Celebrate St. Paddy’s Day at Busch Gardens

For the first time ever, Busch Gardens will be open for the entire month of March (it usually opens mid-March). There will also be a big St. Patrick’s Day celebration going on, so there will be lots of special entertainment, Irish-themed food and beverages, thrilling roller coasters and fun family attractions.

All 10 of the park’s European villages will be open. Previously, the park hasn’t been fully open for its limited capacity events (thanks, COVID). This means that guests have even more room to spread out and enjoy a fun day of coasters, animal exhibits and musical entertainment.

Kevin Lembke, park president, said in a press release,

“Spring is such a great time to visit the park and it’s exciting to open all villages along with a great selection of rides and attractions for our all-new St. Patrick’s Day Celebration. While we continue to operate safely with limited capacity, our unique offerings include the best live entertainment and specialty St. Patrick’s Day-themed food and drinks. This event is sure to become an annual guest favorite.”

Busch Gardens’ St. Patrick’s Day Celebration will be offered on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays March 5 – 28 as well as on St. Patrick’s Day, Wednesday, March 17. A Members-only day is scheduled for Saturday, March 13 with time slots for 10 – 4 and 5:30 – 10:30.

Reservations are required and the hours vary (some days are a five-hour timeframe and others are seven hours), so it’s best to check out the calendar on the park website. Even if you’re a passholder, you need to make a reservation.

COVID-Compliance at Busch Gardens

In compliance with Virginia’s phase 3 safety guidelines for reopening businesses, Busch Gardens is operating with enhanced health and safety protocols for cleaning, sanitizing and physical distancing. Temperature checks are given upon arrival and face masks must be worn. Special event capacity is limited to create ample space for guests to enjoy their experience while maintaining physical distancing in a safe environment.

I attended a couple of Busch Gardens events last fall, and I have to say that the park is doing an incredible job with all of its health and safety protocols. There are hand sanitizer stations, social distancing markers and informational signs everywhere. In fact, if you can’t find hand sanitizer, you’re not really looking (the stuff is everywhere!).

There are also relaxation zones around the park. You can remove your mask, while maintaining physical distancing, and enjoy a little mask-free down time.

Busch Gardens March Schedule

• Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays (March 5 – 28): Various hours
• Members-Only Day (Saturday, March 13): 10-4 and 5:30-10:30
• St. Patrick’s Day (Wednesday, March 17): 4-9

Busch Gardens St. Patrick’s Day Highlights

Grab a pint of Guinness, sit down and enjoy the show at the large and spacious Das Festhaus. Busch Gardens celebrate 20 years of Irish dance as the stage honors favorite performances throughout the years such as Irish Thunder, Emerald Beat and Celtic Fyre. Guests can sing along to classic tunes that celebrate Irish tradition and enjoy the thunderous sound of step dance. The Killarney Band will also hit the stage performing traditional folk tunes like “Danny Boy” and “The Wild Rover.”

The wee ones can join a Leprechaun Scavenger Hunt to search for lucky leprechauns hiding throughout the park. There are prizes involved. Clancy, Busch Gardens’ resident leprechaun, will make special appearances for a physically distant meet-and-greet and souvenir photos.

Local Irish dance schools will show off their talent on Saturdays in the San Marco Theatre.

St. Patrick’s Day at Busch Gardens means corned beef and cabbage, bangers and colcannon, Guinness mousse, lots of green beer and a variety of specialty brews such as Kilkenny, Guinness and Smithwick’s, along with authentic live entertainment and family-friendly activities.

Busch Gardens’ sister park, Water Country USA, has announced its opening date of May 22, so stick around for more updates on that.

For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit the park website.