Emerald Isle's St. Patrick Festival: Emerald Isle Houses for Sale

Next weekend, the Town of Emerald Isle, NC holds an annual St. Patrick's Festival. This is a BIG event here in Emerald Isle and on the Crystal Coast of North Carolina—treasured by both visitors and residents alike. To get you ready for the festivities, I'm highlighting a few things you should know about the event to increase your enjoyment.

Before I describe the St. Patrick's Festival itself—with the namesake Emerald Isle, you may be wondering how much our island has to do with St. Patrick's Day in the first place. Absolutely nothing! When the original developers were contemplating the purchase of this undeveloped half of Bogue Banks, a consultant from Florida was hired to advise them. This consultant asked to be flown over the property to gain a perspective on how development might occur. With no development at the time and appearing from the air as a solid green gem in the middle of a sea of sparkling water, he looked down from the heavens and said, "This Place Shall be Known as Emerald Isle".

The 2020 Emerald Isle St. Patrick's Festival on Saturday, March 14 is fast approaching, so mark your calendars and make your plans to join in the family-friendly fun. The festival runs from 9a.m. to 6p.m. at Emerald Plantation Shopping Center. Start celebrating the annual event early on Friday with rides and live music. That's correct: pre-festival fun begins on Friday, March 13. The rides open from 5-10p.m. and it's the perfect way to get into the festival spirit. No alcohol sales are happening this night, but unlimited rides are offered for a discounted price. It's worth checking out!

As luck would have it, however, admission is free both days. No extra green needed in that area. While we're talking about free, so is the parking. Use all that saved "green" to purchase souvenirs, apparel and food from the over 75 arts and crafts vendors. You'll find lots of great gift ideas and unique coastal treasures.

You should dress in your St. Paddy's Day best. This event is festive and fun—dress accordingly. Hint: Wear green and add lots of sparkle. Gold is a nice accent color. Enjoy an Irish-American tradition by ordering the corned beef and cabbage paired with a beer. Speaking of beer, be sure to stop by the Beer Garden. The Beer Garden is open from 10a.m. to 5p.m. Come thirsty! Of course, you need to be 21 or older and have your ID. Of course there are many other festival foods to choose from including shrimp burgers, hamburgers and hot dogs, Mediterranean cuisine, BBQ, funnel cakes, fried peanuts, cotton candy and so much more. Come hungry!

The St. Patrick's Festival also is famed for its family-friendly fun. With a petting zoo, amusement rides, clowns, kid-friendly booths, face painting and more, it's a local favorite for the kids and kids-at-heart. If you have kids ages 5 and under, check out the Little Ms. & Mr. Leprechaun Contest. Dress them up in their St. Paddy's Day finest for the contest on the main stage at 9a.m. Pre-registration is required by March 10 at noon and space is limited to only 20 contestants, so don't delay.

The Emerald Isle St. Patrick's Festival has a jam-packed live music performance schedule. With live entertainment on two stages, you'll enjoy the sights and sounds of the festival entertainment. Click here for the St. Patrick's Festival entertainment schedule. You can't go wrong with either the Gold or Emerald stage performances. In other entertainment news, Port City Pipes and Drums are on parade throughout the day.

Strollers are allowed at the Emerald Isle St. Patrick's Festival, except in the main tent area. If you plan to bring and use a stroller, the town asks that you be aware of your surroundings and mindful of the high-traffic areas as much as possible, and of course, to be courteous of others.

However, no pets are allowed at the festival. This is for your pet's safety! It's a busy festival and not best suited for your four-legged friends. Bring home some corned beef and cabbage and they'll forgive you. Leave your firearms at home, too. They are neither welcome nor permitted at the festival. This includes both concealed and open carry.

Crowds in excess of 20,000 people are expected for the annual event. We told you it's kind of a big deal around here. It's sure to be a St. Patrick's Festival to be remembered on the Crystal Coast. Don't miss out on a piece of Emerald Isle history in the making. Be there! You can get a bird's eye view of the Emerald Isle St. Patrick's Day Festival. Click here for the Festival Map. Learn more about where to park and how to get where you want to go.

The Emerald Isle St. Patrick's Festival is probably the most well-known event hosted by our town. There's a reason for that! If you haven't ever attended, you should get your family and friends together and make a day of it. You won't be disappointed.

When you visit Emerald Isle and want more information on living here, visit my website, www.EIHomesforSale.com and request my free Guide to Living Where You Vacation or text your email address to: 919-308-2292.