Date/Time
Date(s) - 03/21/2026
10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Location
Murphys, CA
Categories
Each year on the third Saturday in March, thousands of people from Northern California and beyond gather in the historic gold rush town of Murphys to honor its Celtic heritage and to celebrate as only the Irish can. Our picturesque Main Street is filled with booths offering handcrafted items, original art, photographs, food, beer, wine, and other beverages. Everybody loves a parade, and we have a hometown parade at 11 am that’s not to be missed, followed by Irish music on two stages and street performances featuring jugglers, a stiltwalker, Irish Dancers, and more. Bands include local favorites Plan B as well as Celtic groups The Black Irish Band, Sequoia, & Cooking with Turf.
Come dressed to impress in your best kilt, greenery, or other Irish garb!
Get all the details on our event page at https://visitmurphys.com/event/murphys-irish-day/ or follow us on Instagram @VisitMurphys.
Please plan to celebrate responsibly by arranging a designated driver or staying for dinner and enjoying some non-alcoholic drinks before heading out. Calaveras County does have public transportation, but it is limited. You can check out their schedule and stops here. We also have a taxi service and a couple of tour companies who may be able to arrange something for you. There is rarely Uber or Lyft available in the area. Make sure to stay hydrated, enjoy plenty to eat during the day, and keep moving… we want you to enjoy our wines and beers, but most importantly, we want you to stay safe and come back often!
Parking will not be available in the Black Bart parking lot across from the Community Park until the afternoon. It will be used for parade staging in the morning, and parking on the surrounding side streets is extremely limited due to their narrowness and use as detour routes during this event. Emergency vehicles need to get through and around town, and do not block private driveways… please be considerate and honor those No Parking signs! It would undoubtedly wreck your day if you found your vehicle had been towed.
Whether you plan to park at Ironstone or in the free parking lot at the Old Schoolhouse on Jones Street, the free parking lot at the Masonic Hall on the corner of Church & Algiers, or the surrounding side streets, please come early. The hour before the parade begins at 11 am, the area around Murphys can become congested, traffic moves slowly, and the shuttles can get backed up. We’d hate to see you miss the parade because you’re stuck in traffic.
Accessible parking is available in the Masonic Hall parking lot, but it fills up quickly. Additional accessible parking is available on Jones Street behind Alchemy Cafe; show the volunteers your placard, and they will let you through if parking is available.
Please remember that Main Street is closed to traffic from 6 am and will not reopen to vehicles until about 7 pm or whenever the street is clear and safe to access. Vendors & entertainers with event passes will have access through the Big Trees Road intersection between 6-9 am for setup.
Lost-and-found items may be brought to the Volunteer Check-In Desk inside the Native Sons Hall. First Aid is provided by our firefighters’ association and first responders at their booth at the corner of Main & Church Streets near the Hovey Tasting Room. Lost children should also be brought to the first responders, who will work with our volunteers to reunite them with their families as quickly as possible. Want to support our Fire Department? Buy a t-shirt or a sweatshirt from them while you’re here!
