Published: 12:00 AM, Thu Mar 11, 2010
Green Day: Plenty of options for letting your inner Irish out.
St. Patrick's Day highlights:
SpeakEasy: Though the SpeakEasy's night club won't be open, the cigar and martini bar will be. The bar will be decorated for the occasion and will serve green beer. 3983 Sycamore Dairy Road. 339-2404
Charlie Mike's Pub: The pub will throw a party at 4 p.m. featuring a DJ, food and drink specials. Corned beef and cabbage and Irish soda bread will be available for hungry party-goers. The bar will serve Guinness for $3.75 a pint, a featured shot for $3, Jameson Irish whisky for $4.50 and Irish car bombs for $5. 195 Starpoint Drive. 826-6453
It'z Entertainment City: It'z will host its annual bash featuring performances by local rockers The Fifth (under a big tent) and '80s Enough, an '80s tribute band (in the night club). David "the Piano Man" Parker will perform in the Cigar Bar. Events begin at 9 p.m. and will include various drink specials and party favors. 4118 Legend Ave. 826-4635
O'Larry's Irish Pub: The bar will host its annual "Big Irish Bash" featuring party favors, decorations, giveaways, a DJ, Irish music, dancing and drink specials on domestic bottles and draft beer. 8200 Cliffdale Road. 321-7474
St. Patrick's Day Parade and festival: Wilmington will host its 11th annual St. Patrick's Day Parade at 11 a.m. downtown. The 50-unit parade will be followed by a luncheon and party at the Wilmington Hilton downtown. Tickets for the luncheon are $25 per person. An Irish DJ and dancers will entertain.
At noon, the Guinness St. Patrick's Day Festival will begin at Riverfront Park on Water Street, featuring live music, Irish dancers, cultural vendors, and food and beer. The festival is free and open to the public and is also a rain or shine event. In the event of rain, the festival will be moved to underneath the Water Street Deck, across from the Hilton Hotel. Call (910) 686-5498 or (216) 374-8884.
Consider St. Patrick's Day the Super Bowl of holidays for Paddy Gibney, owner of Paddy's Pub.
With increased crowds ready to party in the middle of the week, the Irish holiday is always a source of insanity for Irish bars everywhere.
"It's always, always crazy," said Gibney. "But you meet the most interesting people, and everyone's Irish on St. Patrick's Day."
Gibney, who will be celebrating his third year as a bar owner, said he has learned a lot from his previous two St. Patrick's Days.
"For me, this year I'll be relaxing a lot more and not opening so early," said Gibney. "I mean, we're going to be packed no matter what we do, so the trick is to just enjoy it all."
Paddy's Pub, located at 2606-B Raeford Road, will kick off its celebration Wednesday at 3 p.m.
Admission is $5 for nonmembers and $3 for members and includes free food and live entertainment throughout the day and night. Paddy's Pub will serve corned beef and cabbage and will have a pig pickin' with all the trimmings, beginning at 4 p.m.
Gibney and his musical partner, Bill Ayerbe, will perform throughout the day. Local singers and songwriters Autumn Nicholas and Eric Smallwood also will perform as well as a bagpiper.
"It's great to see some really gifted musicians come in here," said Gibney. "We're more than happy to let them play. It takes the pressure off me. I'm hoping to pass the torch one day."
Gibney said he looks forward to enjoying the holiday this year, as opposed to running around like a "headless chicken" as he has in previous years.
"It's the one day of the year that people come to my bar that wouldn't normally do so," said Gibney. "And I just want to be able to sit and have a drink and a chat with them."