St. Patrick's Day is a valuable seasonal opportunity for pubs, bars and clubs across Edinburgh. Clear, well-positioned signage can help a venue promote events, offers and visitor information during a busy trading period.
The good news? You've still got time. With same-day collection available in Edinburgh and a bit of smart planning, you can have professional signage that pulls punters through your doors instead of your competitor's. Here's what actually works when you're up against the clock.
Why St. Patrick's Day Signage Matters More Than You Think
St. Patrick's Day isn't just another themed night. In Edinburgh, it's a pub crawl magnet. People are walking the Royal Mile, wandering Grassmarket, and hopping between Rose Street venues looking for the best atmosphere, the best deals, and the most obvious "we're open and ready" signals.
Your signage is your first (and often only) chance to communicate three things:
- You're participating in St. Patrick's Day
- You've got something worth coming in for (drinks specials, live music, themed food)
- You're open and welcoming
If your windows are blank and your frontage looks like any other Tuesday, you're invisible. And on a night when footfall can triple, invisible means lost revenue.
Fast-Turnaround Signage Options (That Don't Look Rushed)
When time is tight, you need print products that look professional but can be produced quickly. Here's what we recommend for Edinburgh hospitality venues working to a tight deadline.
PVC Banners: The Outdoor Workhorse
PVC banners are your best option for outdoor visibility. They're weatherproof (critical in Scotland), durable, and can be printed same-day if you get your order in early.
Where to use them:
- Railings outside your venue
- Hanging from upper windows
- Stretched across external walls
- Wrapped around A-boards or barriers
What to print:
- "St. Patrick's Day Specials Inside"
- "Live Music Tonight from 8pm"
- "£3.50 Guinness All Day Tuesday"
- "Irish Whiskey Tasting 6–9pm"
Standard sizes like 2m x 1m or 3m x 1m work for most frontages. We print these with hemmed edges and eyelets as standard, so they're ready to hang the moment you collect them.
Posters: Simple, Effective, Everywhere
Posters are your volume player. A3 and A2 sizes are perfect for windows, internal walls, toilet areas, and behind the bar. You can print dozens cheaply and blanket your venue.
Internal poster ideas:
- Drinks menu with St. Patrick's Day specials highlighted
- "Wear green, get 10% off" promotions
- Event schedule (DJ times, quiz start, live band)
- Food specials (Irish stew, soda bread, themed cocktails)
External poster ideas:
- Window displays showing what's on
- Pavement-facing A-boards with bold headlines
- Entrance posters welcoming guests
The key with posters is repetition. One A3 poster gets glanced at. Five A3 posters across your windows and doorway make a statement.
Window Stickers: Atmosphere Without the Faff
If you've left things truly last-minute (or you're planning ahead for next year), window stickers and decals are underrated. Vinyl window stickers in shamrock designs, "Happy St. Patrick's Day" lettering, or Irish flag colours can transform plain glass into something festive.
Why they work:
- Quick to apply (no mounting, no framing)
- Reusable if you store them properly
- Create visual interest from the street
- Available in contravision (printed graphic on the outside, clear view from inside)
You can pair window stickers with posters for a layered effect: stickers provide the theme, posters provide the details.
Correx Boards: Cheap, Cheerful, and Everywhere
Correx (corrugated plastic) boards are the Swiss Army knife of last-minute signage. They're lightweight, rigid, and can be cable-tied, blu-tacked, propped, or screwed into place almost anywhere.
Common uses:
- Directional signs ("St. Patrick's Party Upstairs")
- Pricing boards at the bar
- Table talkers for reserved sections or VIP areas
- Temporary outdoor signs (stick them in planters, lean them against railings)
We can print correx same-day in sizes from A4 up to 8ft x 4ft. For St. Patrick's Day, most venues order A3 or A2 correx boards for maximum flexibility.
What Should You Actually Print? (The Content That Converts)
It's tempting to just slap "Happy St. Patrick's Day" on everything and call it done. But the venues that win on nights like this are the ones that give people a reason to choose them.
Drinks Specials (Be Specific)
"Drinks Offers Inside" is weak. "£3.50 Guinness, £4 Irish Whiskey, £5 Irish Coffee" is concrete. People make snap decisions based on price and clarity. If they can't see your offer from the pavement, they'll walk past.
Event Timings (Create Urgency)
"Live Music Tonight" is vague. "Live Irish Band 8:30–11pm" tells people when to arrive. It also creates urgency: if they're walking past at 8:15pm, they know they've got 15 minutes to grab a seat.
Food Offers (Differentiate Yourself)
Not every pub is doing food. If you are, shout about it. "Irish Stew & a Pint £12" or "Free Soda Bread with Any Main" gives people a reason to sit down and stay longer instead of just having a quick pint and moving on.
Dress Code Incentives (Drive Participation)
"Wear Green, Get 10% Off" or "Best Dressed Wins Free Drinks" encourages people to engage with the theme. It also creates a better atmosphere when half your punters are visibly participating.
The Same-Day Collection Lifeline
Here's the reality: most pubs and clubs realise they need signage about four days before St. Patrick's Day. Some realise the day before. If you're in Edinburgh, same-day collection can save you.
How it works:
- Order before 10am for same-day collection (typically after 3pm)
- Choose products we can fast-track (PVC banners, posters, correx)
- Approve artwork quickly (we can design for you if needed)
- Collect from our Edinburgh location and install that evening
We frequently deal with "panic Wednesday" orders for Thursday events, and St. Patrick's Day is no exception. The key is getting your content and artwork sorted quickly. If you've got a clear idea of what you want to say, we can have it printed and ready within hours.
Quick Design Tips (So It Doesn't Look Last-Minute)
Even if you're ordering in a rush, your signage doesn't have to look rushed. Here are a few rules we share with hospitality clients:
Colour: Green is obvious, but pair it with black or white text for readability. Avoid green text on green backgrounds: it disappears from a distance.
Fonts: Bold, sans-serif fonts (like Arial Black or Bebas) read better from the street than fancy Celtic scripts. Save the decorative fonts for secondary text.
Images: Shamrocks, Irish flags, and pint glasses are fine, but don't let them overpower your message. The offer or event should be the hero, not the clipart.
Hierarchy: Make the most important thing the biggest. If it's a drinks price, that should dominate. If it's live music, that should be the headline.
White space: Cramming too much information onto a banner makes it unreadable. One clear message per sign is better than five competing messages.
Don't Wait Until Monday
If you're reading this on the Monday before St. Patrick's Day, you're already cutting it fine. If you're reading this the week before, you're in good shape: order by Friday, collect Monday, and spend Tuesday morning installing.
The venues that do well on St. Patrick's Day are the ones that look ready. That means visible, clear, confident signage that tells people exactly why they should walk through your door instead of the one next door.
And if you've genuinely left it until the last minute? We've got same-day options. Get your order in before 10am, and we'll make sure you're not facing St. Patrick's Day with blank windows and missed opportunities.
Need signage fast? Check out our PVC banners and poster printing options, or get in touch if you need help pulling something together quickly. Same-day collection is available in Edinburgh: just don't leave it until Tuesday morning.
Order pub and event signage
Combine outdoor PVC banners, posters and flyers for coordinated seasonal promotions.
