We’re all a wee bit Irish on St. Patrick's Day. The 173rd annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade returns on Saturday, March 16. The parade starts at 11:30 AM and runs from 2nd & Market Street, down Market Street, making a right at McAllister Street to end up in front of San Francisco City Hall at SF's Civic Center Plaza. A post-parade celebration will take place at Civic Center Plaza until 6 PM, all right in our NEMA San Francisco neighborhood.

This year, there will be a UniteSF Multi-cultural Celebration at Civic Center Plaza from 11:30 AM to 6:00 PM, with a bar, food options, and music, with the LIVE music starting about 2 PM after the parade. The theme of the 2024 St. Patrick's Day Parade is UniteSF. The mission of UniteSF is to share St. Patrick’s Day with everyone: to unite, embrace, and honor all the unique cultural groups across this fine City. San Francisco is such an amazing place to live - a true melting pot of global cultures. UniteSF will bring the best of these incredibly diverse communities together, during and after the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, for one huge celebration of the dance, music, arts, and food of the people and cultures of this fantastic city.

The St. Patrick’s Day Parade celebrates and showcases our Irish community, Irish culture, and character in all its forms. Featured groups from throughout the Bay Area’s Irish community including schools, youth organizations, labor unions, and cultural groups, as well as the San Francisco Police and Fire Departments, will march down Market Street.

Pair your parade with an Irish Coffee from The Buena Vista in hand. Venture 2.2 miles from your NEMA San Francisco doorstep and visit The Buena Vista Cafe for their Famous Irish Coffee paired with bread pudding. You can order Irish Coffees to-go, the catch? You have to pour the mini Tullamore Dew whiskeys yourself...but that's the fun. If you can’t make it there, we’re sharing a recipe to try at home to serve up some delightful Irish Coffee alongside your corned beef and cabbage.

The Buena Vista is well-known in San Francisco for their iconic Irish Coffee, which was actually the first one made here in America in 1952 by the duo of Jack Koeppler (then-owner of The Buena Vista) and Stanton Delaplane (international travel writer). The first Irish Coffee was made in Ireland at the Shannon Airport by Joe Sheridan, and was brought back to San Francisco. After much experimentation to create this drink, they came up with the recipe for the Irish Coffee that is served here to this day.

If you want to see the creation of the Irish coffee in-house, you can grab a seat at the bar and watch the bartenders making these drinks daily. Want to try your hand at making an authentic Buena Vista Irish Coffee in your NEMA kitchen? Try this recipe:

Ingredients:

2 sugar cubes

4 ounces hot coffee, (Buena Vista uses Peerless Coffee Organic Italian Roast) smooth blends work best

1.5 ounces Irish whiskey (Buena Vista uses Tullamore Dew)

1.5 ounces heavy cream (lightly whipped, not stiff)

Directions:

Fill an 8-ounce clear heatproof glass with hot water. Swirl a bit and then pour out when the glass feels warm to the touch. Add 2 sugar cubes to the bottom of the glass. Then fill 3/4 of the way with hot coffee.

Stir until completely dissolved. Now add whiskey. Holding a spoon over the glass. Start to slowly pour the slightly thickened, whipped cream over the spoon into the glass until full. Enjoy your authentic Buena Vista Irish Coffee.

Erin go Bragh! Get ready for a day filled with Irish pride, music, dancing, and fun.

Image Credit: The Buena Vista on Facebook

Discover San Francisco Luxury Apartments @ NEMA
NEMA’s four apartment building towers and three landscaped terraces offer an amazing array of views overlooking San Francisco’s urban landscape and natural setting. Landmarks in the surrounding skyline include the iconic skyscrapers of the San Francisco Financial District, the dome of City Hall, Golden Gate Bridge, Russian Hill, Bernal Heights, Twin Peaks, and San Francisco Bay. Get social with us and follow our story on Facebook and Instagram. Use #liveNEMA to share with our team.