St. Patrick's Day in Hot Springs, Arkansas is a four-day event!

There’s too much fun to cram into one day as Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas, home of The World’s Shortest St. Patrick’s Day Parade, devotes four full days in celebration of the St. Patrick’s Day weekend.

Read More: A global St Patrick's Day celebration is on its way and we need your favorite March 17 memories

Here are a baker’s dozen of top ways to celebrate all things Irish in America’s Spa:

Wednesday, March 13

  • Honor a real Irish American hero by attending a wreath-laying ceremony at the grave of John King, the Irish-born recipient of two Congressional Medals of Honor for heroism. King died while being treated at the Army and Navy Hospital in Hot Springs. The ceremony begins at 10 a.m. at Calvary Cemetery at the intersection of Greenwood Avenue and Third Street.

Read More: Being Irish on St. Patrick’s Day - why we love it

Friday, March 15

  • Adjust your attitude with a wee drop of Ireland’s finest and some free music at O’Kelley’s, the World’s Largest Inflatable Pop Up Irish Pub, at 5 p.m. at the corner of Convention Boulevard and Malvern Avenue.
  • Strap on your running shoes and cop a free T-shirt, free medal and free 0 K sticker for your car at the First Ever First Annual World’s Shortest St. Patrick’s Zero K footrace at 6 p.m. Run, walk, stroll, crawl or roll 299 feet from the world famous Bridge Street to O’Kelley’s Pub. Register online at Shortest St. Pats. Free live music concert by one-man band Mister Morphis begins immediately after the race.

Read More: Celebrate O'Everyone this St. Patrick’s Day with Tullamore D.E.W. and IrishCentral

Saturday, March 16

  • Take a morning bath. Enjoy Hot Springs National Park’s famous natural thermal waters at one of the bathhouses or spas in the downtown area that use the hot water to soothe the soul and refresh the body.
  • Get down with a free music concert featuring Smash Mouth, starting at 7 p.m. at the Bridge Street Stage at the confluence of Broadway, Bridge Street, Malvern Avenue, and Convention Boulevard. Get warmed up for Smash Mouth with some jammin’ R&B music by Ronnie Heart.

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Sunday, March 17

  • Kiss the Arkansas Blarney Stone in the Romancing The Stone contest and pick up some cash if you’re the most romantic smoocher. Starts at 4:30 p.m. at the Stone in front of the Hot Springs Convention Center, just a few steps away from Bridge Street.
  • Strut your stuff with the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders on the parade route on Bridge Street at 5:30 p.m. as things start heating up for the main event.
  • Help get everything on the up-and-up with the official measurement of the 98-foot parade route at 6:25 p.m.
  • Join 30,000 other revelers at 6:30 p.m. on Bridge Street for the First Ever 16th Annual World’s Shortest St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
  • Practice your dance moves with tWitch from The Ellen DeGeneres Show as the official starter for the parade.
  • Wax on wax off with Ralph (Karate Kid) Macchio as the grand marshal. Get your picture made with a pack of Green Irish wolfhounds and a 72-foot Idaho Irish potato, or put on your spangled jumpsuit and rock out with the 100 Irish Elvises and Priscillas from the Irish Order of the Elvi.
  • Join Jeremiah the Bullfrog and top off your Hot Springs St. Patrick’s experience with a free music concert by Three Dog Night at 8 p.m. at the Bridge Street Stage.
  • Start laying plans to return to Hot Springs in one year for the First Ever 17th Annual World’s Shortest St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

The Shorter the Better

The First Ever 16th Annual Shortest St. Patrick's Day Parade is set for March 17th and we are now accepting applications for parade entries. Only 40 of the most creative, colorful, bizarre, and fun ideas will receive our attention! Applications can be found at www.shorteststpats.com. For more information contact Bill Solleder at 501-321-2027. Video Directed by Justin Farley. #visithotsprings #shorteststpats

Publiée par World's Shortest St. Patrick's Day Parade sur Jeudi 17 mai 2018

Read More: Surprising places around the world that celebrate St. Patrick's Day

St Patrick’s Day 2019: Looking for events in your community this St Patrick’s Day or to share further information on the March 17 celebrations in your area? Join our St Patrick’s Day 2019 group and celebrate St Patrick’s Day 2019 in proper Irish style.

How are you planning on celebrating St. Patrick's Day 2019? Let us know in the comments!

This article was submitted to the IrishCentral contributors network by a member of the global Irish community. To become an IrishCentral contributor click here.

Related: Irish American, Music, St. Patrick's Day