Guinness Extends St. Patrick’s Day Celebration With PopUp Bagels Collaboration, Nationwide Events

NEW YORK — Guinness is expanding its St. Patrick’s Day celebrations into a month-long series of promotions, collaborations, and hospitality initiatives throughout March 2026, including a limited-edition bagel spread created with PopUp Bagels, community giveback programs supporting bartenders, and nationwide appearances at parades and festivals.

The campaign blends product collaboration, social media engagement, and on-site activations as the stout brand builds momentum around the holiday. Highlights include the Guinness Chocolate Stout Cake Schmear, a cream cheese spread infused with Guinness Draught, along with charity fundraising through a social media challenge tied to the hospitality industry.

More information about the campaign and promotions can be found on Guinness’ official site and related product pages.

Limited-edition bagel collaboration

Guinness is partnering again with PopUp Bagels to introduce the Guinness Chocolate Stout Cake Schmear, inspired by the flavor profile of the brand’s well-known chocolate cake recipe.

The spread will be available from March 12 through March 25 at PopUp Bagels locations nationwide.

Select stores will also offer samples of small pours of Guinness Draught and Guinness 0, the brand’s non-alcoholic stout option.

Sampling events will take place on the following dates:

• Charlotte: March 14, 10 a.m.–1 p.m.
• Boston: March 14, 10 a.m.–1 p.m.
• La Jolla: March 14, 10 a.m.–1 p.m.
• Atlanta: March 15, 10 a.m.–1 p.m.

In Chicago, PopUp Bagels will appear at the Guinness Open Gate Brewery for a two-day pop-up on March 12 and March 13, coinciding with the city’s annual river-dyeing celebration.

According to Karissa Downer, Director of Guinness in the United States, the expanded celebration is meant to build community around the holiday.

“St. Patrick’s Day is about ritual, pride and community,” Downer said in the company announcement, noting that the brand aims to give people more ways to gather and celebrate throughout the month.

‘Stache for Charity’ social campaign

Guinness is also bringing back its “Stache for Charity” initiative. The campaign is inspired by the foam mustache often left after sipping a pint.

Consumers can participate by posting photos or videos on Facebook or Instagram. Posts must include the hashtag #GuinnessGivesBack and tag @GuinnessUS.

For each qualifying post shared through March 31, 2026, Guinness will donate $1 per post. The donation is capped at $50,000.

The funds will go to the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation. The nonprofit supports the global hospitality industry.

Charlotte Voisey is the foundation’s executive director. She said the partnership highlights the importance of supporting bartenders.

This support is especially important during one of the busiest periods of the year.

“St. Patrick’s Day represents one of the most significant and demanding moments of the year for bartenders and the broader hospitality industry,” Voisey said.

She added that the initiative helps support education and advocacy programs for hospitality professionals.

Nationwide St. Patrick’s Day activations

Beyond the product collaboration and charity effort, Guinness will also appear at several major St. Patrick’s Day traditions across the United States.

Key activations include:

• Chicago River Dyeing: March 14, where Guinness returns as an official sponsor
• New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade
• Boston St. Patrick’s Day Parade
• Savannah St. Patrick’s Day Parade

The brand’s Chicago Open Gate Brewery will host a weekend event March 13–15, opening at 9 a.m. on March 14 for the river-dyeing crowd. Early entry will cost $10, with live music, DJs, giveaways, and themed activities.

Meanwhile, the Baltimore Open Gate Brewery will run two weekends of programming leading into St. Patrick’s Day on March 17, featuring tastings, cocktail classes, Irish dance lessons, and seasonal food offerings.

Why it matters

Seasonal marketing around cultural holidays has become an important strategy in the CPG and beverage industries. This is especially true for heritage brands trying to stay relevant with younger consumers.

By expanding St. Patrick’s Day into a month-long campaign, Guinness is using several common industry tactics.

These include limited-edition collaborations. They also include experiential marketing events.

The campaign also uses social media engagement tied to charitable initiatives.

Food partnerships (especially unexpected pairings between beverage brands and quick-serve food concepts) have also gained traction in recent years. These collaborations allow brands to reach new audiences while generating conversation online, even when reactions are mixed.

Editor’s note: Source86 perspective

For beverage brands and food manufacturers, the Guinness campaign highlights how limited-time collaborations and seasonal activations can extend a holiday into a full marketing window.

Partnerships with specialty food brands like PopUp Bagels also demonstrate how heritage beverage companies are exploring new formats. These collaborations help brands reach consumers through channels beyond traditional retail.

At Source86, we work with brands navigating these innovation cycles. Our services include ingredient sourcing, product development, private label production, co-manufacturing, and supply chain management.

Seasonal releases and collaborative products continue to shape the CPG landscape. As a result, strong sourcing networks are increasingly important. Agile production partners are also essential.

Together, they help brands bring limited-edition concepts to market quickly and efficiently. Let’s talk.

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External source: /C O R R E C T I O N — GUINNESS