Right about the time the grass starts turning green again in the Black Hills, the beers usually do too.St. Patrick’s weekend has a way of stirring up a little mischief as people head out looking for music, good company, and maybe a bit of luck along the way.

From Rapid City dance floors to Deadwood’s parade-filled streets, the weekend brings together DJs, punk bands, pub crawls, and a few long-running traditions that have turned St. Patrick’s into one of the livelier weekends of the year across the region.

Here’s a look at some of the places celebrating.

While Rapid City spreads its celebrations across different venues, Deadwood tends to turn the entire town into the party.

Deadwood St. Patrick’s Celebration

March 13–14 • Downtown Deadwood

The annual celebration includes a parade, citywide pub crawl, live entertainment, and the Lucky Leprechaun Hunt, a scavenger-style challenge that sends participants searching for QR codes in businesses throughout town.

Highlights include:

Lucky Leprechaun Hunt
Participants use the Plan Deadwood app to locate hidden QR codes in participating businesses across town.

Eggs & Kegs
Saturday morning at the Deadwood Social Club.

St. Paddy’s Parade
Saturday at noon along Main Street.

Deadwood Pub Crawl
Registration begins at 11 AM at the Franklin Hotel, with the crawl officially starting at 2:30 PM.

Singing Nuns Performances
Throwback performances Saturday afternoon at the Franklin Hotel and Nugget Saloon as part of Deadwood’s 150th anniversary events.

Looking Ahead to the Weekend

Between Deadwood’s street celebrations and Rapid City’s lineup of bands, DJs, and pub crawl stops, St. Patrick’s weekend tends to bring people out across the Hills for a few days of music and late nights.

And if history is any guide, it’s usually the kind of weekend where plans start with one stop and end somewhere completely different.