# St. Patrick's Day Race Guide: Costumes, Kids and the Party > How to do a St. Patrick's Day race: picking a shamrock run, wearing green, March weather, bringing the kids, running as a team, and the after-party. - **Author:** Kelby Dover, Founder, Run This - **Published:** 2026-11-06 - **Category:** Racing - **Topics:** st. patrick's day, shamrock run, holiday races, costumes, family, running with kids, race day tips, spring races - **Reading time:** 7 min - **Article:** https://runthis.run/articles/st-patricks-day-race-guide To do a St. Patrick's Day race, pick a shamrock run with a distance for everyone, wear something green, and dress for March weather, which can be warm, cold, windy or wet in the same week. Check the kids, stroller and dog rules before you sign up, and get there early. If there's an after-party, drink water first and plan your ride home. Then just have fun: it's the one race where a leprechaun beard is completely normal. St. Patrick's races are part race, part party. There's green everywhere, somebody's dog is wearing a shamrock bandana, and the finish line feels like a celebration. You don't need to be fast, or Irish, to belong. ### What is a shamrock run? A shamrock run is a race on or around St. Patrick's Day, usually a 5K, sometimes with a mile, a 10K or a kids' dash next to it. Expect green shirts, costumes, music and often a party at the finish. St. Patrick's Day lands on a different day of the week each year, so many races are held on the weekend before or after. ### What distance should I do? Pick a distance for each person, not one for the whole group. - **A kids' dash** (sometimes called a "leprechaun dash"): a short run for little ones, often just before the main race. - **A 1-mile run or walk:** great for grandparents, new runners and kids who want a "real" race. - **A 5K (3.1 miles):** the classic. Walking it is completely fine. - **A 10K or longer:** some shamrock runs add one. It's a good early-spring check-in if you're training for something bigger. Running with a group of friends? Run together at the slowest friend's pace. It's a party, not a time trial. ### What should I wear to a St. Patrick's race? Green, of course. Then dress for March, not for the party. Early spring mornings can start cold and warm up fast. - **Something green:** a shirt, socks, a tutu, a shamrock headband or a leprechaun hat. Any bit of green counts. - **Layers** you can peel off and tie around your waist, plus an old sweatshirt for the wait at the start. - **A rain layer** if the forecast looks iffy. - **Face paint:** keep it away from your eyes. Sweat makes it run. - **Costumes:** test anything that flaps, drags or slides on a practice run first, so nothing trips anyone. - **Your running shoes.** Save the buckle shoes for the party. ### What about the after-party? Lots of St. Patrick's races end with a party: music, food, and sometimes a drink for runners who are old enough. Have fun, and be smart about it. - Drink water first. You just ran, so rehydrate before anything else. - Eat something. - Bring your ID if the race checks it at the party. - Plan your ride home before you get there. If you're drinking, don't drive. - Bringing kids? Check whether the party is family friendly, or plan your own celebration after. ### Can we bring the kids, a stroller or the dog? Often, yes, but every race sets its own rules. If the race page doesn't say, ask the race director before race day, not at the start line. **With a stroller:** start at the back and bring a blanket. March mornings are chilly for a kid who's sitting still. **With a dog:** start at the back, use a short leash (not a retractable one), and bring water and bags. A green bandana is plenty of costume. Bring a dog who stays calm in a crowd, because a St. Patrick's crowd is a loud one. ### Can I run with my friends as a team? Yes, and it's half the fun. Pick a team name, match your shirts, and stick together to the finish. Some races have a team distance. On Run This, one person creates the team when they sign up and gets an invite code to send to everyone else. Each teammate registers with that code and pays for their own spot. ### When should we get there? Earlier than you think. Parking and bathroom lines fill up fast, and a parade or other St. Patrick's events nearby can close roads. Check for road closures the night before. With kids, aim for 45 minutes to an hour before your start. - If the race has packet pickup the day before, go. It's the best line you'll skip all morning. - Pin bibs on the front at home, and write a phone number on the back of each kid's bib. - Hit the bathroom before you line up. Then take the kids one more time. ### How do we make it a tradition? - Pick one race and keep going back. Same start line, same hill, same green socks. - Choose a group costume theme each year, and vote on it. - Take the same photo in the same spot every year. - Keep the bibs. Write the year and everyone's time on the back. **On Run This:** each race you run can earn a trophy on your profile, one for every year you run it. Kids you register as dependents build their race history under your account. When a race posts its photos on Run This, they're free to download, so the costume photo is easy to keep. ### St. Patrick's race-morning checklist - Bibs pinned on, with a phone number on the back of each kid's bib - Something green for everyone - Layers, a rain jacket and a throwaway sweatshirt - Costumes tested on a practice run - Water and snacks - For the dog: a short leash, water and bags - Your ID, if you're going to the after-party - A ride home planned - A meeting spot everyone knows - Dry clothes and socks in the car ### Frequently asked questions ### Do I have to wear green? No, but you might be the only one who doesn't. Green socks or a green hat are plenty. ### Can you walk a shamrock run? Yes. Lots of people walk the whole way. A 5K walk takes most people about an hour, and a 1-mile walk about 20 minutes. Start near the back so runners can pass. ### Is a St. Patrick's race okay for kids? Many are, and some have a kids' dash. The race itself is usually family friendly. It's the after-party you'll want to check. ### What if the race we want is sold out? Look for a waitlist. On Run This, a sold-out distance with a waitlist says "Sold out. Waitlist open." Joining is free, and you get an email if a spot opens for you. ### Can I switch distances after I sign up? Ask the race. On Run This, when a race allows transfers, you'll find a Transfer button on your registration in My races until the race's cutoff. ### How do I find a St. Patrick's Day race near me? - Open [Run This race search](https://runthis.run/races) and type "shamrock", "leprechaun" or "lucky", or jump straight to [this search](https://runthis.run/races?q=shamrock). - Add your ZIP code and pick how far you'll drive. - Set the dates from the weekend before St. Patrick's Day through the weekend after. - Open a race and check the distances, the start time, the kids and dog rules, and whether there's a party after. - Tap Save and leave yourself a note, like "green tutus for everyone?" Decide with your crew later. Saved races show up on your Run This calendar, and your followers see the save in their feed (a sneaky way to recruit a teammate). Some races register right on Run This, so you can sign up the whole family in one cart with one payment, and kids don't need accounts of their own. Others send you to their own registration page. Want to host one? Read [How to Plan a St. Patrick's Day Race](https://runthis.run/articles/how-to-plan-a-st-patricks-day-race). Looking for a spring race after this one? Read [How to Choose Your Next Race](https://runthis.run/articles/how-to-choose-your-next-race). Got a St. Patrick's race tip I missed? [Tell me](https://runthis.run/contact). I read every one. Happy St. Patrick's Day. --- Source: [https://runthis.run/articles/st-patricks-day-race-guide](https://runthis.run/articles/st-patricks-day-race-guide) — data from Run This (runthis.run).