Mid-March in New Port Richey Is Stacked — Here's What's Worth Your Time

Mid-March in New Port Richey Is Stacked — Here's What's Worth Your Time

If you think March in New Port Richey is just about spring break crowds and sunburns, think again. The middle of the month is loaded with festivals, live music, and community events across Pinellas County and beyond. Whether you're looking for a weekend outing or just want to know what's drawing traffic around town, here's your rundown.

Florida Strawberry Festival (Through March 8)

If you haven't made it out to Plant City yet, you're running out of time. The Florida Strawberry Festival wraps up on March 8, capping off 11 days of headline entertainment, livestock shows, carnival rides, and — obviously — strawberry shortcake. Over 600,000 people visit each year, so expect crowds. But it's worth it. This is one of those quintessential Florida traditions that never gets old.

Reggae Rise Up Florida (March 12–15)

One of the biggest reggae festivals in the entire country lands at Vinoy Park in St. Petersburg for four days of laid-back vibes and live music. Reggae Rise Up has grown into a massive draw — we're talking tens of thousands of attendees from all over the Southeast.

If you run a business near downtown St. Pete, this is a traffic driver worth planning around. Expect the waterfront area to be buzzing all weekend.

Paddy Fest St. Pete (March 13–15)

Running the same weekend as Reggae Rise Up, the 4th Annual Paddy Fest takes over Williams Park in downtown St. Pete. Think live Irish music, a 90-foot obstacle course, Irish cuisine, and a full lineup of performers including Derek Warfield & The Young Wolfe Tones, The Byrne Brothers, and Seven Nations.

It's free, family-friendly, and one of the better St. Patrick's Day kickoff events in the area.

St. Patrick's Day Across Pinellas (March 14–17)

St. Paddy's season is basically a week-long event in this part of Florida. Here are the highlights:

• St. Paddy's Day on Corey Avenue (March 14) — Free, family-friendly street festival on St. Pete Beach from 11am–10pm. Live music all day with Sandy Bottom Boys, The Beach Rats, Horny Toads, and Big Brother, plus a DJ between sets.
• Dunedin's St. Patrick's Day Celebration — Flanagan's Irish Pub hosts their annual street festival with live music, food, and craft vendors. Dunedin leans hard into its Scottish-Irish heritage, and it shows.
• O'Keefe's Tavern, Clearwater (March 17) — Nonstop Irish vibes from 11am–10pm with live bands, bagpipers, lawn games, and plenty of green beer.
• Mary Margaret's Block Party, St. Pete (March 17) — The Third Street block party on the actual holiday. A St. Pete staple.

Why This Matters for Local Businesses

Here's the thing — events like these drive real search traffic. People Google "things to do in St. Pete this weekend" and "St. Patrick's Day events near me" by the thousands. If your business is anywhere near these venues, this is a prime opportunity to make sure your Google Business Profile is updated, your hours are current, and your website is showing up for relevant local searches.

A restaurant near Williams Park? Post about Paddy Fest on your Google profile. A shop on Corey Avenue? Make sure your site mentions the block party. Search engines reward relevance, and tying your business to what's happening locally is one of the easiest SEO wins out there.

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Need help making sure your business shows up when locals are searching? That's literally what we do. Get in touch with On Point and let's make sure you're not invisible during the busiest weekends of the year.

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