St Patrick's Day in Queenstown: Paint the Town Green on 17 March

Queenstown has never needed much of an excuse, and St Patrick's Day is a very good one. On 17 March every year the town digs out something green, the Guinness gets poured a little faster, and a surprising number of people discover an Irish grandmother they had never mentioned before.

Here is where to go on the night, how to get home again, and what to do with the day after, which is where a car earns its keep. We can't promise you a green car from Evolve Rentals, but we can make sure the morning after is a good one.

When is St Patrick's Day in Queenstown?

St Patrick's Day is 17 March, every year, whatever day of the week it lands on. In Queenstown that means early autumn, when the evenings are still long and often warm enough to sit outside, and the town is busy without being packed. Daylight saving runs until the first Sunday in April, so there is light well into the evening for the early part of the celebrating.

When the 17th lands midweek, there is no rule against celebrating at the weekend as well, and Queenstown has never been a town for rules like that.

Where is the best place for St Patrick's Day in Queenstown?

Póg Mahone's, on the lakefront at 14 Rees Street. It has been pouring Guinness in the middle of town since 1998, and the pub itself was designed and built in Ireland and then shipped out here, which is about as committed to the theme as a building can get.

There is live music every night, a mix of modern and Celtic, and a trad session every Sunday from six where musicians are welcome to bring an instrument and join in. The kitchen does Irish favourites alongside its Stonegrill meals, so the evening can start with a proper dinner rather than a packet of crisps. Expect it to be full on the night, so get there early or make your peace with standing.

Where else can you celebrate St Patrick's Day in Queenstown?

1876 on Ballarat Street was the original Queenstown courthouse before it was converted into a bar and restaurant, which gives a big night out a certain irony. It has an outdoor deck and duelling pianos on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, so if the 17th lands on one of those, the soundtrack is sorted.

The World Bar on Church Street is the home of the teapot cocktail, which is exactly what it sounds like and considerably more dangerous than it looks. There is live music, and the teapots have their own happy hour from nine.

If you would rather somebody else did the planning, Kiwi Crawl runs a bar crawl every Friday and Saturday night, meeting at The London at nine and taking in five bars. It only lines up with St Patrick's Day itself when the 17th falls on a weekend, but it is a very efficient way to see the town on the weekend either side.

How do you get home after St Patrick's Day?

By taxi, and there is only one colour to choose. Green Cabs run in Queenstown 24 hours a day, every day of the year, and you can book through their app or on 0800 76 76 73. They suggest booking ahead on busy nights and during events, and this is both. If you were holding out for a green car on St Patrick's night, this is the one.

If you are raising a glass, the car has the night off. That is the only serious sentence in this post, and now it is done.

Can you see the southern lights from Queenstown in March?

Sometimes, and March is when the odds start to improve. The aurora australis is best seen from March to September, when the nights are darkest, and it needs a clear sky, no moon and a fair bit of luck, which is at least on theme for the week.

The best spot within easy reach is Glenorchy, about 45 minutes up the lake on a sealed road. The Tahuna Glenorchy Dark Sky Sanctuary sits at the head of Lake Wakatipu, and on a good night the aurora reflects in the water. To the naked eye it usually shows as pale vertical beams, and a phone camera on a long exposure picks up the colour your eyes miss. Check an aurora forecast before you go, and go with somebody who has been on the lemonade. Our guide to a Glenorchy day trip covers the drive in daylight, which is worth doing in its own right.

What should you do the day after St Patrick's Day?

Something gentle, with a car and a view in it. Arrowtown is about twenty minutes away, the drive out is lovely, and a slow wander down Buckingham Street with a coffee in hand is about the right pace for the morning after. Our Arrowtown day trip guide covers the rest of what is there, including the gold history and where to eat.

If you are feeling more ambitious, early autumn is one of the best times of year to be driving around here. The summer crowds have thinned, the evenings are still long, and the colour on the trees around Arrowtown and Lake Hayes builds towards its peak in April. We have written up what March looks like in Queenstown, and five viewpoints ranked by how much effort they take, which on this particular morning may well be the deciding factor.

Getting the car sorted

We bring the car to you. Nobody else in Queenstown does that, and it is the reason Evolve exists. Somebody from our team meets you where you are staying, walks you round the car and hands you the keys, which on the morning after St Patrick's Day is a considerably better start than finding your way to a rental counter.

Or collect from us at 153b Glenda Drive in Frankton, near the airport. Either way, book your car with Evolve Rentals for the day after rather than the night before, and let St Patrick's Day be the one night of the trip you don't need it.

FAQs

When is St Patrick's Day?
17 March, every year. In Queenstown it falls in early autumn, with long evenings, because daylight saving runs until the first Sunday in April.

Is there an Irish pub in Queenstown?
Yes. Póg Mahone's is on the lakefront at 14 Rees Street and opens from 11am until late every day, with live music every night and a trad session on Sundays from 6pm.

Are there taxis in Queenstown late at night?
Yes. Green Cabs operate in Queenstown 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and recommend booking ahead on busy nights and during events.

Can you see the aurora australis from Queenstown in March?
It is possible. The aurora is best seen from March to September on clear, moonless nights. Glenorchy, about 45 minutes from Queenstown on a sealed road, is the best spot nearby, with the Tahuna Glenorchy Dark Sky Sanctuary at the head of the lake.

Do you need a car in Queenstown on St Patrick's Day?
Not on the night itself, when the pubs are close together and taxis run all night. A car is worth having the next day, for the drives to Arrowtown and Glenorchy and the viewpoints around the lake.