St. Patrick’s Day falls on Monday this year, which tees up a four-day celebration that begins Friday. Pace yourself.
As always, a slew of Irish-themed blowouts will take place around the region. Saturday is looking like the biggest day, with Monday a close second. Here’s a look at some of the bigger events.
Downtown Youngstown: With the Dora (designated outdoor refreshment area) now in effect, merrymakers can wander from bar to bar in the West Federal Street area, drink in hand. The boundaries are marked with signs on poles so you don’t accidentally leave the district. To learn how it works and view the boundaries, click HERE.
The new Varsity Club at West Commerce and Hazel streets, downtown, has put up a large and heated tent in its courtyard that should be rocking all four days. Party band 80s Proof will play (7-10 p.m.) Friday. On Saturday ($5 cover charge) it will be The Cugines (noon to 3 p.m.), The Classics (4-7 p.m.) and RDNA (8-11 p.m.).
Penguin City Brewing: Penguin City is downtown, but it’s not in the Dora. However, it is so large that it is a refreshment zone unto itself. A weekend of parties will kick off Friday, with DJ Puff (9 p.m. to 2 a.m.). On Saturday ($5 cover charge), the headliner will be Geo C and Tha Storm, which has a lot of new music to mix in with its tight funk covers (8 p.m. to midnight). Sunday will include an Irish brunch and children’s activities from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Monday will be the traditional St. Patrick’s Day bash, starting with a kegs and eggs breakfast at 9 a.m., Irish band County Mayo playing off and on from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Burke School of Dance at noon and Steel Valley Pipe n’ Drum at 4:30 p.m. ($5 cover).
Austintown: Frenchy’s Irish Pub will once again take over the Austintown Plaza parking lot (across from Walmart on Mahoning Avenue) for its massive indoor-outdoor party on the day itself (Monday, March 17). It opens at 5 a.m. for those who really want to make a full day of it. DJ Be Delicious will set up shop inside the bar. In the heated tent, the schedule includes RDNA (noon to 3 p.m.), 80s Proof (3-6 p.m.) and Old Skool (6-10 p.m.).
Warren: In downtown Warren, seven bars are teaming up for the St. Patrick’s bar crawl Saturday: Urban Tap, Club Michael, Modern Methods, The Underground, Darlene Lounge, West and Main and Bushwick. A shuttle bus will make the rounds to all seven, beginning at 6 p.m. Rides are free.
Sharon, Pa.: The grandaddy of local St. Pat’s Day parties might be at Quaker Steak & Lube in downtown Sharon. The indoor-outdoor complex will open at 6 a.m. on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17. Irish breakfast will be served until 11 a.m., and there will be live music all day on the main stage, Thunder Alley bar and in the big tent.
Boardman: The Magic Tree on South Avenue will go all out Saturday, with live music in the bar and in its heated tent. DJ Dean Congemi will be indoors, with the Vegas Band (1-3 p.m.), The Cugines (4-7 p.m.) and Youngstown’s House Band (8-11 p.m.) in the tent. On Sunday, the Magic Tree will host the after-party for the Mahoning Valley St. Patrick’s Day parade, with No Funk No Justice in the tent (5-8 p.m.). And on Monday, they’ll do it all over again, opening at 9 a.m. for kegs and eggs and a full day of live music and Irish dance. Silver Springs, a Fleetwood Mac tribute band, will be in the tent from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., with Old Skool playing from 2-5 p.m. DJ Fast Freddie will be in the restaurant from noon to 5 p.m., followed by Dueling Pianos (5-8 p.m.).
Columbiana: The Clipper Day Tripper shuttle bus will be making the rounds Saturday from 5-10 p.m., offering free hop-on and hop-off rides on a loop of seven establishments: Birdfish Brewing, Brewlounge, Factory 46, Homestead Kitchen and Cocktails, Mexico City, Riser Tavern on the Links and Sundog Ciderhouse and Winery.
Birdfish Brewing easily wins the Unique Promotion Award for this year. For $35, partiers can get an engraved Irish drinking horn filled with 16 ounces of beer. In ancient times, as the story goes, the Irish drank out of natural animal horns for ceremonial events and feasts. The decorative horns were considered a sign of prestige. Birdfish, by the way, ensures that the horns were ethically sourced and are sealed to prevent leakage. Of course, you can also just drink out of a regular glass. Entertainment will include the Irish Brigadiers band (8-10 a.m.), DJ Blaze (10 a.m. to noon), Burke School of Irish Dance (12:30-1:30 p.m.), Steel Valley Pipe n’ Drum (2 p.m.) and The Hired Hands band (3-5 p.m.). The party will continue Sunday, with The Irish Brigadiers and the Burke School dancers starting at 1 p.m. And Monday, the taproom will be open from 4-9 p.m., with the Steel Valley Pipe n’ Drum (5:30 p.m.) and the Burke dancers (6:30-7:30 p.m.).
Lake Milton: The second annual Lake Milton Shamrock Shuffle will take place from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday. The Paddy Wagon bus will make a continuous loop that will stop at seven bars: Anchor Inn, Castaway Craig’s, Grandview Tavern, Halliday’s Winery, Lake Milton Brewery, American Legion Lake Post 737, Olde Dutch Mill and the Prop House. Rides are free.
For a complete look at everything going on in the Mahoning Valley, check out The List.