St. Patrick’s Day in Cowesport: A Celebration of Music, Merriment, and Mystery
If you’ve never spent St. Patrick’s Day in Cowesport, then you’ve never truly experienced the holiday the way it was meant to be—with lively music, endless laughter, and just enough mystery to keep things interesting.
This year, as always, the town is decked out in green, the streets are alive with cheerful chaos, and The Hare & Hound Pub has already prepared for record-breaking pints poured. Whether you’re a longtime local or just passing through, here’s what you can expect from Cowesport’s most spirited celebration of the year.
🎶 Music & Mischief in the Streets
The annual St. Patrick’s Day procession kicks off in the town square at 2 PM sharp (or as sharp as Cowesport gets when there’s a holiday involved). The parade route winds through the village, featuring traditional Irish musicians, schoolchildren waving handmade banners, and at least one float that looks like it was assembled in a rush last night at The Boatyard.
And, of course, The Cowesport Folk Ensemble will take their usual spot outside The Fox & Thistle Bookshop, fiddles in hand, ready to play every Irish tune known to man—and possibly a few they just made up on the spot.
🍺The Hare & Hound Pub: The Heart of the Festivities
No St. Patrick’s Day is complete without a stop (or several) at The Hare & Hound.
✔ Live music all night—including a return appearance from Finn O’Shea, who swears he’s only playing one song, but we all know how that goes.
✔ The return of Bridget O’Shea’s legendary Irish coffee, which is either a gift from the heavens or a direct challenge to your ability to stand upright.
✔ Declan O’Shea’s special St. Patrick’s Day menu, featuring Guinness-braised lamb stew, colcannon, and fresh soda bread.
Expect the fireplace to be roaring, the drinks to be flowing, and at least one heated debate about whether last year’s festival ended with an actual ghost sighting or just someone mistaking a wayward fogbank for a spectral figure.
A Bit of Mystery (As Always)
St. Patrick’s Day in Cowesport wouldn’t be complete without a few inexplicable occurrences.
- The Case of the Phantom Piper: Every year, someone reports hearing the haunting melody of uilleann pipes from the cliffs after midnight. No one ever finds the musician. Some say it’s a tradition. Others say it’s a ghost. Either way, if you’re out late enough to hear it… best not to follow the sound.
- The Disappearing Pub Stool: A long-standing Hare & Hound mystery—every year, without fail, one stool goes missing during the night’s festivities. It always turns up again by morning, usually in an unexpected place (last year: the church steps, the year before: floating in the harbor). A harmless prank, or something stranger?
- The Legend of the Hidden Gold: Town folklore tells of a hidden pot of gold buried near the cliffs, left behind by a smuggler who “made a deal with the fae” and disappeared into the mist. A few determined souls try their luck each year, but so far, no treasure has been found… or if it has, no one’s talking.
Join the Festivities!
So whether you’re here for the music, the mystery, or just a very large pint of stout, one thing’s for certain: Cowesport knows how to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in proper Irish fashion.
Wear green, bring your best stories, and keep an eye out for anything unusual.
Because in Cowesport, the line between history, legend, and mischief is always a little blurry—especially after a few rounds.