Maybe it’s the luck of the Irish, or maybe it’s just Busch Gardens Williamsburg once again hosting a special event.
For the entire month of March, guests can do a little jig at the park’s St. Patrick’s Day Celebration. The event includes special entertainment, Irish-themed food and beverages, plus roller coasters and attractions to mark the special holiday, according to a park announcement.
What’s different this time around? The entire park will be open, including all 10 European villages.
While park capacity will continue to be limited, numerous attractions, roller coasters, restaurants and shops will be open throughout the European-themed park — with physical distancing.
“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,” Kevin Lembke, president of Busch Gardens Williamsburg and Water Country USA, said in a statement from a news release.
“While we continue to operate safely with limited capacity, our unique offerings including the best live entertainment and specialty St. Patrick’s Day-themed food and drinks, this event is sure to become an annual guest favorite,” he added.
This special event includes plenty of opportunities to soak in Irish culture. Virginia’s Irish Dance Schools will show off their amazing talent on Saturdays in the park’s San Marco Theatre.
Meanwhile, Busch Gardens Williamsburg is celebrating 20 years of Irish dance at the park.
A tribute on the Das Festhaus stage honors favorite performances through the years, such as Irish Thunder, Emerald Beat and Celtic Fyre. Guests can sing along to classic tunes celebrating Irish tradition and immerse themselves in the thunderous sound of step dance.
The Killarney Band will also be performing traditional folk tunes such as Danny Boy and The Wild Rover as guests sip on their favorite pub fare.
Irish-themed foods include corned beef and cabbage, bangers, colcannon, and Guinness mousse, plus a wide variety of rotating specialty brews such as Kilkenny, Guinness, Smithwick’s, and a St. Patrick’s Day staple — green beer.
For younger guests, there is a Leprechaun Scavenger Hunt where kids can search for the lucky leprechauns hiding throughout the park and win a prize. Clancy, Busch Gardens famous Leprechaun, will make a special appearance for a physically-distant meet-and-greet and souvenir photos.
The St. Patrick’s Day Celebration will be offered Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from March 5-28, as well as on St. Patrick’s Day — Wednesday, March 17. Event hours vary and reservations are required.
The park will host a “Members-only day” on Saturday, March 13 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and 5:30–10:30 p.m.
“In compliance with Virginia’s phase 3 safety guidelines for reopening businesses, Busch Gardens operates with enhanced health and safety protocols for cleaning and sanitizing, physical distancing, face-covering requirements and temperature screenings. Special event capacity will be limited to create ample space for guests to enjoy their experience, while maintaining physical distancing in a safe environment,” the news release stated.
Busch Gardens St. Patrick’s Day Celebration event admission starts at $39.99. Admission to the new March special event is included for active members, Annual Pass and Fun Card holders. Visit Busch Garden Williamsburg’s website here for more information on tickets and reservations.
Guests can receive the latest information on hours of operation for Busch Gardens Williamsburg by visiting its website or Facebook page.
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