With St. Paddy's Day holiday around the corner, it's the perfect time to bring some Irish cheer to your workplace.
Whether your team is in-office, remote, or hybrid, we've rounded up the best St. Patrick's Day office party ideas to help you create a fun way to celebrate the Emerald Isle spirit with your coworkers.
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Key Takeaways
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Green-themed potlucks and beverages make the biggest impact on a budget — plan on $5–15 per employee for snacks and decorations, or $25–50 per person for a full event with catering.
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Scavenger hunts, Irish trivia, and bingo cards work for both in-person and remote teams when you use free tools like Kahoot or Spotify collaborative playlists.
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A costume competition with affordable accessories like leprechaun hats, shamrock necklaces, and glitter makeup turns any office into a St. Patrick's Day celebration.
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Inclusivity matters — always offer non-alcoholic drink options like a shamrock shake, keep celebrations optional, and focus on Irish culture and food rather than stereotypes.
10 Fun & Cool Things To Do At St. Patrick’s Day Office Parties
1. Play Classic Irish Music
If you will celebrate St. Patrick's Day at work, create an inclusive playlist featuring Irish music and everyone's favorite songs. We ask our team members to share their favorite Irish artists and compile them into a single Irish music playlist.
A great low-cost approach is to create a collaborative Spotify playlist a week before the St. Paddy's Day party, so everyone can add their picks — from The Cranberries and U2 to traditional Celtic folk. This builds excitement before the holiday event even starts.
You can opt for a DJ or live band if you've got the budget, but Spotify works just as well. Check out some of the best St Patrick's Day gifts here.
2. Serve St.-Patrick’s-Day-Themed Lunch
After a long, tiring morning of answering emails and calls, you can treat everyone to lunch as part of the holiday celebration. This is a fun and easy way to celebrate St. Paddy's Day with traditional Irish foods and hearty dishes.
Some St. Patrick's Day lunch ideas include shepherd's pie, Irish soda bread, colcannon, corned beef and cabbage, bangers and mash, and Irish stew. You can also conduct a meeting beforehand to ask everyone to bring their dishes for the office potluck for a more personal touch.
Pro tip: Create a sign-up sheet to avoid duplicate dishes, and always ask about dietary restrictions in advance. Having a mix of traditional dishes and simple green treats — such as spinach dip or green velvet cupcakes — ensures everyone in the office has options.
If you're serving drinks, offer both Irish beer and non-alcoholic options. Green smoothies, matcha lattes, and lime sparkling water are festive alternatives that make the office event inclusive for your whole team.
3. Try Out Different Pranks With Employees & Coworkers
In Irish folklore, leprechauns are quite the pranksters. You can take a page out of their book and try out different fun pranks with employees and coworkers.
Try drawing tiny leprechaun footprints leading to an employee's desk, leaving chocolate gold coins in unexpected places, or putting a clever riddle on someone's mousepad that leads to a hidden pot of gold prize. These low-effort surprises keep the holiday spirit going throughout the day without disrupting work.
You can also organize a scavenger hunt in which the winner is rewarded for finding the hidden pot of gold coins. This is a great St. Paddy's Day tradition that builds a friendly competition among team members. Learn what to bring to a St Paddy's Day here.
4. Go Off-Site
You don't have to throw the St. Patrick's Day party at the office — the holiday is the perfect excuse to get everyone off-site. A local Irish pub or local businesses near the St. Patrick's Day parade route would be a great idea.
Find a good event place or make reservations at your local pub after work so everyone can move freely. A quick planning tip: if your off-site event involves alcohol, hold it after work hours and make attendance optional. If it's alcohol-free, a 1–2-hour block during the workday tends to yield better participation.
5. Serve Green Beverages
Another St. Patrick's Day at work idea is to whip up a healthy green smoothie for everyone to kick off the celebration. Add a few drops of green food coloring to lemonade or use green apple juice for naturally festive drinks.
Since we want to take a more creative approach, we will serve mystery green beverages with an Irish theme. Make a variety of options — from a classic shamrock shake to green beer — to keep everyone guessing and giggling. Set up a beverage station with both alcoholic and non-alcoholic choices like shamrock shakes, lime sodas, and green apple mocktails — this way, everyone in the office can join in.
Keep in mind: roughly 1 in 10 American adults is in recovery from a substance-use disorder. Offering plenty of non-alcoholic options isn't just thoughtful — it's the kind of inclusivity that makes your whole team feel welcome.
6. Spread Good Luck and Warm Wishes
Spread warm wishes and the luck of the Irish and hope that the St. Paddy's Day spirit carries over the rest of the year. This is a simple but meaningful way to celebrate the holiday with your office.
One idea that gets strong engagement is setting up a "Luck of the Irish" gratitude wall — a board with sticky notes where coworkers can write anonymous notes of appreciation for one another. It's low-cost, ties into the pot of gold theme, and provides a genuine morale boost. You can also hand out some chocolate gold coins and lucky charms to your team members as desk surprises.
7. Organize A Decorating Contest
Organize a St. Patrick's Day activity, like a decorating contest, on the day of the office party. This will create a festive atmosphere, improve your team building, and allow everyone to get creative with their hands.
Allocate funds for St Patrick's Day decorations, such as green streamers, green string lights, and gold balloons, and reward the team with the best display to encourage active employee participation.
Some specific ideas that work well: shamrock garlands across doorways, mason jars filled with gold-wrapped chocolates as table centerpieces, a pot of gold display piece, and a green balloon arch at the office entrance. Ensure there is enough space for each team to set up their decorations.
8. Bring In Some Themed Treats
Finger foods are a must at every party because everyone wants something easy they can munch on while the party goes on. Some St. Patrick's Day ideas for sweet treats include green cookies, Irish soda bread, and corned beef tacos.
9. Team-Building Games & Activities
Games and themed games strengthen employee bonds. We organized a team-building event, which boosted our company culture and employee morale. St. Paddy's Day is a perfect holiday to mix fun with team building.
This is where the party planning committee can get creative. You can start with Irish trivia—play it using free tools like Kahoot. It works for both in-person and remote teams. Questions about Irish history, culture, and Ireland's rich heritage make it both educational and entertaining.
Other fun ideas: a leprechaun hat toss (ring toss using mini leprechaun hats as targets), a shamrock art contest with craft supplies, bingo cards with an Irish twist, or a pot of gold guessing game. Have a dance-off as well — look up an Irish jig tutorial and let teams compete for the best jig. It's a hilarious way to celebrate and a crowd favorite no matter how they celebrate back in Ireland.
10. Organize A Traditional Irish Costume Competition
Host a costume contest for the main event of your St. Patrick's Day office party.
Have everyone attend wearing their best green outfits and Irish-inspired costumes. Award prizes in categories like "Most Creative," "Most Festive," and "Best Overall" to encourage employees and get more people involved. You don't need a full leprechaun costume — even simple accessories like a green leprechaun hat, shamrock beaded necklace, or glitter makeup gel can make a big impact.
A note on keeping it fun for everyone: focus on celebrating Irish heritage rather than leaning into stereotypes. People in Ireland and in other countries celebrate this holiday differently, and respecting that makes the office event better for everyone.
Set up a DIY photo booth with a green tablecloth backdrop and printed props — leprechaun hats, shamrocks, and pots of gold — so everyone can capture the moment and share on social media. It's one of the easiest ways to celebrate St. Patrick's Day at work.
Also, wearing green on Saint Patrick's Day is a beloved tradition rooted in Irish heritage — a fun way to bring the team together. Remind everyone to wear green so they don't get a friendly pinch.
How To Celebrate St. Patrick's Day in the Remote Work Era
Leverage Virtual Party Platforms
If you will celebrate St. Patrick's Day at work virtually, you can use platforms like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or Google Meet to host your party.
Each offers unique features to enhance the holiday party experience, from breakout rooms for small-group interactions to custom St. Patrick's Day Zoom backgrounds featuring Ireland's rolling green hills. Send a green-themed background pack to team members in advance so everyone's screen looks festive from the start.
Engaging in Online Games and Activities
Introduce St. Patrick's Day-themed quizzes, virtual escape rooms, or online board games. Kahoot and Quizlet Live are free tools that let you run Irish trivia for the whole team in minutes — no setup required.
You can also host a virtual happy hour where everyone brings their favorite green drink (alcoholic or not) and competes in rounds of themed trivia. A virtual happy hour is a great way to celebrate the holiday as a team-building activity that remote teams look forward to each year.
Virtual Gift Exchange
Organize a St. Patrick's Day-themed gift exchange. Send small packages in advance — think shamrock accessories, green snacks, or gold-wrapped chocolates — and open them together during the virtual party. This adds an element of surprise and connection, and it's a creative way to celebrate Saint Patrick's Day, no matter where your team members are located.
How Do You Celebrate St. Patrick's Day at Work on a Budget?
You don't need a big budget to throw a memorable St. Patrick's Day office party. Here's a rough breakdown:
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$5–15 per employee: Green-themed snacks, simple green decorations, and a collaborative Spotify playlist. This covers the basics and still feels festive.
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$25–50 per employee: Add a catered lunch or potluck with traditional Irish foods, costume contest prizes, and a photo booth setup.
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$50+ per employee: Full event with professional entertainment, off-site venue at an Irish pub, or a virtual experience like a hosted whiskey tasting.
The biggest bang for your buck comes from activities that cost nothing — scavenger hunts, decorating contests, gratitude walls, and collaborative playlists all drive engagement without a line item in the budget. Even a simple Irish jig dance-off in the office break room can create memories that last.
How Do You Keep a St. Patrick's Day Office Party Inclusive?
Inclusivity is what separates a good office party from a great one. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
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Make it optional. Not everyone wants to celebrate, and that's OK. Keep the holiday event voluntary and make it easy for people to participate at whatever level they're comfortable with.
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Offer non-alcoholic options. St. Paddy's Day has a strong association with drinking, but roughly 9% of American adults are in recovery from a substance-use disorder. Always have plenty of mocktails, sodas, and themed non-alcoholic drinks available.
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Avoid stereotypes. Skip the fake accents and anything that reduces Irish culture to drinking. Focus instead on food, music, Irish history, and creative activities.
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Account for dietary restrictions. Label all potluck dishes and include options for common dietary restrictions —vegetarian, gluten-free, and allergen-friendly.
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Include remote employees. If you have a hybrid or remote team, build in virtual activities they can join, like trivia or a virtual happy hour.
FAQs
What Must I Bring to the Office for St. Patrick's Day?
Wearing green is the easiest way to celebrate St. Patrick's Day at work. If the office has a potluck, bring dishes such as shepherd's pie, corned beef, colcannon, or Irish soda bread. Even something simple like green cupcakes, shamrock sugar cookies, or a bowl of lime candies goes a long way.
If your team is doing a costume contest, grab a few affordable accessories — a green leprechaun hat, beaded necklace, or some glitter makeup — and you're ready to go.
What Are the Best St. Patrick's Day Games for the Office?
A scavenger hunt for gold coins, Irish trivia night (use Kahoot for instant setup), and a leprechaun hat toss are just a few fun ways to celebrate St. Patrick's Day with games you can hold in the office. For remote teams, virtual escape rooms and online trivia also work well.
Other popular options include a shamrock art contest, a cookie decorating competition, bingo cards with an Irish twist, and a "best dressed in green" showdown with prizes for the winners.
Should You Have Your Office St. Patrick's Day Party During or After Work Hours?
It depends on your plans. If the celebration is alcohol-free and activity-based — think potluck, trivia, and a decorating contest — a 1–2-hour block during work hours tends to yield the highest participation. If alcohol will be involved, it's best to hold the office event after work hours and make attendance optional. This protects both the company and employees and ensures everyone feels comfortable deciding whether to attend.
Final Details
Celebrating St. Patrick's Day is always a good time, but it can be even better when you do it with your team at the office. From a scavenger hunt for a pot of gold to a leprechaun hat toss and an Irish jig dance-off, there are countless ways to celebrate this holiday.
For any office party, decorating the space to match the St. Patrick's Day theme is essential. Host a decorating contest, where the team with the best St. Patrick's Day items and green decorations will bring home a special prize. This is a fun way to get everyone involved and create a festive atmosphere.
Also, have good food and drinks. Curate a menu of dishes, such as shepherd's pie or corned beef stew, or organize a potluck where every team member can pitch in. Make sure to have both green beer and non-alcoholic options, such as shamrock shakes and lime sparkling water, on hand.
Lastly, play games. Organize a scavenger hunt, host a costume contest, or set up a trivia showdown. Remember to prepare prizes for the lucky winners — and wear green so you don't get pinched.
References:
- https://www.britannica.com/topic/shepherds-pie
- https://www.britannica.com/art/leprechaun
