Tampa's River O'Green Turns Hillsborough River Green for St. Patrick's Day

Thousands celebrate annual festival with Irish dancing, food, and entertainment

Mar. 14, 2026 at 7:33pm

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Thousands gathered at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park in Tampa on Saturday to kick off the city's 14th annual River O'Green St. Patrick's Day celebration. The event featured the Hillsborough River turning a bright shade of green, Irish dancing, festive food and drinks, and other St. Patrick's Day entertainment.

Why it matters

The River O'Green celebration is a long-standing Tampa tradition that brings the community together and boosts downtown businesses and restaurants. The event's ability to draw thousands of residents and visitors to the city's waterfront highlights Tampa's vibrant culture and commitment to celebrating its Irish heritage.

The details

The River O'Green event featured a variety of Irish-themed food and drinks, including bangers and mash, pretzel wands with beer cheese, Reuben sandwiches, and fish and chips. Local businesses like A Boy Named Sue restaurant participated in the festivities. Irish step dancers also performed for the crowd, showcasing the city's Irish cultural traditions.

  • The 14th annual River O'Green celebration took place on Saturday, March 14, 2026.

The players

Kenyetta Hairston-Bridges

President and CEO of Tampa Downtown Partnership, the organization that helps coordinate the River O'Green event.

Chris Chillura

Managing partner for A Boy Named Sue, a local restaurant that participated in the River O'Green festivities.

Allysia Stimus

An Irish step dancer who performed at the River O'Green event.

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What they’re saying

“This is the place to be right now. This is an event where we draw thousands of residents and thousands of visitors into the downtown to experience us coloring the Hillsborough River this bright brilliant shade of kelly green, it's going to be so exciting.”

— Kenyetta Hairston-Bridges, President and CEO of Tampa Downtown Partnership

“We got our bangers and mash. We got our pretzel wands with the beer cheese, beer cheese made with our local brewery, Wulfaven, that we're at every Wednesday night for trivia. The Reuben is the real star of the show today. We also got our fish and chips with our cod, with a little bit of blackening seasoning, some fresh lemon. And last on the end there, the chef's wife, Justine, she actually makes a lot of our desserts. This is our homemade Lucky Charms puppy chow.”

— Chris Chillura, Managing partner for A Boy Named Sue

“Everyone just comes together for St. Patrick's Day. It is so amazing. Everyone just tries their best to dance. It may not be the best, but it's so much fun, and they just enjoy. To see everyone staring at it. It's so cool. And like to watch all of the [water]. How do they even do that? It looks so interesting, and it's just a great part of St. Patrick's Day that they do that here.”

— Allysia Stimus, Irish step dancer

What’s next

The city of Tampa is already looking forward to planning next year's River O'Green celebration.

The takeaway

The River O'Green event is a beloved Tampa tradition that brings the community together, celebrates the city's Irish heritage, and provides an economic boost to local businesses. The annual festival's ability to draw thousands of residents and visitors highlights Tampa's vibrant culture and commitment to honoring its diverse traditions.