.
🎟️ $30
📍 Theatre Exile, 1340 South 13th

Jack Kays: Washed Up Dried Out Tour 🎶
⏱️ 8 p.m.
🎟️ $38.50
📍 TLA, 334 South Street

Sunday, March 16

Spring Trinket Bar 💎
Build a spring-themed charm bracelet or necklace!
⏱️ 11 a.m to 5 p.m.
🎟️ Free
📍 Moon & Arrow, 742 South 4th Street

Wednesday, March 19

SahBabii: The Resurrection Tour 🎶
⏱️ 8 p.m.
🎟️ $40.45
📍 TLA, 334 South Street

Brotherly Comedy
A comedy show featuring four performers.
⏱️ 9 p.m.
🎟️ $10 via Ticketweb, 21+ only
📍 Nikki Lopez Philly, 304 South Street

Openings and closings

If you’re opening a new business and would like to be included in this part of the newsletter, shoot us a quick note at [email protected].

🍷 Superette opens on Passyunk: Under construction for over a year, the new wine bar, market, and bottle shop is open at the corner of East Passyunk and Cross Streets, in the old Primal Supply Meats location. They’re open from 12-8 most days, with slightly longer hours on weekends. Can’t wait to check it out.

🥖 There has been significant progress made at Skinny Joey’s Cheesesteaks, owned by Joey Merlino. They fully gutted the building — which formerly was Ace of Steaks and Talk Of The Town — added a second floor, and gave a red, black, and white face lift to the exterior. They’re right on Broad Street, right next to the Schuykill Expressway. We’re told they will be open by the end of the month. [IG]

🍹 New cocktail menu at Watkins Drinkery: The corner bar on 10th and Watkins recently changed ownership, and now they’ve got a new cocktail menu featuring classics like citywides, margs, and an espresso martini — and also a “South Philly Spritz” with gin, lemon, sage, honey, and a green tea/vodka Surfside. [IG]

🍕 It’s also new menu season at Dock Street Brewing South, at 22nd and Washington. New salads, pastas, and pizzas adorn their menu to go along with their excellent vibes and great beer. [Dock Street]

🍜 We have an opening date for the Southeast Asian Market in FDR Park! The weekend food market will set up shop from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays beginning April 5, and will run through the fall as it normally does.

Gettin’ schooled at Gold Star Park 📝

A weekly South Philly Scoop feature - an old school photo from somewhere in South Philly, and a bit of the history and background behind it.

Next time you pass by or walk through Gold Star Park, on Wharton Street between 6th and 7th, consider what happened there in March 1939.

During the first week of that month, the John Hay School, built in 1908, burned to a crisp on that very lot. Hay, the school’s namesake, served as Secretary of State under Presidents McKinley and Teddy Roosevelt, and served as a personal secretary to Abraham Lincoln during his presidency.

Above, you can see a photo of the interior of a second floor hallway inside the school on March 8, 1939, after firefighters knocked down the flames. Below, you can see the school after the fire from the exterior. It was eventually leveled and the park took its place.

Thanks for reading!

Like what you saw here? Please help us grow and share with a friend! You can just hit the forward button. And make sure you’ve subscribed! It’s the most valuable thing you can do to help us out.

Have a suggestion? Please reach out, we’re all ears! [email protected] or via direct message on Instagram @south.philly.scoop.

We’ll feature the best comments in next week’s edition!

Want to help support? We’re looking for advertisers in the community who want to reach a dedicated audience of South Philadelphians. Get in touch at [email protected].

See youse next Thursday.